Existing law provides that if a city council member is absent without permission from all regular city council meetings for a specified number of days from the last regular meeting they attended, their office becomes vacant and shall be filled as any other vacancy. This bill would require a city to establish a process for a city council member to notify the city clerk or other designated official in writing that they are taking parental leave, as defined, for 12 workweeks or longer if the city council member's city provides a parental leave period longer than 12 workweeks for their employees. The bill would exclude parental leave from counting toward the number of allowed absences allotted to each council member. The bill would prohibit the process from requiring a council member to make the declaration at a public hearing. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
This measure would proclaim July 21, 2026, as Black Women's Equal Pay Day in recognition of the need to eliminate the gender gap in earnings by African American women and to promote policies to ensure equal pay for all.
This measure would proclaim April 10, 2026, as Dolores Huerta Day in California and would encourage all public schools and educational institutions to conduct exercises remembering her, recognizing her accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with her contributions to California.
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district, and the governing board of a community college district, to provide for a leave of absence from duty for a certificated employee or an academic employee of the district who is required to be absent from duty because of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery from those conditions. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district, and the governing board of a community college district, to provide for a leave of absence from duty as it deems appropriate for a female employee in the classified service of the district who is required to be absent from duty because of pregnancy or convalescence following childbirth. Existing law authorizes a governing board to adopt rules and regulations about leaves of absence for classified employees for these purposes, and authorizes a governing board to provide in the rules and regulations whether the leave granted shall be with or without pay, as provided. This bill would delete the latter provisions authorizing a governing board of a school district and the governing board of a community college district to adopt those rules and regulations. The bill instead would require a public school employer to, for a certificated employee or an employee in the classified service of the public school employer, and would require a community college district to, for an academic employee or an employee in the classified service of the community college district, provide up to 14 weeks of a leave of absence with specified pay benefits for an employee who is required to be absent from duty because of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from those conditions, as provided. The bill would authorize the paid leave to begin before and continue after childbirth if the employee is actually disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or a related condition. The bill would prohibit a leave of absence taken pursuant to these provisions from being deducted from other leaves of absence, as provided, and would require public school employers and community college districts to maintain group health coverage for an employee who takes a leave of absence under these provisions for the duration of the leave of absence at the same level and under the same conditions that coverage would have been provided if the employee had not taken a leave of absence. The bill would prohibit any other eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, minimum hours worked or length of service, before an employee disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or related medical conditions is eligible for a paid leave of absence under these provisions.
Existing law, the CalSavers Retirement Savings Trust Act, administered by the CalSavers Retirement Savings Board (board) , establishes the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program (program) and the CalSavers Retirement Savings Trust (trust) . Under existing law, the trust consists of a program fund and an administrative fund with trust moneys that are continuously appropriated and administered by the CalSavers Retirement Savings Board for the purpose of promoting greater retirement savings for California private employees. Existing law requires eligible employers to offer a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement so that eligible employees may contribute a portion of their salary or wages to a retirement savings program account in the program, as specified. Existing law defines "eligible employer" as a person or entity engaged in a business, industry, profession, trade, or other enterprise in the state, whether for profit or not for profit, excluding, among others, specified federal, state, and local governmental entities, with at least one eligible employee and that satisfies certain requirements to establish or participate in a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement. This bill would enact the Savings Access and Vested Empowerment (SAVE) for All Workers Act, which would recast those provisions to expand that definition of "eligible employer" to include household employers, defined as those who have hired someone to work in or around their home for the benefit of their personal household and who provide the employee a W-2 federal tax form. By expanding eligibility under these provisions, the bill would remove a restriction limiting expenditure of funds and authorize the expenditure of continuously appropriated moneys for a new purpose, thereby making an appropriation. Existing law requires the board, subject to its authority and fiduciary duty, to design and implement the program. Existing law authorizes the board to provide for investment