Governor Faces Limited Time to Act on Legislative Measures

Governor Gavin Newsom faces an October 10 deadline to sign or veto measures advanced to his desk by the California State Legislature prior to their adjournment last month. With limited time remaining, Governor Newsom acted on a significant number of legislative measures spanning a wide array of subjects, including health, behavioral health, and housing and homelessness.

Below, we highlight several measures of interest to CHEAC Members and local health departments acted upon this week. As a friendly reminder, CHEAC will publish a final bill chart following the Governor’s October 10 deadline detailing results of all measures tracked by CHEAC. 

• Homelessness and Mental Health Services – Governor Newsom on Wednesday signed into law a series of bills aimed at addressing homelessness in California and enhance responses to individuals suffering from mental health conditions. Measures signed into law include AB 362 which set forth safety regulations for homeless shelters and other measures to improve data reporting on homelessness services and funding. Additional information here.

• Affordable Housing – Governor Newsom on Tuesday in Alameda County signed into law a package of 28 measures addressing affordable housing, housing production, and development practices. As part of the signing ceremony, Governor Newsom announced the launch of a new Housing Accountability Unit at the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to work with local governments to aid compliance with state legislation mandating housing creation, including zoning and permitting issues. Additional information here.

• Elections Measures – Governor Newsom signed into law a series of measures related to voting and elections, including a bill requiring that all registered voters receive a vote-by-mail ballot. Additional information here.