(1)Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, requires the California Building Standards Commission to publish the California Building Standards Code, which contains, among others, the California Building Code and the California Residential Code, as provided. Existing law requires the commission to publish the text of the Swimming Pool Safety Act in the California Residential Code.

This bill would require, on or before March 1, 2027, the commission to also publish the text of the Swimming Pool Safety Act in the California Building Code, as specified.

(2)Under the Swimming Pool Safety Act, upon the issuance of a building permit for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa, or the remodeling of an existing pool or spa, at a private, single-family home, the pool or spa is required to be equipped with at least 2 of 7 specified drowning prevention safety features, as provided. The act does not apply to a public swimming pool.

This bill would, for purposes of the act, require a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room to meet the same requirements as a pool or spa at a private, single-family home. To the extent the bill would increase the number of building permits issued by local jurisdictions, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)Existing law governs the construction, operation, and maintenance of a public swimming pool, as defined. Existing law, the Yasmin Palesoo Memorial Swimming Pool Safety Law, requires an underwater lighting system in a public swimming pool, as defined, to be installed so that there is no shock hazard, as provided. Existing law governs the circulation system of a public swimming pool, as defined, including, but not limited to, requiring antientrapment devices, safety vacuum release systems, or automatic pump shutoff systems, as provided.

This bill would exclude a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from these requirements on a public swimming pool. This bill would, on or before March 1, 2027, require the State Department of Public Health to adopt regulations, as necessary, to implement these changes, as specified. The bill would prohibit a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room, unit, or at a private single-family home, from being subject to a requirement applicable to a public swimming pool, public pool, public pool site, or spa, as those terms are used in certain statutes and regulations relating to public swimming pools and the California Building Code.

(4)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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law creates the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) with various powers and duties relative to transportation projects and services in the County of Santa Clara.

This bill would authorize VTA to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the County of Santa Clara held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2026 NCAA Mens or Womens Basketball Championship, as specified. The bill would require VTA to use any revenues collected from the charge to support its transit operations. The bill would require VTA, if it imposes the charge, to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of one of those sporting events if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where VTA collects fares for transit services. The bill would require VTA, if it imposes the charge, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2027, that includes specified information regarding implementation of the bill.

Existing law creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) with specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning, programming, and operations in the County of Los Angeles.

This bill would authorize LA Metro to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as specified. The bill would require LA Metro to use any revenues collected from the charge to support its transit operations. The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes the charge, to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day a match is held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the person presents a ticket to the match at the location where LA Metro collects fares for transit services. The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes the charge, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2027, that includes specified information regarding implementation of the bill.

Existing law creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) with specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning, programming, and operations in the County of Los Angeles.

This bill would authorize LA Metro to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cup, as specified. The bill would require LA Metro to use any revenues collected from that the charge to support its transit operations. The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes this the charge, to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games a match is held as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event the match at the location where LA Metro collects fares for transit services. The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes the charge, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2027, that includes specified information regarding implementation of the bill.

Existing law creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) with specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning, programming, and operations in the County of Los Angeles.

This bill would authorize LA Metro to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as specified. The bill would require LA Metro to use any revenues collected from that charge to support its transit operations. The bill would require LA Metro, if it imposes this charge, to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where LA Metro collects fares for transit services.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Sabrina Cervantes, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

AB 1237 (McKinnor) - Swimming pool safety: building codes: condominium units

Bill Summary:

AB 1237 would exclude a swimming pool or spa located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit from the definition of a “public swimming pool” for purposes of specified regulatory requirements, and instead subject those pools and spas to the requirements of the Swimming Pool Safety Act that apply at private single-family homes.

Fiscal Impact:

• The Department of Public Health (CDPH) estimates one-time costs of approximately $91,000 in 2027-28 for rulemaking activities related to the required regulatory changes, including legal review, public comment processing, and preparation for formal adoption after the emergency process. CDPH notes that costs to complete the six-month emergency regulations process in 2026-27 would be absorbed within existing resources. See Staff Comments. (General Fund)
  
• The Building Standards Commission (CBSC) indicates that costs to publish the text of the Swimming Pool Safety Act within specified parts of the Building Standards Code would be minor and absorbable. (Building Standards Administration Revolving Fund)
  
• Unknown, likely minor local costs to the extent the bill increases the number of building permits issued by local jurisdictions for new or remodeled pools and spas located within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium. Any such costs would not be state-reimbursable since local agencies may charge and adjust building permit fees to offset any increased administrative costs. (local funds)

Background:

Existing law, the Swimming Pool Safety Act, requires newly constructed or remodeled pools and spas at a private single-family home to incorporate at least two of seven specified drowning-prevention safety features, such as fences, pool covers, alarms, self-closing and self-latching devices, or other specified means of protection. Existing law requires an appropriate inspection, in connection with a transfer of property with a pool or spa at a single-family home, to include a physical examination of the pool or spa and identification of which drowning prevention safety features are equipped and operable, as specified. The Swimming Pool Safety Act does not apply to public swimming pools, swimming pools at apartment complexes, or hot tubs with locking safety covers meeting specified standards.

Existing law specifies that the CDPH has supervision over the sanitation, healthfulness, and safety of public swimming pools, which are defined as any swimming pool operated for the use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of the members and guests of a private club, including any swimming pool located on the grounds of a hotel, motel, inn, an apartment complex, or any residential setting other than a single-family home. Existing law requires local health officers to enforce the building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to swimming pools and other regulations adopted by CDPH pursuant to public pool safety laws.

Proposed Law:

AB 1237 would exclude a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit from the definition of a “public swimming pool” for purposes of specified requirements that pertain to public pool health and safety, and instead subject those swimming pools to the requirements of the Swimming Pool Safety Act that apply to pools and spas at private single-family homes. Specifically, this bill would:

• Explicitly exclude from the definition of a “public swimming pool” (in specified sections of Article 5 of the Health and Safety Code) a swimming pool or spa located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit. These pools and spas would be explicitly excluded from requirements related to the installation of underwater lighting systems to prevent shock hazards and the requirements that pools be equipped with anti-entrapment devices.
• Specify that the statutory health, safety, and sanitation requirements, as well as specified environmental health and building standards, that apply to public swimming pools, do not apply to a pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit.
• Require a pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit to be equipped with at least two of seven specified drowning prevention safety measures when a building permit is issued for the construction or remodeling of such a pool or spa, as specified in the Swimming Pool Safety Act.
• Explicitly state that the requirements of the Swimming Pool Safety Act apply to a pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit.
• Require the CBSC to publish the text of the Swimming Pool Safety Act within the requirements for single-family residential occupancies in specified parts of the Building Standards Code by March 1, 2027.
• Require the CDPH to adopt regulations, as necessary and by March 1, 2027, to implement the changes in the bill to exclude swimming pools and spas located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit from statutory provisions and requirements related to the health, safety, and sanitation of public swimming pools, as specified.
• Specify that, until January 1, 2028, adoption and readoption of these regulations would be deemed to be an emergency, and that CDPH and CBSC would be exempted from requirements to describe facts demonstrating the need for immediate action and from review of emergency regulations by the Office of Administrative Law, as specified.

Staff Comments:

This bill would exclude condominium private balcony, patio, or terrace pools from the definition of a public swimming pool, removing them from existing public swimming pool sanitation, safety, lighting, inspection, and anti-entrapment requirements. Instead, these pools would be required to follow the Swimming Pool Safety Act, including the requirement that newly constructed or remodeled pools have at least two of the seven drowning prevention safety features required for private residential pools.

The CDPH indicates that it plans to absorb the workload to complete the emergency regulations in the second half of 2026-27, and would incur one-time temporary staffing costs of approximately $91,000 in 2027-28 to conduct standard, non-emergency rulemaking activities related to the required changes to pool health and safety regulations. The bill requires CDPH to adopt regulations by March 1, 2027, only three months after the bill’s operative date. CDPH indicates that this deadline is not feasible and that it requires at least six months to complete the emergency regulations process. The Committee may wish to consider amending the bill to push the deadline to adopt emergency regulations to July 1, 2027.

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, Chair

BILL NO: AB 1237

SUBJECT: Swimming pool safety: building codes: condominium and hotel rooms

SUMMARY:

1. Exempts throughout public pool safety law a swimming pool, spa, and nonportable wading pool located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from the definition of “public swimming pool” for purposes of meeting public pool safety requirements. Instead requires these types of pools to comply with private pool safety requirements. Requires the Department of Public Health and the California Building Standards Commission to update necessary regulations on an emergency basis to implement the provisions of this bill.

