Public works: payroll records.
Summary
Existing law requires the Labor Commissioner to investigate allegations that a contractor or subcontractor violated the law regulating public works projects, including the payment of prevailing wages. Existing law requires each contractor and subcontractor on a public works project to keep accurate payroll records, showing the name, address, social security number, work classification, straight time and overtime hours worked each day and week, and the actual per diem wages paid to each journeyman, apprentice, worker, or other employee employed by the contractor or subcontractor in connection with the public work. Existing law requires certified copies of records to be available upon request by the public and sets forth a process for the public to request the records either through the awarding body or the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Existing law makes any contractor, subcontractor, agent, or representative who neglects to comply with the requirements to keep accurate payroll records guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would require the awarding body, if a request is made by the public through the awarding body and the body is not in possession of the certified records, to obtain those records from the relevant contractor and make them available to the requesting entity. The bill would authorize the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to enforce certain penalties if a contractor fails to comply with the awarding body's request within 10 days of receipt of the notice. To the extent that this bill would impose additional duties on any contractor, subcontractor, agent, or representative, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Sep 2025
Assembly Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Sep 2025
Signed into Law
Oct 2025
Introduced Feb 11, 2025
Signed Oct 11, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
05/23/25 - Amended Assembly
→
09/12/25 - Enrolled
·
2 edits
·
Sep 12, 2025
MINOR
AB 538 moved from its Amended Assembly version to the Enrolled version (final) with only minor grammatical and clarifying edits. The substantive policy content is unchanged. The bill requires public works awarding bodies to obtain certified payroll records from contractors when the public requests them, and authorizes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to request that penalties be withheld from progress payments if contractors fail to comply within 10 days.
TECHNICAL
In subsection (b)(4), the phrase 'who may initiate penalties request penalties be withheld from progress payments' was corrected to 'who may request penalties be withheld from progress payments.' This clarifies that the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement's role is to request the withholding of penalties from progress payments, rather than separately initiating penalties and then requesting their withholding.
In subsection (b)(3), a stray word 'they' before 'the awarding body shall obtain those records' was removed, fixing a drafting error.
Floor votes · Senate Sep 10, 2025 · Assembly Jun 3, 2025
How they voted
30–9
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Sep 10, 2025
D
Democratic30
96% Yea
R
Republican10
90% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
21
Key actions
9
Committee
9
Amendments
2
Oct 11, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor.
legislature
Sep 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
lower
Sep 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 2807.).
upper
Aug 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 29).
upper
Jul 7, 2025
Committee
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
upper
Jun 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Jun 18, 2025
Committee
Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
upper
Jun 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 65. Noes 3. Page 2006.)
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
lower
May 23, 2025
Introduced
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Committee
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Com. on L. & E.
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Marc Berman
DDemocratic
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about AB 538
Scope: CA
Hi! I can help you understand AB 538. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline