Sponsor

AB 1137

(Jones-Sawyer D)   Excluded employees.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/15/2023

Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was L., P.E. & R. on 6/14/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 7/14/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources to establish and adjust salary ranges for each class of position in the state civil service, subject to any merit limits contained in the California Constitution. Existing law provides that, after completion of the first year in a position, an employee shall receive a merit salary adjustment during each year when they meet the standards of efficiency, as prescribed by the department.This bill would require an employee who is excluded from the definition of “state employee” to be informed in writing of a merit salary adjustment denial 10 working days before the proposed effective date of the adjustment. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

Memo:

Sponsor letter sent to Author -- 3/13/23

Sponsor letter sent to Asm. PE&R -- 3/13/23

Sponsor letter sent to Asm. APPR -- 4/14/23

Support

AB 1145

(Maienschein D)   Workers’ compensation.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/16/2023

Status: 9/15/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

Location: 9/15/2023-A. ENROLLED

Summary: Under existing law, a person injured in the course of employment is generally entitled to receive workers’ compensation on account of that injury. Existing law, until January 1, 2025, provides that, in the case of certain state and local firefighting personnel and peace officers, the term “injury” includes post-traumatic stress disorder that developed or manifested during a period while the member is in the service of the department or unit, and establishes a disputable presumption in this regard. This bill would provide, only until January 1, 2030, that in the case of certain state nurses, psychiatric technicians, and various medical and social services specialists, the term “injury” also includes post-traumatic stress that develops or manifests itself during a period in which the injured person is in the service of the department or unit. The bill would apply to injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2024. The bill would prohibit compensation from being paid for a claim of injury unless the member has performed services for the department or unit for at least 6 months, unless the injury is caused by a sudden and extraordinary employment condition.

Memo:

Support letter sent to Author -- 8/21/23

Signature request letter sent to Governor -- 9/20/23

SB 716

(Alvarado-Gil D)   Excluded employees: binding arbitration.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/16/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law, the Bill of Rights for State Excluded Employees, permits, among other things, excluded employee organizations to represent their excluded members in their employment relations, including grievances, with the state. That law defines excluded employees as all managerial employees, confidential employees, supervisory employees, and specified employees of the Department of Personnel Administration, the Department of Finance, the Controller’s office, the Legislative Counsel Bureau, the Bureau of State Audits, the Public Employment Relations Board, the Department of Industrial Relations, and the State Athletic Commission.This bill would enact the Excluded Employee Arbitration Act to permit an employee organization that represents an excluded employee who has filed certain grievances with the Department of Human Resources to request binding arbitration of the grievance if specified conditions are met. The bill would require the designation of a standing panel of arbitrators and, under specified circumstances, the provision of arbitrators from the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service within the Public Employment Relations Board. The bill would then require the arbitrator to be chosen in a specified manner and would prescribe the duties of that arbitrator. This bill contains other related provisions.

Memo:

Support letter sent to Author -- 3/13/23

Support letter sent to Sen. LPE&R -- 3/13/23

Support letter sent to Sen. JUD -- 4/14/23

Support letter sent to Sen. APPR -- 4/21/23

Support letter sent to Asm. JUD -- 6/16/23

Support letter sent to Asm. PE&R -- 6/16/23

Support letter sent to Asm. APPR -- 8/7/23

Signature request letter sent to Governor -- 9/13/23

Watch

AB 1

(McKinnor D)   Collective bargaining: Legislature.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 12/5/2022

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Enrolled Text Released 9/18/2023)

Location: 9/13/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law, the Ralph C. Dills Act (Dills Act), governs collective bargaining between the state and recognized state public employee organizations. Existing law excludes certain employees from coverage under the Dills Act, including, among others, managerial employees, supervisory employees, and confidential employees, as defined. Existing law creates the Public Employment Relations Board and authorizes it, among other things, to determine appropriate state employee bargaining units, as specified.This bill would enact the Legislature Employer-Employee Relations Act, to provide employees of the Legislature, except certain specified categories of excluded employees, the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on all matters of employer-employee relations. The bill would prescribe rights, duties, and prohibitions in this context that parallel those in the Dills Act. For the purposes of bargaining or meeting and conferring in good faith, the bill would define “employer” to mean the Assembly Committee on Rules or the Senate Committee on Rules. The bill would require the employer to meet and confer with representatives of recognized employee organizations regarding matters within the scope of representation. The bill would exclude certain matters from the scope of representation, as specified. The bill would grant exclusive jurisdiction to the Public Employment Relations Board to make an initial determination as to whether charges of unfair practices are justified, and, if so, the necessary remedy, as specified. However, the bill would prohibit the board from issuing a decision or order that intrudes upon or interferes with the Legislature’s core function of efficient and effective lawmaking or the essential operation of the Legislature. The bill would require the board to determine appropriate bargaining units, and would prohibit the board from including employees in a bargaining unit that includes employees other than those of the employer. The bill would prohibit the board from including within a bargaining unit employees from both the Assembly and Senate. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 13

(Essayli R)   Elections: Election Day holiday: voting by mail.

Current Text: Amended: 1/26/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 12/5/2022

Last Amend: 1/26/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was ELECTIONS on 1/26/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law requires the statewide general election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state. This bill would add the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of any even-numbered year to the list of state holidays. By increasing the duties of local officials in connection with the creation of a new state holiday, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 96

(Kalra D)   Public employment: local public transit agencies: autonomous transit vehicle technology.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/9/2023

Last Amend: 9/6/2023

Status: 9/14/2023-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 8.). In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.

