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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 246

Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (3)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law provides that a tenant is guilty of unlawful detainer if the tenant continues to possess the property without permission of the landlord after the tenant defaults on rent or fails to perform a condition or covenant of the lease under which the property is held, among other reasons. Existing law requires a tenant be served a 3 days' notice in writing to cure a default or perform a condition of the lease, or return possession of the property to the landlord, as specified. Existing law, until January 1, 2030, prohibits an owner of residential real property from terminating a tenancy without just cause, as specified. This bill would, until January 20, 2029, enact the Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025 (the Act) . The Act would authorize a tenant of residential real property to assert Social Security hardship as an affirmative defense in an unlawful detainer proceeding based on the nonpayment of rent. The Act would define "Social Security hardship" as a loss of income due to an interruption in the payment of Social Security benefits due to the action or inaction of the federal government. The Act would require a tenant asserting Social Security hardship as an affirmative defense to provide, to the satisfaction of the court, evidence that Social Security payments typically received by the tenant's household have been terminated, delayed, or reduced due to no fault of the tenant and that the hardship prevented the tenant from paying the rent. If the tenant successfully provides this evidence, the Act would require the court to issue a stay of the unlawful detainer action, as specified. The Act would not relieve a tenant of their obligation to pay past due rent, and it would require a tenant, within 14 days of the Social Security benefits being restored, to either pay all past due rent or enter into a mutually agreed upon payment plan with the owner of the residential real property. If the tenant pays all past due rent or enters into a payment plan with the owner, the Act would require the court to either dismiss the unlawful detainer action with prejudice or set aside the judgment against all named and unnamed defendants in the action. The Act would further require the Judicial Council, by January 1, 2027, to adopt or modify forms as needed to implement the Act.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 12:24 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Sep 11, 2025
House		AB 246 Bryan Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Sep 9, 2025
Senate		3rd Reading AB246 Bryan et al. By WahabpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 29, 2025
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 25, 2025
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jul 15, 2025
Senate		Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jun 4, 2025
House		AB 246 Bryan Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 23, 2025
House		Do pass.passSet your home in California to see
Apr 29, 2025
House		Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Mar 4, 2025
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see

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