CHISPA ALERT: State laws to support and oppose!

By
Admin
– September 5, 2025Posted in: "The OC", california, Fresh Juice, ICE raids, immigration, Police Accountablity, rent control

Direct from “over our transom” today, from our friend BOOMER at CHISPA!

Vern,

Every year Chispa members form committees, conduct research, and vote on our legislative priorities. California legislators are now back in the Capitol for the final stretch of the session. Chispa members and supporters have successfully lobbied our local legislators to vote AYE or NO. We need your support to advance or block our priority bills!

Sign up to make a call to your representative on or before September 12!

As a constituent, your input has influence! Our team will follow up with call scripts for your outreach.

Bills we Support:

AB 1388 – Police Misconduct Transparency
AB 1388 (Bryan) would ban confidentiality agreements in police misconduct settlements, bringing more transparency and accountability to law enforcement. The bill is expected to clear committee and head to a floor vote soon—a promising step forward for oversight.

Vern note: this passed the assembly unanimously on Aug. 20. It looks uncontroversial.

SB 98 – SAFE Act
SB 98 requires schools to notify students and families when immigration enforcement is present, ensuring transparency and protecting immigrant communities in education spaces. The bill has already passed the Senate and now moves through the Assembly.

Vern note: this is also passing but our Republicans oppose it:
Ta, Dixon, Sanchez, Choi, Strickland. All backing Trump’s ICE.

SB 436 – Right to Redeem Act
This measure ensures tenants who can repay rent or show approved rental assistance can avoid eviction. Although gutted in committee, a new version extending the pay-or-quit notice period to 14 days advanced with broad support. A pay-or-quit notice is the formal notice a landlord gives when rent isn’t paid — it tells tenants to either pay what they owe within a set time or move out. Currently, tenants only get 3 days to respond. Extending it to 14 days gives families more breathing room to catch up on rent or secure rental aid, preventing unnecessary evictions and promoting housing stability.

Vern note: Passed Senate with our Republicans (Strickland, Choi) opposing it.
Even Umberg supported it, who often sides with landlords.

Bills We Oppose:

AB 1178 – Police Secrecy Act

Would redact officer information from public records, undermining transparency. It remains stalled in Senate Appropriations, with advocates pushing to weaken or stop it entirely.

Yay for getting stalled in Senate Approp’s, never thought I’d write that!

Good legislation that was stalled this cycle:

Keeping Families Together Act
This bill sought to strengthen California’s sanctuary protections by closing loopholes that allow state and local agencies—not just police—to work with ICE. Unfortunately, it did not advance this year, with legislative leadership arguing California’s Sanctuary Law SB 54 is “good enough.” We know the loopholes remain and will continue pushing to protect immigrant families.

AB 1157 – Lower the Rent Cap
This bill would reduce California’s rent cap, extend protections to single-family homes, and make tenant protections permanent. It became a two-year bill after falling short in committee, but we now have eight months to build support. The fight to stabilize rents is far from over.

VERN: This is a big one (and would save Tenants United Anaheim a shitload of work.) Current state rent control law allows annual rent increases of cost-of-living PLUS FIVE PERCENT, up to a limit of TEN PERCENT. THAT is EXCESSIVE. Also, the current law sunsets AND doesn’t apply to way too many rental properties due to Costa Hawkins. Yes, let’s work on getting this passed over these next 8 months.

Sign up to call your legislator on or before September 12th.

In community,
Boomer from Chispa

Now! Open Thread! Have at it!

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About Admin

"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.