DIR Director Hagen Resigns Department of Industrial Relations Director Katie Hagen is leaving DIR for the private sector, according to internal sources. Hagen has served for five years in what one senior manager describes as a chaotic tenure.
DIR managers criticized Hagan, stating that she would make decisions but not allow enough time for them to take effect before changing course again. She will become the CEO of CPS HR Consulting in July. The firm specializes in serving public agencies, and its website indicates that it offers testing, recruitment, personnel selection, and organizational performance improvement services. It has around 120 full-time staff and 200 project consultants. According to the firm, it serves approximately 1200 public agencies and nonprofit clients throughout the United States. DIR has encountered significant personnel issues and struggled to staff up to capacity, severely limiting its ability to fulfill its mission. Managers unanimously attribute the problem to a complex hiring process. Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Hagen as DIR director in March 2020, just as the pandemic shutdowns were beginning. Before her appointment at DIR, Hagen was the chief deputy director at the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. [Cal-OSHA Reporter]
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Suspense Day California lawmakers rejected hundreds of bills on Friday, May 23rd to save costs amid a $12 billion budget deficit. The deficit has worsened due to potential federal funding cuts and increased spending on healthcare for low-income residents. Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Buffy Wicks said, “Many good bills will fall by the wayside today,” citing the challenging budget environment that limits the expansion of programs and agencies.
The procedure known as the “suspense file” is one of the state Legislature’s most confidential and expedited biannual hearings. During this process, the chairs of the Assembly and Senate Appropriations committees swiftly reject costly proposals with minimal explanation, often exerting more stringent actions during times of budget constraints.
Bills that would incur a cost of at least $50,000 in the Senate and $150,000 in the Assembly are placed in suspense files by the appropriations committees. Initially designed to enable lawmakers to collectively evaluate policy proposals involving state expenditures, balancing them against one another, this mechanism has become well-accepted for its secondary purposes. In Sacramento, it is an open secret that the suspense file proceedings provide legislators an opportunity to terminate contentious bills clandestinely, cater to influential special interests, or reduce the volume of legislation for floor debate. Decisions on whether bills should advance to the full Senate or Assembly, or be held, are made in advance in private. The public hearings merely serve to announce these decisions rapidly.
The Senate Appropriations Committee rejected 29% of the 432 bills listed, although some were retained for further consideration next year. This reflects a more aggressive reduction compared to May of the previous year. Similarly, the Assembly Appropriations Committee dismissed 35% of the 666 measures on its suspense file, a rate consistent with that of the preceding year. Legislators had been advised to minimize the financial impact of their proposals, according to Wicks.
State Budget The Legislative Analyst assessed the state’s multiyear budget condition under the Governor’s May Revision policies. As shown below, their estimates project operating deficits ranging from $10 billion to $20 billion over the next 3-year period. These shortfalls represent future budget problems that would require additional budget-balancing decisions. That said, the actual budget condition will differ, possibly significantly, from these projections, primarily due to revenue volatility. While their revenue forecast is designed to balance the risk of over- and underestimation, history shows that actual revenues can vary from the median projection by billions or even tens of billions of dollars over a multi-year period.
Several Democratic lawmakers and progressive interest groups expressed concerns about Governor Gavin Newsom's revised budget proposal last week, particularly regarding the proposed reduction in Medi-Cal benefits for individuals who are not legal state residents.
Critics suggested tax increases to fund higher spending. Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens called for reviewing corporate tax breaks, including incentives for job creation in California. Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, representing the Legislative Women’s Caucus, urged lawmakers to reject proposed cuts to childcare by Newsom and instead provide cost-of-living increases and additional funding for childcare programs.
David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West, stated that SEIU members vowed to fight for jobs and workers' values. They urged legislators to reject proposed budget cuts and find revenue options to reinvest in improving lives and opportunities in California. Over 100 organizations signed an SEIU letter advocating for increased taxes, according to Luan Huynh from the Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations.
The California Budget and Policy Center, known for advocating higher taxes on employers in the state, has criticized the governor’s proposal. They described the proposed expansion of tax credits for film studios as a “misguided” measure that would compromise the state's ability to assist Californians in managing the high cost of living and meeting basic needs. Governor Newsom has emphasized that the tax credit is essential for retaining film industry jobs within California.