Existing federal law: Defines an inn, hotel, motel, or other place of lodging, as well as other private entities, as public accommodation, if the operations of such entities affect commerce, except for an establishment located within a building that contains not more than five rooms for rent or hire and that is actually occupied by the proprietor of such establishment as the residence of such proprietor. [42 USC §12181]

Existing law:

1. Establishes the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to be vested with all the duties, powers, purposes, functions, responsibilities, and jurisdiction as they relate to public health. [HSC §131050]
2. Requires, pursuant to the Swimming Pool Safety Act (SPSA), when a building permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa at a private single-family home, the respective swimming pool or spa to be equipped with at least two of seven drowning prevention safety features, such as fences, pool covers, alarms, self-closing and self-latching devices, or other specified means of protection. [HSC §115922(a)]
3. Requires an appropriate inspection, in connection with a transfer of real property with a swimming pool or spa, to include a noninvasive physical examination of the pool or spa and dwelling, to identify which, if any, of the seven specified drowning prevention safety features the pool or spa is equipped with, in good repair, operable as designed, and, if applicable, appropriately labeled. Requires a home inspection report to include specified information, including which, if any, of the drowning prevention safety features a pool or spa is equipped with. [BPC §7195(a)(2) and (c)]
4. Deems that the requirements in pool safety law do not apply to public swimming pools; hot tubs or spas with locking safety covers that comply with the Advancing Standards Transforming Markets International F1346 standard; or, an apartment complex, or any residential setting other than a single-family home. [HSC §115925]
5. Defines “public swimming pool” as any public swimming pool, bathhouse, public swimming and bathing place and all related appurtenances. [HSC §116025]
6. Requires every person operating or maintaining a public swimming pool to do so in a sanitary, healthful, and safe manner. Requires every public swimming pool, including swimming pool structure, appurtenances, operation, source of water supply, amount and quality of water recirculated in the pool, method of water purification, lifesaving apparatus, measures to insure safety of bathers, and measures to insure personal cleanliness of bathers to be such that the public swimming pool is at all times sanitary, healthful, and safe. [HSC §116040 and 116043]
7. Defines “public swimming pool,” pursuant to the Yasmin Paleso’o Memorial Swimming Pool Safety Law regarding design and installation of all underwater lighting systems, as any swimming pool operated for the use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of the members and guests of a private club, including any swimming pool located on the grounds of a hotel, motel, inn, an apartment complex, or any residential setting other than a single-family home. For purposes of this law, public swimming pool does not include a swimming pool located on the grounds of a private single-family home. [HSC §116049.1]
8. Requires CDPH to make and enforce regulations pertaining to public swimming pools as it deems proper and to enforce building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to public swimming pools, provided that no rule or regulation as to design or construction of pools applies to any pool that has been constructed before the adoption of the regulation, if the pool as constructed is reasonably safe and the manner of the construction does not preclude compliance with the requirements of the regulations as to bacteriological and chemical quality and clarity of the water in the pool. Requires CDPH to adopt and submit building standards for approval to the California Building Standards Commission. [HSC §116050]
9. Requires every health officer to enforce the building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to swimming pools and the other regulations adopted by CDPH pursuant to public pool safety law in his or her jurisdiction. [HSC §116053]
10. Defines “public swimming pool,” for purposes of requiring anti-entrapment devices or safety vacuum release systems, as an outdoor or indoor structure, whether in-ground or above-ground, intended for swimming or recreational bathing, including a swimming pool, hot tub, spa, or nonportable wading pool, that is any of the following:
    1. Open to the public generally, whether for a fee or free of charge;
    2. Open exclusively to members of an organization and their guest; residents of a multiunit apartment building, apartment complex, residential real estate development, or other multifamily residential area; or, patrons of a hotel or other public accommodations facility; or,
    3. Located on the premises of an athletic club, or public or private school. [HSC §116064.2(a)(4)]

This bill:

1. Exempts throughout the SPSA a swimming pool and spa located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from the definition of “public swimming pool” for purposes of meeting public pool safety requirements. Instead requires these pools to comply with swimming pool safety requirements applicable to private single-family home pools.
2. Prohibits a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room, or at a private single-family home, from being subject to a requirement applicable to a “public swimming pool,” “public pool,” “public pool site,” or “spa,” as those terms are used in, including, but not limited to, any of the following: public pool safety law, California Building Code standards, and public pool regulations.
3. Adds a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room to pool safety law applicable to a private single-family home.
4. Exempts a swimming pool, hot tub, spa, or nonportable wading pool, on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from public pool safety law requiring an anti-entrapment device or system.
5. Requires the California Building Standards Commission, on or before March 1, 2027, to publish regulations within its purview to implement provisions in this bill.
6. Requires CDPH, on or before March 1, 2027, adopt regulations, as necessary, to implement this bill related to amending the definition of “public swimming pool” to exempt pools, spas, and wading pools located at hotels and condominiums as this bill envisions.
7. Requires the adoption and readoption of regulations, until January 1, 2028, by CDPH to be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare, and deems that the CDPH and California Building Standards Commission are exempted from the requirement that they describe facts showing the need for immediate action and from review of the emergency regulations by the Office of Administrative Law.

FISCAL EFFECT:

This bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

PRIOR VOTES:

Not relevant.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement. According to the author, this bill modernizes California's governance of swimming pools for condominium residents and hotel guests who have in-unit pools that only they can access. Current law only recognizes pools at single-family residences as private pools and imposes many requirements on all other pools, even when not in common areas, that do not make sense for pools that are not accessible to the public. This bill will allow California to build new types of housing/lodging offered in other states and countries that offer an in-unit private pool that exceeds safety standards currently required for pools at private residences. The author states interest in this bill is simple: to provide as many options for new construction, without sacrificing safety, as Los Angeles rebuilds from the devastating wildfires and prepares to host the world for the 2028 Olympics.
2. Childhood drownings. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics website, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in U.S. children one through four years of age and, as of 2018, has surpassed birth defects as the most common cause of death among this age group. Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among U.S. children and adolescents five through 19 years. In 2018, almost 900 U.S. children and youth under 20 years of age died of drowning, and more than 7,200 were seen at a hospital emergency department for a drowning event, with 35% of those children either hospitalized or transferred for further care.  Childhood unintentional drowning fatality rates have decreased steadily from 2.68 per 100,000 in 1985 to 1.09 per 100,000 in 2018.

According to a CDPH safety brochure, drowning takes the lives of more California toddlers than any other kind of accident. Children who manage to survive a near drowning often suffer permanent brain damage from lack of oxygen. Most of these drownings take place at the homes of parents, relatives, or neighbors. CDPH recommends a combination of adult supervision and safety barriers for preventing drownings and states that, when around water, children must be kept in direct sight at all times, as children in water or next to water can drown immediately and silently, so there is no room for error.

1. Pool safety, public and private. According to CDPH’s website, Assembly Bill 1020 (Emmerson, Chapter 1020, Statutes of 2009) was enacted to ensure California law is in conformance with federal safety standards (Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act), designed to prevent entrapment hazards associated with public swimming pools and spas. More specifically, this law increased the safety of public swimming pools and spas by: 1) adopting the federal swimming pool and spa drain cover standard; and, 2) ensuring that public swimming pools and spas are equipped with proper safety devices. The updates in AB 1020 also, in part, adopted the majority of the definition in the federal safety standards for public swimming pools, which is noted in Existing Law 10) above. In California, all public swimming pools are regulated in the same way, whether they are in hotels, parks, or apartment complexes—separate from private swimming pools that serve more than a single-family home.

California’s original Pool Safety Act was enacted by AB 3305 (Setencich, Chapter 925, Statutes of 1996), which required all new swimming pools constructed at private, single-family homes be equipped with either a permanent fence, a pool cover meeting certain safety standards, exit alarms or self-closing, self-latching devices on all doors providing access to the pool, or another safety feature providing as least as much protection as the specified four. State law for private pools was amended by AB 2977 (Mullin, Chapter 478, Statutes of 2006) to reflect the availability of two additional drowning-prevention features: removable mesh fencing and pool alarms that sound when a person enters the water. AB 2977 also expanded the scope of the law to include pools that undergo a remodel requiring a building permit. SB 442 (Newman, Chapter 670, Statutes of 2017) amended private pool law further to require at least two pool safety features when single-family homes with pools were transferred. The primary rationale for that change was that a single safety feature may malfunction or become disabled, as at least two of the allowable safety features are designed to be disabled: pool entry alarms can be put into “sleep” mode when the pool is in use, and removable fencing is removable. Similarly, door alarms may run out of batteries, and latches may break. SB 552 (Newman, Chapter 769, Statutes of 2024) added requirements for an inspector when conducting a home inspection of a private-single family home with a pool or spa, and updated which drowning prevention features may be combined to meet specified safety requirements. These changes were intended to ensure that any two safety features could not be installed in the same space, such that the failure of one device could result in the failure of both.

1. Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2024 MAHC, swimming, relaxing, and playing in water have been global pastimes throughout written history. Twentieth century advances in aquatics—combining disinfection, filtration, and recirculation systems—led to an explosion in the use of residential and public aquatic venues (pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds). Advances in public aquatic facility design have pushed the horizons of aquatic facilities from the traditional rectangular community pool to the multi-venue waterpark hosting tens of thousands of users per day. Indoor public aquatic facilities have transformed pools and waterparks into year-round attractions. The MAHC says public aquatic facility operation can be improved through engineering, education, and enforcement. The increase in the number of reported waterborne disease outbreaks and the continued occurrence of drowning and other injuries suggest the prevention of public aquatic venue-associated illness, injury, disability, and death would benefit from building stronger environmental health regulatory programs and supporting them with strong partnerships. The MAHC further states it also would be useful for public health officials to continue to play their strong role in overseeing design and construction, advising on operation and maintenance, and helping inform policy and management, as working in close collaboration with building code officials strengthens the overall coordination needed to prioritize public health at public aquatic facilities. The MAHC is a set of voluntary guidance based on science and best practices developed to help programs that regulate public aquatic facilities reduce the risk of illness, injury, disability, and death in their communities. The CDC states creation of the MAHC was the major recommendation of a 2005 national workshop, which was charged with developing recommendations to reduce the incidence of outbreaks.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from May 27, 2016, CDPH noted some regulations were being updated so that they were not in conflict with 2014 MAHC guidance regarding chlorine action levels. While CDPH does not fully adopt all MAHC recommendations and instead uses California law, which is more stringent, there are parts of the MAHC guidance the local health officers use when enforcing public pool safety laws.

