SB 634: Local government: homelessness. - California

06/24/25 - Amended Assembly → 09/13/25 - Enrolled · 1 edit · Sep 13, 2025

MINOR

The enrolled version of SB 634 narrows the definition of 'act related to basic survival' by removing broader introductory language that covered possession of life-saving materials, seeking shade, and other activities, replacing it with a narrower formulation focused specifically on 'assisting with or providing items to assist with' enumerated categories. The core prohibition against local jurisdictions banning support services for homeless persons remains unchanged, as do the findings, charter city applicability clause, and other definitions.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'act related to basic survival' in Section 53069.44(b)(1)(A) was narrowed. The old version included broad language covering 'provision or possession of life saving or sustaining materials, eating or drinking, possessing and utilizing blankets or pillows, seeking shade, or other activities to protect oneself from the elements.' The enrolled version removes this introductory language and retains only the enumerated list: assisting with or providing items for (i) eating and drinking, (ii) sleeping, (iii) protecting oneself from the elements, and (iv) immediate personal health and hygiene. This narrows what qualifies as a protected act under the statute.

10/10/25 - Chaptered → SB634 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes occurred between these two versions. The diff reflects a change in document format only: the 'from' version is the official chaptered plain-text document (with page numbers and traditional legislative layout), while the 'to' version is a web-based rendering of the same bill text that includes navigation elements, metadata, and HTML-derived formatting. The actual legal provisions are identical.

TECHNICAL

The document was reformatted from an official chaptered plain-text layout (with page numbers 93, Ch. 521 headers, and traditional legislative spacing) into a web-based presentation that includes site navigation elements (skip to content, home, accessibility, FAQ, feedback, sitemap, login), bill metadata (Date Published: 10/13/2025), version history links, and a 'Digest Key' section showing Vote: MAJORITY, Appropriation: NO, Fiscal Committee: NO, Local Program: NO. No legal text was added, removed, or altered.

05/29/25 - Amended Senate → 06/24/25 - Amended Assembly · 3 edits · Jun 24, 2025

MINOR

The Assembly amended SB 634 primarily by restructuring the definition of 'act related to basic survival' in Section 53069.44(b)(1). The most notable substantive change is the removal of explicit references to 'possession of a tent or tarp' and 'erection of a tent or tarp' from the protected activities list, replacing them with a new four-item enumerated structure covering eating/drinking, sleeping, protection from the elements, and health/hygiene. A new definition for 'support services' was also added, tying it to an existing Health and Safety Code provision.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'act related to basic survival' was restructured. The old version explicitly listed 'possession of a tent or tarp' and 'erection of a tent or tarp' as protected activities. The new version removes those explicit references and replaces the list with four enumerated categories: (i) eating and drinking including provision of food and water, (ii) sleeping including provision of blankets and pillows, (iii) protecting oneself from the elements, and (iv) other activities and items necessary for immediate personal health and hygiene. The exclusion for distribution of plywood or heavy construction materials is retained.

A new definition for 'support services' was added as subsection (b)(4), defining it as nonhousing services described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (e) of Section 50243 of the Health and Safety Code. This provides a statutory cross-reference for a term used in the main prohibition.

TECHNICAL

Assembly Members Kalra and Lee were added as principal coauthors and Assembly Member Haney as a coauthor, reflecting the bill's progression through the Assembly.

09/13/25 - Enrolled → 10/10/25 - Chaptered · 1 edit · Oct 10, 2025

MINOR

SB 634 transitioned from its enrolled form to its chaptered (signed law) form after the Governor approved it on October 10, 2025. No substantive policy changes were made between the two versions; all differences are procedural formatting related to the bill becoming a chaptered statute (Chapter 521), including removal of legislative passage pages and addition of the official chapter heading.

TECHNICAL

The bill was reformatting from enrolled bill layout to chaptered law layout: Senate and Assembly passage pages were removed, the governor's receipt page was replaced with an approval date (October 10, 2025), a chapter number (Chapter 521) was added, and page numbering was updated.

04/28/25 - Amended Senate → 05/29/25 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · May 29, 2025

MODERATE

The May 29 amendment dramatically narrows SB 634 by removing all provisions that would have prohibited civil or criminal penalties against homeless persons for acts like sleeping, sitting, or possessing tents in public places. The state agency prohibition (Section 11145.1) was deleted entirely, and the local jurisdiction provision was rewritten to only protect those who provide support services to homeless individuals. A new carve-out explicitly excludes distribution of plywood or heavy construction materials from the definition of basic survival acts.

Scope change

The bill shifted from a broad anti-criminalization measure protecting homeless persons from penalties for survival activities at both the state and local level, to a narrow measure that only protects service providers and helpers of homeless persons at the local level. Local governments retain full authority to penalize homeless individuals for acts like sleeping or sitting in public, and state agencies are no longer restricted at all.