During a press conference on May 19 addressing the Medi-Cal reductions, leaders from the Democratic Legislative Latino Caucus suggested that tax increases should be considered in budget discussions. According to KCRA News, the Caucus did not present specific solutions. Still, it fielded multiple questions regarding potential cuts to other state services or the creation of new taxes to cover additional costs.
Newsom, who many believe is running for President in 2028, is unlikely to approve tax increases but will face a tough final two years with an unbalanced budget.
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California State Assembly Passes Bill to Break NEM Contracts California politicians continue to discover new ways to devalue home solar. The California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed Assembly Bill 942, which will void existing solar contracts when homeowners sell their homes. “The agreement language that every solar user signs is abundantly clear that the 20-year net metering terms are attached to the solar system and not the property owner,” explained California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) executive director Brad Heavner. “Reducing net metering compensation when homes are sold or transferred means solar users, who are mostly middle- and working-class households, would no longer be able to capture the value of their solar investment when their property is sold.” But the bill had additional elements.
The bill’s author, former Edison employee Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, exempted public schools and farms from her bill as both opponents and proponents ramp up their fight ahead of a key legislative deadline this Friday. Then, the Assembly suspended a procedural waiting period to advance her bill Tuesday night, leaving solar advocates fuming.
The Assembly voted to suspend a rule requiring the chamber to wait a "full calendar day" after any amendments to take up her bill. After approving the rule waiver, lawmakers then approved the bill 46-14, sending it on to the state Senate. The bill cleared the 41-vote minimum to pass the Assembly. It drew 'no' votes from Democratic Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Robert Garcia, Darshana Patel and Chris Ward, as well as support from Republican Assemblymembers Heath Flora and Juan Alanis.
The current version of the bill would apply the new, lower payments rooftop solar customers get for selling energy back to the grid to pre-2023 rooftop solar customers upon the sale of a home. It would also eliminate the credit ratepayers get on their bills from cap-and-trade revenues for those who have rooftop solar. Story
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Arizona Moves to Add Heat Protections
- Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed an executive order directing the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health to form a Workplace Heat Safety Task Force.
- Composed of industry leaders, worker representatives, and occupational safety and health experts, the task force will be responsible for drafting and recommending heat guidelines for employers before the end of the year.
- This follows the July 2023 launch of Arizona’s Heat Stress State Emphasis Program, created to reduce heat-related illnesses and injuries in the workplace through inspections, training, and compliance assistance.
- READ MORE
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In related news
Arizona Chamber And Ariz. Manufacturers Council Join Task Force On Workplace Heat Safety The above executive order will comprise labor groups, occupational safety advocates, and private industry representatives, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Arizona Manufacturers Council. The task force will be responsible for drafting and recommending heat guidelines for employers before the end of the year, building on the state Industrial Commission’s Heat Stress State Emphasis Program (SEP) that was launched in July 2023, which was created to reduce heat-related illnesses and injuries in the workplace through inspections, training, and compliance assistance. More
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CAL/OSHA's Proposed Revisions to Its Draft Workplace Violence Prevention Regulation On May 13, 2025, Cal/OSHA released a new discussion draft of its proposed regulation on Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. This latest version updates the July 15, 2024 draft previously blogged about, and reflects stakeholder input gathered through the advisory committee process. More
WECA Legislation
* PLAs
(AB 1280 Garcia, D) Qualifies thermal energy storage for multiple financial incentive programs administered by the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) and the California Energy Commission (CEC). Requires an industrial decarbonization project funded by the I-Bank to include a project labor agreement and a community benefits fund or agreement. (Based on 06/02/2025 text). Status: 06/02/2025 - Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
ADA
(SB 84 Niello, R) One of two ABA bills, SB 84 would prohibit construction-related accessibility claims under the ADA and the Unruh Civil Rights Act from being initiated until a small business defendant has been served with a demand letter specifying each alleged violation and given 120 days to correct them. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Support
APM/DB/CMaR
(SB 272 Becker, D) SB 272 authorizes the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) to enter into job order contracts (JOCs). Requires JOCs to be subject to the project labor agreement (PLA) between SamTrans and the San Mateo Building Trades Council or an amendment or extension of that agreement. (Based on 03/18/2025 text). Status: 05/12/2025 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
WECA Position: Support If Amended
Apprenticeship
(AB 291 Gipson, D) Establishes the Credentialed Educator Apprenticeship Act at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (commission) in partnership with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS). (Based on 04/21/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Watch
(SB 75 Smallwood-Cuevas, D) This bill requires the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) to establish the Reentry Pilot Project in the Counties of Alameda, Los Angeles, and San Diego to provide workforce training and transitional support to formerly incarcerated individuals committed to careers in the skilled trades. It also requires the CWDB to designate a qualified nonprofit organization in each pilot county to manage and monitor funds and be accountable to the board for proper expenditure and reporting. (Based on 03/26/2025 text). Status: 06/02/2025 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly.
WECA Position: Support
BESS
(AB 303 Addis, D) This proposed legislation extends the current law until June 30, 2029, allowing applicants to submit certification requests for eligible energy storage facilities with a capacity of 200 megawatt-hours or more to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. The bill clarifies that this does not apply to battery energy storage systems, requiring the commission to reject pending applications related to batteries. Furthermore, it prohibits development projects with such systems within 3,200 feet of sensitive receptors or on environmentally sensitive sites. (Based on 01/23/2025 text). Status: 04/02/2025 - In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
WECA Position: Oppose
(SB 283 Laird, D) Senate Bill 283 enacts the Clean Energy Safety Act of 2025, which requires specified fire protection standards to apply to BESS facilities. Co-sponsored by the California State Association of Electrical Workers and the Coalition of California Utility Employees. CALSSA opposes, arguing the bill would impose additional and duplicative requirements on systems that are already governed by existing California Building Standards Codes and local permitting processes. These overlapping regulations would complicate, rather than streamline, ESS deployment, especially in the behind-the-meter market segment, without meaningful additional safety precautions. (Based on 05/01/2025 text). Status: 05/28/2025 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
WECA Position: Oppose
Business Issues
(AB 1104 Pellerin, D) The bill proposes that nonresidential photovoltaic facilities producing less than one megawatt can qualify for NEM tariffs, even if contractor compliance issues exist. Such contractors are granted 90 days to rectify unintentional violations, avoiding penalties if promptly addressed and proven corrected. (Based on 05/05/2025 text). Status: 05/28/2025 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
WECA Position: Support
(AB 1327 Aguiar-Curry, D) This author-sponsored bill would enable consumers to cancel home solicitation contracts, home improvement contracts, and seminar sales contracts via email. (Based on 04/03/2025 text). Status: 05/21/2025 - Referred to Com. on JUD.
WECA Position: Watch
(SB 61 Cortese, D) Limits the retention payment amount for a private work of improvement to not exceed five percent, subject to certain exceptions. (Based on 03/26/2025 text). Status: 05/12/2025 - Referred to Com. on JUD.
WECA Position: Support
Codes
(AB 306 Schultz, D) It proposes a moratorium on the adoption or modification of new state and local building standards affecting residential units from June 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, with limited exceptions. (Based on 05/13/2025 text). Status: 05/13/2025 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
WECA Position: Support
(SB 682 Allen, D) This bill prohibits a person from distributing, selling, or offering for sale covered products that contain intentionally added PFAS beginning January 1, 2027. Prohibits certain specified products that contain intentionally added PFAS unless the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) made a determination that the use of PFAS in the product is a currently unavoidable use. By banning essential materials—from heat pumps to electrical cabling—SB 682 would drive up housing costs, jeopardize safety, and further exacerbate the state’s housing crisis. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
Construction Practices
(SR 41 Niello, R) Would resolve that the Senate hereby recognizes the week of May 19, 2025, to May 23, 2025, inclusive, as Contractor Fraud Awareness Week throughout the State of California and encourages the citizens of California to become familiar with contractor fraud and to participate in the various programs taking place during the week. (Based on 05/20/2025 text). Status: 05/19/2025 - Read. Adopted. (Ayes 36. Noes 0.)