1. Double referral. This bill was heard in the Senate Housing Committee on June 24, 2026, and passed with a 10-0 vote.
2. Support. Cain Development LP, as sponsor, states “One Beverly Hills” is a multi-billion dollar project under construction and includes major upgrades to the legendary Beverly Hilton, a new Aman Hotel, residential, retail, and restaurant components and publicly accessible Botanical Gardens. In addition to the Hilton Hotel, the new Aman hotel and restaurants and retail stores are scheduled to be open in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Cain Development and other supporters argue this bill clears up the current ambiguity in the law as it relates to hotel and condominium pools, while requiring measures are in place to ensure the safety of these pools and those who will enjoy them. Supporters state this bill will assist the One Beverly Hills project to stay on schedule during its construction by making clear that the hotel and condominium pools included as part of the project fall under the requirements of California's Swimming Pool Safety Act, applicable to private single-family pools. California is doing everything in its power to be ready to welcome our guests from around the world, including by ensuring that the Southern California community has sufficient hotel capacity. The One Beverly Hills Project is one of many venues anticipated to be available for the 2028 Games.
3. Support if amended. The California Coalition for Children's Safety and Health (CCCSH) and the Drowning Prevention Foundation (DPF) state they appreciate the author’s efforts to ensure the private terrace and balcony pools addressed in this bill are safe and do not create a new drowning burden for the children and families as guests in those special hotel rooms and living in those condominiums. CCCSH/DPF know a lot about the location and situations where different age groups of children suffer from fatal and non-fatal drowning. For young children drowning primarily occurs in residential and private pools. CCCSH/DPF say there are six major safety issues not currently in this bill but understand that each of these were committed to by the author with the caveat the final details would be crafted with the intent to have these issues addressed before the bill comes out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Four of the issues CCCSH/DPF state they are particularly concerned about and, thus, would support this bill if it were amended to include the safety measures CCCSH/DPF contend the author has committed to taking are:
   1. Automatic external defibrillators (AEDs): require having AEDs placed in the vicinity where the hotel and condominiums with terrace and balcony pools will be located. We are not requiring AEDs at each pool but in placement where the life saving and inexpensive devices can readily be accessed near these special terrace and balcony pool rooms;
   2. Emergency communication devices: require Underwriters Laboratories and Federal Communications Commission two-way communication and geolocation devices at each pool side;
   3. Pool safety covers or optional mesh fencing to isolate the pool from the room: require either an ATSM approved pool safety cover or a temporary American Society for Testing and Materials (ATSM) approved five-foot safety fence with self-closing and latching gate the hotel can deploy when young children are to be in the room or condominium to keep the children from accessing the pool when it is closed and not supposed to have the children at the pool unsupervised; and,
   4. Virginia Graeme Baker drain and suction anti-entrapment equipment: require these pools be designed to meet California’s requirements and equivalent to the national Virginia Graeme Baker drain and suction equipment requirements to prevent young children being entrapped by the suction of the pool’s water circulation equipment.
4. Opposition. The California Association of Environmental Health Administrators (CAEHA) state that drowning remains a leading cause of injury-related death, particularly among young children, with hundreds of fatalities occurring annually in California. This bill, as currently drafted, would create a pathway for certain hotel-based pools to be treated as private residential pools rather than public swimming pools, thereby exempting them from longstanding health and safety protections. As a result, these pools would not be subject to critical safeguards, including inspection and enforcement, on-going verification of anti-entrapment equipment, water sanitation and circulation standards, and incident response protocols. Without these core protections, this subset of hotel-based pools could operate without consistent oversight, verified water quality, or enforceable safety standards. CAEHA recognizes the author’s efforts related to condominium properties and is neutral on the provisions addressing condominium units. However, there are significant concerns regarding the inclusion of hotel room swimming pools and spas under the same framework. CAEHA argues this bill does not adequately address construction and design safety considerations for individual room pools, including safe entry and exit features, water purification systems, health and safety signage, and adequate space for emergency response. Individual room installations introduce additional risks, such as structural concerns, water containment issues, and increased likelihood of unsupervised child access and potential drowning. Additionally, this bill does not clearly define enforcement authority or inspection responsibility of local public and/or environmental health departments, creating the potential for inconsistent statewide implementation and regulatory ambiguity. CAEHA further argues while this bill proposes certain safety features, these measures are insufficient for pools in transient lodging settings. Emergency communication systems, limited AED access, and record-based testing requirements do not replace comprehensive operational and health standards. Optional safety barriers, like removable child safety fencing, are inadequate to protect young children in hotel environments.

CAEHA respectfully requests amendments to remove provisions related to swimming pools and spas on hotel balconies, terraces, and patios, and maintain classification of all hotel-based pools as “public swimming pools.” Absent these amendments, this bill would weaken existing protections and introduce avoidable risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, like children and the elderly.

1. Policy comment. State law deems all pools and spas on the grounds of a hotel as public pools subject to health and safety requirements overseen by local health officers. While the author and sponsor contend this bill introduces a new model of pools and spas not envisioned by implementing pool safety laws, existing law clearly encompasses any pool on the grounds of a hotel—outdoor or indoor, in or above ground—being deemed public swimming pools. The Committee may wish to consider if rolling back oversight of these pools and spas is sound public policy.
2. Author’s proposed amendments. To address some of the concerns regarding health and safety oversight, in addition to applying private pool safety laws to the pools and spas envisioned in this bill, the author is contemplating further amendments to require additional safety features described below. Further amendments under consideration include:
   1. Updating standards private pools are required to meet; and,
   2. Adding to private pool safety law, when a permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a hotel room, requirements for: (1) an emergency call communications system; (2) automatic external defibrillators; (3) a Covenant and Agreement entered into by the owner or operator of the hotels with the local building official providing that each pool or spa will be maintained under the supervision of a certified pool operator (CPO) who holds a current certification from the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Certified Pool & Spa Operator program or another pool operator training and certification program that’s equivalent; (4) water depth markings; and, (5) a Covenant and Agreement entered into by the owner or operator of the hotel with the local building official providing that a pool cover that complies with a generally recognized standard will be installed upon the request of a hotel guest occupying the room.

SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:

Support: Cain Development (sponsor)
California Pool & Spa Association
Los Angeles / Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council
Oak Knoll Advisors, LLC.

Oppose: California Association of Environmental Health Administrators (unless amended)

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH

Senator Akilah Weber Pierson, Chair

BILL NO: AB 1237

SUBJECT: Swimming pool safety: building codes: condominium and hotel rooms

SUMMARY:

1. Exempts throughout public pool safety law a swimming pool, spa, and nonportable wading pool located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from the definition of “public swimming pool” for purposes of meeting public pool safety requirements. Instead requires these types of pools to comply with private pool safety requirements. Requires the Department of Public Health and the California Building Standards Commission to update necessary regulations on an emergency basis to implement the provisions of this bill.

Existing federal law: Defines an inn, hotel, motel, or other place of lodging, as well as other private entities, as public accommodation, if the operations of such entities affect commerce, except for an establishment located within a building that contains not more than five rooms for rent or hire and that is actually occupied by the proprietor of such establishment as the residence of such proprietor. [42 USC §12181]

Existing law:

1. Establishes the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to be vested with all the duties, powers, purposes, functions, responsibilities, and jurisdiction as they relate to public health. [HSC §131050]
2. Requires, pursuant to the Swimming Pool Safety Act (SPSA), when a building permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa at a private single-family home, the respective swimming pool or spa to be equipped with at least two of seven drowning prevention safety features, such as fences, pool covers, alarms, self-closing and self-latching devices, or other specified means of protection. [HSC §115922(a)]
3. Requires an appropriate inspection, in connection with a transfer of real property with a swimming pool or spa, to include a noninvasive physical examination of the pool or spa and dwelling, to identify which, if any, of the seven specified drowning prevention safety features the pool or spa is equipped with, in good repair, operable as designed, and, if applicable, appropriately labeled. Requires a home inspection report to include specified information, including which, if any, of the drowning prevention safety features a pool or spa is equipped with. [BPC §7195(a)(2) and (c)]
4. Deems that the requirements in pool safety law do not apply to public swimming pools; hot tubs or spas with locking safety covers that comply with the Advancing Standards Transforming Markets International F1346 standard; or, an apartment complex, or any residential setting other than a single-family home. [HSC §115925]
5. Defines “public swimming pool” as any public swimming pool, bathhouse, public swimming and bathing place and all related appurtenances. [HSC §116025]
6. Requires every person operating or maintaining a public swimming pool to do so in a sanitary, healthful, and safe manner. Requires every public swimming pool, including swimming pool structure, appurtenances, operation, source of water supply, amount and quality of water recirculated in the pool, method of water purification, lifesaving apparatus, measures to insure safety of bathers, and measures to insure personal cleanliness of bathers to be such that the public swimming pool is at all times sanitary, healthful, and safe. [HSC §116040 and 116043]
7. Defines “public swimming pool,” pursuant to the Yasmin Paleso’o Memorial Swimming Pool Safety Law regarding design and installation of all underwater lighting systems, as any swimming pool operated for the use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of the members and guests of a private club, including any swimming pool located on the grounds of a hotel, motel, inn, an apartment complex, or any residential setting other than a single-family home. For purposes of this law, public swimming pool does not include a swimming pool located on the grounds of a private single-family home. [HSC §116049.1]
8. Requires CDPH to make and enforce regulations pertaining to public swimming pools as it deems proper and to enforce building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to public swimming pools, provided that no rule or regulation as to design or construction of pools applies to any pool that has been constructed before the adoption of the regulation, if the pool as constructed is reasonably safe and the manner of the construction does not preclude compliance with the requirements of the regulations as to bacteriological and chemical quality and clarity of the water in the pool. Requires CDPH to adopt and submit building standards for approval to the California Building Standards Commission. [HSC §116050]
9. Requires every health officer to enforce the building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to swimming pools and the other regulations adopted by CDPH pursuant to public pool safety law in his or her jurisdiction. [HSC §116053]
10. Defines “public swimming pool,” for purposes of requiring anti-entrapment devices or safety vacuum release systems, as an outdoor or indoor structure, whether in-ground or above-ground, intended for swimming or recreational bathing, including a swimming pool, hot tub, spa, or nonportable wading pool, that is any of the following:
    1. Open to the public generally, whether for a fee or free of charge;
    2. Open exclusively to members of an organization and their guest; residents of a multiunit apartment building, apartment complex, residential real estate development, or other multifamily residential area; or, patrons of a hotel or other public accommodations facility; or,
    3. Located on the premises of an athletic club, or public or private school. [HSC §116064.2(a)(4)]