Location: 9/14/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law creates various transit districts and prescribes requirements applicable to their labor relations, including those that address the recognition and certification of exclusive employee representatives, unit determinations, and procedures for meeting and conferring on matters subject to collective bargaining. Existing law establishes the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) in state government as a means of resolving disputes and enforcing the statutory duties and rights of specified public employers and employees under various acts regulating collective bargaining. Existing law includes within PERB’s jurisdiction the resolution of disputes alleging violation of rules and regulations adopted by a public agency, as defined, concerning unit determinations, representations, recognition, and elections, as specified. Existing law authorizes PERB to adopt rules and regulations to carry out its purposes, as provided. Existing law does not apply the above provisions to employees of specified public transit agencies.This bill would require a public transit employer, at least 10 months before beginning a procurement process to acquire or deploy any autonomous transit vehicle technology for public transit services that would eliminate job functions or jobs of a workforce, to provide written notice to the exclusive employee representative of the workforce affected by the autonomous transit vehicle technology of its determination to begin that procurement process. The bill would require the public transit employer and exclusive employee representative, upon written request by the exclusive employee representative, to commence collective bargaining within a specified time period on certain subjects, including creating plans to train and prepare the affected workforce to fill new positions created by the autonomous transit vehicle technology. The bill would vest PERB with jurisdiction to process unfair practice charges alleging violations of these provisions, but only as to transit district employers where PERB has jurisdiction to process unfair practice charges. Should an employee organization file an unfair practice charge with PERB, the bill would require PERB’s powers and duties to apply, as appropriate, and would require PERB’s regulations to apply. The bill would authorize PERB to make additional emergency regulations, as specified.

AB 221

(Ting D)   Budget Act of 2023.

Current Text: Introduced: 1/10/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/10/2023

Status: 1/26/2023-Referred to Com. on BUDGET.

Location: 1/26/2023-A. BUDGET

Summary: This bill would make appropriations for the support of state government for the 2023–24 fiscal year. This bill contains other related provisions.

AB 227

(Sanchez R)   State employment: social media platforms.

Current Text: Introduced: 1/11/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/11/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P. & C.P. on 2/17/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: The California Constitution establishes the State Personnel Board (board) and requires the board to, among other things, enforce the civil service statutes, prescribe probationary periods and classifications, adopt rules authorized by statute, and review disciplinary actions. The Constitution also requires the executive officer of the board to administer the civil service statutes under the rules of the board. Under existing law, the board is authorized to conduct audits and investigations of the personnel practices of the Department of Human Resources (department) and appointing authorities to ensure compliance with civil service policies, procedures, and statutes. Existing law establishes the department and provides that, subject to the requirements of the California Constitution, it succeeds to and is vested with the duties, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction exercised by the board as its designee with respect to the board’s administrative and ministerial functions. This bill, except as specified, would prohibit a person from installing an application for a social media platform on a state-owned or state-issued electronic device if specified conditions are met, including that the social media company that owns the application is domiciled in, has its principal place of business in, has its headquarters in, or is organized under the laws of, a country of concern. The bill would also prohibit a person from installing an application for a social media platform owned or controlled by specified companies from being installed on a state-owned or state-issued electronic device. The bill would define various terms for these purposes.

AB 236

(Holden D)   Health care coverage: provider directories.

Current Text: Amended: 3/20/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/13/2023

Last Amend: 3/20/2023

Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/19/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 5/19/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care, and makes a willful violation of the act a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law requires a health care service plan and a health insurer that contracts with providers for alternative rates of payment to publish and maintain a provider directory or directories with information on contracting providers that deliver health care services enrollees or insureds, and requires a health care service plan and health insurer to regularly update its printed and online provider directory or directories, as specified. This bill would require a plan or insurer to annually audit and delete inaccurate listings from its provider directories, and would require a provider directory to be 60% accurate on January 1, 2024, with increasing required percentage accuracy benchmarks to be met each year until the directories are 95% accurate on or before January 1, 2027. The bill would subject a plan or insurer to administrative penalties for failure to meet the prescribed benchmarks and for each inaccurate listing in its directories. If a plan or insurer has not financially compensated a provider in the prior year, the bill would require the plan or insurer to delete the provider from its directory beginning July 1, 2024, unless specified criteria applies. The bill would require a plan or insurer to provide information about in-network providers to enrollees and insureds upon request, and would limit the cost-sharing amounts an enrollee or insured is required to pay for services from those providers under specified circumstances. Because a violation of the bill’s requirements by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 504

(Reyes D)   State and local public employees: labor relations: strikes.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/7/2023

Last Amend: 9/7/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act and the Ralph C. Dills Act, regulate the labor relations of employees and employers of local public agencies and the state, respectively. Those acts grant specified employees, including, among others, certain employees of fire departments, of local public agencies and the state the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their choosing and require public agency employers, among other things, to meet and confer with representatives of recognized employee organizations and exclusive representatives on terms and conditions of employment. The acts grant the Public Employment Relations Board the power to hear specified disputes in relation to these provisions and to make determinations regarding them.This bill would provide, except as specified, that it is not unlawful or a cause for discipline or other adverse action against a public employee for that public employee to refuse to enter property that is the site of a primary strike, perform work for a public employer involved in a primary strike, or go through or work behind a primary strike line. The bill would prohibit a public employer from directing a public employee to take those actions. The bill would authorize a recognized employee organization to inform employees of these rights and encourage them to exercise those rights. The bill would also state that a provision in a public employer policy or collective bargaining agreement that purports to limit or waive the rights set forth in this provision shall be void as against public policy, except that the bill would require the parties to negotiate over the bill’s provisions if the bill is in conflict with a collective bargaining agreement entered into before January 1, 2024, as prescribed. The bill would exempt certain public employees of fire departments and certain peace officers from these provisions. The bill would include related legislative findings. This bill contains other existing laws.

AB 518

(Wicks D)   Paid family leave: eligibility: care for designated persons.

