California Legislature Passes Historic Pet Policy Transparency Act, Sending SB 1296 to Governor Newsom
First-of-its-kind California standard would give renters pet policy information upfront while preserving housing providers’ ability to set their own rules
SACRAMENTO — Historic legislation to bring greater transparency to California’s rental housing market has cleared the state Legislature and is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature.
SB 1296, the Pet Policy Transparency Act, is a landmark measure that would establish California’s first statewide standard for upfront disclosure of rental pet policies. Authored by Senator María Elena Durazo and shaped by input from both renters and housing providers, the bipartisan bill now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom for signature.
“This bill started with a simple idea: renters and housing providers both do better with more information, not less,” said Senator María Elena Durazo, author of SB 1296. “The Senate's vote today sends SB 1296 to the Governor's desk, and I'm grateful to our partners for helping shape a bill that works for everyone at the table.”
If signed into law, SB 1296 would bring pet policies into the open earlier in the housing search, giving renters the information they need to identify homes that work for their households and helping housing providers avoid spending time screening applicants whose needs do not align with a property’s existing rules.
Co-authored by Assemblymembers Matt Haney and Isaac G. Bryan, the legislation does not require housing providers to accept pets or dictate what their pet policies must be. Instead, it creates greater transparency at the beginning of the rental process so renters can make better-informed decisions and housing providers can receive better-matched applicants from the start.
“SB 1296 is a major win for a more transparent and efficient rental process in California. Renters benefit from knowing a property’s pet rules before paying to apply, and housing providers benefit from spending less time and money processing applications that were never a fit in the first place,” said Jennifer Naitaki, Senior Advisor to the Michelson Center for Public Policy. “We thank Senator Durazo, Assemblymembers Haney and Bryan, and lawmakers in both houses for advancing this commonsense solution, and we urge Governor Newsom to sign SB 1296 into law.”
###
The Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP) is a 501(c)(4) organization advancing legislative change through strategic collaboration with policymakers, advocacy organizations, and civic leaders. Focused on education, equity, justice, medical research, and animal welfare, MCPP complements the work of Michelson Philanthropies through bold, effective advocacy. Learn more at www.michelsonpolicy.org.
