Bill > SB716

This bill establishes specialized, higher fines for violations of city and county local ordinances that occur in large nonresidential structures—specifically those with a floor area of 20,000 square feet or more—when those violations pose a threat to public health and safety. Under the legislation, standard fines are capped at $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for a second offense within five years, and $5,000 for subsequent offenses within five years. However, these fines can be multiplied by ten, reaching up to $50,000 per violation, if the infraction coincides with a declared state of emergency by the Governor or a federal disaster declaration. To provide context, this enhanced disaster-multiplier provision initially applies exclusively within the County of Los Angeles before expanding statewide to certain vulnerable communities identified by CalEnviroScreen (the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool, which measures pollution and environmental vulnerability across different areas) after July 1, 2028, while specifically exempting certain business, educational, institutional, and mercantile buildings. Furthermore, the bill clarifies legal accountability by dictating that when a large property is leased, fines are to be assessed against the tenant or third party in operational control of the violation, though property owners remain strictly liable for issues tied to structural elements, common areas, or their own failure to maintain the property.