in myRAs. Existing law requires the program to include, as determined by the board, one or more payroll deduction IRA arrangements. Existing law provides the board with the power and authority to, among other things, make and enter into contracts necessary for the administration of the trust and to disseminate information concerning tax credits available to small business owners for allowing their employees to participate in the program and the federal Retirement Savings Contribution Credit (Saver's Credit) . This bill would eliminate the authority of the board to invest in myRAs and would make related conforming changes. The bill would require the program, with board approval, to establish an IRA on behalf of participants who are eligible to receive federal or state retirement benefits, as specified, and notify participants at least 30 days prior to the creation of the accounts. This bill would additionally authorize the board to assess the feasibility of multi-state or regional agreements to administer the program and to disseminate information concerning tax credits available to small business owners for allowing their employees to participate in the successor to the Saver's Credit, known as the Saver's Match. Existing law requires the board, prior to opening the program for enrollment, to establish a retirement investments clearinghouse on its internet website and a vendor registration process, if there is sufficient interest by vendors to participate and provide the necessary funding. Existing law requires vendors that would like to participate in the board's retirement investments clearinghouse and be listed on the board's internet website as a registered vendor to provide specified information to the board. This bill would eliminate the above-described requirement for the board to establish a retirement investments clearinghouse on its internet website and a vendor registration process, and would instead require vendors that would like to contract with the board to provide specified information to the board. The bill would make related conforming changes. Existing law authorizes an employer to choose to have a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement to allow employee participation in the program under the terms and conditions prescribed by the board. Existing law requires, by December 31, 2025, eligible employers with one or more eligible employees and do not offer a retirement savings program, as provided, to have a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement to allow employee participation in the program. Existing law authorizes the board to implement annual automatic escalation of employee contributions and prohibits contributions subject to automatic escalation from exceeding 8% of salary. Existing law provides the board the powers and duties necessary to administer the enforcement of employer compliance, as provided. This bill would, beginning December 31, 2027 and by December 31 of each calendar year, require eligible employers with one or more eligible employees, as described, who do not offer a retirement savings program, as specified, to have a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement to allow employee participation in the program. The bill would instead prohibit contributions subject to automatic escalation from exceeding 10% of salary. The bill would require the board to notify participants of this increase in salary subject to automatic escalation. Existing law requires the board to issue to each employer who fails to allow its eligible employees to participate in the program, as provided, a notice of penalty application. Existing law requires each eligible employer that, without good cause, fails to allow its employees to participate in the program, as specified, after the board serves a final notice of penalty application, to be subject to a penalty of $250 per eligible employee and an additional penalty of $500 per eligible employee if noncompliance continues, as described. Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to issue a first notice of the imposition of a penalty to an eligible employer for failure to comply after the board informs the Franchise Tax Board of the eligible employer's noncompliance. Existing law requires amounts collected by the Franchise Tax Board for these purposes to be transmitted to the board for deposit in the trust. This bill would additionally subject each eligible employer that fails to allow its eligible employees to participate in the program after the above-described penalties have been assessed to a penalty of $500 per eligible employee. The bill would prohibit the penalties assessed from being imposed more than once every 180 days since the last violation. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to issue subsequent notices of imposition of penalties for noncompliance, as specified. By depositing additional penalties into the trust, a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.
Existing law requires the Employment Development Department, among other duties, to establish, in conjunction with other state entities, a systemwide policy of actively promoting the training of women in nontraditional occupations. Existing law defines "nontraditional occupations" as any job classification in which not more than 25% of the employees are women, according to the statistics of the United States Department of Labor. This bill would require the department to collect specified data on construction workers, including, among other data, the training and educational capacity to produce trained, certified, and licensed construction workers. This bill would also require the department to work with the Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Apprenticeship Standards to determine this capacity within state-registered construction preapprenticeship and apprenticeship programs and to determine the number of construction preapprentices and apprentices in any given year who are women. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to report this data to the Legislature and post the report on its internet website.
Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law provides for state-subsidized childcare programs and childcare for recipients of benefits under the CalWORKs program and establishes 3 stages of childcare services managed by county welfare departments and agencies contracting with the State Department of Social Services. Existing law requires an applicant for, or a recipient of, CalWORKs benefits to be provided written notice, both at the time of application and when they sign an original or amended welfare-to-work plan, informing them of, among other things, the availability of paid childcare to allow them to be employed or participate in welfare-to-work activities. Existing law requires an applicant for, or recipient of, CalWORKs benefits to be asked to sign a copy of the written notice acknowledging that they have been informed of and received the notice, as specified. This bill would instead require an applicant for, or a recipient of, CalWORKs benefits to be provided written notice, and verbally informed, of the availability of paid childcare, as described above, at the time of application, approval, and when they sign an original or amended welfare-to-work plan, annual certificate of eligibility, or a semiannual report form. The bill would specify that a "written notice," for purposes of these provisions, includes a CalWORKs childcare request form. Upon receipt of a CalWORKs childcare request form and eligibility information, the bill would require a county to approve or deny the request for childcare within 10 calendar days. The bill would require the department to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction on or before June 1, 2027, until regulations are adopted. By imposing additional duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, commencing January 1, 2021, or the date that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation, whichever date is later, requires the written notice described above to additionally be provided to a recipient at the time of orientation, when they are assigned to a program activity, when they report new or increased participation in a program activity, and when they report new earned income or employment. This bill would extend that commencement date from January 1, 2021, to January 1, 2028. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages be paid to workers employed on public works. Existing law defines "public works," for the purposes of regulating public works contracts as, among other things, construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for, in whole or in part, out of public funds. Existing law makes any officer, agent, or representative of the state or of any political subdivision who willfully violates specified provisions, including providing notice of certain public works projects, as specified, to the Department of Industrial Relations, guilty of a misdemeanor. 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. This bill would require an awarding body or owner to give reasonable access, as defined, to representatives of a joint-labor management committee in order to monitor compliance with the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. The bill would authorize an awarding body, owner, contractor, or subcontractor to deny or revoke access to the committee's representative if the representative fails or refuses to comply with job site safety requirements, as specified. The bill would authorize the committee to bring an action against an awarding body, contractor, or subcontractor that willfully denies the committee's representative reasonable access. The bill would authorize the court to award a civil penalty, not to exceed $1,000, and would require the court to award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the prevailing party. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would 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.
Existing law establishes the Department of Transportation and requires it to improve and maintain the state highways. Existing law authorizes the department to enter into any contracts required for the performance of its duties, as provided. Existing law establishes bid preferences in public contracting for certain types of bidders, including, but not limited to, small business and microbusiness bidders. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2028, require the department to provide certain bid preferences to a contractor or subcontractor with an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) in which 30% or more is owned by the ESOP when the contractor or subcontractor bids or is part of a bid on a state-funded construction contract, as specified. The bill would make it unlawful for a person, contractor, or subcontractor to engage in specified behaviors related to the fraudulent obtaining or retaining of an ESOP bid preference and would subject a person, contractor, or subcontractor engaged in those behaviors to a suspension from bidding on or participating in any contract with the department for certain periods and specified civil penalties.
Existing law requires a person engaged in certain businesses to register with the Labor Commissioner, as provided. This bill would require a staffing agency, as defined, to register, as prescribed, with the commissioner before conducting any business in this state and annually thereafter. The bill would prohibit the commissioner from registering or renewing a registration, unless the staffing agency satisfies certain conditions, including submitting an application that is certified under penalty of perjury to the commissioner for registration or renewal of registration and providing the commissioner proof of a current workers' compensation policy in effect for all employees, as provided. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. If the commissioner, at any time, finds that the staffing agency does not have the current workers' compensation insurance policy in effect for all employees, this bill would require the commissioner to deny, suspend, or revoke the registration, after a hearing, and notify the Director of Industrial Relations of that matter. The bill would also require the commissioner to post a specified list of registered staffing agencies on the internet website of the Department of Industrial Relations. The bill would prohibit a business from using the services of a staffing agency without a registration pursuant to these provisions. The bill would authorize a registered staffing agency to bring an action against an unregistered staffing agency or a business that uses the services of a staffing agency without a registration, as provided, and would authorize the court to enter an order to enjoin the defendant from engaging in any business as a staffing agency without a registration or using the services of a staffing agency without a registration. The bill would authorize the commissioner to promulgate regulations and rules necessary to carry out these provisions. 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.
