Each year thousands of bills are presented by the legislature in our state capitol. This year was no exception, with over 2,700. As a bill travels through the process, it is amended, completely gutted, or even withdrawn. By the end of the process only hundreds of bills remain to be voted on and potentially signed by the Governor. During this process the legislative committee and our advocate team tracked several bills that had potential impact on us. Some have already been signed into law, while others are still in the pipeline. I’d like to bring your attention to two of those bills.

The first is Senate Bill 564 – Sheriff and Marshals Fees: On June 29^th, 2023, Governor Newsom signed this bill into law and will be effective January 1, 2024. The bill increases the fees for services provided by sheriffs and marshals.  Notably, service fees for all legal process are raised to $50.00. The fee for servicing, executing, or processing any writ or order where the levying officer is required to take immediate possession of the property levied upon increased to $125.00. It also raises the fee for opening a safe-deposit box to $170.00 and the fee for keeping and caring for property under a writ of attachment, execution, or possession to $175.00. To read the full text, click here.

The second is Senate Bill 71 – Jurisdiction: Small Claims and Limited Civil Cases: This bill was last amended on July 3^rd, 2023, and is pending in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. If passed as amended, the bill would increase the monetary limit for money damages on small claims actions to $12,500.00. It also would also increase the amount in controversy permitted in other specified actions within the jurisdiction of the small claims court. The bill would increase the limit on the amount in controversy for an action or special proceeding to be treated as a limited civil case to $35,000.00. To read the full text, click here.