Asm. Roger Hernández

This measure would designate that January 20, 2014, be observed as the official memorial of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth and commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement in changing public policy in California and in the United States of America. This measure would also recognize the anniversaries of the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington in connection with the advancement of civil rights.

Existing law establishes an accidental release prevention program implemented by the Office of Emergency Services and the appropriate administering agency, as defined, in each city or county. Under existing law, stationary sources subject to this accidental release prevention program are required to prepare a risk management plan (RMP) when required under certain federal regulations or if the administering agency determines there is a significant likelihood that the use of regulated substances by a stationary source may pose a regulated substances accident risk. Under existing law, the RMP is required to be submitted to the California Environmental Protection Agency and to the administering agency. Existing law imposes criminal penalties upon a stationary source that knowingly violates requirements of the accidental release prevention program. This bill would require an owner or operator of a stationary source that is engaged in certain activities with regard to petroleum and with one or more covered processes that is required to prepare and submit an RMP, when contracting for the performance of construction, alteration, demolition, installation, repair, or maintenance work at the stationary source, to require that its contractors and any subcontractors use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all onsite work within an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades, including skilled journeypersons paid at least a rate equivalent to the applicable prevailing hourly wage rate. The bill would not apply to oil and gas extraction operations. Because the bill would make a knowing violation of these requirements a crime, and would otherwise impose new duties upon local agencies administering the program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations to approve a curriculum of in-person classroom and laboratory instruction for approved advanced safety training for workers at high hazard facilities by January 1, 2016. The bill would define terms for purposes of the bill. 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 specified reasons.

Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, that generally requires employers to secure the payment of workers' compensation for injuries incurred by their employees that arise out of, or in the course of, employment. Existing law requires an employer to provide all medical services reasonably required to cure or relieve the injured worker from the effects of the injury. Under existing law, if the injured employee cannot effectively communicate with his or her treating physician because he or she cannot proficiently speak or understand the English language, the injured employee is entitled to the services of a qualified interpreter during medical treatment appointments. Existing law requires that, to be a qualified interpreter for these purposes, a person meet any requirements established by rule by the administrative director, as specified. This bill would provide that the requirement that a person meet any requirements established by the administrative director in order to be a qualified interpreter commences on March 1, 2014. This bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law prohibits an employer from discharging an employee or in any manner discriminating against any employee or applicant for employment because the employee or applicant has engaged in prescribed protected conduct relating to the enforcement of the employee's or applicant's rights. Existing law provides that an employee who made a bona fide complaint, and was consequently discharged or otherwise suffered an adverse action, is entitled to reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for an employer to willfully refuse to reinstate or otherwise restore an employee who is determined by a specified procedure to be eligible for reinstatement. This bill would also prohibit an employer from retaliating or taking adverse action against any employee or applicant for employment because the employee or applicant has engaged in protected conduct. The bill would expand the protected conduct to include a written or oral complaint by an employee that he or she is owed unpaid wages. The bill would provide that an employee who was retaliated against or otherwise was subjected to an adverse action is entitled to reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages. The bill would subject a person who violates these provisions to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation. The bill would also provide that it is not necessary to exhaust administrative remedies or procedures in the enforcement of specified provisions. Because the willful refusal by an employer to reinstate or reimburse an employee who suffered a retaliatory action under these provisions would be a misdemeanor, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law declares that an individual who has applied for employment, or who is or has been employed in this state, is entitled to the protections, rights, and remedies available under state law, regardless of his or her immigration status. Existing law declares that an inquiry into a person's immigration status for purposes of enforcing state labor and employment laws shall not be permitted, unless a showing is made, by clear and convincing evidence, that the inquiry is necessary in order to comply with federal immigration law. This bill would make it unlawful for an employer or any other person to engage in, or direct another person to engage in, an unfair immigration-related practice, as defined, against a person for the purpose of, or with the intent of, retaliating against any person for exercising a right protected under state labor and employment laws or under a local ordinance applicable to employees, as specified. The bill would also create a rebuttable presumption that an adverse action taken within 90 days of the exercising of a protected right is committed for the purpose of, or with the intent of, retaliation. The bill would authorize a civil action by an employee or other person who is the subject of an unfair immigration-related practice. The bill would authorize a court to order the appropriate government agencies to suspend certain business licenses held by the violating party for prescribed periods based on the number of violations. The bill would require the court to consider prescribed circumstances in determining whether a suspension of all licenses is appropriate. Existing law prohibits an employer from making, adopting, or enforcing any rule, regulation, or policy preventing an employee from disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of state or federal statute, or a violation or noncompliance with a state or federal rule or regulation. Existing law further prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee for that disclosure. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions by the employer is a misdemeanor. Existing law additionally subjects an employer that is a corporation or a limited liability company to a civil penalty not exceeding $10,000 for each violation of these provisions. This bill would additionally prohibit any person acting on behalf of the employer from making, adopting, or enforcing any rule, regulation, or policy preventing an employee from disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, as provided, and from retaliating against an employee for such a disclosure. The bill would also expand the prohibited actions to include preventing an employee from, or retaliating against an employee for, providing information to, or testifying before, any public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry. The bill would provide that any person or entity that violates these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor, and would further subject an entity that violates these provisions that is a corporation or limited liability company to a civil penalty not exceeding $10,000 for each violation of these provisions. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law prohibits an employer or prospective employer, with the exception of certain financial institutions, from obtaining a consumer credit report, as defined, for employment purposes unless it is for a specified position, including, among others, a position in the state Department of Justice, a managerial position, as defined, or a position that involves regular access to $10,000 or more of cash, as specified. This bill would prohibit an employer from discharging an employee or in any manner discriminating, retaliating, or taking any adverse action against an employee because the employee updates or attempts to update his or her personal information, unless the changes are directly related to the skill set, qualifications, or knowledge required for the job. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1102.5 of the Labor Code proposed by SB 496 that would become operative if this bill and SB 496 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 regulates the employment practices of car washes, including providing specific recordkeeping requirements that employers of car washers must implement with regard to car washer wages, hours, and working conditions, under the enforcement authority of the Division of Labor Standards and Enforcement. Existing law requires employers of car washers to register with the Labor Commissioner and pay a specified registration fee, or be subject to a specified civil fine. The fines and registration fees are deposited into the Car Wash Worker Restitution Fund and the Car Wash Worker Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature are made available to be disbursed by the commissioner, as specified, and to be applied to costs incurred by the commissioner in administering these provisions. Existing law also requires employers of car washes to post a $15,000 bond for the benefit of the state to compensate employees damaged by the employer's nonpayment of wages. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2014. This bill would increase the employer's bond requirement amount to $150,000, but would exempt an employer from that requirement if the employer has a collective bargaining agreement in place that meets specified criteria. This bill would also delete the repeal date of the provisions described above, thus extending those provisions indefinitely.

