AB 712: Housing reform laws: enforcement actions: fines and penalties.

Official summary

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

Existing law within the Planning and Zoning Law describes various reforms and incentives enacted by the Legislature to facilitate and expedite the construction of affordable housing. Existing law within the Planning and Zoning Law, in certain civil actions or proceedings against a public entity that has issued specified approvals for a housing development, authorizes a court to award all reasonably incurred costs of suit to a prevailing public entity or nonprofit housing corporation that is a real party in interest and the permit applicant of the low- or moderate-income housing if the court makes specified findings.

This bill, where the applicant for a housing development is a prevailing party in an action brought by the applicant to enforce the public agency’s compliance with a housing reform law as applied to the applicant’s housing development project, would entitle an applicant for a housing development project to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs and would require a court to impose fines on a local agency, as specified. The bill would extend any period of limitation for actions under any state law for a period of 60 days beginning on the date the applicant provides written notice to the local agency indicating its intent to commence an action. The bill would prohibit a public agency from requiring the applicant to indemnify, defend, or hold harmless the public agency in any action alleging the public agency violated the applicant’s rights or deprived the applicant of the benefits or protection provide by a housing reform law. The bill would define housing reform law as a law that establishes or facilitates protections for the benefit of applicants for housing development projects or imposes limitations on a public agency for the benefit of housing development projects.

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. October 10, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 496, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 10, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 11, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. September 4, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 64. Noes 2. Page 2932.).
5. September 4, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. September 3, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 2. Page 2462.).
7. August 20, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 19, 2025From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
9. July 16, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. July 3, 2025Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
11. July 2, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 1.) (July 1).
12. May 21, 2025Referred to Coms. on HOUSING and JUD.