Threat to WECA Apprenticeship Program - AB 889

We are concerned that Assembly Bill 889 by Assembly Member Heather Hadwick (R) from Northeastern California (AD 1) will reduce journey worker contributions to WECA’s apprenticeship program. To date, Hadwick has refused to adopt modest amendments to her bill that we have suggested.

We are keeping a close eye on when AB 889 could be scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, but anticipate an early July hearing.

As this proposed legislation continues through the process, we will be reaching out to you to contact your local Senator when the time is right – please keep an eye out for that request in future communications.

Your support will be crucial. 

If you have questions about AB 889 and our efforts, contact Richard Markuson or Rex Hime, richard@pacificadvocacygroup.com or rhime@goweca.com.

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Biden PLA Mandate to Stay, Per Trump Trump’s OMB director Russell Vought said the Trump administration supports the use of PLAs when those agreements are “practicable and cost effective, and blanket deviations prohibiting the use of PLAs are precluded.” The Trump administration has indicated it will not rescind a Biden-era rule mandating the use of project labor agreements on large publicly funded jobs. After months of court cases and federal agencies announcing deviations from Federal Acquisition Regulation rules regarding PLA use, a Thursday Office of Management and Budget memo to federal agencies and department heads sought to unmuddy the waters. (Excuse me while I go vomit)

Michael Bellaman, president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors, said the decision “cannot be reconciled with the president’s philosophies of merit, fairness, and nondiscrimination because it inhibits fair and open competition and prioritizes special interests over taxpayers and workers.”

Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, laid out the Trump administration’s position in a June 12 memo in response to agencies issuing what was termed “overly broad” deviations from Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions related to the labor pacts.

Readers will need to be sitting down as they read this article because it represents the first time DJT said one thing during campaigning, and another thing after.

The move follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying in February that he was directing the U.S. Defense Dept. to remove language requiring agreement mandates from contracts worth $35 million or more, and the U.S. General Services Administration announcing soon after it was also removing requirements from land port of entry projects.

Curiously, neither the State Building and Construction Trades Council nor the NBTU have said anything about Vought’s memo. I reached out to my contacts in the Trump Administration, but they hadn’t been given the spin document yet.

Bloomberg captured it succinctly: “The White House budget office is pushing federal agencies to use union project labor agreements, an unexpected move that will be a major win for organized labor and continue a Biden-era policy.” Story

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Alarms Sound Over Record State Spending and Growing Deficits Well on his way to his race for President, or arrest, Governor Gavin Newsom is dealing with some big budget mess. Rob Lapsley summed it up as “California is poised to continue with near-record-breaking spending, despite economic uncertainty, especially around federal funding. The Legislature’s plan commits more than $232 billion from the General Fund, nearly $90 billion in special funds, and billions more in bond expenditures, all while the state continues to face a chronic structural deficit of $10 to $20 billion in the General Fund and billions more in special funds.” More

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U.S. Steel Power Grab Should Terrify Every American Jon Fleischman has been tracking the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel, and one detail he believes should make every freedom-loving American very, very worried. Buried in this $14.9 billion deal is what is called a “golden share”—a single piece of preferred stock that hands the federal government veto power over a private company’s most basic decisions. Under this deal, the federal government can now block U.S. Steel’s board appointments, dictate where they build factories, and override countless other business decisions. He argues, “This isn’t capitalism—this is the kind of state control you see in China, where the Communist Party pulls the strings of every major corporation, or in Russia, where Putin’s cronies decide which businesses live or die.” More

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Legislature Approves Budget Without Union-Supported Tax Hikes and Missing Many Key Elements. Both houses of the Legislature approved a placeholder budget (SB 101, Wiener) on June 13 that doesn’t include any of the corporate tax increases sought by progressive lawmakers and public employee labor unions in recent weeks. The legislative plan directs the legislative analyst to “develop tax reform options” by November for consideration in next year’s budget. It includes the governor’s proposal to require financial institutions to use a single sales factor when apportioning income to the state of California. Several lawmakers made it clear during committee hearings that the “budget reforms” they support involve large tax increases targeted at major corporations, especially those with large workforces that do not provide healthcare benefits to all their workers. [Caltax]

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Supervisor Race Enters Home Stretch

In two weeks, South San Diego County voters will determine San Diego’s political future. The race to represent a vacant South County seat on the County Board of Supervisors is down to the wire. The deadline to vote is July 1. Supporters of Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann have spent close to $1 million so far, most of it in the past few weeks, according to the latest analysis. Polls indicate a tight race, with neither candidate holding a decisive lead. VOSD South County reporter, Jim Hinch, has followed the election closely. Check out their South County Decides homepage for full coverage (including in-depth Q&As with the candidates) analysis of top issues and the latest on the money race.

Hinch also delved into each candidate’s background, including McCann’s ties to a businesswoman convicted of fraud, questions raised by a real estate promotion and Aguirre’s record of unpaid bills. Last week, responding to questions about Aguirre’s failure to pay a three-year-old $2,600 tax bill on the Imperial Beach condominium she and her husband own, a campaign spokesperson said Aguirre had arranged a payment plan and was caught up on the bill. A copy of that payment plan later sent by Aguirre’s campaign shows Aguirre and her husband arranged the plan three weeks ago, on May 21. The previous day, May 20, conservative commentator Amy Reichert had made the delinquent tax bill a campaign issue by posting a screenshot of it. Asked why Aguirre and her husband waited three years to address the bill, campaign consultant Dan Rottenstreich said the 2022 bill “got lost in the shuffle.”

“After a number of letters [from county tax authorities] over a couple of years, [Aguirre and her husband] called the tax collector and mortgage company. They started dealing with it,” Rottenstreich said. “It takes time.” Rottenstreich pointed out that Aguirre and her husband have paid every other property tax bill on their condo “with the exception of this one supplemental tax bill that was not paid initially and then they lost track of.” Rottenstreich said the timing of Reichert’s screenshot posting was unrelated to Aguirre’s handling of the tax bill. “People misplace bills. It’s $2,600,” Rottenstreich said. “She’s not running to be the County Assessor. She’s running to be County Supervisor.” [Voice of San Diego]

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California Construction Law: Navigating Key Changes and Insights Over the past year, the California Legislature introduced significant additions and amendments to more than 50 statutes, including 14 statutes that directly affect contractor licensing laws and construction practices. These legislative developments reflect the state’s growing emphasis on labor and employment standards, energy sustainability, healthcare infrastructure, affordable housing, and other key issues. This article examines key developments in California construction law, with a particular focus on AB 2293, AB 2235, AB 1034, AB 2579, AB 2696, SB 1162, and AB 3190. Story

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Never Say Never Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are still unveiling major labor legislation despite GOP control of Congress, which may make it hard to advance. [Politico]

PRO Act (registration required for links in this section): Makes it easier for unions to organize and collectively bargain by strengthening the National Labor Relations Act. Reps reintroduced the bill. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) in the House, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) unveiled a companion bill the Senate.

Faster Labor Contracts Act: Prevents employers from slow-walking union negotiations by requiring talks to begin within 10 days after a union is recognized. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the bill in March.

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Were Cuts in Rooftop Solar Payments Legal? California Supreme Court Hears Arguments The California Supreme Court heard arguments recently in a case that could be pivotal to the spread of rooftop solar panels in California. Environmental and consumer advocacy groups are seeking to reverse a 2022 decision by state regulators to slash by around 75% the rates paid to compensate customers with solar installations for the excess energy they generate. The move, intended to shield non-solar customers from unfair cost burdens, sent solar hookups plummeting.

Three environmental groups bringing the case — the Center for Biological Diversity, The Protect our Communities Foundation, and the Environmental Working Group — argue that the California Public Utilities Commission didn’t properly consider benefits to customers and disadvantaged communities when it changed the program. The commission argued the policy strikes a balance between affordability for all customers and encouraging renewable energy choices. The court’s decision is expected within about a month. Story

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 23^rd 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

 

AB 942 – Legislative Call to Action Assembly Bill 942 still includes language that would eliminate NEM benefits for new non-beneficiary property owners and place them on Net Billing Tax (NBT). A shift to NBT could have a handful of consequences, but from a WECA perspective, it could deter future investments in solar-enabled housing. If you would like to share your experience with your issue, please email us by May 14^th so we can be included in a larger effort to advocate on this legislation. It would be helpful to focus your experience based on how it would impact your property or business upon a sale, in terms of how a shift to NBT would influence the sale price of a property and the impact of solar relief on energy cost. Lastly, if you feel so compelled, contacting your local legislator is always a great way to magnify your voice.