Existing law establishes the State Historical Resources Commission and the California Register of Historical Resources. Existing law requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to consider all recommendations for registration made by the commission, and requires the department to register, as state historical landmarks, those buildings, structures, sites, or places that the department deems to be important historical resources. Existing law authorizes a resource to be nominated for listing as a historical resource in the California Register of Historical Resources in accordance with specified nominating procedures. Existing law establishes the State Office of Historic Preservation and requires the office to perform certain duties, including recommending properties of historical significance for nomination by the commission for, among other things, listing in the California Register of Historic Resources. This bill would require the office to educate the public on the process required to nominate a resource for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, as provided. The bill would also require the office, by January 1, 2015, to identify publicly owned resources that may be appropriate for potential listing as historical resources, historical landmarks, or points of historical interest for their association with the labor and civil rights movements or California's modern history, as defined, and report its findings to the commission. This bill would require the land known as Nuestra Señora Reina de La Paz, which includes the home and burial site of the late Cesar Chavez, to be registered as a state historical landmark. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute.

Under the Public Utilities Act, or the act, the Public Utilities Commission, or the PUC, has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. The act requires the commission to review and adopt a procurement plan for each electrical corporation in accordance with specified elements, incentive mechanisms, and objectives. The act requires that an electrical corporation's proposed procurement plan include certain elements, including a showing that the electrical corporation will first meet its unmet needs through all available energy efficiency and demand-reduction resources that are cost effective, reliable, and feasible. Existing law requires the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to identify all potentially achievable cost‑effective electricity efficiency savings and establish efficiency targets. This bill would require the PUC, on or before March 1, 2014, to order electrical corporations to submit, on or before July 1, 2015, a tariff to be used, at the discretion of local governments, to fund energy efficiency improvements in street light poles owned by the electrical corporations. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that utility-owned street light poles, whose electricity use is paid by local governments, be converted to use cost-effective technology that reduces electricity consumption and may achieve lower utility bills. Under existing law, a violation of the act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. Because this bill would require electrical corporations, pursuant to an order of the PUC, to submit the specified tariff and a violation of this requirement is a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. 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 authorizes the Supreme Court to admit an applicant as an attorney at law in all the courts of the state, upon certification by the examining committee of the State Bar of California that the applicant has fulfilled the requirements for admission to practice law, as specified. This bill would additionally authorize the Supreme Court to admit to the practice of law an applicant who is not lawfully present in the United States, upon certification by the committee that the applicant has fulfilled those requirements for admission, as specified.

(1) Under existing federal law, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has issued a directive allowing certain undocumented individuals who meet several key criteria for relief from removal from the United States or from entering into removal proceedings to be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of 2 years, subject to renewal, and who will be eligible to apply for work authorization. Existing law provides for the regulation of immigration consultants by the Department of Consumer Affairs, the licensure and regulation of attorneys by the State Bar of California, and the commission of notaries public by the Secretary of State. A violation of certain of these provisions is a crime. This bill would provide that immigration consultants, attorneys, notaries public, and organizations accredited by the United States Board of Immigration Appeals shall be the only individuals authorized to charge clients or prospective clients a fee for providing services associated with filing an application under the deferred action program. The bill also would prohibit immigration consultants, attorneys, notaries public, and organizations accredited by the United States Board of Immigration Appeals from participating in practices that amount to price gouging, as defined, when a client or prospective client solicits these services. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Commencing January 1, 2013, state law provides that any federal document demonstrating favorable action by the federal government for acceptance of a person into this deferred action program shall satisfy specified requirements for the purposes of being authorized to receive an original driver's license from the Department of Motor Vehicles, as described. This bill would provide that these provisions also apply for the purposes of being authorized to receive a California identification card. (3) Existing law provides for unemployment compensation benefits to eligible persons who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Existing law establishes the Unemployment Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, for the receipt of employer contributions and the payment of employment compensation benefits. Existing law makes it a crime for a person to commit various acts, including making or signing a false statement or supplying false information in connection with obtaining unemployment benefits, as specified. Existing law provides that unemployment compensation benefits, and other related benefits, as specified, shall not be payable on the basis of services performed by a person who is not a citizen of the United States, unless that person is an individual who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time the services were performed, was lawfully present for purposes of performing the services, or was permanently residing in the United States under color of law at the time the services were performed. This bill would provide that, to the extent authorized by federal law, if a person has received a notice of decision from the federal government granting deferred action under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and if that person performed the services while he or she was in receipt of a valid employment authorization from the federal government, he or she is a person who was lawfully present for purposes of performing the services and is eligible for unemployment compensation benefits, as specified. (4) The bill would state that the provisions of the bill are declarative of existing law. (5) 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.