By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, D-Inglewood, has unveiled her 2026 legislative package that includes a comprehensive package of legislation aimed at reducing costs, increasing transparency and protecting renters from exploitative practices.
Additionally, her package focuses on public safety issues addressing personal use of drones, telecommunications and expanding access to public notices.
Three of the bills — Assembly Bills 1963, 2350, and 2616 — targets systemic barriers that make it harder for Californians to secure and maintain safe, affordable housing.
“California renters are being squeezed at every turn — from application fees to predatory lending to unsafe living conditions,” McKinnor said. “This legislative package is about putting money back in renters’ pockets and ensuring that every Californian has access to safe, stable and affordable housing.”
AB 1963 tackles the high and repetitive costs of rental application fees by requiring landlords to accept reusable portable tenant screening reports. Specifically, the bill also caps the cost of rental screening reports, requires upfront disclosure of all application requirements and allows rental screening reports to be reused for up to 45 days.
AB 2350 protects renters from high-interest, short-term lending schemes marketed as “rent now, pay later.” These financial products often trap tenants in cycles of debt through hidden fees and escalating interest rates.
AB 2616 establishes a statewide standard for safe indoor temperatures in rental housing. Specifically, the bill requires residential units to maintain a maximum indoor temperature of 82 degrees Farenheit, prohibits landlords from passing cooling upgrade costs onto tenants, allows tenants to install their own cooling devices and establishes reasonable compliance timelines beginning in 2028.
“Affordability isn’t just about rent — it’s about everything surrounding it,” McKinnor said. “From the moment someone applies for housing to the conditions they live in, we must ensure fairness, transparency and safety for residents across the state.”
AB 2443 is of particular interest to Inglewood residents, particularly elderly residents who rely on landline phones to connect with local public safety dispatchers. The bill seeks to “establish a clear and reasonable transition path to modernize California’s communications network.”
After a local news channel aired a report on Inglewood residents paying for landline service that has been inoperable for nearly two years, McKinnor was asked to clarify what AB 2443 seeks to achieve.
“AB 2443 does not eliminate land lines,” said McKinnor’s chief of staff Terry Schanz. “The bill requires the California Public Utilities Commission to develop a plan to transition telecommunications infrastructure across the state from obsolete copper technology to modern fiber technology.
“Consumers will continue to have access to landline technology that will include voice and high speed internet,” he added.
McKinnor also is seeking to expand access to public notices by allowing adjudicated newspapers to publish public notices on their digital platforms in addition to print newspapers.
“McKinnor was approached by California Black Media to author AB 2323,” Schanz said. “AB 2323 seeks to modernize California’s public notice system while preserving its role as a cornerstone of government transparency and due process.”
For decades, California has required legal notices to be published in independent newspapers of general circulation, creating a verified, third-party record that ensures the public has reliable access to information about government actions, public hearings, and decisions that impact their communities.
“As more Californians turn to digital platforms for information, our public notice system must evolve, but it must do so without compromising access, equity, or legal integrity,” Schanz said. “AB 2323 responds to this need by maintaining print publication as the legal standard, while also expanding access by requiring notices to be available online.”
Rounding out her legislative package is AB 2186 which seeks to exclude reparation programs from being taxed. AB 2113 would prohibit the operation of an unmanned aircraft (drone) within a 400-foot radius of, or above, a ticketed entertainment event, except under specified circumstances.
AB 2186 would make a violation of this prohibition an infraction punishable by a fine of $500. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
