California SB1365: Price gouging.

What the bill says

An act to amend Section 396 of the Penal Code, relating to price gouging. price gouging Price gouging. Under existing law, upon the proclamation of a state of emergency by the President of the United States or the Governor, or upon the declaration of a local emergency by the executive officer of any county, city, or city and county, and for 30 days following the proclamation or declaration of emergency, it is price gouging, a misdemeanor, for any person, business, or other entity, to increase the rental price advertised, offered, or charged for housing, to an existing or prospective tenant, by…

From the chaptered text, September 30, 2026:

An act to amend Section 396 of the Penal Code, relating to price gouging. price gouging Price gouging. Under existing law, upon the proclamation of a state of emergency by the President of the United States or the Governor, or upon the declaration of a local emergency by the executive officer of any county, city, or city and county, and for 30 days following the proclamation or declaration of emergency, it is price gouging, a misdemeanor, for any person, business, or other entity, to increase the rental price advertised, offered, or charged for housing, to an existing or prospective tenant, by more than 10%. Existing law exempts an increase from these provisions if the person can prove that the increase is directly attributable to additional costs for repairs or additions beyond normal maintenance that were amortized over the rental term that caused the rent to be increased greater than 10%. This bill would instead make it an affirmative defense to charge of price gouging pursuant to that provision if an increase was directly attributable to additional costs for repairs or additions beyond normal maintenance incurred within the year prior to the proclamation or declaration and either the housing was rented, advertised for rent, or offered for rent at the time the costs were incurred or the person can prove that …

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Sponsors

• Benjamin Allen (D, SD24) · primary sponsor