WECA Position: Support
Energy
(AB 942 Calderon, D) Makes three changes to Net Energy Metering (NEM) customer-generator arrangements: 1) sunsets legacy NEM contracts after 10 years; 2) requires new property owners inheriting solar systems to take service under the current, not the inherited, NEM tariff; and 3) ends Climate Credit allocations to NEM customers starting on January 1, 2026. (Based on 06/02/2025 text). Status: 06/02/2025 - Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
(SB 567 Limón, D) This bill establishes the Gravity-Based Energy Storage Well Pilot Program until January 1, 2035, and authorizes the State Oil and Gas Supervisor to allow the conversion of 250 oil and gas wells for use as gravity-based energy storage wells, as defined, to evaluate their use to generate energy safely. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Watch
Housing
(SB 681 Wahab, D) This bill makes several changes to laws governing housing approvals, elements, common interest developments, and building standards. Among other provisions, it prohibits landlords from charging tenants certain fees, limits the application screening fee a landlord can charge, and deems subordinate mortgages abandoned if the mortgage servicer fails to provide certain notices. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Support If Amended
Labor Law
(AB 1234 Ortega, D) AB 1234 (Ortega) penalizes defendants for exercising their right to a hearing on the merits. It creates a new, automatic thirty percent penalty that would apply regardless of whether the defendant acted in good faith. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
(AB 1331 Elhawary, D) AB 1331 functionally prohibits the use of surveillance in every California workplace because of its overbroad language and, in doing so, undermines workplace safety. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
(SB 261 Wahab, D) This bill attempts to recover unpaid wages owed to workers by: 1) requiring the Labor Commissioner (LC) to post a copy of an order, decision, or award (ODA) on a claim for unpaid wages on the division’s internet website; 2) prescribing when a posting can be removed; 3) requiring notification by certified mail to employers before the posting of an ODA; 4) subjecting, for final judgments unsatisfied after 180 days, the employer to a civil penalty not to exceed three times the outstanding judgment amount; and 5) authorizing the LC to adopt regulations and rules of practice and procedures to enforce these provisions. Posting every single ODA online effectively creates a shopping list for trial attorneys (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
(SB 294 Reyes, D) This bill 1) requires employers to provide a stand-alone written notice annually to each employee informing them of their rights under state and federal law, as specified; 2) directs the Labor Commissioner to develop separate videos for employers and employees informing them of their responsibilities and rights under state and federal law, as specified; 3) requires employers to contact an employee’s designated emergency contact if the employee is arrested or detained pursuant to an enforcement action; 4) authorizes an employee’s emergency contact to collect all wages owed to an employee and to file a wage claim on the employee’s behalf if the wages are not lawfully paid; and 5) authorizes various penalties for noncompliant employers. (Based on 05/01/2025 text). Status: 05/28/2025 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
WECA Position: Watch
(SB 310 Wiener, D) Existing law makes every person who fails to pay the wages of each employee subject to a specified penalty. Existing law requires the penalty to either be recovered by an employee as a statutory penalty or by the Labor Commissioner as a civil penalty, as prescribed. This bill also would permit the penalty to be recovered through an independent civil action, as specified. (Based on 04/10/2025 text). Status: 05/23/2025 - From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (May 23). Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Oppose
(SB 464 Smallwood-Cuevas, D) SB 464 would encourage new, costly litigation against employers based on the publication of broad, unreliable data collected by the state. (Based on 05/01/2025 text). Status: 06/02/2025 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 27. Noes 9.) Ordered to the Assembly.
WECA Position: Oppose
Land Use
(AB 76 Alvarez, D) Existing law sets rules for how local agencies dispose of surplus land, which is land declared unnecessary for their use through formal action. "Exempt surplus land" is land meeting criteria like having at least 25% of units for lower-income households and a minimum average density of 10 units per acre. This bill proposes changing these requirements so that 25% of units, excluding those for academic institution students, faculty, or staff, must be for lower-income households. The density requirement remains 10 units per acre, calculated over the entire area, including housing for students, faculty, and staff. (Based on 04/21/2025 text). Status: 05/21/2025 - Referred to Com. on L. GOV.
