Landlord-tenant: internet service provider subscriptions.

Assembly Member Ransom's residential tenancy legislation would require California landlords to offer tenants the ability to opt out of bundled internet service subscriptions starting January 1, 2026. The measure applies to new, renewed, and continuing month-to-month tenancies that include third-party internet, cellular, or satellite services as part of the lease agreement.

Under the proposal, tenants who are not provided an opt-out option may deduct the cost of bundled internet subscriptions from their rent payments. The bill explicitly prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who exercise this right, incorporating existing Civil Code protections against retaliatory actions. While landlords retain the ability to offer bulk-billing arrangements for internet services, they must allow tenants to decline participation in such programs.

The measure adds to California's existing framework of tenant protections, which currently allows for rent deductions related to public utility payments and provides safeguards against landlord retaliation. The new provisions would take effect for applicable residential tenancies at the start of 2026, requiring landlords to modify their leasing practices and documentation accordingly.