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States Pile On Seventeen US states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s pause of $3.3 billion in funding to build electric vehicle (EV) chargers. These funds were part of a $5 billion plan passed during Biden's presidency under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to help states build EV charging stations. The suit was filed on Wednesday and is being led by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, and Washington. They contend that only Congress can bar or block the funding, not the Federal Highway Administration. The Department of Transportation hasn't responded to the lawsuit yet.

This latest suit against the Trump administration, California’s 19th so far, is an attempt to rescue billions in frozen federal funds. As with most of the suits that California has joined against President Donald Trump, it’s a largely blue-state coalition. But in some ways, this filing could be of most use to the Republican states that aren’t signed onto it.

Texas is the state that’s supposed to receive the largest award from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program — a $5 billion pot in 2021’s BIL that’s divvied up through a highway-based funding formula — at around $408 million. The state has around 4,400 public chargers, a fraction of California’s more than 80,000.

California was supposed to get the second-highest amount, at $384 million. But that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the $2 billion it’s already spent in state funding, and the $1.4 billion it still has coming from various state coffers. For rural (read Republican) states, the money is much more important. NEVI funding makes up a disproportionately high portion of EV charging funding in Republican states, where state funding is often lacking.

“I think that most, probably all of the states, would like to have this funding, but they are afraid to sue the Trump administration,” said Bill Magavern, policy director at Coalition for Clean Air. “Almost every Republican elected official has just gone silent, and attorneys general are elected officials.”

However, the NEVI funding will still have an impact, even in California. That’s because the program is designed to place charging stations no more than 50 miles away from each other along major highways. That means locations in the Central Valley and along the Northern California coast, rather than just urban centers like Los Angeles and the Bay Area, where EV adoption has been highest. “We need public funding, especially to go into the areas where the private sector may be more reluctant to venture,” Magavern said. “That includes rural areas and disadvantaged communities.”

Johannes Copeland, chief operating officer at Skycharger, a charger supplier that’s won NEVI grants in California and New Mexico, told POLITICO shortly after the DOT announced the freeze in February that the loss of federal funding and Biden-era tax credits that help cover costs of building and operating chargers could force some companies to reconsider investing in rural areas, where there are no guarantees they’ll ever be profitable. “The riskier sites may not get built,” Copeland said at the time. “That’s absolutely a risk in losing the money associated with the program.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom is also using the lawsuit to resume his jabs at Trump, taunting the president over a March decision to turn the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom to support Elon Musk. The governor also pointed to China’s growing manufacturers like BYD, which is now the largest EV maker in the world. “President Trump’s illegal action withholding funds for electric vehicle infrastructure is yet another Trump gift to China — ceding American innovation and killing thousands of jobs,” Newsom said in a statement. “Instead of hawking Teslas on the White House lawn, President Trump could actually help Elon — and the nation — by following the law and releasing this bipartisan funding.” Read more

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More Pain for HSR Trump said Tuesday that the federal government (a euphemism for taxpayers) will not pay for California’s medium-speed train, another potential wrinkle in a troubled project that has repeatedly blown past its budget and completion timeline since voters approved funding in 2008. “That train is the worst cost overrun I’ve ever seen,” Trump, who’s seen many of his own projects and endeavors fail, told reporters in the Oval Office during a joint appearance with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada. “It’s, like, totally out of control.” He added: “This government (i.e., taxpayers) is not going to pay.” The president’s comments came three months after his administration launched a review of how California is spending a $3.1 billion federal grant issued under the Biden administration. That audit has not yet been completed. Story

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Bonta Soft on Child Sex Abuse? While California Attorney General and aspiring Governor Rob Bonta is quick to sue the Trump Administration, he is less inclined to charge a former official with sexual assault. Former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner was not charged with a sex crime but was charged with three felony counts of child abuse and two felony counts of possessing assault weapons by the California Department of Justice in February.

The charges stemmed from an incident at his Tehachapi house in April of last year, where Scrivner was stabbed in the upper torso by one of his four children, who was trying to protect another child from being sexually assaulted by Scrivner, according to Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood. Detectives seized around 30 firearms and psychedelic mushrooms from Scrivner’s house after the incident. Scrivner resigned from the Board of Supervisors last August after taking a lengthy medical leave of absence. According to the complaint filed by the Department of Justice, Scrivner allegedly got into bed with one of his children and touched the child inappropriately.

The case wound up on Bonta’s desk due to a familial conflict with Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer.

