Assembly committee rejects bill to disclose builder settlements after deadly balcony collapse
California lawmakers want to take more time considering a proposal crafted in response to a deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley.
The Assembly Business and Professions Committee on Tuesday rejected a bill that would have required construction companies to disclose felony convictions and settlements to state regulators over construction defects.
SB465, authored by Democratic Sens. Jerry Hill of San Mateo and Loni Hancock of Oakland, failed on a 7-3 vote. It becomes a two-year bill, allowing backers more time to refine their proposal.
Many committee members supported the bill's intent. Yet they worried about requiring a state agency to collect settlement data without understanding how it would be used in enforcement.
Six people were killed and seven others were hospitalized last month when the apartment balcony collapsed during a birthday party.