CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

99

Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel

February 20, 2026

An act to amend Section 18944.41 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to building standards.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: no   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes that certain interim provisions, pending the evaluation of straw bales as a construction material through the normal processes used for the testing and listing of building materials, the determination of construction standards, and the adoption of those materials and construction standards into the California Building Standards Code, shall become inoperative when building standards take effect that permit construction using baled straw as a loadbearing or nonloadbearing material.

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the provisions described above relating to the operation of laws regulating construction using baled straw.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 18944.41 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

18944.41.

Sections 18944.30, 18944.31, 18944.33, 18944.35, and 18944.40 shall become inoperative when building standards become effective after approval by the California Building Standards Commission pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) that permit the construction of structures that use construction using baled straw as a loadbearing or nonloadbearing material and that are is safe to the public.