Last week, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees met to dispense with what is called the Suspense File. All bills that are in the Assembly and have an annual cost to the budget of $150,000 or more or bills in the Senate that have a cost of $50,000 or more to the General Fund or $150,000 to any special fund, are placed on the Suspense File. This is a way for the Senate and Assembly leadership and Appropriations Chairs to evaluate all bills together, understand the collective impact they would have on the State Budget, and weigh policy priorities. They then decide in a Suspense File hearing which bills to allow to move forward and which to hold in committee (bill effectively dies).
C.A.R. is pleased to report that three priority “Oppose” bills died in the Appropriations Committees – two landlord-tenant bills, AB 2382 and SB 1026, and one tax bill, SB 1105.
C.A.R. is currently also mobilizing to oppose SB 679 (Kamlager) which would establish the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (Agency) and authorizes the Agency to utilize specified local financing tools to produce affordable housing among other provisions. Members in selected districts will be receiving emails, possibly as soon as Tuesday morning, to contact their legislator on this bill.