An industry-backed proposal aimed at shortening commercial plan-check timelines has cleared the California Senate with unanimous support. Assembly Bill 2418, introduced by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, passed on a 38-0 vote and is intended to give applicants an additional pathway to move stalled projects through the permitting process.
AB 2418 is sponsored by the California Business Properties Association and co-sponsored by BOMA Greater Los Angeles, BOMA California local associations and NAIOP SoCal. The Commercial Real Estate Development Association California provided key backing, reflecting broad engagement from organizations representing commercial building owners, managers and developers.
Under the measure, applicants facing extended plan-review delays would be permitted to engage a qualified third-party plan checker at their own expense. This option is available only after a review period has stretched beyond a defined point, preserving the expectation that local agencies conduct timely reviews in normal circumstances.
Local jurisdictions would maintain control over the process even when third-party reviewers are used. Agencies would set the qualification standards for outside plan checkers, determine which projects are eligible for this alternative track and retain authority over all final permitting decisions. The structure is designed to relieve pressure on overburdened city departments without ceding ultimate regulatory oversight.
Supporters frame the bill as a response to persistent bottlenecks in the commercial approvals pipeline. Stephane Wandel, president of NAIOP SoCal, noted that projects expected to clear plan review within weeks have often been held up for several months, creating uncertainty and added carrying costs for commercial development. He said the legislation offers applicants a way to keep projects moving when municipal staffing constraints lead to unreasonable delays.
By allowing qualified private reviewers to supplement public plan-check staff under defined conditions, the proposal seeks to reduce backlog risk while preserving safeguards around building safety and code compliance. The bill does not alter local authority over land use decisions, but it introduces a new procedural tool that could shorten the time between initial submittal and building permit issuance for commercial projects.
Following the Senate vote, AB 2418 returns to the State Assembly for a concurrence vote on recent Senate amendments. If the Assembly signs off on the changes, the measure will proceed to the Governor for consideration. Stakeholders across the commercial real estate community will be watching the next steps closely, as the outcome could influence how quickly new projects advance from design to construction in jurisdictions grappling with plan-check backlogs.