The decision not to charge Scrivner didn’t sit well with Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield), who wrote a letter to Bonta asking for clarification on the charges filed against Scrivner to know why he was not charged with a sex crime. Story

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Praise the Lord, Congress Focuses on Important Stuff! The Gulf of America Act of 2025 (HR 276) renames the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The bill directs the Board on Geographic Names within the Department of the Interior to oversee the implementation of the renaming concerning each federal document and map. Each federal agency must update its records and maps within 180 days of the bill's enactment. All nine of California's Republicans voted AYE today on the bill. All the state's Democrats voted no. The House voted for the renaming by a margin of 211 to 206. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, explained why he backed the plan, which would write into law the renaming plan proposed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office. "The Gulf of America is a critical region to our country's economy. It's a staple of energy independence that fuels economic growth, creates jobs, and is a tourist destination for people across the United States," Kiley said. Story

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Navigating California’s New Regulations on Automated Decision-Making Tools The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) has recently approved regulations under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to address discrimination in employment resulting from the use of automated decision-making systems, including artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms. These regulations apply to all employers covered by the FEHA and are expected to take effect in July, once they have completed the final administrative approval process with the Office of Administrative Law. Story

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California Court of Appeal Affirms Enforceability of Prospective Meal Period Waivers In a ruling that clarifies a previously unsettled area of California employment law, a California Court of Appeal affirmed the enforceability of written, prospective meal period waivers for shifts between five and six hours long. The April 21, 2025, decision in Bradsbery v. Vicar Operating, Inc. explained that advanced “blanket” waivers are valid under the law if freely revocable and absent evidence of coercion or unconscionability. For California employers, Bradsbery provides much-needed guidance on how to implement meal period waivers in compliance with the law. Story

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Good News, Gov. Newsom has launched a website fact-checking anonymous X accounts, in-state Republicans, and President Donald Trump — escalating a campaign to defend his home state and record against false and misleading information online, Politico reports. “This site is for everyone sick of the BS about California,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re done letting the MAGA trolls define the Golden State. We’re going on the offense and fighting back — with facts.” Posts already on the site dispense with some serious whoppers from questionable sources. One claim, from an X account named “Beauty Hub,” incorrectly asserts that stealing up to $950 is legal in California. Another post, from Libs of TikTok, falsely claimed California reservoirs ran dry during the LA fires. Californiafacts.com deploys some of Newsom’s go-to answers for common criticisms of his home state. It responds to economic digs by touting California’s status as the fourth-largest economy. To an X post that accused Democrats of being a party of “zealous open border immigration,” it notes the federal government’s jurisdiction over the issue. It cites the economic benefits of people commuting across the Mexico-California border for work.

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AZ Valley Voters, Lawmakers Should Stand Up to California Labor Union An out-of-state labor-affiliated group has cast a shadow over the Valley’s economic development future. Voters and elected officials can help clear things up. An example is Glendale City Council’s recent approval of zoning for a 39-acre site on the west side of Loop 101 across from State Farm Stadium, which is set to feature a mix of multifamily housing, retail and hotels. It’s the type of development cities typically welcome. They create jobs, generate tax revenues and generally improve a community’s quality of life thanks to new amenities. Worker Power, the Los Angeles-based political arm of the hospitality union UniteHere, opposes the zoning approval and is poised to thwart development at the site. A representative was at the April 22 Council meeting to express the group’s opposition, specifically calling out the inclusion of a hotel in the development. More

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Legislator Wants School Funds to be Given to Utilities Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris is attempting to reintroduce legislation that would provide a one-time credit to most of the state’s electricity customers with funding from a program that provides money for school heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades, reports Politico. Petrie-Norris, a Democrat who chairs the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee, is refusing to hear AB 832 by Assembly Education Chair Al Muratsuchi, which would give school districts more time to use some $192 million for HVAC improvements and plumbing.

While Muratsuchi's bill would extend the time that schools can tap the funding for HVAC improvements until 2031, Petrie-Norris proposed amendments that would redirect any funding not used by December 2026 to the state’s utilities, which would then distribute the money to customers as credits. Muratsuchi's office confirmed that he wouldn't take the amendments. He said he was “disappointed” that Petrie-Norris won’t hear his bill, which “ensures that schools have access to critical funds to improve indoor air quality and create healthier learning environments.”

“California’s students and staff deserve to learn and work in spaces with safe, effective ventilation systems,” he said in a statement. It's the second year that Petrie-Norris has proposed redirecting school HVAC funding to electricity bills, as well as the second year that school advocates have proposed extending the funding deadline, which was established in 2020's AB 841. A similar bill proposed last year by former Assemblymember Phil Ting died before it received a floor vote.



