Senator Wiener’s Net Neutrality, Housing, Conservatorship, Homeless Youth & Nightlife Bills Among Those that Move to Senate Floor for a Vote Next Week

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May 25, 2018

Sacramento–  Today the Senate Appropriations Committee passed 12 of Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) bills, including bills to establish net neutrality in California, reform California’s housing allocation process, strengthen conservatorship laws to help people suffering on our streets, allow cities to choose to extend nightlife hours, and provide more support for homeless youth.

These bills will now move to the Senate floor, where they will be voted on next week.  The deadline for approving the bills is June 1, after which they will move to the Assembly.

Among Senator Wiener’s bills approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee that will be voted on next week are:

  • SB 822 to re-establish Obama-era net neutrality regulations in California, by establishing brightline rules around fast lanes and zero rating, and charging the Attorney General with enforcing these rules. SB 822 was passed without any amendments.
  • SB 828 to reform how housing goals are assigned to local communities by creating a clearer, fairer, more data-driven, and more equitable process for how the state and regional bodies assign Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) numbers
  • SB 905 to allow – but not require – cities to extend sales of alcohol at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants (but not liquor stores) to as late as 4 a.m. The bill is a 5 year pilot program that applies to the seven cities whose Mayors have expressed interest in pursuing later hours: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, and Palm Springs.
  • SB 918 to support homeless youth by creating a framework focused toward ending youth homelessness. The bill originally directed $60 million in funding to address the alarming rise of youth homelessness in California, but this money has been included in the Senate budget proposal which Senator Wiener will continue to push forward. 
  • SB 1045 to expand existing conservatorship laws to support people suffering on our streets. The bill establishes a five year pilot program that authorizes San Francisco and Los Angeles Counties to create a new conservatorship focused on chronically homeless individuals who suffer from mental health and substance abuse issues, and who cannot care for themselves.

The full list of bills that moved from the Senate floor: