AB 748: Single-family and multifamily housing units: preapproved plans.

Official summary

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

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules and regulations by counties and cities and the implementation of those general plans as may be in effect in those counties or cities. In that regard, existing law requires each local agency, by January 1, 2025, to develop a program for the preapproval of accessory dwelling unit plans.

This bill would require each local agency, as defined, to develop a program for the preapproval of single-family and multifamily residential housing plans, whereby the local agency accepts single-family and multifamily plan submissions for preapproval and approves or denies the preapproval applications, as specified. The bill would require a large jurisdiction, as defined, to develop this program by July 1, 2027, and a small jurisdiction, as defined, to develop a program by January 1, 2029. The bill would require the local agency to post preapproved single-family or multifamily residential housing plans and the contact information of the applicant on the local agency’s internet website.

This bill would require a local agency to either approve or deny ministerially an application for a single-family or multifamily residential housing unit within 30 days if the lot meets certain conditions and the application utilizes specified plans that have been preapproved by the local agency or that are identical to a plan used in an application approved by the local agency. The bill would prohibit the preapproval program from applying to single-family or multifamily residential housing plans intended for use in certain communities and developments, as specified.

Existing law requires each county and each city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its boundaries, that includes, among other specified mandatory elements, a housing element. That law requires the planning agency of a city or county to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to, among other entities, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Existing law requires the annual report to include, among other things, the city’s or county’s progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs, as specified.

Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA does not apply to the approval of ministerial projects.

To the extent that the ministerial review process established by the bill would apply to final, discretionary approval of an application for a single-family or multifamily housing unit, the bill would exempt those projects from CEQA.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

“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. July 1, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. June 17, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HOUSING. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
5. June 10, 2026Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and 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 3832.)
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, 2026Coauthors revised.
11. January 22, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3806.)
12. January 14, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (January 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.