WECA's Southern California Government Relations Representative Dave Everett gives Riverside City Councilman Chuck Condor a tour of WECA Riverside's labs.

Councilman Visits Riverside City Councilman Chuck Condor recently toured WECA Riverside for a discussion about workforce development. Joined by Dave Everett with WECA’s Government Affairs team, Condor sat down to learn more about WECA’s commitment to apprenticeship, training and safety. Currently, the City of Riverside is looking at several construction projects, including a $32.8 million construction contract to bring the Museum of Riverside closer to reopening and a proposed 126-acre sports complex. On the tour, WECA highlighted the great opportunity that apprenticeships are for students and how beneficial it is for young adults to begin adulthood debt-free. Thank you, Riverside Councilman Chuck Condor, for taking time out of your busy schedule to learn more about our members and students!

NABTU Sues Over PLA Exemption North America’s Building Trades Unions filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia recently against two federal agencies and their chiefs for ignoring a still-in-effect executive order from former President Joe Biden requiring project labor agreements on some federal jobs. They asked the court to enjoin the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration from foregoing PLA use, as the Biden-era order remains on the books. Since Trump took office, he has enacted a flurry of executive orders undoing many Biden-era policies, and in January, a judge severely weakened the case for the federal government to use PLAs, but NABTU argues that the original order is still in effect. Story

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New Building for California Lawmakers Costing as Much as an NFL Stadium Leaders overseeing California's Capitol Annex project refuse to explain the cost of what will be one of the most expensive buildings in the United States. The $1.1 billion (and counting) Capitol Annex Project had an original cost estimate of $543.2 million in 2018. Within the next few years, the building will house offices for the state’s 120 lawmakers, the governor, lieutenant governor, and staff. It will also have committee hearing rooms where lawmakers debate and vote on various issues. The price tag is also expected to pay for a parking garage, but maybe not a new visitors' center on the west side of the historic state capitol building. Story

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When Headless PAGAs Attack! A split in authority has developed in the California Courts of Appeal regarding what to do when an employer moves to compel arbitration of a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) that is “headless”—that is, a claim seeking penalties on behalf of all allegedly aggrieved employees except the named plaintiff. (This is the latest trick the plaintiff’s bar has come up with to thwart enforceable arbitration agreements, because if there’s one thing plaintiffs’ lawyers hate, it’s arbitration!)

In Leeper v. Shipt, Inc., the court held that a PAGA claim cannot be headless, so in this circumstance, the “individual” PAGA claim is implied and can be compelled to arbitration. On the other hand, Parra Rodriguez v. Packers Sanitation, Inc. held that a court must take the complaint as it finds it and cannot “imply” an individual PAGA claim that was not pled.

The California Supreme Court has granted review of Leeper to answer two questions:

1. Does every PAGA action necessarily include both individual and non-individual PAGA claims, regardless of whether the complaint specifically alleges individual claims?
2. Can a plaintiff choose to bring only a non-individual PAGA action?

Story

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Changes to WC Mandate? To address concerns that some construction contractor applicants or licensees were providing a certification of exemption even though they had employees, SB 216 (Dodd, Chapter 978, Statues of 2022) expanded the license classifications required to have a Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance on file with the CSLB to include the C-8 (Concrete), C-20 (HVAC), C-22 (Asbestos Abatement), and D-49 (Tree Service), regardless if the contractor has employees, effective January 1, 2023, and additionally required that all licensing classifications (regardless of employee status) obtain workers’ compensation beginning January 1, 2026. Before the passage of SB 216, only a C-39 (Roofing) contractor was required to have workers’ compensation insurance regardless of the number of employees.

The impetus for the CSLB’s sponsorship of SB 216 stemmed from enforcement-related work conducted by the CSLB. The CSLB reported that between January 2018 and March 2020, it issued 500 stop-work orders to licensed contractors on job sites for failure to secure workers’ compensation. It also took 342 legal actions against licensed contractors for workers’ compensation insurance violations. In addition, in 2017, CSLB conducted an audit of a sample of contractors in four classifications that perform outdoor construction likely to require multiple workers: C-8 (Concrete), C-12 (Earthwork/Paving), C-27 (Landscaping), and D-49 (Tree Trimming). The survey revealed that 59% of contractors audited had false workers’ compensation exemptions on file with the CSLB. Contractors who file a false workers’ compensation exemption are subject to disciplinary action and cancellation of the false exemption, which subjects the license to suspension.

