Quote Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor
Below is a copy of the bill. I have never used the California Legislature site before. If there is someone who is familiar with it, please make sure that I have the last amendment.


BILL NUMBER: AB 976 AMENDED
BILL TEXT

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 17, 2007
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 26, 2007
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 11, 2007
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 27, 2007

INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Charles Calderon
( Coauthors: Assembly Members
Arambula, Coto, De Leon,
Hernandez, Mendoza, Saldana,
Solorio, Soto, and Torrico )
( Coauthors: Senators
Cedillo and Padilla )

FEBRUARY 22, 2007

An act to add Section 1940.3 to the Civil Code, relating to
tenancy.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 976, as amended, Charles Calderon. Tenancy: tenant's
characteristics.
Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential
tenancies. Existing law requires, among other things, that a dwelling
unit be fit for human occupation, and prohibits a landlord from
engaging in certain activities, including threats and extortion, to
influence a tenant to vacate.
This bill would prohibit a city, county, or city and county from
requiring a landlord to, among other things, compile, disclose,
report, provide, or otherwise take any action regarding a tenant or a
prospective tenant based on the immigration or citizenship status of
that tenant. The bill would also prohibit a landlord from
independently performing any of these acts. The bill would specify
that these provisions do not prohibit a landlord from complying with
any conflicting federal law or from
requesting information necessary to determine or verify identity or
financial qualifications .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 1940.3 is added to the Civil Code, to read:
1940.3. (a) No city, county, or city and county shall, by
statute, ordinance, or regulation, or by administrative action
implementing any statute, ordinance, or regulation, compel a landlord
or any agent of the landlord to make any inquiry, compile, disclose,
report, or provide any information, prohibit offering or continuing
to offer, accommodations in the property for rent or lease, or
otherwise take any action regarding or based on the immigration or
citizenship status of a tenant, prospective tenant, occupant, or
prospective occupant of residential rental property.
(b) No landlord or any agent of the landlord shall do any of the
following:
(1) Make any inquiry regarding or based on the immigration or
citizenship status of a tenant, prospective tenant, occupant, or
prospective occupant of residential rental property.
(2) Require that any tenant, prospective tenant, occupant, or
prospective occupant of the rental property make any statement,
representation, or certification concerning his or her immigration or
citizenship status.
(c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a landlord from
complying either:
(1) Complying with any
conflicting legal obligation under federal law.
(2) Requesting information or documentation necessary to determine
or verify the financial qualifications of a prospective tenant, or
to determine or verify the identity of a prospective tenant or
prospective occupant.


[quote:2vwssqv8]
CURRENT BILL STATUS


MEASURE : A.B. No. 976
AUTHOR(S) : Charles Calderon (Coauthors: Arambula, Coto, De Leon,
Hernandez, Mendoza, Saldana, Solorio, Soto, and Torrico)
(Coauthors: Senators Cedillo and Padilla).
TOPIC : Tenancy: tenant's characteristics.
HOUSE LOCATION : SEN
+LAST AMENDED DATE : 05/17/2007


TYPE OF BILL :
Active
Non-Urgency
Non-Appropriations
Majority Vote Required
Non-State-Mandated Local Program
Non-Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy

LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 06/20/2007
LAST HIST. ACTION : Read second time. To third reading.
FILE : SEN THIRD READING
FILE DATE : 07/16/2007
ITEM : 69

COMM. LOCATION : SEN JUDICIARY
COMM. ACTION DATE : 06/19/2007
COMM. ACTION : Do pass.
COMM. VOTE SUMMARY : Ayes: 03 Noes: 02 PASS

TITLE : An act to add Section 1940.3 to the Civil Code, relating
to tenancy.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postq ... s_calderon[/quote:2vwssqv8]

This is terrible BUT, if I am reading it correctly, Section I, (c) affords a loophole to landlords.

It states that "nothing in this Section shall prohibit a landlord from requesting information or documentation to verify the financial qualifications of a prospective tenant, or to verify or determine the identity of a prospective tenant or occupant."

A landlord can presumably require that a prospective tenant fills out a credit app. with a processing fee...thereby eliminating the need to ask immigration status. I would imagine that a.) most illegals would not want to pay a processing fee; and, b.) would not pass a credit check. A SSN would also be required thus establishing true identity. At any rate, it gives the landlord a huge advantage.