What AB 2296 does
An act to amend Sections 65584.03, 65584.04, 65584.05, and 65588 of the Government Code, relating to land use.
(1)Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, which includes, among other mandatory elements, a housing element. For the 4th and subsequent revisions of the housing element, existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with each council of governments, to determine each region’s existing and projected need for housing, and requires the appropriate council of governments, or the department for cities and counties without a council of governments, to adopt a final regional housing plan that allocates a share of the regional housing need to each city, county, or city and county, as provided.
Existing law authorizes at least 2 or more cities and a county, or counties, at least 28 months prior to the scheduled housing element revision, to form a subregional entity to allocate the subregion’s existing and projected housing need among its members. If the council of governments does not receive a notification of this formation at least 28 months prior to the update, existing law requires the council of governments to implement specified requirements regarding the regional housing need process. Existing law requires the council of governments to determine the share of regional housing need assigned to each delegate subregion at least 25 months prior to the scheduled revision.
This bill, except with respect to the 7th housing element cycle for councils of governments with a housing element revision due date during the calendar year 2027, 2028, or 2029, would extend the above-described timeline for cities and counties to form a subregional entity to allocate the subregion’s housing need, as provided, from 28 months to 34 months, and the above-described timeline for the council of governments to determine the share of regional housing need assigned to each subregion from 25 months to 31 months, respectively.
(2)Existing law, at least 2 years before a scheduled revision of the housing element, as specified, requires each council of governments, or delegate subregion as applicable, to develop, in consultation with the department, a proposed methodology for distributing the existing and projected regional housing need to jurisdictions, as specified. Existing law, at least 112 years before a scheduled revision of the housing element, as specified, requires each council of governments and delegate subregion, as applicable, to distribute a draft allocation of regional housing needs to each local government in the region or subregion, where applicable, and the department, as specified.
This bill, except with respect to the 7th housing element cycle for councils of governments with a housing element revision due date during the calendar year 2027, 2028, or 2029, would instead require that the above-described methodology be developed at least 212 years before a scheduled revision of the housing element, and that the distribution of the draft allocation plan be made at least 2 years before a scheduled revision of the housing element, respectively.
(3)Existing law requires each city, county, and city and county to, among other things, revise its housing element according to a specified schedule. Existing law generally requires local governments within the jurisdiction of certain metropolitan planning organizations or regional transportation planning agencies to update their housing elements 18 months after adoption of every 2nd regional transportation plan update, but not later than 8 years later than the deadline for adoption of the previous 8-year housing element, as specified. For subsequent revisions of the housing element after the 5th revision, existing law requires certain local governments to revise their housing elements at 5-year intervals, as specified. For the 7th revision and subsequent revisions of the housing element, existing law makes subsequent revisions due 24 months after the adoption of the 2nd regional transportation plan update for local governments within the jurisdiction of the Southern California Association of Governments, except as provided.
This bill would instead generally require local governments within the above-described metropolitan planning organizations or regional transportation planning agencies to update their housing elements 18 months after the estimated adoption date of every 2nd regional transportation plan update, as specified. The bill would require the 8th revision of the housing elements for the certain local governments previously at 5-year intervals for the 7th revision, to be due by June 30, 2032. The bill would also require, for the 9th and subsequent revisions of the housing elements for those local governments, to be due 18 months after adoption of every 2nd regional transportation plan update, as provided. For the 8th and subsequent revisions, the bill would require a local government within the Southern California Association of Governments to adopt the revised housing no later than 8 years later than the deadline for adoption of the previous 8-year housing element.
The housing element law requires a metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency that has an 8-year revision interval described above to notify the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Transportation in writing of the estimated adoption date for its next regional transportation plan update at least 12 months before the estimated adoption date.
This bill would instead require the above-described notification 24 months before the estimated adoption date.
(4)The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
(5)By requiring local officials to provide a higher level of service, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Summary from the Legislative Counsel's Digest of the enrolled text, August 30, 2026. Read the full text on leginfo.
How it got here
Assemblymember Papan introduced AB 2296 on February 19, 2026. The text was amended 5 times, 3 in the Assembly and 2 in the Senate, and heard in 5 committee hearings before its final floor votes.
- Assembly Floor, May 27, 2026: 76 ayes, 0 noes.
- Senate Floor, August 26, 2026: 39 ayes, 0 noes.
- Assembly Floor, August 26, 2026: 79 ayes, 0 noes.
Committee votes along the way:
- Assembly Housing and Community Development, April 15, 2026: Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government], 11-0.
- Assembly Local Government, April 22, 2026: Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations], 10-0.
- Assembly Appropriations, May 14, 2026: Do pass as amended., 11-0.
- Senate Housing, June 24, 2026: Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations], 10-0.
Who supports and opposes AB 2296
The Senate Floor Analyses analysis dated August 24, 2026 lists 32 organizations in support and 0 in opposition. When Assembly Housing and Community Development first listed positions on April 13, 2026, the count was 1 in support and 5 opposed. By the Senate Floor Analyses analysis of August 24, 2026 it was 32 to 0.
In support: League of California Cities (sponsor); City of Carpinteria; City of Chino Hills; City of Concord; City of Corona; City of El Cerrito; City of Emeryville; City of Foster City; and 24 more.
Read the Senate Floor Analyses analysis.
What happens next
It reached the Governor's desk on September 3, 2026. Bills presented after the Legislature adjourned on August 31 must be signed or vetoed within thirty days.
The Governor can sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Until the decision, sign and veto request letters are the remaining channel, and the Department of Finance's enrolled bill report carries weight on anything with a fiscal effect. If signed, most provisions take effect January 1, and implementation moves to the agencies named in the bill.
What it means for housing organizations
Two decisions follow from a bill at this stage. The first is whether to weigh in with the Governor's office before the thirty-day window closes. The second is how to prepare for implementation if it becomes law: which agency writes the rules, when the comment period opens, and which obligations begin January 1.
The housing group at Capitol Axis handles that for housing clients.
Questions about AB 2296
What does AB 2296 do?
This bill, except with respect to the 7th housing element cycle for councils of governments with a housing element revision due date during the calendar year 2027, 2028, or 2029, would extend the above-described timeline for cities and counties to form a subregional entity to allocate the subregion’s housing need, as provided, from 28 months to 34 months, and the above-described timeline for the council of governments to determine the share of regional housing need assigned to each subregion from 25 months to 31 months, respectively.
Has AB 2296 passed the California Legislature?
It reached the Governor's desk on September 3, 2026. Bills presented after the Legislature adjourned on August 31 must be signed or vetoed within thirty days.
Who supports and opposes AB 2296?
The Senate Floor Analyses analysis dated August 24, 2026 lists 32 organizations in support and 0 in opposition. Supporters include League of California Cities (sponsor); City of Carpinteria; City of Chino Hills.
What happens next with AB 2296?
The Governor can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Until then, sign and veto request letters are the remaining channel, and the Department of Finance's enrolled bill report carries weight on anything with a fiscal effect.