SB 7 (Wolk) – Housing: water submeters:multiunit structures. SDCAA helps stop hurried trailer bill.

Over the years SDCAA has worked diligently to ensure that only positive submeter legislation comes out of Sacramento. Since the introduction of SB 7, SDCAA advocates had a good faith meeting with the consultant from Senator Wolk’s staff and the sponsors of the bill, where they were given a series of amendments we requested be included in the bill. We were surprised to find out a budget trailer bill (TBL) identical to that of Senator Wolk’s problematic legislation appeared on the Governor’s budget website. SDCAA submitted its own letter of opposition, signed on to a group letter and actively lobbied legislative leadership regarding the submetering TBL. SDCAA members also contacted Assemblymember Weber, Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee and Vice Chair of the Budget Conference Committee. The Governor’s staff and legislative leadership wanted to know the broad implications and continuing concerns we have had over the Wolk language. Consequently, the legislative leaders and the administration decided to drop the submetering TBL and allow the Legislature to decide the fate of the issue. There are some who will construe that this was an attempt by the sponsors/proponents of SB 7 to circumvent open hearings and jam their legislation through as a budget trailer bill. Without SDCAA’s ACTIVE opposition, they would have likely succeeded. Click here to read more.