Current Text: Amended: 9/8/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/7/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(14). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/13/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 9/14/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing unemployment compensation disability law requires workers to pay contribution rates based on, among other things, wages received in employment and benefit disbursement, for payment into the Unemployment Compensation Disability Fund, a special fund in the State Treasury. That fund is continuously appropriated for the purpose of providing disability benefits and making payment of expenses in administering those provisions. Existing law establishes, within the above state disability insurance program, a family temporary disability insurance program, also known as the paid family leave program, for the provision of wage replacement benefits for up to 8 weeks to workers who take time off work for prescribed purposes, including to care for a seriously ill family member. Existing law defines terms for its purposes, including “family care leave” and “family member.” This bill would expand eligibility for benefits under the paid family leave program to include individuals who take time off work to care for a seriously ill designated person. The bill would define “designated person” to mean any individual related by blood or whose association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship. The bill would authorize the employee to identify the designated person when they file a claim for benefits. The bill would make conforming changes to the definitions of the terms “family care leave” and “family member.” The bill would make these changes operative on and after November 1, 2024. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 621

(Irwin D)   Workers’ compensation: special death benefit.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/9/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment, which, in the case of the death of an employee, includes a death benefit. Existing law provides, however, that no benefits, except reasonable expenses of burial not exceeding $1,000, shall be awarded under the workers’ compensation laws on account of the death of an employee who is an active member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System, unless the death benefits available under the Public Employees’ Retirement Law are less than the workers’ compensation death benefits. In that case, the surviving spouse and children of the employee are also entitled to the difference between the 2 death benefit amounts. Existing law exempts local safety members and patrol members, as defined, from this limitation.This bill would expand that exemption to include state safety members, peace officers, and firefighters for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection who are members of Bargaining Unit 8 and would apply the exemption for these employees retroactively to January 1, 2019, for injuries not previously claimed or resolved.

AB 658

(Fong, Mike D)   Public employment: retirement: benefits.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/19/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/9/2023

Last Amend: 9/5/2023

Status: 9/19/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

Location: 9/19/2023-A. ENROLLED

Summary: (1)Existing law, the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), which is administered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System, authorizes the board to contract for health benefit plans for employees and annuitants, as defined, which may include employees and annuitants of contracting agencies. Under existing law, the employee’s or annuitant’s contribution is the total cost per month of coverage less the portion contributed by the employer. Existing law prescribes a minimum level for the employer’s contribution toward the employee’s or annuitant’s health benefits coverage.This bill would authorize the City of San Gabriel to enter into an agreement applicable to specified employees hired, and elected officials who first served, on or after January 1, 2023, to provide employer contributions for postretirement health care coverage to employees with at least 5 years of credited service with the City of San Gabriel. The bill would provide that its provisions for postretirement health benefits apply to employees who retire on or after the date that a memorandum of understanding that authorizes this benefit becomes effective. The bill would require the City of San Gabriel to provide notice, as prescribed, of the agreement and any additional information necessary to implement these benefits. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 699

(Weber D)   Workers’ compensation: presumed injuries.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/19/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/13/2023

Last Amend: 9/6/2023

Status: 9/19/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

Location: 9/19/2023-A. ENROLLED

Summary: Existing law establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Existing law creates a rebuttable presumption that specified injuries, such as meningitis, tuberculosis, or hernia, sustained in the course of employment of a specified member of law enforcement or a specified first responder arose out of and in the course of employment. Existing law creates a rebuttable presumption that skin cancer that develops or manifests in the course of employment of a lifeguard, as specified, arose out of and in the course of employment. Existing law authorizes a lifeguard to file a claim for skin cancer after employment has terminated for a specified period based on years of employment, not to exceed 60 months.This bill would expand presumptions for hernia, pneumonia, heart trouble, cancer, tuberculosis, bloodborne infectious disease, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infection, and meningitis-related illnesses and injuries to a lifeguard employed on a year-round, full-time basis in the Boating Safety Unit by the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. The bill would increase the period of time after termination of employment that a lifeguard employed on a year-round, full-time basis in the Boating Safety Unit by the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department can file a claim for skin cancer. The bill would expand the presumptions for illness or injury related to post-traumatic stress disorder or exposure to biochemical substances, as defined, to a lifeguard employed in the Boating Safety Unit by the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. This bill contains other related provisions.

AB 739

(Lackey R)   Public retirement systems: defined benefit plans: funding.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/13/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/13/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 2/23/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), generally requires a public retirement system, as defined, to modify its plan or plans to comply with the act. PEPRA prohibits a public employer’s contribution to a defined benefit plan, in combination with employee contributions to the plan, from being less than the normal cost rate, as defined, for the plan in a fiscal year. Existing law authorizes a public retirement system to suspend contributions if certain conditions are satisfied, one of which is that the plan be funded by more than 120%, based on a computation by the retirement system actuary in accordance with specified standards, that is included in the annual valuation. This bill would revise the conditions for suspending contributions to a public retirement system defined benefit plan to increase the threshold percentage amount of plan funding to more than 130%.

AB 775

(Arambula D)   Personal services contracts: state employees: physician registry for state hospitals.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/13/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/13/2023

Status: 9/1/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 7/3/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 9/1/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the State Civil Service Act, regulates employment with the state and vests in the Department of Human Resources all powers, duties, and authority necessary to operate the state civil service system. Existing law permits the use of personal services contracts for purposes of cost savings when specified conditions are met, including when the potential economic advantage of contracting is not outweighed by the public’s interest in having a particular function performed directly by the state government. Existing law establishes the State Department of State Hospitals within the California Health and Human Services Agency, and provides the department with jurisdiction over specified facilities for the care and treatment of persons with mental health disorders, including the Patton State Hospital. This bill would require the State Department of State Hospitals to establish, by January 1, 2025, a physician registry for the Patton State Hospital to be composed of members of State Bargaining Unit 16, under a 3-year pilot program. The bill would require the department to conduct and post on its internet website a semiannual survey of managers and employees to determine the efficacy of the registry. By January 10, 2026, and each year thereafter for the duration of the pilot program, the bill would require the department to submit a report to the Legislature that includes a study of the effectiveness of the registry to determine if the registry compensation rates were successful in addressing the operational needs for flexible services at a lower cost than contract registries. The bill would make the implementation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or other statute, and would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2029. This bill contains other existing laws.

AB 913

(Petrie-Norris D)   Pharmacy benefit managers.