WECA Position: Support If Amended
Licensure
(AB 485 Ortega, D) Supported by unions, AB 485 requires state license agencies like CSLB to deny an application or renewal to an employer with any unsatisfied final judgment for nonpayment of wages. Only opponent is the hospital association. (Based on 03/03/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Support
(AB 521 Carrillo, D) Provides that the Contractors State License Board is not liable for legal fees or costs related to actions against a contractor when the contractor has a deposit filed with the Board in lieu of a bond. Specifically, this bill provides that the Contractors State License Board is not liable for any legal fees or costs in any action, as specified, against any deposit filed with the Board, regardless of when it was filed with the registrar. (Based on 02/10/2025 text). Status: 05/14/2025 - Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.
WECA Position: Support
(AB 559 Berman, D) This bill expands "home improvement" to include construction related to ADUs on residential properties. It imposes penalties for licensees or unlicensed individuals who take excessive down payments or progress payments that cause financial loss to consumers, with license revocation and a minimum $10,000 civil penalty for violators. (Based on 03/27/2025 text). Status: 05/14/2025 - Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.
WECA Position: Watch
(AB 667 Solache, D) Requires licensing boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to allow applicants who cannot read, speak, or write in English to use an interpreter when taking examinations required for licensure or certification. (Based on 04/09/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Watch
(AB 742 Elhawary, D) Requires CSLB to prioritize license applications from contractors who are descendants of American slaves. (Based on 03/13/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Watch
(AB 1002 Gabriel, D) AB 1002 will allow the DOJ to bring a civil action that would revoke or suspend an existing contractor license, or bar the licensure or deny the re-licensure of a contractor previously found to be illegally withholding wages. CEA thinks they'll be okay so long as jurisdictional issues can’t be included in the process. The bill was triggered by West Coast Drywall, which was a pretty bad actor. (Based on 03/28/2025 text). Status: 06/02/2025 - Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
WECA Position: Watch
Public Works
(AB 538 Berman, D) Section 1776 already requires the production of CPRs within 10 days of receipt of a request, and AB 538 doesn't change that. Instead, the bill's intent appears to address situations where a request for CPRs is made through the awarding body, but the awarding body doesn't have the records in its possession. These amendments require the awarding body to obtain the documents from the "relevant contractor." If the contractor doesn't comply, the awarding body must notify DLSE, who can seek penalties. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Watch
(AB 963 Petrie-Norris, D) Requires owners and developers undertaking any public works project to make specified records available to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), multi-employer Taft-Hartley trust funds, and to joint labor-management committees (JLMCs). Supported by unions, opposed by developers and contractors. Opposed by California Housing Consortium, California Housing Partnership Corporation, Housing California. (Based on 02/20/2025 text). Status: 06/02/2025 - Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
WECA Position: Watch
Taxes
(SB 573 Smallwood-Cuevas, D) SB 573 would replace the state’s existing corporate tax rate with a tiered tax rate based on the difference between the median employee pay and the pay of the highest-paid executive. The rates would become active on January 1, 2026, ranging from 7 percent to 13 percent, depending on the pay ratio. The rate would increase by 50 percent if a company reduces employees in the United States by 10 percent or more and increases foreign contracted employees. (Based on 04/02/2025 text). Status: 04/02/2025 - Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
WECA Position: Oppose
Workers Comp
(SB 291 Grayson, D) This bill sets a minimum civil penalty of $10,000 per violation of any sole owner and $20,000 per violation for any partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or tribal business licensee found to have employed workers without maintaining workers’ compensation coverage, as specified. The bill also requires additional data regarding disciplinary actions for violations maintaining workers’ compensation coverage be reported to the Legislature, as provided. (Based on 05/01/2025 text). Status: 05/28/2025 - Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
WECA Position: Support
(SB 536 Archuleta, D) Senate Bill 536 would require an insurer or licensed rating organization to notify the Employment Development Department and the local district attorney's office and Fraud Division on the Department of Insurance of suspected fraud when the fraudulent act relates to premium fraud. This can be accomplished by using the same Suspected Fraudulent Claim Referral Form currently utilized with the Department of Insurance, District Attorneys and other authorized governmental agencies. The bill would also require, upon written request by an insurer or specified others, the Employment Development Department to release detailed payroll information, including payroll summary totals, allowing the requester to compare the records with the information they are otherwise entitled to receive from employers in workers' compensation claims or pursuant to workers' compensation policies. SB 536 would prohibit the provided documents from being used for specified purposes. This bill would create a new obligation for insurers to report suspected fraud directly to the EDD (in addition to the Department of Insurance (CDI) and relevant district attorneys), which would alert the EDD to conduct further investigations of potential fraud. (Based on 05/23/2025 text). Status: 05/27/2025 - Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
WECA Position: Support
Workforce Development
(AB 231 Ta, R) Would allow up to a $5,000 tax credit for employers with five or fewer employees equal to 40% of the qualified wages paid to an individual that, among other things, has been convicted of a felony, as provided, and has a hiring date not more than one year after the date the individual was convicted or was released from prison. (Based on 01/13/2025 text). Status: 05/23/2025 - In committee: Held under submission.
