Cal. Civ. Code § 366
Saving clauses
Operative Text
§ 366. Saving clauses. 1. The repeal of any provisions of this chapter, or the repeal of any provisions of any statute of the state or local law, ordinance, resolution or regulation shall not affect or impair any act done, offense committed or right accruing, accrued or acquired, or liability, penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred or imposed prior to the time of such repeal, but the same may be enjoyed, asserted, enforced, prosecuted or inflicted as fully and to the same extent and in the same manner as if such provisions had not been repealed. 2. Any action or proceeding, civil or criminal, begun before April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, under or pursuant to or by virtue of any provision of the tenement house law which is superseded by this chapter as in this chapter provided, may be prosecuted, conducted and completed in the same manner as if such law were not so superseded but continued to be fully effective. 3. No action or proceeding, civil or criminal, pending at the time this chapter, as amended by the laws of nineteen hundred forty-six, takes effect, brought by or against a city or any agency or officer thereof, shall be affected or abated by the adoption of this chapter as so amended, or by anything therein contained, and all such actions and proceedings may be continued in full force and effect under the appropriate provisions of this chapter. 4. No existing right or remedy of any kind shall be lost or impaired by reason of the adoption of this chapter as so amended unless by specific provision of a law which does not amend all articles of this chapter. 5. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision six of section three, the provisions of this chapter shall not operate to limit or decrease the power of any city to adopt local laws, ordinances, resolutions or regulations in relation to any matter in respect to which such power would otherwise exist. 6. The tenement house law shall, from and after the taking effect of this chapter, not apply to cities with a population of eight hundred thousand or more.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 366 establishes a set of saving clauses that preserve legal rights, liabilities, penalties, and ongoing proceedings even when statutory provisions are repealed or superseded. Under this section, any act, offense, right, or liability that existed before a repeal remains fully enforceable as though the repealed law were still in effect. The section also clarifies that cities retain their independent authority to enact local housing regulations, and that the tenement house law no longer applies to cities with populations of 800,000 or more.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 366 should be aware that obligations, penalties, or enforcement actions that arose before any statutory repeal or amendment remain in full force and are not extinguished by later legislative changes. A compliant operator generally maintains records of past compliance actions and any outstanding proceedings, recognizing that prior liabilities do not simply disappear when a law is updated. Operators in large cities should also note that local ordinances and regulations may layer additional requirements on top of state law, as § 366 expressly preserves municipal authority to regulate housing matters independently.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 366 protects tenants by ensuring that rights and remedies that existed before a statutory repeal or amendment are not lost simply because the law changed. If a tenant had a valid claim, defense, or right under a prior version of the law, § 366 generally allows that right to be asserted and enforced as if the original provision remained in effect. Tenants who believe a prior right or remedy may be affected by a legislative change can consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand how § 366's saving clauses may apply to their circumstances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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