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Bill

A 1501

Prohibits requiring that an individual have a court proceeding initiated against them in order to qualify for a rent arrears grant or ongoing rental assistance

2025 Regular Session Introduced by William Colton and 4 co-sponsors

Prohibits rental relief programs from requiring a court proceeding to qualify for rent arrears grants or ongoing rental assistance, expanding access for tenants.

ORDERED TO THIRD READING RULES CAL.218
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Bill Summary · A 1501

Summary of Bill A 1501

Purpose and intent

  • Bill A 1501 seeks to remove a barrier to rent relief by prohibiting a requirement that an individual must have a court proceeding initiated against them in order to qualify for a rent arrears grant or ongoing rental assistance.
  • In short, eligibility for rent arrears grants or ongoing rental support could not be conditioned on having an active or prior court action.

Key provisions

  • Prohibition on eligibility criteria: The bill would bar any program rule that mandates a court proceeding against the individual as a prerequisite to qualify for rent arrears grants or ongoing rental assistance.
  • Scope of programs affected: The measure targets rental assistance programs that provide aid to tenants with arrears or ongoing rental support, as administered by the relevant agency (currently reflected as Social Services in the bill’s referral).

Who/what would be affected

  • Tenants and renters seeking rent arrears grants or ongoing rental assistance would be protected from having to show a court proceeding to be eligible.
  • Agencies administering rent relief (e.g., the social services department or equivalent housing assistance programs) would need to adjust program criteria to remove any court-action prerequisite.
  • Landlords and property owners may interact with these programs insofar as they participate in or rely on tenants’ eligibility for assistance, though direct impacts are focused on eligibility rules for tenants.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: January 10, 2025.
  • Status: Referred to the Social Services committee (listed twice in the actions for that date, indicating initial referral and record duplication).
  • Related and companion measures:
    • Related bills from prior sessions: A 7219, A 5512.
    • Companion bill: S 913 (listed as a companion).

Legislative context and potential impact

  • Policy direction: The bill is focused on expanding access to rental assistance by removing a court-action prerequisite, which could reduce barriers for tenants facing eviction or those without active court involvement.
  • Implementation considerations: If enacted, agencies would need to revise eligibility criteria and ensure consistent application across programs administering rent arrears grants and ongoing rental assistance.

Next steps

  • The bill would proceed through committee hearings and potential amendments in the Social Services committee, followed by floor votes in the legislative chamber. Tracking updates will show whether additional sponsors join and whether the measure advances.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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