Current Text: Amended: 3/16/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/14/2023

Last Amend: 3/16/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was B.&P. on 3/16/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, establishes the California State Board of Pharmacy within the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate pharmacists. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, requires a pharmacy benefit manager under contract with a health care service plan to, among other things, register with the Department of Managed Health Care. This bill would require the California State Board of Pharmacy to license and regulate pharmacy benefit managers that manage the prescription drug coverage provided by a health care service plan or health insurer, except as specified. The bill would set forth various duties of pharmacy benefit managers, including requirements to file a report with the board. The bill would prohibit a pharmacy benefit manager from, among other things, contracting after January 1, 2024, to prohibit or restrict a pharmacy or pharmacist from disclosing to an enrollee or insured health care information that the pharmacy or pharmacist considers appropriate. This bill would require the board to promulgate necessary regulations and to prepare a report to the Legislature on or before August 1, 2025, and on or before each August 1 thereafter, with aggregate data received from pharmacy benefit managers, establish a data retention schedule, and protect proprietary and confidential information, as specified

AB 1020

(Grayson D)   County Employees Retirement Law of 1937: disability retirement: medical conditions: employment-related presumption.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/14/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/15/2023

Last Amend: 7/11/2023

Status: 9/14/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.

Location: 9/14/2023-A. ENROLLED

Summary: Existing law, the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, prescribes the rights, benefits, and duties of members of the retirement systems established pursuant to its provisions.This bill would require the presumption that the member’s heart trouble arose out of and in the course of employment to be extended following termination of service for a prescribed length of time not to exceed 60 months. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 1048

(Wicks D)   Dental benefits and rate review.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/15/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/14/2023-Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.

Location: 9/14/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful violation of the act’s requirements a crime. Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law imposes specified coverage and disclosure requirements on health care service plans and health insurers, including specialized plans and insurers, that cover dental services.This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, would prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer that covers dental services, including a specialized health care service plan or health insurer that covers dental services, from issuing, amending, renewing, or offering a plan contract or policy that imposes a dental waiting period provision or preexisting condition provision, as specified. Because a violation of these requirements by a health care service plan would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 1246

(Nguyen, Stephanie D)   Public employees’ retirement: Public Employees’ Retirement System optional settlements: Judges’ Retirement System II monthly allowance adjustments.

Current Text: Amended: 9/1/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/16/2023

Last Amend: 9/1/2023

Status: 9/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(14). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/11/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 9/14/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: The Public Employees’ Retirement Law (PERL) establishes the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) to provide pension and other benefits to members of PERS. Existing law permits a member of PERS who retires on or before December 31, 2017, to elect from among several optional settlements for the purpose of structuring the member’s retirement allowance. Existing law also permits a member of PERS who retires on or after January 1, 2018, to elect from among several other optional settlements for the purpose of structuring their retirement allowance. Existing law prohibits a member who elects to receive specified optional settlements from changing the member’s optional settlement and designated beneficiary after election of an optional settlement unless a specified event occurs, including the death of a beneficiary who predeceased the member, a dissolution of marriage or a legal separation in which the judgment dividing the community property awards the total interest in the retirement system to the retired member, or in an annulment of marriage in which the court confirms the annulment. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2025, permit a member who elected to receive a specified optional settlement at retirement, if the member’s former spouse was named as beneficiary and a legal judgment awards only a portion of the interest in the retirement system to the retired member, to elect to add their new spouse as the beneficiary of the member’s interest, subject to meeting certain conditions. This bill would authorize a member to elect this option only once and would preclude elections that would be in derogation of the former spouse’s interest in the retirement system. The bill would preclude elections that would result in additional costs to the employer. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 1254

(Flora R)   State employees: compensation: firefighters.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/16/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/16/2023

Status: 9/1/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 7/3/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 9/1/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law provides that in order for the state to recruit skilled firefighters for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it is the policy of the state to consider prevailing salaries and benefits prior to making salary recommendations. Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources, in order to provide comparability in pay, to take into consideration the salary and benefits of other jurisdictions employing 75 or more full-time firefighters who work in California. This bill would require the state to pay firefighters who are rank-and-file members of State Bargaining Unit 8, employed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, within 15% of the average salary for corresponding ranks in 20 listed California fire departments. The bill would require the state and the exclusive representative for State Bargaining Unit 8 to jointly survey annually and calculate the estimated average salaries for those fire departments. The bill would provide that when determining compensation for uniformed classifications of the department, it is the policy of the state to consider the salary of corresponding ranks within the comparable jurisdictions listed, as well as other factors, including internal comparisons. The bill would require any salary increase for firefighters under these provisions to be implemented through a memorandum of understanding, in accordance with specified procedures governing collective bargaining agreements. The bill would include related legislative findings.

AB 1405

(Flora R)   Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: workweek hours.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/17/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 3/2/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the Ralph C. Dills Act, grants state employees the right to form and join employee organizations for the purpose of representation of all matters of employer-employee relations. Existing law establishes procedures by which an agreement in the form of a written memorandum of understanding may be reached between the Governor and the recognized employee organization, and presented, as appropriate, to the Legislature for determination. Existing law establishes that it is the policy of the state that the normal workweek of permanent employees in fire suppression classes of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection not exceed 84 hours per week. Existing law authorizes work in excess of the designated normal workweek to be compensated in cash or time off in accordance with department regulations. Under existing law, if these provisions conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding, then the memorandum of understanding generally controls without further legislative action. This bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to implement a 56-hour maximum workweek for firefighters in State Bargaining Unit 8 who are employed by the department in order to recruit and retain the highest qualified and skilled firefighters. The bill would require the department to work with the Department of Human Resources to implement the changes necessary to comply with these maximum workweek provisions on or before December 1, 2026. This bill contains other existing laws.