WECA Position: Support
Is Gallego Setting His Sights Higher? With a trip to Pennsylvania, Sen. Ruben Gallego enters the 2028 conversation. Gallego, D-Ariz., is used to taking his message on the road in a swing state. But now the first-term senator, fresh off his hard-fought win last year, is heading far from home to speak to voters in Pennsylvania, the quintessential presidential battleground state. Gallego attended a town hall in Bucks County, a key swing area outside Philadelphia that Donald Trump flipped by a few hundred votes last year.
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Trump’s Budget Proposes Cutting $600M From Utah’s Biggest Water Project The White House wants to cut funding for the project that delivers Colorado River water to millions on the Wasatch Front — but no one will say what those cuts would entail. Tucked 28 pages into President Donald Trump’s budget recommendations for next year, released May 2, was a proposed funding cut to the Central Utah Project to the tune of $609 million. Congress must approve the final budget. The Central Utah Project is “the largest and most complex water resources development project” in the state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project is a complicated system of reservoirs and pipelines that bring water from the Colorado River system to the Wasatch Front for irrigation, municipal and industrial uses, supporting the region’s rapid growth. It also provides opportunities for recreation, water conservation and fish and wildlife protection. Story
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Because it’s Fun to Give Away OPM: Assembly lawmakers advanced a plan on Monday to grant undocumented immigrants access to phone bill discounts, providing potential financial support for immigrants as the Trump administration pursues mass deportations. Democratic Assemblymember Avelino Valencia’s AB 1303, which passed with a vote of 60-12, would make California the first state to allow undocumented immigrants and others without Social Security numbers to sign up for a state Lifeline phone discount program. This program offers low-income households up to $19 off their monthly phone bill. Additionally, it protects undocumented immigrants by prohibiting program administrators from sharing applicants’ personal information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement without a warrant. California Democrats are concerned that the Trump administration could weaponize personal information collected by government programs to track, apprehend, and deport undocumented immigrants. Earlier this year, ICE sought access to federal tax data to support an ongoing crackdown on undocumented immigration.
