A bill designed to clarify and streamline the housing element process for local cities and another to require data centers report estimated water use, both authored by Assemblymember Diane Papan, D-San Mateo, were vetoed by the governor.

Assembly Bill 650 would have required the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development to provide clear, actionable guidance to cities as they create housing elements — state-mandated documents developed every eight years to outline how local jurisdictions will meet housing goals.

That’s because many smaller cities are making significant efforts — at significant expense — to get housing elements approved, but struggle with sometimes-nebulous standards or unclear processes, Papan said.

“Cities [are] working very hard, spending millions on cons

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