California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB 559
Professions and vocations: contractors: home improvement contracts: prohibited business practices.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Berman (Democratic)
Cosponsors (1)
- Niello (Republican)
Summary
Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary
Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, defines and regulates the activities of contractors and provides for their licensure, regulation, and discipline by the Contractors State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs (department) . That law requires a home improvement contract, as defined, to be in writing and include the contract amount, as specified, and prohibits any downpayment for that contract from exceeding the lesser of $1,000 or 10% of the contract amount. Except for a downpayment, existing law prohibits the contractor from requesting or accepting payment that exceeds the value of the work performed or material delivered. Existing law makes the violation of these provisions a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $5,000, by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
This bill would include in the definition of "home improvement" construction, erection, installation, replacement, or improvement of accessory dwelling units on residentially zoned property. The bill would also make a licensee, or an unlicensed person, who violates the above-described downpayment and payment prohibitions subject to revocation of their license and a civil penalty of at least $10,000 in the case of a licensee, or, if the person is unlicensed, subject to a citation and assessment of a civil penalty of at least $10,000.
Text versions
- 03/27/25 - Amended Assembly· Mar 27, 2025
- 02/12/25 - Introduced· Feb 12, 2025
- AB559
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2025 Senate | Do pass | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 25, 2025 Senate | Placed on suspense file | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jul 8, 2025 Senate | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jun 30, 2025 Senate | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| May 1, 2025 House | AB 559 Berman Consent Calendar Second Day | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Apr 23, 2025 House | Do pass. To Consent Calendar. | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Apr 8, 2025 House | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Apr 1, 2025 House | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | pass | Set your home in California to see |
Actions
- Sep 3, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Niello. - Aug 29, 2025 · Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - Aug 29, 2025 · Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29). - Aug 25, 2025 · Senate
In committee: Referred to suspense file. - Aug 13, 2025 · Senate
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. - Jul 9, 2025 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Jun 30, 2025 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on JUD. - May 14, 2025 · Senate
Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD. - May 1, 2025 · Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. - May 1, 2025 · House
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1386.) - Apr 24, 2025 · House
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. - Apr 23, 2025 · House
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 23). - Apr 8, 2025 · House
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Apr 1, 2025 · House
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on JUD. - Mar 28, 2025 · House
Re-referred to Com. on B. & P. - Mar 27, 2025 · House
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended. - Mar 3, 2025 · House
Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and JUD. - Feb 13, 2025 · House
From printer. May be heard in committee March 15. - Feb 12, 2025 · House
Read first time. To print.