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Howard Reinstated; Some NIOSH Cuts Reversed Dr. John Howard, the longtime director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has been reinstated to his position after receiving a termination notice earlier this year. Moreover, key programs cut under the guise of efficiency have also been restored in response to the backlash against the agency's sweeping cuts. Up to 90% of NIOSH's workforce, including Howard, received layoff notices as the Department of Health and Human Services began shifting NIOSH functions into the new Administration for a Healthy America. The Administration, through DOGE, initially stated that it would make mistakes and correct them. This serves as clear evidence of its ability to acknowledge mistakes and rectify them. HHS has reinstated more than 300 NIOSH employees and restored several programs, including the Respiratory Health Division, Division of Safety Research, Division of Compensation and Analysis Support, and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, which certifies new respirators. Layoffs at the World Trade Center Health Program have also been reversed. Howard has been NIOSH director since 2002 after serving 11 years as chief of Cal/OSHA's Division of Occupational Safety and Health. He has been lauded for his work in the World Trade Center Health Program and research on worker health and cutting-edge technology, such as nanotechnology. Howard noted that while some NIOSH employers were reinstated, others were not. He says he will continue to make the case for restoring the rest and "restoring the agency's capacity." Some 600 NIOSH employees remain laid off. [Cal-OSHA Reporter]
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Candidates for Governor Wave Green Flags for Union Millions At the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento, seven Democrats—former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former Senate President Toni Atkins, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former State Controller Betty Yee, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond—courted the California Federation of Labor Unions and the State Building and Construction Trades Council. This illustrated fidelity to unions, whose anticipated $40 million in election spending secures policy loyalty. The Democrats' eagerness to trade principles for union funds, favoring special interests over taxpayers, was evident. It represented an impressive bow to the true masters of Sacramento. Story
Save the Date for the 2025 Battery Energy Storage Systems Fire Safety Symposium Join us on July 24, 2025, at the California Natural Resources Agency in Sacramento, CA for a Battery Energy Storage Systems Fire Safety Symposium. This Symposium is geared towards sharing valuable insights on improving emergency response, the latest research and technology, understanding codes and standards, and updates on state initiatives to local fire departments and officials. Registration information for in-person and virtual attendance will be available soon. More
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Cal/OSHA’s Latest on Lead Exposure: Clarification for the Construction Industry On May 5, 2025, the California Department of Industrial Relations made an important announcement that affects employers in the construction industry. Cal/OSHA has clarified lead exposure prevention guidance specific to protecting workers conducting dry abrasive blasting during construction work. California’s recently amended lead standards for the construction industry went into effect on January 1, 2025 (California Code of Regulations, title 8, section 1532.1) as part of a broader effort to provide greater protection for workers from the health effects associated with lead exposure. These requirements, which are generally more protective than existing federal regulations, emphasize increased use of protective measures, including substitution, engineering controls, and administrative controls. More
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Judge Says Defense Department Must Resume Use of PLAs
· A U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C., has granted a preliminary injunction against the Department of Defense and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for not following a Biden-era executive order mandating the use of project labor agreements on some federal jobs.
· Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled in favor of North America’s Building Trades Unions and the Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building and Construction Trades Council on May 16, ordering the DOD to set aside PLA-avoidant guidance, even for projects not related to the plaintiffs.
· Contreras’ order sides with the plaintiffs and says that the DOD must resume the practice of using PLAs. The agency did not respond to requests for comment.
NABTU President Sean McGarvey, practicing his standup routine, praised the ruling. “PLAs aren’t political gimmicks or special-interest carveouts,” McGarvey said in a statement. “They are proven workforce development tools that undergird strong economic growth in communities across the country.” More
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California High-Speed Rail Project Seeks Outside Investors CEO Ian Choudri is seeking outside investors. “Our outreach to the private sector has received strong interest,” he stated in a May 15 news release. In January, the authority held an industry forum to engage potential partners, including private equity firms. The authority will soon request expressions of interest for public-private partnerships. Discussions may cover monetizing assets like train sets, station facilities, track access, fast cargo, and parcels movement. Other opportunities include transit-oriented development, real estate, fiber optic lines along the right-of-way, and leasing certain assets to the private sector. More
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Unions Want Higher Tax Labor groups are considering whether to seek a renewal of tax increases on incomes over $250,000 in 2026 or 2028. Voters approved Proposition 30 in 2012 and Prop 55 in 2016, raising tax rates on high earners to fund schools and healthcare programs. This tax is set to expire in 2030. SEIU and the California Teachers Association, who previously supported the tax, are key players in deciding the timing for the renewal effort. They will likely garner support from various labor, healthcare, and progressive organizations. [Politico]
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New Solar Tariff The International Trade Commission has recommended levies of up to 3,521 percent on solar imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, citing material injury to U.S. manufacturers. This decision allows the Commerce Department to impose trade penalties. Reactions vary in the solar industry, with the Solar Energy Industries Association warning that tariffs will increase costs for manufacturers and developers reliant on foreign parts. Conversely, U.S. manufacturers like First Solar welcome the ruling, arguing it addresses China's subsidization of cheaper solar components in Southeast Asia. More