All Roll Calls
Yes: 194 • No: 2
CaliforniaAB 5182025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Low-impact camping areas.
Sponsored By: Christopher Ward (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Short stays only and eviction rules
For authorized low‑impact camping areas, each camper can stay at most 14 nights in a row and 28 nights per calendar year. Sleeping spots cannot be rented for permanent occupancy. The same eviction processes used for special‑occupancy parks apply to these sites and their occupants.
Operator duties and postings for campsites
Operators must follow state and local fire‑safety rules, plus local zoning and permit rules. They must pay required taxes and fees, including local transient occupancy taxes. For sanitation, follow local rules or provide self‑contained facilities or connect to a permitted sewage system. For trash, follow local rules or remove all waste after each stay and use animal‑safe bins. Quiet hours follow local rules, or default to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. A manager must be reachable by phone 24/7. Owners must post any county permit or registration and county contact info at the site. Online listings must show the authorizing county and any required license or permit number.
Where and how big campsites can be
For authorized low‑impact camping areas, the parcel must be at least 2 acres. You can place no more than one sleeping spot per acre, and no more than 9 total. No more than 4 RVs can be occupied at the same time. Each sleeping spot must be at least 200 feet from any offsite home and 30 feet from a property line or road. No on‑street parking is allowed for site operations. Sites are not allowed inside any city that includes a U.S. Census urbanized area or urban cluster, or where 75% or more of the parcel edge touches urban uses. A site generally cannot qualify if it was a special‑occupancy park in the last 5 years, unless it operated as one before January 1, 2024 and met today’s rules on January 1, 2023.
Platforms must show permits and remove listings
Hosting platforms must show the county name on campsite listings and provide a field for any required permit or registration number. A platform must remove a listing within 7 days after county notice when the permit is invalid, expired, revoked, or the activity is banned. The county must have mailed the owner a notice and must give the platform the listing URL, address, operator name if known, the mailed notice, and the local code citation.
Counties can allow low-impact camping
The law creates a new class called a low‑impact camping area on private land for short stays. If a county passes an ordinance and the site meets all state rules, it is not treated as a special occupancy park. Counties choose whether to allow these sites and handle permitting and enforcement. Counties must also tell the state housing department when they authorize them. This law does not give anyone the right to enter private land without the owner’s permission.
Counties must list sites and take complaints
Counties that allow low‑impact camping must keep a public list of sites. The list can include addresses, owners and operators, number and types of sleeping spots, when a site opened, and code enforcement summaries. Counties must also run a complaint program to support enforcement.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Christopher Ward
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
Damon Connolly
Democratic • House
Liz Ortega
Democratic • House
Chris Rogers
Democratic • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 9/10/2025
Item 244 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 67 • No: 0
Senate vote • 9/9/2025
Item 170 — Senate SFLOOR
Yes: 35 • No: 1
legislature vote • 8/29/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 4 • No: 0
legislature vote • 8/25/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 6 • No: 0
legislature vote • 7/15/2025
Vote in CS75
Yes: 9 • No: 0
House vote • 5/12/2025
Item 33 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 63 • No: 0
legislature vote • 4/9/2025
Vote in CX10
Yes: 10 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 157, Statutes of 2025.
10/1/2025SenateApproved by the Governor.
10/1/2025legislatureEnrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
9/22/2025legislatureSenate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 67. Noes 0. Page 3220.).
9/10/2025HouseIn Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
9/9/2025HouseRead third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 1. Page 2660.).
9/9/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
9/2/2025SenateRead second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
8/29/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (August 29).
8/29/2025SenateIn committee: Referred to suspense file.
8/25/2025SenateRe-referred to Com. on APPR.
8/20/2025SenateRead second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
7/17/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 15).
7/16/2025SenateFrom committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
6/23/2025SenateReferred to Com. on HOUSING.
5/21/2025SenateIn Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
5/13/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 63. Noes 0. Page 1508.)
5/12/2025HouseRead third time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
5/7/2025HouseRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
4/22/2025HouseRead second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
4/21/2025HouseFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 10. Noes 1.) (April 9).
4/10/2025HouseReferred to Com. on H. & C.D.
2/24/2025HouseFrom printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
2/11/2025HouseRead first time. To print.
2/10/2025House
Bill Text
Chaptered
10/1/2025
Enrolled
9/12/2025
Amended Senate
8/29/2025
Amended Senate
7/17/2025
Amended Senate
6/23/2025
Amended Assembly
5/7/2025
Amended Assembly
4/21/2025
Introduced
2/10/2025