INSTRUCTIONS
Go to https://legiscan.com/ (FREE)
This is where you’ll go to find Bills in your state. On the left side, middle of the screen, change to your state and search the bill you’re interested in, or search by text if necessary.
Create your login for a free account.
Use the Monitor button to track Bills in your account
Under the Summary tab, you can Support, Oppose, or Watch the Bill.
The Comments Tab allows you to enter comments and if the Bill is open for discussion with Politicorps, it will be here.
You can start a PolitiCorps debate/discussion if you click on the red link: Start a PolitiCorps Debate. (You’ll need to create a Group, or join one, if someone else creates one.
May 2023—————————————————————————————————————-
AB-1458 – CID: association governance: member election
Original intent: Reducing Quorum Requirements
Position: this is an OK bill but better would be just to reduce the maximum quorum to 20%. Why call two meetings, that is a lot of unnecessary costs.
California AB-1458 proposes reducing the quorum requirements for holding an election for homeowners, condo, or co-op associations. When an HOA fails to meet the quorum required by its governing documents, the board must adjourn the annual meeting and postpone the election. A second meeting must be scheduled at least 20 days later. But the quorum for the second meeting can then be reduced to 20% of membership. The lower quorum applies regardless of higher requirements written in HOA governing documents.
AB-648 – CID: procedures: meetings by teleconference
Position: this is an excellent bill. There is no longer any reason that people can not meet remotely.
This bill amends current law that allows HOA meetings by teleconference. The most recent amendment to this bill reversed an attempt by HOA-industry lobbyists to continue to allow videoconferences for annual election meetings, where ballots are tabulated and counted, even though pandemic emergency restrictions have expired. The current draft now states that there must be a physical location where owners can witness the counting of ballots. In other words, when counting ballots, a video camera cannot be substituted for a live audience.
AB-572 Common interest developments: imposition of assessments
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB572
Original intent: Reducing max Dues to 5% for low income
Position: I don’t see how this makes sense. Certainly no special raise restriction, that throws that bill onto someone else. This 20% limit seems too high, but if it is genuinely needed, not a decision by a corrupt board, then there needs to be a way to get it approved.
A third bill to watch is AB572. It proposes reducing the maximum increase in annual HOA fees from 20% to 5% — but only for owners of units that qualify as affordable housing set aside for lower income households. If you live in a mixed income community, middle- and higher-income households can still see their HOA fees increase by up to 20% per year, without a vote of members.
Articles
“HOA-industry lobbyists try to undo existing consumer protection of voting rights”