AB 1484

(Zbur D)   Temporary public employees.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 25. Noes 11.). In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: (1)Existing law, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (act), authorizes local public employees, as defined, to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on matters of labor relations. Existing law generally requires that the scope of representation under the act include all matters relating to employment conditions and employer-employee relations, while excepting the consideration of the merits, necessity, or organization of any service or activity provided by law or executive order. Existing law states that the Legislature finds and declares that the duties and responsibilities of local agency employer representatives under the act are substantially similar to the duties and responsibilities required under existing collective bargaining enforcement procedures and therefore the costs incurred by the local agency employer representatives in performing those duties and responsibilities under that act are not reimbursable as state-mandated costs.This bill would impose specified requirements with respect to the temporary employees, as defined, of a public employer who have been hired to perform the same or similar type of work that is performed by permanent employees represented by a recognized employee organization, subject to limited exceptions. In this regard the bill would require those temporary employees to be automatically included in the same bargaining unit as the permanent employees if the requested classification of temporary employees is not presently within the unit. The bill would further require the public employer to promptly participate in collective bargaining to establish certain employment conditions for the newly added temporary employees if the parties’ current memorandum of understanding does not address them, as specified. The bill would also require a public employer to, upon hire, provide each temporary employee with their job description, wage rates, and eligibility for benefits, anticipated length of employment, and procedures to apply for open, permanent positions. By imposing new duties on local agencies that employ temporary employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require complaints alleging a violation of its provisions to be processed as unfair practice charges under the act. The bill would additionally include the same findings and declarations as set forth above. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

AB 1493

(Carrillo, Wendy D)   Civil service: Career Development Apprenticeship Program.

Current Text: Amended: 3/23/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 3/23/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 3/23/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the State Civil Service Act, creates the Department of Human Resources and grants to the department the powers, duties, and authority necessary to operate the state civil service system in accordance with Article VII of the California Constitution, the Government Code, the merit principle, and applicable rules duly adopted by the State Personnel Board. Existing law requires the State Personnel Board to prescribe rules consistent with a merit-based civil service system to govern classifications, examinations, probationary periods, disciplinary actions, appointments, and other matters related to the board’s authority under the California Constitution. This bill would require the department to administer and oversee the Career Development Apprenticeship Program, which would provide an alternative to the traditional civil service examination and appointment process, as specified. The bill would require the department to implement the program, including establishing eligibility criteria for participation, special job classifications or position tenure and status designations, alternative examination and appointment types, and appeal procedures. The bill would require the department or its designee to conduct competitive examinations to determine the qualifications and readiness of career development apprentices for permanent state employment. The bill would require apprenticeship appointments to be made on a temporary and provisional basis, and would specify candidates serving in an apprenticeship appointment shall not acquire permanent civil service status for the duration of the term of the apprenticeship appointment. The bill would require the department or its designee to develop job-related evaluation standards that are appropriate tests of fitness for the job classification, and to provide a final evaluation to each apprentice at the end of the evaluation period that contains a determination as to whether the apprentice meets the minimum qualifications and a certification as to whether the apprentice successfully passed the evaluation period and should be transitioned to a permanent civil service appointment.

AB 1530

(Ortega D)   Public employment: communication with exclusive representatives.

Current Text: Amended: 3/27/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 3/27/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 3/16/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law generally grants public employees the right to join employee organizations and to be represented by those organizations in their employment relation. Existing law requires a public employer, as specified, to provide the exclusive representative of those employees mandatory access to certain information and to provide public employees with reasonable leaves of absence without loss of compensation or other benefits for purposes related to that representation, as specified. Existing law makes findings and declarations related to these provisions, including that it is the intent of the Legislature that recognized exclusive representatives of California’s public employees be provided meaningful access to their represented members, as described. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations related to an exclusive representative’s right to communicate with public employees that it represents, and would state the intent of the Legislature to ensure that recognized exclusive representatives of public employees be provided meaningful email access to their represented members, as specified. The bill would require public employers to ensure recognized exclusive representatives have safe or trusted email sender access, and would prohibit public employers from using technology to interfere with or prevent email communications between public employees and their recognized representatives, as provided.

AB 1567

(Garcia D)   Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024.

Current Text: Amended: 5/26/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 5/26/2023

Status: 6/14/2023-Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and GOV. & F.

Location: 6/14/2023-S. N.R. & W.

Summary: The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, approved by the voters as Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,100,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all program. Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 2/3 vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters. This bill would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,995,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, clean energy, and workforce development programs. This bill contains other related provisions.

AB 1571

(Santiago D)   State civil service: voiding illegal appointments.

Current Text: Amended: 3/13/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 3/13/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 3/9/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: The California Constitution establishes the State Personnel Board (board) and requires the board to, among other things, enforce the civil service statutes, prescribe probationary periods and classifications, adopt rules authorized by statute, and review disciplinary actions. Existing law establishes the Department of Human Resources (department) and provides that, subject to the requirements of the California Constitution, it succeeds to and is vested with the duties, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction exercised by the board as its designee with respect to the board’s administrative and ministerial functions. Existing law authorizes the department to declare a civil service appointment void from the beginning whenever the appointment of an employee has been made and accepted in good faith but where the appointment would not have been made but for some mistake of law or fact that if known to the parties would have rendered the appointment unlawful when made, if the action is taken within one year after the appointment. This bill would instead authorize the board, in accordance with its rules, to declare a civil service appointment void from the beginning whenever the appointment of an employee has been made and accepted in the absence of good faith.

AB 1599

(Santiago D)   State civil service: limited-term appointments.

Current Text: Amended: 3/13/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 3/13/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 3/9/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law authorizes an appointing power to make limited-term appointments only to fill temporary staffing needs, not to individually or consecutively exceed one year, with certain exceptions, including that the State Personnel Board may authorize limited-term appointments of up to 2 years when a permanent appointment would be likely to cause a layoff, demotion, or mandatory transfer requiring a change of residence upon the conclusion of the temporary staffing need. Existing law permits extension of a limited-term appointment, within these time limits, without making an additional appointment. This bill would recast those provisions to instead authorize limited-term appointments to be made only for temporary staffing needs, not to individually or consecutively exceed 24 months, and would make conforming changes. The bill would delete the authority to extend limited-term appointments, without making an additional appointment.