This bill:

1. Exempts throughout the SPSA a swimming pool and spa located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from the definition of “public swimming pool” for purposes of meeting public pool safety requirements. Instead requires these pools to comply with swimming pool safety requirements applicable to private single-family home pools.
2. Prohibits a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room, or at a private single-family home, from being subject to a requirement applicable to a “public swimming pool,” “public pool,” “public pool site,” or “spa,” as those terms are used in, including, but not limited to, any of the following: public pool safety law, California Building Code standards, and public pool regulations.
3. Adds a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room to pool safety law applicable to a private single-family home.
4. Exempts a swimming pool, hot tub, spa, or nonportable wading pool, on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room from public pool safety law requiring an anti-entrapment device or system.
5. Requires the California Building Standards Commission, on or before March 1, 2027, to publish regulations within its purview to implement provisions in this bill.
6. Requires CDPH, on or before March 1, 2027, adopt regulations, as necessary, to implement this bill related to amending the definition of “public swimming pool” to exempt pools, spas, and wading pools located at hotels and condominiums as this bill envisions.
7. Requires the adoption and readoption of regulations, until January 1, 2028, by CDPH to be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare, and deems that the CDPH and California Building Standards Commission are exempted from the requirement that they describe facts showing the need for immediate action and from review of the emergency regulations by the Office of Administrative Law.

FISCAL EFFECT:

This bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

PRIOR VOTES:

Not relevant.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement. According to the author, this bill modernizes California's governance of swimming pools for condominium residents and hotel guests who have in-unit pools that only they can access. Current law only recognizes pools at single-family residences as private pools and imposes many requirements on all other pools, even when not in common areas, that do not make sense for pools that are not accessible to the public. This bill will allow California to build new types of housing/lodging offered in other states and countries that offer an in-unit private pool that exceeds safety standards currently required for pools at private residences. The author states interest in this bill is simple: to provide as many options for new construction, without sacrificing safety, as Los Angeles rebuilds from the devastating wildfires and prepares to host the world for the 2028 Olympics.
2. Childhood drownings. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics website, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in U.S. children one through four years of age and, as of 2018, has surpassed birth defects as the most common cause of death among this age group. Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among U.S. children and adolescents five through 19 years. In 2018, almost 900 U.S. children and youth under 20 years of age died of drowning, and more than 7,200 were seen at a hospital emergency department for a drowning event, with 35% of those children either hospitalized or transferred for further care.  Childhood unintentional drowning fatality rates have decreased steadily from 2.68 per 100,000 in 1985 to 1.09 per 100,000 in 2018.

According to a CDPH safety brochure, drowning takes the lives of more California toddlers than any other kind of accident. Children who manage to survive a near drowning often suffer permanent brain damage from lack of oxygen. Most of these drownings take place at the homes of parents, relatives, or neighbors. CDPH recommends a combination of adult supervision and safety barriers for preventing drownings and states that, when around water, children must be kept in direct sight at all times, as children in water or next to water can drown immediately and silently, so there is no room for error.

1. Pool safety, public and private. According to CDPH’s website, Assembly Bill 1020 (Emmerson, Chapter 1020, Statutes of 2009) was enacted to ensure California law is in conformance with federal safety standards (Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act), designed to prevent entrapment hazards associated with public swimming pools and spas. More specifically, this law increased the safety of public swimming pools and spas by: 1) adopting the federal swimming pool and spa drain cover standard; and, 2) ensuring that public swimming pools and spas are equipped with proper safety devices. The updates in AB 1020 also, in part, adopted the majority of the definition in the federal safety standards for public swimming pools, which is noted in Existing Law 10) above. In California, all public swimming pools are regulated in the same way, whether they are in hotels, parks, or apartment complexes—separate from private swimming pools that serve more than a single-family home.

California’s original Pool Safety Act was enacted by AB 3305 (Setencich, Chapter 925, Statutes of 1996), which required all new swimming pools constructed at private, single-family homes be equipped with either a permanent fence, a pool cover meeting certain safety standards, exit alarms or self-closing, self-latching devices on all doors providing access to the pool, or another safety feature providing as least as much protection as the specified four. State law for private pools was amended by AB 2977 (Mullin, Chapter 478, Statutes of 2006) to reflect the availability of two additional drowning-prevention features: removable mesh fencing and pool alarms that sound when a person enters the water. AB 2977 also expanded the scope of the law to include pools that undergo a remodel requiring a building permit. SB 442 (Newman, Chapter 670, Statutes of 2017) amended private pool law further to require at least two pool safety features when single-family homes with pools were transferred. The primary rationale for that change was that a single safety feature may malfunction or become disabled, as at least two of the allowable safety features are designed to be disabled: pool entry alarms can be put into “sleep” mode when the pool is in use, and removable fencing is removable. Similarly, door alarms may run out of batteries, and latches may break. SB 552 (Newman, Chapter 769, Statutes of 2024) added requirements for an inspector when conducting a home inspection of a private-single family home with a pool or spa, and updated which drowning prevention features may be combined to meet specified safety requirements. These changes were intended to ensure that any two safety features could not be installed in the same space, such that the failure of one device could result in the failure of both.

1. Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2024 MAHC, swimming, relaxing, and playing in water have been global pastimes throughout written history. Twentieth century advances in aquatics—combining disinfection, filtration, and recirculation systems—led to an explosion in the use of residential and public aquatic venues (pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds). Advances in public aquatic facility design have pushed the horizons of aquatic facilities from the traditional rectangular community pool to the multi-venue waterpark hosting tens of thousands of users per day. Indoor public aquatic facilities have transformed pools and waterparks into year-round attractions. The MAHC says public aquatic facility operation can be improved through engineering, education, and enforcement. The increase in the number of reported waterborne disease outbreaks and the continued occurrence of drowning and other injuries suggest the prevention of public aquatic venue-associated illness, injury, disability, and death would benefit from building stronger environmental health regulatory programs and supporting them with strong partnerships. The MAHC further states it also would be useful for public health officials to continue to play their strong role in overseeing design and construction, advising on operation and maintenance, and helping inform policy and management, as working in close collaboration with building code officials strengthens the overall coordination needed to prioritize public health at public aquatic facilities. The MAHC is a set of voluntary guidance based on science and best practices developed to help programs that regulate public aquatic facilities reduce the risk of illness, injury, disability, and death in their communities. The CDC states creation of the MAHC was the major recommendation of a 2005 national workshop, which was charged with developing recommendations to reduce the incidence of outbreaks.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from May 27, 2016, CDPH noted some regulations were being updated so that they were not in conflict with 2014 MAHC guidance regarding chlorine action levels. While CDPH does not fully adopt all MAHC recommendations and instead uses California law, which is more stringent, there are parts of the MAHC guidance the local health officers use when enforcing public pool safety laws.

1. Double referral. This bill was heard in the Senate Housing Committee on June 24, 2026, and passed with a 10-0 vote.
2. Support. Cain Development LP, as sponsor, states “One Beverly Hills” is a multi-billion dollar project under construction and includes major upgrades to the legendary Beverly Hilton, a new Aman Hotel, residential, retail, and restaurant components and publicly accessible Botanical Gardens. In addition to the Hilton Hotel, the new Aman hotel and restaurants and retail stores are scheduled to be open in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Cain Development and other supporters argue this bill clears up the current ambiguity in the law as it relates to hotel and condominium pools, while requiring measures are in place to ensure the safety of these pools and those who will enjoy them. Supporters state this bill will assist the One Beverly Hills project to stay on schedule during its construction by making clear that the hotel and condominium pools included as part of the project fall under the requirements of California's Swimming Pool Safety Act, applicable to private single-family pools. California is doing everything in its power to be ready to welcome our guests from around the world, including by ensuring that the Southern California community has sufficient hotel capacity. The One Beverly Hills Project is one of many venues anticipated to be available for the 2028 Games.
3. Opposition. The California Association of Environmental Health Administrators (CAEHA) state that drowning remains a leading cause of injury-related death, particularly among young children, with hundreds of fatalities occurring annually in California. This bill, as currently drafted, would create a pathway for certain hotel-based pools to be treated as private residential pools rather than public swimming pools, thereby exempting them from longstanding health and safety protections. As a result, these pools would not be subject to critical safeguards, including inspection and enforcement, on-going verification of anti-entrapment equipment, water sanitation and circulation standards, and incident response protocols. Without these core protections, this subset of hotel-based pools could operate without consistent oversight, verified water quality, or enforceable safety standards. CAEHA recognizes the author’s efforts related to condominium properties and is neutral on the provisions addressing condominium units. However, there are significant concerns regarding the inclusion of hotel room swimming pools and spas under the same framework. CAEHA argues this bill does not adequately address construction and design safety considerations for individual room pools, including safe entry and exit features, water purification systems, health and safety signage, and adequate space for emergency response. Individual room installations introduce additional risks, such as structural concerns, water containment issues, and increased likelihood of unsupervised child access and potential drowning. Additionally, this bill does not clearly define enforcement authority or inspection responsibility of local public and/or environmental health departments, creating the potential for inconsistent statewide implementation and regulatory ambiguity. CAEHA further argues while this bill proposes certain safety features, these measures are insufficient for pools in transient lodging settings. Emergency communication systems, limited Automatic External Defibrillators access, and record-based testing requirements do not replace comprehensive operational and health standards. Optional safety barriers, like removable child safety fencing, are inadequate to protect young children in hotel environments.

