BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1350
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Date of Hearing: August 6, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 1350 (Lara and Wolk) - As Amended: May 5, 2014
Policy Committee: B&P Vote:12-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires the State Building Standards Commission (BSC)
to adopt standards regarding the installation of baby diaper
changing accommodations for restrooms in places of public
accommodation, as defined. This bill also:
1) Requires that this building standard be included in the
next triennial update of the California Building Standards
Code, to be adopted in 2016.
2) Requires the standard to require that any place of
public accommodation that installs baby diaper changing
fixtures ensures the fixtures are equally available
regardless of the gender for which a restroom was designed,
and applies the standard to new construction and to
substantial renovation costing $10,000 or more.
FISCAL EFFECT
Any costs to the BSC will be minor and absorbable.
COMMENTS
1) Purpose . According to the author's office, "As the
demographics of the modern American family evolve,
traditional gender roles with women as the primary
caregiver for the children are changing, and men are
becoming more and more involved in the care of their young
children.
"Many public restrooms that provide a baby changing station
only install one in the women's restroom. Unless there is
SB 1350
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also a 'family' restroom that is accessible to both men and
women, this leaves men with young children with very limited
options for changing diapers.
"SB 1350 will ensure that public facilities for changing
babies' diapers are equally available to both men and women."
2) Background . The BSC, located within the Department of
General Services, was established in 1953 to review and
approve building standards and codify and publish those
standards every three years. Starting in 1989, the
Commission has published triennial editions of the Code in
their entirety every three years. Title 24 is available
for purchase or to the public at no cost through depository
libraries. The last published version of the Code was in
2013.
3) Related Legislation . SB 1358 (Wolk and Lara), also on
today's committee agenda, is a similar, but more expansive
bill. SB 1358 does not specify equal gender access,
however, it applies to both private and public buildings
and requires that the building standards mandate the
installation of diaper changing fixtures for new
construction and substantial renovation.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081