AB 1677

(McKinnor D)   Public employment: salary classification: state scientist.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/14/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 6/22/2023

Status: 9/12/2023-Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 65. Noes 5.).

Location: 9/12/2023-A. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources to establish and adjust salary ranges for each class of position in the state civil service. Existing law requires the department, with respect to the collective bargaining process for specified bargaining units, to submit to the parties meeting and conferring and to the Legislature a report containing the department’s findings relating to the salaries of employees in comparable occupations in private industry and other governmental agencies, in accordance with certain timeframes. Existing law requires the state, in order to recruit and retain the highest qualified employees in specified classifications, to consider the estimated average total compensation paid to employees in comparable occupations.This bill would require the University of California, Berkeley, Labor Center (Center), in recognition of the need to retain skilled state scientists, to undertake a study of existing salary structure and issues currently impacting horizontal and vertical salary relationships as compared to historical relationships, and to provide recommendations, if applicable, for alternative salary models for State Bargaining Unit 10 (Professional Scientific) rank-and-file employees. The bill would require the Center to consult with the Department of Human Resources and the scientists’ exclusive bargaining representative to identify the study’s parameters and objectives. This bill contains other related provisions.

AB 1682

(Carrillo, Wendy D)   Data collection: demographics: Hispanic and Latino groups.

Current Text: Amended: 3/23/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 3/23/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was H. & C.D. on 3/23/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law requires any state agency, board, or commission that directly or by contract collects demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians to use separate collection categories and tabulations for each major Asian and Pacific Islander group, including, but not limited to, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Asian Indian, Hawaiian, Guamanian, Samoan, Laotian, and Cambodian. This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development, when it directly or by contract collects demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians, to use separate collection categories and tabulations for Hispanic and Latino groups. The bill would further require the department to make the collected data available to the public, except for personal identifying information, which would be deemed confidential, by requiring the department, on or before July 1, 2024, to post, and annually update, the demographic data on the department’s internet website. This bill contains other existing laws.

AB 1690

(Kalra D)   Universal health care coverage.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/17/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Status: 5/5/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(3). (Last location was PRINT on 2/17/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 5/5/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law provides for the creation of various programs to provide health care services to persons who have limited incomes and meet various eligibility requirements, including the Medi-Cal program administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. Existing law provides for the regulation of health care service plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Existing law establishes the California Health Benefit Exchange to facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans through the Exchange by qualified individuals and small employers. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to guarantee accessible, affordable, equitable, and high-quality health care for all Californians through a comprehensive universal single-payer health care program that benefits every resident of the state.

AB 1693

(Bauer-Kahan D)   Civil service: minimum requirements: education.

Current Text: Amended: 3/23/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 3/23/2023

Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 3/23/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 4/28/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: The California Constitution establishes the State Personnel Board (board) and requires the board to, among other things, enforce the civil service statutes, prescribe probationary periods and classifications, adopt rules authorized by statute, and review disciplinary actions. The Constitution also requires the executive officer of the board to administer the civil service statutes under the rules of the board. Existing law establishes the Department of Human Resources and provides that, subject to the requirements of the Constitution, it succeeds to and is vested with the duties, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction exercised by the board as its designee with respect to the board’s administrative and ministerial functions. Existing law requires the board to establish minimum qualifications for determining the fitness and qualification for each class of position, including education, experience, knowledge, and abilities that each applicant is required to have to be considered eligible for a classification. This bill would eliminate as a minimum qualification a college degree for all positions that do not require an associated required accreditation unless an agency can justify a college requirement by stating specific duties that necessitate a college degree. If an agency determines that a position requires a college degree, the bill would require that agency to include the specific duties that necessitate a college degree in any advertisements recruiting for that class of position. This bill contains other existing laws.

SB 72

(Skinner D)   Budget Act of 2023.

Current Text: Introduced: 1/10/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/10/2023

Status: 1/11/2023-From printer.

Location: 1/10/2023-S. BUDGET & F.R.

Summary: This bill would make appropriations for the support of state government for the 2023–24 fiscal year. This bill contains other related provisions.

SB 74

(Dodd D)   State entities: state-owned or state-issued devices: social media platforms.

Current Text: Amended: 8/17/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/11/2023

Last Amend: 8/17/2023

Status: 9/6/2023-Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Bryan.

Location: 9/6/2023-A. INACTIVE FILE

Summary: Existing law establishes the Department of Technology (department) within the Government Operations Agency, and provides for a Director of Technology (director) to supervise the department and report directly to the Governor on issues relating to information technology. Existing law imposes various duties on the director, including advising the Governor on the strategic management and direction of the state’s information technology resources. Existing law requires the department to identify, assess, and prioritize high-risk, critical information technology services and systems across state government, as determined by the department, for modernization, stabilization, or remediation. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to establish and lead the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (CCIC). Existing law states that the CCIC’s mission is to reduce the likelihood and severity of cyber incidents that could damage California’s economy, its critical infrastructure, or public and private sector computer networks in the state. Existing law requires the CCIC to serve as the central organizing hub of state government’s cybersecurity activities and coordinate information sharing with specified entities, including local, state, and federal agencies. This bill would require state agencies, when implementing social media and cybersecurity policies pursuant to the Statewide Information Management Manual and authorizing any agency installation or download of an application for a particular social media platform on a state-issued or state-owned electronic device for an official state purpose, to adopt risk mitigation strategies tailored to risks posed by that social media platform, as specified. For purposes of adopting these risk mitigation strategies, the bill would specify that there is a rebuttable presumption that a state agency shall prohibit installation or download on that agency’s state-issued or state-owned electronic devices of any application for a social media platform to which any of specified conditions apply, and would specify how that rebuttable presumption may be overcome by the state agency. The bill would define various terms for these purposes. The bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. This bill contains other existing laws.

SB 130

(Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review)   Employment.

Current Text: Amended: 6/26/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/18/2023

Last Amend: 6/26/2023

Status: 6/29/2023-Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.