CAEHA respectfully requests amendments to remove provisions related to swimming pools and spas on hotel balconies, terraces, and patios, and maintain classification of all hotel-based pools as “public swimming pools.” Absent these amendments, this bill would weaken existing protections and introduce avoidable risks, particularly for vulnerable populations, like children and the elderly.

1. Policy comment. State law deems all pools and spas on the grounds of a hotel as public pools subject to health and safety requirements overseen by local health officers. While the author and sponsor contend this bill introduces a new model of pools and spas not envisioned by implementing pool safety laws, existing law clearly encompasses any pool on the grounds of a hotel—outdoor or indoor, in or above ground—being deemed public swimming pools. The Committee may wish to consider if rolling back oversight of these pools and spas is sound public policy.
2. Author’s proposed amendments. To address some of the concerns regarding health and safety oversight, in addition to applying private pool safety laws to the pools and spas envisioned in this bill, the author is contemplating further amendments to require additional safety features described below. Further amendments under consideration include:
   1. Updating standards private pools are required to meet; and,
   2. Adding to private pool safety law, when a permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a hotel room, requirements for: (1) an emergency call communications system; (2) automatic external defibrillators; (3) a Covenant and Agreement entered into by the owner or operator of the hotels with the local building official providing that each pool or spa will be maintained under the supervision of a certified pool operator (CPO) who holds a current certification from the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Certified Pool & Spa Operator program or another pool operator training and certification program that’s equivalent; (4) water depth markings; and, (5) a Covenant and Agreement entered into by the owner or operator of the hotel with the local building official providing that a pool cover that complies with a generally recognized standard will be installed upon the request of a hotel guest occupying the room.

SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:

Support: Cain Development (sponsor)
California Coalition for Children's Safety and Health
California Pool & Spa Association
Los Angeles / Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council
Oak Knoll Advisors, LLC.

Oppose: California Association of Environmental Health Administrators (unless amended)

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

Senator Jesse Arreguín, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: AB 1237 Hearing Date: 6/24/2026

SUBJECT: Swimming pool safety: building codes: condominium and hotel rooms

DIGEST: This bill clarifies that the Pool Safety Act also applies to specified condominium and hotel pools or spas.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the CBSC within the Department of General Services (DGS), and requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the Building Code. Requires the CBSC to publish editions of the code in its entirety once every three years. In the intervening period, the commission must publish supplements as necessary.
2. Requires the CBSC to receive proposed building standards from a state agency for consideration in an 18-month code adoption cycle.
3. Establishes the Pool Safety Act (the Act), which specifies requirements for a home inspector when conducting a home inspection of a private-single family home with a pool or spa. The Act also specifies drowning prevention features required for the construction of new or remodel of existing swimming pools or spas at a private single-family home.
4. Defines “swimming pool” or “pool” as any structure intended for swimming or recreational bathing that contains water over 18 inches deep. “Swimming pool” includes in-ground and aboveground structures and includes, but is not limited to, hot tubs, spas, portable spas, and nonportable wading pools.

This bill:

1. Defines “public swimming pool” as a swimming pool operated for the use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of the members and guests of a private club.  Public swimming pool does not include a either of the following:
2. A swimming pool located on the grounds of a private single-family home.
3. A swimming pool located on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room.
4. Recasts the existing definition of “swimming pool” or “pool.”
5. Provides that pools or spas that are “on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room” are also required to be equipped with the same drowning prevention features as swimming pools and other spas required by the Act.
6. Removes, within the Act, references to “private single-family homes.”
7. Provides that a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of, a condominium unit or hotel room, or at a private single-family home, shall not be subject to health and safety and building codes specific to public pools and spas.
8. Provides that the Act does not apply to a hot tub or spa that complies with a locking safety cover that complies with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standards.
9. Provides that the Act does not apply to an apartment complex or any residential setting, except that it does apply to a swimming pool or spa on or within a private balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit or hotel room, or at a private single-family home.
10. Clarifies that health, safety, and sanitation standards specific to public swimming pools do not apply to a pool on or within a public balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit or hotel room.
11. Requires, on or before March 1, 2027, the CBSC to publish changes to the Act contained in this bill in the California Building Code, as specified.
12. Requires, on or before March 1, 2027, the State Department of Public Health to adopt regulations necessary to implement changes in this bill relative to the health, safety, and sanitation of public swimming pools, as specified. Until January 1, 2028, adoption and readoption of these regulations shall be deemed to be an emergency, as specified.

Background

Childhood drownings. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics website, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in U.S. children one through four years of age and, as of 2018, has surpassed birth defects as the most common cause of death among this age group. Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among U.S. children and adolescents five through 19 years.  In 2018, almost 900 U.S. children and youth under 20 years died of drowning, and more than 7,200 were seen at a hospital emergency department (ED) for a drowning event, with 35% of those children either hospitalized or transferred for further care.  Childhood unintentional drowning fatality rates have decreased steadily from 2.68 per 100,000 in 1985 to 1.09 per 100,000 in 2018.

According to a CDPH safety brochure, drowning takes the lives of more California toddlers than any other kind of accident. Children who manage to survive a near drowning often suffer permanent brain damage from lack of oxygen. Most of these drownings take place at the homes of parents, relatives, or neighbors. CDPH recommends a combination of adult supervision and safety barriers for preventing drownings and states that, when around water, children must be kept in direct sight at all times, as children in water or next to water can drown immediately and silently, so there is no room for error.

Comments

1. Author’s statement. “AB 1237 modernizes California’s s governance of swimming pools for condominium residents and hotel guests who have in-unit pools that only they can access. Current law only recognizes pools at single family residences as “private” pools and imposes many requirements on all other pools, even when not in common areas, that do not make sense for pools that are not accessible to the public. This bill will allow California to build new types of housing/lodging offered in other states and counties that offer an in-unit private pool that exceeds safety standards currently required for pools at private residences.”
2. Pool Safety Act. California’s original Pool Safety Act (Setencich, Chapter 925, Statutes of 1996), which went into effect on January 1, 1997, required all new swimming pools constructed at private, single-family homes be equipped with either a permanent fence, a pool cover meeting certain safety standards, exit alarms or self-closing, self-latching devices on all doors providing access to the pool, or another safety feature providing as least as much protection as the specified four. The act was amended in 2006 (Mullin, Chapter 478, Statutes of 2006) to reflect the availability of two additional drowning-prevention features: removable mesh fencing and pool alarms that sound when a person enters the water. The 2006 act also expanded the scope of the law to include pools that undergo a remodel requiring a building permit.

The Act was substantially amended in 2017 by SB 442 (Newman, Chapter 670) to require at least two pool safety features for pools when single-family homes with pools were transferred. The primary rationale for that change was that a single safety feature may malfunction or become disabled. This made sense when considering at least two of the allowable safety features are designed to be disabled: pool entry alarms can be put into “sleep” mode when the pool is in use, and removable fencing is, as the name suggests, removable. Similarly, door alarms may run out of batteries, and latches may break. The requirement for a second safety feature was intended to provide backup to busy families that forget to replace an alarm or a removable fence, or who cannot immediately fix a malfunctioning latch or alarm. SB 552 (Newman, Chapter 769, Statutes of 2024) further revised the requirements for a home inspector when conducting a home inspection of a private-single family home with a pool or spa and updated which drowning prevention features may be combined to meet specified safety requirements, among other changes. These changes were intended to ensure that any two safety features could not be installed in the same space, such that the failure of one device could result in the failure of both.

1. Do more safety features mean fewer drownings? Currently, the state does not comprehensively track the number and type of drowning prevention features that were installed on a pool where a drowning or near-drowning event occurred. In the absence of this data, it is impossible to know whether the single barrier previously required or the dual barrier now required under existing law is providing adequate protection.

SB 442 sought to place the burden of pool safety on pool owners by requiring them to control access to their pools. This may be a more direct and cost-efficient response to residential pool drownings than imposing extensive data collection requirements on state and local governments in order to inform future policy interventions. Ultimately, however, better protecting children’s health and safety will require more and better information about drowning accidents as well as additional safety requirements for residential pools. Recent legislation — SB 855 (Newman, Chapter 817, Statutes of 2022) — requires CDPH to create a pilot program with the goal of collecting detailed data on childhood fatal and nonfatal drownings in California, with a specific focus on children between one and four years old. By January 1, 2027, CDPH, in consultation with specific entities, is required to submit a report to the legislature including recommendations on the structure and operation of an ongoing data collection system, and effective, evidence-based state and local drowning prevention policies and practices.

1. Expanding the application of the Act. According to the sponsors, a question about the application of the Pool Safety Act to specific pools arose from a new mixed-use condominium and hotel development project. That mixed-use project will provide lap pools on the balcony of some of the rooms; according to the sponsors, these pools neither fit into the existing definition of a “public” swimming pool or a “private” swimming pool; this presented questions when the developer sought to get building permits about which building codes and health and safety standards applied to these pools.

This bill seeks to clarify that condo and hotel room pools and spas are subject to the same requirements as the Act. To do so, this bill adds a definition of “public swimming pool” to the Act to distinguish swimming pools and spas that have “common areas” from those that are private. Additionally, this bill clarifies in various health, safety, and sanitation code sections specific to “public” swimming pools do not apply to private swimming pools, including a pool on or within a public balcony, patio, or terrace of a condominium unit or hotel room.

1. Gutted. This bill was gut and amended on June 11^th from a bill dealing with ticket sales.

1. Double referral. This bill was also referred to the Senate Health Committee.

Related/Prior Legislation

SB 552 (Newman, Chapter , Statutes of 2024) — revises the requirements for a home inspector when conducting a home inspection of a private-single family home with a pool or spa and updates which drowning prevention features may be combined to meet specified safety requirements, among other changes.

