The new laws include changes to improve housing displacement, a stricter screening of potential police officers, and helping small businesses upgrade facilities for disability access. Here are some of the laws supported by local officials.
SB 649 ensures those in communities of color are not displaced and have access to newly constructed affordable housing. While SB 707 prevents senior residents from being evicted from assisted living and care facilities.
Two laws from the State Assembly–AB 256 and AB 655–seek to reform the county justice system. The first law improves the screening process of law enforcement candidates to prevent racial bias in previous convictions, and the second allows defendants convicted before 2021 to appeal their cases if racial discrimination is proven.
Santa Clara County is also implementing mental health services for transit workers with SB 1294, which comes a year after the VTA mass shooting in San Jose.
The county also assists small businesses through state and local funding to improve disability access with AB 2164. The legislation came in response to hundreds of Santa Clara County businesses facing lawsuits or shutting down due to a lack of funds to make required improvements.