Location: 6/29/2023-A. BUDGET

Summary: Existing law, the State Civil Service Act, regulates employment with the state and vests in the Department of Human Resources all powers, duties, and authorities necessary to operate the state civil service system in accordance with Article VII of the California Constitution, the Government Code, the merit principle, and applicable rules duly adopted by the State Personnel Board. Existing law requires, except as specified, that the Controller establish and maintain a payroll of all persons employed by every state agency. Existing law requires, unless otherwise provided by law, that the salaries of state officers be paid monthly out of the General Fund. This bill, instead, would require the salaries of state officers and employees to be paid out of the General Fund, or another recognized state fund which a respective employee’s position is funded, on a uniform payroll cycle established by the department.

SB 252

(Gonzalez D)   Public retirement systems: fossil fuels: divestment.

Current Text: Amended: 5/18/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/30/2023

Last Amend: 5/18/2023

Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was P.E. & R. on 6/8/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 7/14/2023-A. 2 YEAR

Summary: The California Constitution grants the retirement board of a public employee retirement system plenary authority and fiduciary responsibility for investment of moneys and administration of the retirement fund and system. These provisions qualify this grant of powers by reserving to the Legislature the authority to prohibit investments if it is in the public interest and the prohibition satisfies standards of fiduciary care and loyalty required of a retirement board. This bill would prohibit the boards of the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the State Teachers’ Retirement System from making new investments or renewing existing investments of public employee retirement funds in a fossil fuel company, as defined. The bill would require the boards to liquidate investments in a fossil fuel company on or before July 1, 2031. The bill would temporarily suspend the above-described liquidation provision upon a good faith determination by the board that certain conditions materially impact normal market mechanisms for pricing assets, as specified, and would make this suspension provision inoperative on January 1, 2035. The bill would provide that it does not require a board to take any action unless the board determines in good faith that the action is consistent with the board’s fiduciary responsibilities established in the California Constitution. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 261

(Stern D)   Greenhouse gases: climate-related financial risk.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 1/30/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 28. Noes 8.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary: The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of statewide greenhouse gas emissions and to monitor and enforce compliance with the act. The act requires the state board to make available, and update at least annually, on its internet website the emissions of greenhouse gases, criteria pollutants, and toxic air contaminants for each facility that reports to the state board, as provided.This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, a covered entity, as defined, to prepare a climate-related financial risk report disclosing the entity’s climate-related financial risk and measures adopted to reduce and adapt to climate-related financial risk. The bill would require the covered entity to make a copy of the report available to the public on its own internet website. This bill contains other related provisions.

SB 276

(Seyarto R)   Workweek: overtime: legislative employees.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/1/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/1/2023

Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/8/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 5/19/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law defines and regulates the terms and conditions of employment. Existing law generally defines “workweek” for these purposes and requires that work in excess of 40 hours in a workweek be compensated at a rate of at least 11/2 times the employee’s regular rate of pay, subject to certain exceptions. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. This bill would expressly require that overtime provisions apply to an employee of the Legislature. By expanding the application of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 327

(Laird D)   State teachers’ retirement: disability allowances and benefits.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/11/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/7/2023

Last Amend: 5/2/2023

Status: 9/11/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

Location: 9/11/2023-S. ENROLLED

Summary:  Existing law, the Teachers’ Retirement Law, establishes the State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) and creates the Defined Benefit Program of the State Teachers’ Retirement Plan, which provides a defined benefit to members of the program, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. STRS is administrated by the Teachers’ Retirement Board. The Defined Benefit Program is funded by employer and employee contributions, as well as investment returns and state appropriations, which are deposited or credited to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund, which is continuously appropriated for the purposes of the system.This bill would instead prohibit the service retirement date of a member who submits an application for retirement under these provisions from being earlier than 270 calendar days prior to when the application for service retirement is received by the system. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 334

(Cortese D)   Public Employment Relations Board: powers and duties.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/7/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/7/2023

Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/24/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 5/19/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law gives public school employees the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on all matters of employer-employee relations. Existing law establishes the Public Employment Relations Board and gives the board specified powers and duties relating to employer-employee relations. Existing law authorizes the board to conduct studies relating to employer-employee relations, including the collection, analysis, and making available of data relating to wages, benefits, and employment practices in public and private employment, and to recommend legislation. This bill would specifically authorize the board to conduct employer-employee relations studies concerning the impact on public employees of net-zero carbon emissions initiatives, including collecting, analyzing, and making available related data.

SB 391

(Blakespear D)   Workers’ compensation: skin cancer.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/9/2023

Last Amend: 9/7/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Existing law provides, among other things, that skin cancer developing in active lifeguards, as defined, is presumed to arise out of and in the course of employment, unless the presumption is rebutted.This bill would expand the scope of those provisions to certain peace officers of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Parks and Recreation. This bill contains other related provisions.

SB 432

(Cortese D)   Teachers’ retirement.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/13/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/13/2023

Last Amend: 8/24/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLED

Summary: Existing law, the Teachers’ Retirement Law, establishes the State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) and creates the Defined Benefit Program of the State Teachers’ Retirement Plan, which provides a defined benefit to members of the program, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. Existing law creates the Cash Balance Benefit Program to provide a retirement plan for the benefit of participating employees who perform creditable service for less than 50% of full time.This bill would require STRS to identify and provide those resources on its website. The bill would require those identified resources to be relied upon and used for purposes of audits and other actions related to compliance by employers, unless the resource is revoked or superseded. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 449

(Bradford D)   Peace officers: Peace Officer Standards Accountability Advisory Board.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/13/2023

Last Amend: 9/7/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary:  Existing law defines “certification” as a valid and unexpired basic certificate or proof of eligibility to serve as a peace officer issued by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. The bill would redefine “certification” to mean any and all valid and unexpired certificates issued by the commission, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 548

(Niello R)   Public employees’ retirement: joint county and trial court contracts.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/15/2023