SB 855 (Newman, Chapter 817, Statutes of 2022) — requires the CDPH to establish the Childhood Drowning Data Collection Pilot Program and report its findings to the Legislature, develop a Water Safety Action Plan for Children, and develop a standardized electronic form for counties to use in reporting drowning statistics.

SB 442 (Newman, Chapter 670, Statutes of 2017) — requires newly constructed or remodeled swimming pools or spas at private single-family residences to incorporate at least two of seven specified drowning prevention safety features and additionally requires home inspections conducted as part of the transfer of a property with a pool or spa to include an assessment of whether the pool is equipped with adequate drowning prevention features.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on Wednesday,

June 17^th, 2026.)

SUPPORT:

Cain Development Lp

Los Angeles / Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council

Oak Knoll Advisors, LLC

OPPOSITION:

None received.

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1237

Author:(McKinnor and Ahrens)

As Amended Ver:April 23, 2025

Majority vote. Urgency

SUMMARY

Authorizes the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (LA Metro) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the counties of Los Angeles or Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's or Women's Basketball Championship.

Major Provisions

1. Restricts the fee to apply only to the original purchase of the ticket and not resale tickets.
2. Places responsibility on a ticket vendor to collect the charge from the purchaser and remit the revenues from that charge to LA Metro or VTA.
3. Requires revenues collected be used to support transit operations.
4. Requires LA Metro to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
5. Requires VTA to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the NCAA Basketball championship games if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
6. Requires LA Metro and VTA to each submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027 that includes the amount of the charge authorized and the amount of revenue collected as a result of the charge, the number of free trips taken as a result of the fee, and the amount of money spent and a detailed account of additional transit services provided to serve the sporting events.
7. Adds an urgency clause to take effect immediately.

COMMENTS

To meet the state's climate goals and to develop more integrated, livable communities, the state must have a robust, efficient, and reliable public transit network. For many Californians transit is a lifeline, providing an affordable transportation option to work and school. It is estimated that almost 60% of California residents who commute via public transit have a household income below $35,000. Over half a million California households own no vehicle and rely on public transit daily.

Transit will be a necessary component of the state's goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. According to the California Air Resource Board's (CARB) 2022 Scoping Plan, including the transition to cleaner vehicles and low-carbon fuels, the path to carbon neutrality by 2045 also depends on reducing the amount people drive or vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 25% by 2030 and 30% by 2045. These goals heavily hinge on a reliable and convenient public transit system. CARB identified the need to double the capacity and service frequencies of the existing local public transit networks by 2030, including having transit stops much closer to where people need to go and providing reliable, shorter frequencies.

2026, 2027, and 2028 will make California a major tourist destination for sports events. In 2026 Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium (home to the former San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams) and Levi Stadium (home to the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara County) will host the the FIFA World Cup. The SAP Center in San Jose (Home to the San Jose Sharks) will host the West Regional semifinal and final games for the NCAA men's tournament. In 2026 Levi Stadium will host the Super Bowl. SoFi will host the Super Bowl in 2027 and Los Angeles will host the Olympics in 2028.

SoFi Stadium is a 3.1 million square foot stadium with a seating capacity of 70,000 persons that can expand to 100,000 persons. Levi's Stadium seats 68,500 persons and can be extended to 75,000 for major events like the Super Bowl. The SAP Center seats 18,500 for basketball games.

Levi Stadium has direct access to both rail and bus services. Light rail is the most direct route for the greater South Bay area. Routes are scheduled daily to and from Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Campbell. VTA light rail trains will drop off and pick up passengers at the Great America Station located on the North side of the stadium. VTA buses service the local South Bay reaching the greater San Jose area, Mountain View, Cupertino, and Sunnyvale. VTA buses will drop off guests in two locations: the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway and the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Calle Del Sol. In addition, The Capitol Corridor Trains stop at Levi Stadium and provide services to Levi's Stadium from Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Suisun, Fairfield, Martinez, Richmond, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward, Santa Clara, Fremont/Centerville, and San Jose. The Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) provides direct rail service to Levi's Stadium from Stockton, Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco, Livermore, Pleasanton, and Fremont.

The SAP Center is served by VTA light rail, Caltrain, and bus service. SoFi Stadium has no direct rail service to its stadium. Instead, transit riders can take a free shuttle from the Metro K Line to SoFi stadium.

Major events at these stadiums have caused massive traffic delays. According to mobility company Streetlight, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour caused significant traffic delays both at Levi Stadium and at SoFi Stadium. Average vehicle hours of delay increased by 473% at Levi's Stadium for the tour despite its massive public transit offerings. SoFi Stadium, having learned the lessons of the Levi Stadium traffic, saw a more modest 181% delay (the national average for the Eras Tour was 277%).

The World Cup has the potential to impact traffic in a manner far more significant than the Swift Eras Tour. SoFi will host eight games of the World Cup, starting with the opening game in June of 2026 and the quarterfinal game in July. Levi Stadium will host five games.

Committee comments: Requiring all purchasers of NCAA Championship games and the FIFA World Cup games may allow LA Metro and VTA to provide additional transit services to these games, reducing congestion for locals while also reducing the carbon footprint of these games. The fee also may help to offset some additional costs that these counties face as a result of hosting these events, such as having to provide additional bus service. The report back from both transit agencies may help the Legislature determine if such game fees help shift fans to use transit to attend major events.

The way the fee is structured, however, may provide some disadvantages for Californians traveling further for games to Levi Stadium. While VTA riders will be able to use their tickets to access free transit, transit riders using ACE, Caltrain, or Capitol Corridor will be subsidizing VTA riders while receiving no reciprocal benefit.

According to the Author

"AB 1237 will provide sports fans participating in the World Cup with an easy way to utilize transit when attending these sporting events, reduce traffic congestion, improve local air quality and provide critical support for local transit services as Los Angeles prepares to host the world in the coming years."

Arguments in Support

LA Metro, a co-sponsor of this bill, argues "Los Angeles County will host a number of major events in the next few years, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This bill would provide a simple way for fans to utilize transit as part of their experience, leading to increased ridership and reduced congestion. Funding received through the fee added to the tickets purchased will support the increased transportation operational needs associated with the County hosting these major events. Fees would be assessed only on those who are attending the events, providing a climate-friendly vehicle for transporting these fans and ensuring that Metro's core ridership and system are further supported."

Arguments in Opposition

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, writing in opposition to this bill, argue "we believe [AB 1237] it is a special tax that needs two-thirds voter approval. AB 1237 would authorize the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority to impose a $5 charge on the purchase of a ticket to the 2026 World Cup or the 2028 Olympics or Paralympics to support LA Metro transit systems. Ticket holders could then ride the transit systems for free on the day of their ticket. Article XIII C, Section 2(a), of the California Constitution provides: "(a) All taxes imposed by any local government shall be deemed to be either general taxes or special taxes. Special purpose districts or agencies, including school districts, shall have no power to levy general taxes.

Although the World Cup and the Olympics may be held at government-owned venues, we are not aware of any of those venues being owned by LA Metro. It seems doubtful that a court would interpret Exemption 4 to mean that one local agency can charge a fee for entrance to property owned by another local agency.

Payors who take an Uber, take a taxi, drive their own car, get dropped off by a friend, live within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel that offers a shuttle, or come in from a nearby community on transit not operated by LA Metro, will be paying the $5 charge but not receiving a free ride.

Since the $5 charge does not appear to qualify as an exception, it is a special tax that needs the approval of two-thirds of the voters residing within the territory of LA Metro, i.e., all of Los Angeles County, including all its cities."

FISCAL COMMENTS

This bill was keyed non-fiscal by legislative counsel.

VOTES

ASM TRANSPORTATION: 12-3-1

YES: Wilson, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Carrillo, Harabedian, Hart, Jackson, Lowenthal, Papan, Ransom, Rogers, Ward

NO: Davies, Hoover, Macedo

ABS, ABST OR NV: Lackey

ASM ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, AND TOURISM: 6-1-2

YES: Ward, Elhawary, McKinnor, Ortega, Quirk-Silva, Zbur

NO: Lackey

ABS, ABST OR NV: Jeff Gonzalez, Valencia

UPDATED

VERSION: April 23, 2025

CONSULTANT: David Sforza / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0000257

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1237

Author:(McKinnor and Ahrens)

As Amended Ver:April 1, 2025

Majority vote. Urgency

SUMMARY

Authorizes the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (LA Metro) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the counties of Los Angeles or Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's or Women's Basketball Championship.

Major Provisions

1. Restricts the fee to apply only to the original purchase of the ticket and not resale tickets.
2. Places responsibility on a ticket vendor to collect the charge from the purchaser and remit the revenues from that charge to LA Metro or VTA.
3. Requires revenues collected be used to support transit operations.
4. Requires LA Metro to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
5. Requires VTA to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the NCAA Basketball championship games if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
6. Requires LA Metro and VTA to each submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027 that includes the amount of the charge authorized and the amount of revenue collected as a result of the charge, the number of free trips taken as a result of the fee, and the amount of money spent and a detailed account of additional transit services provided to serve the sporting events.
7. Adds an urgency clause to take effect immediately.

COMMENTS

To meet the state's climate goals and to develop more integrated, livable communities, the state must have a robust, efficient, and reliable public transit network. For many Californians transit is a lifeline, providing an affordable transportation option to work and school. It is estimated that almost 60% of California residents who commute via public transit have a household income below $35,000. Over half a million California households own no vehicle and rely on public transit daily.

