Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden’s bills to protect wildlife, AB 2148; and increase affordable housing options for foster youth and veterans, AB 2442, cleared the legislature. The legislation now awaits Governor Jerry Brown’s signature.
“There’s no denying the rapidly increasing number of drones in public spaces,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “Now is the time to take preventative steps to protect California’s wildlife and natural habitats before it becomes a problem.”
AB 2148 provides the National Resources Agency the ability to develop regulations regarding drone use on publically managed lands. Recent incidents have shown that drone use in close proximity to wildlife can have serious impacts. AB 2148 strives to create a cohesive, statewide system of rules governing the use of unmanned drones on public lands. The regulations can include conditional use or outright prohibitions when necessary to protect the safety of wildlife, natural habitats or visitors.
“Disabled veterans and transitional foster youth face a serious affordable housing problem,” said Holden. “It is vital that we give our local communities tools to meet this challenge.”
AB 2442 allows housing developers to obtain multiple density bonuses from local government if the housing development sets aside ten percent for former foster youth, disabled veterans, or formerly homeless individuals. A multiple density bonus is a zoning tool that enables developers to build more units than normally allowed. AB 2442 expands state law relating to multiple density bonuses as a tool to address rising housing costs and a subsequent lack of reliable, affordable housing that plagues Californian’s most vulnerable populations.