Last Amend: 9/6/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law, the Public Employees’ Retirement Law (PERL), establishes the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), which provides a defined benefit to members of the system, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations, and is administered by the Board of Administration (board) of the Public Employees’ Retirement System. PERL authorizes a public agency to contract to make its employees members of PERS and prescribes a process for this. Existing law requires, for counties that contract for retirement benefits through PERS for eligible employees as of the implementation date of the Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act, that a trial court and a county in which the trial court is located jointly participate in the system by joint contract. Existing law requires the board to do one-time, separate computations of the assets and liabilities of 2 counties and the trial courts in the counties. Existing law, the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), establishes a variety of requirements and restrictions on public employers offering defined benefit pension plans, including limiting the benefits that may be provided to new members. This bill would authorize a county and the trial court located within the county to elect to separate their joint PERS contract into individual contracts, if the county and the trial court make that election jointly and voluntarily, and would prescribe a process for this. The bill would make the separation of a joint contract irrevocable and would make a county and trial court ineligible to reestablish a joint contract. The bill would prohibit the separation from being a cause for modification of employee retirement benefits, as specified. The bill would require the board, within its existing resources, to do a specified computation of assets and liabilities, within a prescribed time, for a county and trial court seeking to separate their joint contract after receiving specified information. For purposes of PEPRA, the bill would authorize a county and a trial court to provide employees the defined benefit plan or formula that those employees received from their respective employers prior to the exercise of the option to separate, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions.

SB 616

(Gonzalez D)   Sick days: paid sick days accrual and use.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/15/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/15/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 27. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Existing law, the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (act), establishes requirements relating to paid sick days and paid sick leave, as described. The act excludes specified employees from its provisions, including an employee covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement, as described (CBA employees).This bill would exclude railroad carrier employers and their employees from the act’s provisions. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 660

(Alvarado-Gil D)   Public employees’ retirement systems: California Public Retirement System Agency Cost and Liability Panel.

Current Text: Amended: 3/21/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/16/2023

Last Amend: 3/21/2023

Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/1/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)

Location: 5/19/2023-S. 2 YEAR

Summary: Existing law, the Public Employees’ Retirement Law (PERL), establishes the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), which provides a defined benefit to members of the system, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. Existing law prescribes various definitions of final compensation based on employment classification, bargaining unit, date of hire, and date of retirement, among other things. PERL authorizes public agencies to join PERS and prescribes the rights and duties of agencies participating in PERS. This bill would establish the California Public Retirement System Agency Cost and Liability Panel, located in the Controller’s office, with members as defined. The bill would assign responsibilities to the panel related to retirement benefit costs, including determining how costs and unfunded liability are apportioned to a public agency when a member changes employers within the same public retirement system or when a member concurrently retires with 2 or more retirement systems that have entered into reciprocity agreements. The bill would require the panel to meet no later than March 31, 2024, and quarterly beginning on April 1, 2024, and to submit a report to the Legislature, no later than December 31, 2024, providing information regarding the financial impact a public agency assumes when an employee transfers to another public agency within the same retirement system or when an employee transfers to a public agency in a reciprocal retirement system and concurrently retires under 2 or more systems. This bill contains other existing laws.

SB 765

(Portantino D)   Teachers: retired teachers: compensation limitation.

Current Text: Enrollment: 9/13/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 8/17/2023

Status: 9/13/2023-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

Location: 9/13/2023-S. ENROLLED

Summary: (1)Existing law, the Teachers’ Retirement Law, establishes the State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) and creates the Defined Benefit Program of the State Teachers’ Retirement Plan, which provides a defined benefit to members of the program, based on final compensation, credited service, and age at retirement, subject to certain variations. Under existing law, STRS is governed by the Teachers’ Retirement Board (board).This bill would modify that calculation so the limitation of postretirement compensation, in any school year, is instead an amount calculated by STRS each July 1 equal to 70% of the median final compensation of all members who retired for service during the fiscal year ending in the previous calendar year. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.

SB 770

(Wiener D)   Health care: unified health care financing.

Current Text: Enrolled: 9/19/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 9/8/2023

Status: 9/14/2023-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Location: 9/14/2023-S. ENROLLMENT

Summary: Prior state law established the Healthy California for All Commission for the purpose of developing a plan towards the goal of achieving a health care delivery system in California that provides coverage and access through a unified health care financing system for all Californians, including, among other options, a single-payer financing system.This bill would direct the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency to research, develop, and pursue discussions of a waiver framework in consultation with the federal government with the objective of a health care system that incorporates specified features and objectives, including, among others, a comprehensive package of medical, behavioral health, pharmaceutical, dental, and vision benefits, and the absence of cost sharing for essential services and treatments. The bill would further require the secretary to engage specified stakeholders to provide input on topics related to discussions with the federal government and key design issues, as specified. The bill would require the secretary, no later than January 1, 2025, to provide an interim report to specified committees of the Legislature and propose statutory language to the chairs of those committees authorizing the development and submission of applications to the federal government for waivers necessary to implement a unified health care financing system. The bill would require the secretary, no later than June 1, 2025, to complete drafting the waiver framework, make the draft available to the public on the agency’s internet website, and hold a 45-day public comment period thereafter. The bill would require the secretary, no later than November 1, 2025, to provide the Legislature and the Governor with a report that communicates the finalized waiver framework, as specified, and sets forth the specific elements to be included in a formal waiver application to establish a unified health care financing system, as specified. The bill would also include findings and declarations of the Legislature related to the implementation of a unified health care financing system.

SB 867

(Allen D)   Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access, and Clean Energy Bond Act of 2024.

Current Text: Amended: 6/22/2023  html   pdf

Introduced: 2/17/2023

Last Amend: 6/22/2023

Status: 7/6/2023-July 10 hearing postponed by committee.

Location: 6/20/2023-A. NAT. RES.

Summary: The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, approved by the voters as Proposition 68 at the June 5, 2018, statewide primary election, authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,100,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all program. Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a 2/3 vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters. This bill would enact the Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access, and Clean Energy Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,500,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate smart agriculture, park creation and outdoor access, and clean energy programs. This bill contains other related provisions.