Transit will be a necessary component of the state's goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. According to the California Air Resource Board's (CARB) 2022 Scoping Plan, including the transition to cleaner vehicles and low-carbon fuels, the path to carbon neutrality by 2045 also depends on reducing the amount people drive or vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 25% by 2030 and 30% by 2045. These goals heavily hinge on a reliable and convenient public transit system. CARB identified the need to double the capacity and service frequencies of the existing local public transit networks by 2030, including having transit stops much closer to where people need to go and providing reliable, shorter frequencies.

2026, 2027, and 2028 will make California a major tourist destination for sports events. In 2026 Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium (home to the former San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams) and Levi Stadium (home to the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara County) will host the the FIFA World Cup. The SAP Center in San Jose (Home to the San Jose Sharks) will host the West Regional semifinal and final games for the NCAA men's tournament. In 2026 Levi Stadium will host the Super Bowl. SoFi will host the Super Bowl in 2027 and Los Angeles will host the Olympics in 2028.

SoFi Stadium is a 3.1 million square foot stadium with a seating capacity of 70,000 persons that can expand to 100,000 persons. Levi's Stadium seats 68,500 persons and can be extended to 75,000 for major events like the Super Bowl. The SAP Center seats 18,500 for basketball games.

Levi Stadium has direct access to both rail and bus services. Light rail is the most direct route for the greater South Bay area. Routes are scheduled daily to and from Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Campbell. VTA light rail trains will drop off and pick up passengers at the Great America Station located on the North side of the stadium. VTA buses service the local South Bay reaching the greater San Jose area, Mountain View, Cupertino, and Sunnyvale. VTA buses will drop off guests in two locations: the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway and the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Calle Del Sol. In addition, The Capitol Corridor Trains stop at Levi Stadium and provide services to Levi's Stadium from Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Suisun, Fairfield, Martinez, Richmond, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward, Santa Clara, Fremont/Centerville, and San Jose. The Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) provides direct rail service to Levi's Stadium from Stockton, Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco, Livermore, Pleasanton, and Fremont.

The SAP Center is served by VTA light rail, Caltrain, and bus service. SoFi Stadium has no direct rail service to its stadium. Instead, transit riders can take a free shuttle from the Metro K Line to SoFi stadium.

Major events at these stadiums have caused massive traffic delays. According to mobility company Streetlight, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour caused significant traffic delays both at Levi Stadium and at SoFi Stadium. Average vehicle hours of delay increased by 473% at Levi's Stadium for the tour despite its massive public transit offerings. SoFi Stadium, having learned the lessons of the Levi Stadium traffic, saw a more modest 181% delay (the national average for the Eras Tour was 277%).

The World Cup has the potential to impact traffic in a manner far more significant than the Swift Eras Tour. SoFi will host eight games of the World Cup, starting with the opening game in June of 2026 and the quarterfinal game in July. Levi Stadium will host five games.

Committee comments: Requiring all purchasers of NCAA Championship games and the FIFA World Cup games may allow LA Metro and VTA to provide additional transit services to these games, reducing congestion for locals while also reducing the carbon footprint of these games. The fee also may help to offset some additional costs that these counties face as a result of hosting these events, such as having to provide additional bus service. The report back from both transit agencies may help the Legislature determine if such game fees help shift fans to use transit to attend major events.

The way the fee is structured, however, may provide some disadvantages for Californians traveling further for games to Levi Stadium. While VTA riders will be able to use their tickets to access free transit, transit riders using ACE, Caltrain, or Capitol Corridor will be subsidizing VTA riders while receiving no reciprocal benefit.

According to the Author

"AB 1237 will provide sports fans participating in the World Cup with an easy way to utilize transit when attending these sporting events, reduce traffic congestion, improve local air quality and provide critical support for local transit services as Los Angeles prepares to host the world in the coming years."

Arguments in Support

LA Metro, a co-sponsor of this bill, argues "Los Angeles County will host a number of major events in the next few years, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This bill would provide a simple way for fans to utilize transit as part of their experience, leading to increased ridership and reduced congestion. Funding received through the fee added to the tickets purchased will support the increased transportation operational needs associated with the County hosting these major events. Fees would be assessed only on those who are attending the events, providing a climate-friendly vehicle for transporting these fans and ensuring that Metro's core ridership and system are further supported."

Arguments in Opposition

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, writing in opposition to this bill, argue "we believe [AB 1237] it is a special tax that needs two-thirds voter approval. AB 1237 would authorize the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority to impose a $5 charge on the purchase of a ticket to the 2026 World Cup or the 2028 Olympics or Paralympics to support LA Metro transit systems. Ticket holders could then ride the transit systems for free on the day of their ticket. Article XIII C, Section 2(a), of the California Constitution provides: "(a) All taxes imposed by any local government shall be deemed to be either general taxes or special taxes. Special purpose districts or agencies, including school districts, shall have no power to levy general taxes.

Although the World Cup and the Olympics may be held at government-owned venues, we are not aware of any of those venues being owned by LA Metro. It seems doubtful that a court would interpret Exemption 4 to mean that one local agency can charge a fee for entrance to property owned by another local agency.

Payors who take an Uber, take a taxi, drive their own car, get dropped off by a friend, live within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel that offers a shuttle, or come in from a nearby community on transit not operated by LA Metro, will be paying the $5 charge but not receiving a free ride.

Since the $5 charge does not appear to qualify as an exception, it is a special tax that needs the approval of two-thirds of the voters residing within the territory of LA Metro, i.e., all of Los Angeles County, including all its cities."

FISCAL COMMENTS

This bill was keyed non-fiscal by legislative counsel.

VOTES

ASM TRANSPORTATION: 12-3-1

YES: Wilson, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Carrillo, Harabedian, Hart, Jackson, Lowenthal, Papan, Ransom, Rogers, Ward

NO: Davies, Hoover, Macedo

ABS, ABST OR NV: Lackey

ASM ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, AND TOURISM: 6-1-2

YES: Ward, Elhawary, McKinnor, Ortega, Quirk-Silva, Zbur

NO: Lackey

ABS, ABST OR NV: Jeff Gonzalez, Valencia

UPDATED

VERSION: April 1, 2025

CONSULTANT: David Sforza / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0000257

Date of Hearing: April 22, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS, AND TOURISM

Christopher M. Ward, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1237 (

Author:McKinnor) – As Amended Ver:April 1, 2025

SUBJECT: Counties of Los Angeles and Santa Clara: sporting events: ticket charge: public transit

SUMMARY: This bill would authorize the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (LA Metro) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the counties of Los Angeles or Santa Clara for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup and the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s or Women’s Basketball Championship.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Restricts the fee to apply only to the original purchase of the ticket and not resale tickets.
2. Places responsibility on a ticket vendor to collect the charge from the purchaser and remit the revenues from that charge to LA Metro or VTA.
3. Requires revenues collected be used to support transit operations.
4. Requires LA Metro to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
5. Requires VTA to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the NCAA Basketball championship games if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
6. Requires LA Metro and VTA to each submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027 that includes the amount of the charge authorized and the amount of revenue collected as a result of the charge, the number of free trips taken as a result of the fee, and the amount of money spent and a detailed account of additional transit services provided to serve the sporting events.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires advertisements, displays, and prices for goods and services to include all mandatory fees and charges other than taxes or fees imposed by a government on the transaction, or postage of carriage charges to ship physical goods to a consumer. (Civil Code Section 1770 (a)(29))
2. Establishes VTA within Santa Clara County to operate and construct transit projects. (Public Utilities Code section (PUC) 100000).
3. Prohibits VTA from levying any tax unless approved by the electors voting on the measure (PUC 100113).
4. Establishes LA Metro to operate and construct transit projects within Los Angeles County (PUC 130050.2)

FISCAL EFFECT: None. This bill is keyed non-fiscal.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement. According to the author, “California is not new to playing host to some of the largest sports or entertainment events in the world. As we look to the future, we must start thinking and taking action on how to better integrate transit use beyond its traditional uses - like how we get to and from work or school and begin to fully integrate transit use into all aspects of our lives - including participating in sporting and entertainment events.

“As California prepares to welcome the world next year, AB 1237 is an important component to ensure that sports fans across California and around the globe are able to safely access these once in a generation games and celebrate the culture of sport.”

1. Background. California will host a number of larger scale events over the next three years. In 2026, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara County will hold matches for the FIFA World Cup. The SAP Center in San Jose will host the West Regional Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. In 2026, Levi Stadium will host the Super Bowl, with SoFi Stadium hosting the following year in 2027. Los Angeles will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.

Levi’s Stadium has direct access to both rail and bus services. Light rail is the most direct route for the greater South Bay area. VTA light rail trains will drop off and pick up passengers at the Great America Station located on the North side of the stadium.  VTA buses will drop off guests in two locations: the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway and the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Calle Del Sol. The SAP Center is served by VTA light rail, Caltrain, and bus service. SoFi Stadium has no direct rail service to its stadium. Instead, transit riders can take a free shuttle from the Metro K Line to SoFi stadium.

Major events at these stadiums have caused massive traffic delays. According to mobility company Streetlight, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour caused significant traffic delays both at Levi Stadium and at SoFi Stadium. Average vehicle hours of delay increased by 473% at Levi’s Stadium for the tour despite its massive public transit offerings. SoFi Stadium, having learned the lessons of the Levi Stadium traffic, saw a more modest 181% delay (the national average for the Eras Tour was 277%).

1. FIFA World Cup 2026: The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be one of the largest sporting events in history, and will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Hosting the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 16, 2026, includes 104 matches in 16 unique cities, including eight matches at the SoFi Stadium and six matches at the Levi’s Stadium. Due to the size of the event, the World Cup has the potential to impact traffic in an manner even more significant than Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
2. Arguments in support. According to the VTA in support, “The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and March Madness games present a unique opportunity to showcase the vibrancy and diverse culture of California to the world. When the games begin, increased domestic and global visitors will further congest LA County’s and Santa Clara County’s already stressed road based transportation infrastructure, complicating game related logistics and impacting public safety response times.

