AB-474 • 2026

Housing discrimination: nonprofit home-sharing program: eligibility for public social services.

Education Housing

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor: Ward
Last action: 2026-01-22
Official status: Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the state will reimburse local agencies and school districts for mandated costs.

Housing Discrimination and Home-Sharing Programs

This bill changes housing discrimination rules and social service eligibility requirements for people who rent rooms in their homes through nonprofit home-sharing programs.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law to say that it's not illegal to refuse to rent a room or part of your house to someone if you're doing it as part of a nonprofit home-sharing program.
Makes sure that money people get from renting rooms in their homes through these programs doesn't count when deciding who gets public social services like food assistance, cash help, and health care.

Who It Names or Affects

People who rent rooms in their homes through nonprofit home-sharing programs.
Counties that run public social services programs.
The State Department of Social Services and Health Care Services.

Terms To Know

nonprofit home-sharing program: A group that helps people rent rooms in their homes to others as a way to help with housing needs.
public social services: Government programs that give money, food, and health care to people who need it.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill can only make these changes if the federal government says it's okay.
Counties might have more work to do because of this bill, but they will get paid back for some costs by the state.
This bill was vetoed by the governor, so it is not currently a law.

Bill History

2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Vetoed by Governor.
2025-09-22 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-10 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3218.).
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2673.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-05 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-14 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 7).
2025-07-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUMAN S. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUMAN S.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 1902.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 28).
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to REV. & TAX. suspense file.
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-26 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
2025-03-20 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-03-19 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on JUD., HUM. S. and REV. & TAX.
2025-02-07 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 9.
2025-02-06 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 474, Ward.
Housing discrimination: nonprofit home-sharing program: eligibility for public social services.
(1) Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, prohibits housing discrimination based on specified characteristics. Existing law defines discrimination to include refusal to sell, rent, or lease housing accommodations. Under existing law, discrimination does not include refusal to rent or lease a portion of an owner-occupied single-family house to a person as a roomer or boarder living within the household if no more than one roomer or boarder is to live within the household, as specified.
Under this bill, discrimination would additionally not include refusal to rent or lease a portion of an owner-occupied single-family house to a person as a roomer, boarder, or tenant living within the household if, among other things, the owner is renting the portion of their home as a landlord in a nonprofit
home-sharing program, as defined.
(2) Existing law establishes various public social services programs that are administered by counties to provide eligible recipients with certain benefits, including, but not limited to, cash assistance under the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (SSI/SSP) and the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, nutrition assistance under the CalFresh program, and health care services under the Medi-Cal program.
This bill would exempt income received through renting bedrooms or units as a landlord in a nonprofit home-sharing program, as defined, from consideration as income or assets for purposes of determining eligibility and benefit amounts for public social services,
to the extent permitted by federal law.
The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to seek all available federal waivers and approvals necessary for the exemption under CalFresh and SSI/SSP. The bill would, for purposes of Medi-Cal eligibility, require the State Department of Health Care Services to implement the exemption no sooner than January 1, 2027, and only to the extent consistent with federal law, upon any necessary federal approvals, and if federal financial participation under the Medi-Cal program is available and not otherwise jeopardized.
By expanding the scope of eligibility for public social services, thereby increasing duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(3) 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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