SCOPE

Section 11145.1 (Government Code) was deleted entirely. This section had prohibited state agencies from adopting regulations or policies that impose civil or criminal penalties on homeless persons for acts immediately related to homelessness or basic survival.

Section 53069.44 no longer prohibits local jurisdictions from penalizing homeless persons for acts like sleeping, sitting, or possessing tents in public. It now only prohibits ordinances that prevent a person or organization from providing support services (including legal services or medical care) to a homeless person or assisting them with basic survival acts.

New language in the legislative intent section (Section 1(b)(2)) states the bill does not impose any restrictions on local jurisdictions beyond those expressly set forth in the act, serving as a savings clause to limit the bill's reach.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'act immediately related to homelessness' (standing, sitting, laying, or sleeping in a public place) was removed from the bill entirely.

The definition of 'act related to basic survival' was expanded to include 'provision or possession of life saving or sustaining materials' but now explicitly excludes 'distribution of plywood or other heavy construction materials,' allowing local governments to still regulate that activity.

TECHNICAL

Fiscal committee vote changed from 'yes' to 'no,' indicating no state fiscal impact was identified after the scope reduction.

03/26/25 - Amended Senate → 04/28/25 - Amended Senate · 3 edits · Apr 28, 2025

MINOR

The April 28 amendment to SB 634 makes one substantive policy change: it expands the local government prohibition in Section 53069.44(a) to explicitly protect organizations (not just individuals) from being prohibited by local ordinance from providing support services, including legal services or medical care, to homeless persons. The bill also removes a standalone legislative intent section about local government, renumbers remaining sections, and changes the fiscal committee vote from no to yes.

Scope change

The bill's protective scope expanded from shielding only individuals who assist homeless persons with basic survival acts to also shielding organizations that provide support services (including legal services and medical care) to homeless persons. The reordering of the short title to lead with 'homelessness' rather than 'local government' signals a reframing of the bill's primary purpose.

SCOPE

Section 53069.44(a) now prohibits local jurisdictions from enacting ordinances that 'prohibit a person or organization from providing support services, including legal services or medical care, to a person who is homeless' in addition to the existing prohibition on penalizing persons assisting a homeless person with basic survival acts. This explicitly extends protection to organizations and names specific service types (legal, medical).

The standalone section stating 'It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to local government' was removed, and remaining sections were renumbered accordingly.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes', indicating the bill now has a fiscal note or budget impact that requires fiscal committee approval.

02/20/25 - Introduced → 03/26/25 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

SB 634 was transformed from a one-line placeholder stating legislative intent regarding local government into a comprehensive bill prohibiting both state agencies and local jurisdictions from imposing civil or criminal penalties on homeless people for acts related to homelessness or basic survival (such as sleeping in public, possessing tents, or eating). The amendment adds extensive legislative findings about the scale of California's homelessness crisis and includes a statewide concern declaration to ensure the restrictions apply to charter cities.

Scope change

The bill went from having no substantive scope (a single intent statement) to imposing binding prohibitions on both state agencies and all local jurisdictions (including charter cities) regarding penalties for homelessness-related conduct. The statewide concern finding explicitly extends applicability to charter cities, which would otherwise be exempt under the municipal affairs doctrine.

SCOPE

Added Section 2 (Gov. Code 11145.1) prohibiting state agencies from adopting or enforcing any regulation, policy, or guidance that imposes civil or criminal penalties on homeless persons for acts immediately related to homelessness or basic survival, or on persons assisting homeless persons with basic survival activities.

Added Section 3 (Gov. Code 53069.44) prohibiting local jurisdictions (cities, counties, city and county, special districts) from adopting or enforcing any ordinance that imposes civil or criminal penalties on homeless persons for the same categories of acts.

Added a statewide concern finding (Section 4) declaring that the local jurisdiction prohibition applies to all cities including charter cities, overriding the municipal affairs doctrine.

DEFINITION

Defined 'act immediately related to homelessness' as standing, sitting, laying, or sleeping in a public place including streets, parks, and other outdoor areas open to the public. Defined 'act related to basic survival' to include possession or erection of tents/tarps, eating or drinking, possessing blankets or pillows, seeking shade, and other activities to protect from the elements.

Defined 'homeless' by reference to 24 CFR Section 578.3 as it read on January 10, 2019 (the federal McKinney-Vento definition).

REQUIREMENT

Added extensive legislative findings documenting the scale of homelessness in California (over 187,000 on any given night in 2024), attributing it primarily to housing unaffordability and structural racism rather than personal failings, and detailing how criminalization creates barriers to ending homelessness.

FISCAL

Fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes', indicating the bill now has a fiscal impact requiring committee review.

Local government: homelessness.

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