AB 1070: Residential developments: building standards: review.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, establishes the California Building Standards Commission (commission) within the Department of General Services and sets forth its powers and duties, including approval and adoption of building standards and codification of those standards into the California Building Standards Code (code). Existing law requires the commission to publish, or cause to be published, editions of the code in its entirety once every 3 years.

Existing law requires the building standards and rules and regulations to impose substantially the same requirements as are contained in the most recent editions of specified international or uniform industry codes, including the International Residential Code of the International Code Council.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) and requires the department to submit an annual report to the Governor and both houses of the Legislature on the operations and accomplishments during the previous fiscal year of the housing programs administered by the department.

This bill would require the department to initiate a study no later than January 31, 2027, evaluating the conditions under which residential developments of between 3 and 10 units may be designed and constructed under the requirements of the California Residential Code, as specified. The bill would require the department to contract with external experts or an independent third party for this purpose. The bill would require the department, no later than December 31, 2028, to provide a one-time report of its findings to the Legislature in the annual report described above. The bill, if the report identifies and recommends amendments to building standards, would require the department to research, develop, and consider proposing the standards for adoption by the commission, as specified. For the purposes of these provisions, the bill would authorize the department to exceed the scope and application of the International Residential Code to evaluate and propose amendments to allow residential developments of between 3 and 10 units to be designed and constructed under the requirements of the California Residential Code.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 13, 2026In committee: Held under submission.
2. August 3, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
3. June 25, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. June 11, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
5. May 6, 2026Referred to Com. on HOUSING.
6. January 27, 2026In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
7. January 26, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 3834.)
8. January 22, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
9. January 22, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (January 22).
10. January 22, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
11. January 22, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3806.)
12. January 14, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (January 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.