February 1, 2022 — Tomorrow, the Assembly Committee on Housing and Real Estate will take a vote on AB 58. This legislation provides survivors with an additional mechanism to terminate their lease early if they fear imminent violence by remaining at their residence. Now is the time to contact your state Representative to tell them to support this important bill.
Please take the following action today:
- Call your state Representative today and urge them to oppose AB 58. It is particularly important that you call your representative if they are on the Assembly Housing Committee (see list below). You can identify who represents you here. See below for suggested talking points.
- Today I ask Representative _____ to Vote Yes on AB 58.
- Most sexual assaults occur at or near a survivor’s residence. As a result, many sexual assault survivors have a strong desire to relocate after they are sexually assaulted in their residences. This is due not only to increased safety concerns, but also because their residence may be a constant reminder of the trauma caused by the sexual assault.
- AB 58 expands current law by providing an additional mechanism for survivors to terminate a tenancy. This legislation states that a survivor may provide to their landlord a written statement from a victim advocate who has a reasonable basis to believe the tenant is a victim of sexual assault. Victim advocates are highly trained professionals with extensive experience working with victims.
- AB 58 addresses limitations in current law which require a survivor to provide their landlord with a copy of a criminal complaint or injunction which alleges they are a victim of sexual assault. Most sexual assault victims do not report to law enforcement, and even fewer result in an arrest or prosecution of the perpetrator. To obtain an injunction, the survivor must confront the person who caused them harm in court, and potentially submit to cross examination by that person or their attorney.
- AB 58 closes a gap in existing law and will allow more sexual assault survivors to enhance their safety and overcome a barrier to their healing by removing an obstacle to relocation.
Assembly Housing Committee Members
Representative Summerfield (Chair)