CALBO Position:  Oppose
Location:  Assembly Appropriations   

Summary:  Mandates remote inspections to be conducted by all California local governments for a lengthy list of specified development projects.

CALBO’s Opposition:  

• Unnecessary mandate. AB 1738 requires remote inspections statewide despite existing law already allowing jurisdictions to use them where appropriate. Most departments already provide timely, in-person inspections. 
• Reduced life-safety oversight. Remote inspections limit an inspector’s ability to detect critical issues (gas leaks, faulty wiring, improper venting) that rely on full sensory evaluation and in-person verification.
• High-Risk residential impacts. The bill targets one- and two- family dwellings, which account for the majority of fatal fire events and often lack key safety systems – making thorough, in-person inspections essential. 
• Loss of local control. Mandating remote inspection availability removes the discretion of the building departments to determine the safest and most appropriate inspection method for their communities. 
• Unfunded and on-size-fits-all. AB 1738 imposes new administrative requirements without funding and applies a blanket approach that does not reflect the diverse needs and capabilities of California jurisdictions.