October 7, 2021

This week, Governor Newsom took action on several bills of interest for the Housing, Land Use and Transportation policy area. Governor Newsom vetoed two bills opposed by CSAC, SB 477 (Weiner) and SB 556 (Dodd), a major proposal to overhaul local permitting and leasing requirements for small wireless facilities. Governor Newsom also signed AB 537 (Quirk.) Below are brief summaries of these bills and information about our positions. The deadline for the Governor to sign or veto bills is October 10. We will keep counties updated on the remaining housing, land use, and transportation measures that are currently awaiting his action.

SB 556 (Dodd) – Small Wireless Facilities Attachments: Would have required local governments and publicly owned electric utilities to make infrastructure available to communication service providers for the placement of small wireless facilities. The bill would have also gone well beyond Federal Communications Commission regulations in imposing limitations on allowable compensation to the public owners of that infrastructure.

SB 556 was vetoed by the Governor. The Governor’s veto message is available here.

CSAC’s letter to the Governor requesting a veto on this bill is available here.

SB 477 (Wiener) – General Plan Annual Report: Would have significantly increased reporting burdens for counties and cities submitting Housing Element Annual Progress Reports. CSAC requested the Governor’s veto after the author rejected our proposed amendments, which would have streamlined the reporting requirements and exempted small, rural counties from the new reporting requirements.

SB 477 was vetoed by the Governor. The Governor’s veto message is available here.

CSAC’s letter to the Governor requesting a veto on this bill is available here.

AB 537 (Quirk) – Wireless Telecommunications and Broadband Facilities: Updates existing law establishing a timeline and process through which wireless telecommunication siting facility permits are deemed approved.

AB 537 was signed by the Governor. CSAC removed opposition to this measure after the author amended the bill to address our concerns, particularly those related to facility siting and construction in the public right-of-way.