“AB 1237 will provide sports fans participating in the World Cup and March Madness with an easy way to utilize transit when attending these sporting events, reduce traffic congestion, improve local air quality and provide critical support for local transit services as Los Angeles and Santa Clara prepares to host the world in the coming years.”

1. Arguments in opposition. According to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association in opposition, “It is doubtful LA Metro could prove that every person paying the $5 charge is going to ride LA Metro public transportation on the day of their ticket. In other words, LA Metro cannot prove that the benefit, privilege or service of a free ride will be provided ‘directly’ to every payor… Payors who take an Uber, take a taxi, drive their own car, get dropped off by a friend, live within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel that offers a shuttle, or come in from a nearby community on transit not operated by LA Metro, will be paying the $5 charge but not receiving a free ride.”
2. Double-referral. This measure was referred to both the Assembly Committee on Transportation and to the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism. This measure passed the Assembly Committee on Transportation on a 12 to 3 vote, with one member not voting.
3. Amendments and policy considerations. Due to the timing of ticket sales for the events impacted by this bill, the author is asking the committee to amend the bill to add an urgency clause so that it will go into effect before January 1, 2026. Should this bill have a positive effect on the usage of public transit during the covered events in 2026, future legislation could use this framework to apply to internationally significant events occurring in California in 2027 and 2028.
4. Prior and related legislation:
5. SB 478 (Dodd), Chapter 400, Statutes of 2023, prohibits a practice known as drip pricing, which involves advertising a price that is less than the actual price that a consumer will have to pay for a good or service.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

California Safety and Legislative Board of SMART - Transportation Division

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Move LA

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

Streets for All

One Individual

Opposition

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA)

Analysis Prepared by: Brian V. Anderson, Jr. / A.,E.,S., & T. / (916) 319-3450

Date of Hearing: April 7, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Lori D. Wilson, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1237 (

Author:McKinnor) – As Amended Ver:April 1, 2025

SUBJECT: County of Los Angeles: sporting events: ticket charge: public transit

SUMMARY: Authorizes the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (LA Metro) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to impose a charge of up to $5 on the purchaser of a ticket from a ticket vendor to a sporting event in the counties of Los Angeles or Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s or Women’s Basketball Championship. Specifically, this bill:

1. Restricts the fee to apply only to the original purchase of the ticket and not resale tickets.
2. Places responsibility on a ticket vendor to collect the charge from the purchaser and remit the revenues from that charge to LA Metro or VTA.
3. Requires revenues collected be used to support transit operations.
4. Requires LA Metro to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Los Angeles for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
5. Requires VTA to allow any person to use its transit services at no charge on the day of a sporting event in the County of Santa Clara for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the NCAA Basketball championship games if the person presents a ticket to that sporting event at the location where the authority collects fares for transit services.
6. Requires LA Metro and VTA to each submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027 that includes the amount of the charge authorized and the amount of revenue collected as a result of the charge, the number of free trips taken as a result of the fee, and the amount of money spent and a detailed account of additional transit services provided to serve the sporting events.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes VTA within Santa Clara County to operate and construct transit projects. (Public Utilities Code section (PUC) 100000).
2. Prohibits VTA from levying any tax unless approved by the electors voting on the measure (PUC 100113).
3. Establishes LA Metro to operate and construct transit projects within Los Angeles County (PUC 130050.2)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: To meet the state’s climate goals and to develop more integrated, livable communities, the state must have a robust, efficient, and reliable public transit network. For many Californians transit is a lifeline, providing an affordable transportation option to work and school. It is estimated that almost 60% of California residents who commute via public transit have a household income below $35,000. Over half a million California households own no vehicle and rely on public transit daily.

Transit will be a necessary component of the state’s goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. According to the California Air Resource Board’s (CARB) 2022 Scoping Plan, including the transition to cleaner vehicles and low-carbon fuels, the path to carbon neutrality by 2045 also depends on reducing the amount people drive or vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 25% by 2030 and 30% by 2045. These goals heavily hinge on a reliable and convenient public transit system. CARB identified the need to double the capacity and service frequencies of the existing local public transit networks by 2030, including having transit stops much closer to where people need to go and providing reliable, shorter frequencies.

According to the author, “AB 1237 will provide sports fans participating in the World Cup with an easy way to utilize transit when attending these sporting events, reduce traffic congestion, improve local air quality and provide critical support for local transit services as Los Angeles prepares to host the world in the coming years.”

2026, 2027, and 2028 will make California a major tourist destination for sports events.  In 2026 Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium (home to the former San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams) and Levi Stadium (home to the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara County) will host the the FIFA World Cup. The SAP Center in San Jose (Home to the San Jose Sharks) will host the West Regional semifinal and final games for the NCAA men’s tournament. In 2026 Levi Stadium will host the Super Bowl. SoFi will host the Super Bowl in 2027 and Los Angeles will host the Olympics in 2028.

SoFi Stadium is a 3.1 million square foot stadium with a seating capacity of 70,000 persons that can expand to 100,000 persons. Levi’s Stadium seats 68,500 persons and can be extended to 75,000 for major events like the Super Bowl. The SAP Center seats 18,500 for basketball games.

Levi Stadium has direct access to both rail and bus services. Light rail is the most direct route for the greater South Bay area. Routes are scheduled daily to and from Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Campbell. VTA light rail trains will drop off and pick up passengers at the Great America Station located on the North side of the stadium. VTA buses service the local South Bay reaching the greater San Jose area, Mountain View, Cupertino, and Sunnyvale. VTA buses will drop off guests in two locations: the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway and the Intersection of Tasman Drive and Calle Del Sol. In addition, The Capitol Corridor Trains stop at Levi Stadium and provide services to Levi’s Stadium from Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Suisun, Fairfield, Martinez, Richmond, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward, Santa Clara, Fremont/Centerville, and San Jose. The Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) provides direct rail service to Levi’s Stadium from Stockton, Lathrop/Manteca, Tracy, Vasco, Livermore, Pleasanton, and Fremont.

The SAP Center is served by VTA light rail, Caltrain, and bus service. SoFi Stadium has no direct rail service to its stadium. Instead, transit riders can take a free shuttle from the Metro K Line to SoFi stadium.

LA Metro, a co-sponsor of this bill, argues “Los Angeles County will host a number of major events in the next few years, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This bill would provide a simple way for fans to utilize transit as part of their experience, leading to increased ridership and reduced congestion. Funding received through the fee added to the tickets purchased will support the increased transportation operational needs associated with the County hosting these major events. Fees would be assessed only on those who are attending the events, providing a climate-friendly vehicle for transporting these fans and ensuring that Metro’s core ridership and system are further supported.”

Major events at these stadiums have caused massive traffic delays. According to mobility company Streetlight, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour caused significant traffic delays both at Levi Stadium and at SoFi Stadium. Average vehicle hours of delay increased by 473% at Levi’s Stadium for the tour despite its massive public transit offerings. SoFi Stadium, having learned the lessons of the Levi Stadium traffic, saw a more modest 181% delay (the national average for the Eras Tour was 277%).

The World Cup has the potential to impact traffic in a manner far more significant than the Swift Eras Tour. SoFi will host eight games of the World Cup, starting with the opening game in June of 2026 and the quarterfinal game in July. Levi Stadium will host five games.

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, writing in opposition to this bill, argue “we believe [AB 1237] it is a special tax that needs two-thirds voter approval. AB 1237 would authorize the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority to impose a $5 charge on the purchase of a ticket to the 2026 World Cup or the 2028 Olympics or Paralympics to support LA Metro transit systems. Ticket holders could then ride the transit systems for free on the day of their ticket. Article XIII C, § 2(a), of the California Constitution provides: “(a) All taxes imposed by any local government shall be deemed to be either general taxes or special taxes. Special purpose districts or agencies, including school districts, shall have no power to levy general taxes.

Although the World Cup and the Olympics may be held at government-owned venues, we are not aware of any of those venues being owned by LA Metro. It seems doubtful that a court would interpret Exemption 4 to mean that one local agency can charge a fee for entrance to property owned by another local agency.

Payors who take an Uber, take a taxi, drive their own car, get dropped off by a friend, live within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel within walking distance of the venue, stay at a hotel that offers a shuttle, or come in from a nearby community on transit not operated by LA Metro, will be paying the $5 charge but not receiving a free ride.

Since the $5 charge does not appear to qualify as an exception, it is a special tax that needs the approval of two-thirds of the voters residing within the territory of LA Metro, i.e., all of Los Angeles County, including all its cities.”

Committee comments: Requiring all purchasers of NCAA Championship games and the FIFA World Cup games may allow LA Metro and VTA to provide additional transit services to these games, reducing congestion for locals while also reducing the carbon footprint of these games. The fee also may help to offset some additional costs that these counties face as a result of hosting these events, such as having to provide additional bus service. The report back from both transit agencies may help the Legislature determine if such game fees help shift fans to use transit to attend major events. 

The way the fee is structured, however, may provide some disadvantages for Californians traveling further for games to Levi Stadium. While VTA riders will be able to use their tickets to access free transit, transit riders using ACE, Caltrain, or Capitol Corridor will be subsidizing VTA riders while receiving no reciprocal benefit.

This bill also will not take effect until January 1st, 2026. Ticket sales for FIFA World Cup and NCAA 2026 Basketball games may go on sale this year. This could result in a substantial number of individuals receiving free transit to the games and not paying the $5 fee. The Legislature may wish to consider either putting an urgency clause measure on this bill or considering it as part of the budget process so it takes effect immediately.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO

California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Move LA

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

Streets for All

Opposition

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

Analysis Prepared by: David Sforza / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093