SB 1455 and Sunset Review. The CSLB is subject to the joint sunset oversight review process. In December 2023, the CSLB submitted its required sunset review report to this committee and the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions. That report noted significant challenges stemming from the implementation of SB 216. The report highlighted concerns that the implementation of SB 216 would have had a greater impact on CSLB’s workload than anticipated and could potentially increase license processing times. At that time, in early 2024, the CSLB reported the following concerning the issue of implementing the requirement for workers’ compensation coverage:

“If the 2026 mandate in SB 216 took effect today, approximately 115,000 contractors would currently need a policy. CSLB may expect 10 percent of licensees to stop paying to maintain a license, resulting in a possible loss of $8 million to CSLB’s fund that may impact enforcement operations. Staff also anticipates a significant increase in document processing with an increase in certificates and possibly applications to inactivate or cancel licenses. Staff will need to explore an entirely online certificate process or pursue a partnership with the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau to assist with the tracking and registering of certificates…

…As to workforce issues, contractors have expressed concern about being forced to pay for a policy that does not benefit them. There has always been a concern with any requirement of this nature that a percentage of licentiate will “go underground” instead of paying for workers’ compensation insurance.”

As a result of the concern raised concerning those potential licensees who may qualify for an exemption and to address the administrative workload impacts from the CSLB, SB 1455 (Ashby, Chapter 485, Statutes of 2024) paused the requirement for all licensees to have workers’ compensation coverage, regardless of employee status by January 1, 2026, and instead delayed implementation of the requirement until January 1, 2028, and additionally required the CSLB to establish a process, no later than January 1, 2027, to verify through and audit or other means that a contractor applicant or licensee may not have employees.

Although SB 1455 provided the CSLB with additional time to implement the requirement that all licensees obtain workers’ compensation as part of the licensure or renewal process and further required the CSLB to establish a process to verify that an applicant or licensee may legitimately not have employees, the CSLB has instead sponsored this bill as a means to achieve the legislative directive in SB 1455.

Instead of mandating workers’ compensation coverage for all licensees, as required by SB 216, SB 291 (Grayson) would instead exempt a licensee who self-certifies that they have no employees and whose work includes labor and materials, which are no more than $2,000, from the requirement to have workers’ compensation coverage. SB 291 specifies that a $2,000 contract cannot be split into more than one contract for the project to avoid the coverage requirements. This bill would remove the previous mandate for a C-8 (Concrete), D-49 (Tree Service), and C-20 (Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) licensee to have workers’ compensation, regardless of employee status, and allow these licensees to self-certify that they do not have employees. This bill will now require only a C-39 (roofing contractor) to obtain workers’ compensation insurance regardless of employee status.

To address the Legislature’s mandate that the CSLB establish a process to verify that a licensee or applicant who states that they do not have any employees, SB 291 would require the CSLB to establish as part of the application and renewal process, an open book examination, which will require applicants and licensees to answer questions correctly regarding workers’ compensation laws.

Under current law, BPC § 7126 explicitly states that any licensee or agent who violates the workers’ compensation requirements under existing law is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill adds new civil penalties for violating the requirement to have workers’ compensation insurance for those applicants and licensees who have employees, in addition to the current misdemeanor penalties. The civil penalties range between $10,000 and $30,000, depending on the license type and the number of violations received.

Policy Issues Raised by Committee The Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee raised several points about this proposed retreat when it heard the bill on April 21.

Is an open-book examination sufficient? Will an open-book examination aid the CSLB in evaluating whether or not a licensee truly has no employees? The exam may be duplicative, as the content should be included in the Law and Business exam, which is already a requirement for licensure. The examination adds another step in the licensure and renewal process, which could increase application and renewal processing timeframes, costs for printing and mailing the exam, and may not ensure the applicant or licensee has a sufficient understanding of the law.

Rolling back previous workers’ compensation requirements for higher risk classifications. SB 216 required four different licensing classifications to obtain workers’ compensation insurance regardless of employee status. The classifications include asbestos abatement contractors, concrete contractors, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractors, and tree service contractors. As currently drafted, this bill would roll back the requirement for these licensing classifications to be mandated to have workers’ compensation insurance, regardless of employees, and allow them to file an exemption if they contract for less than $2,000. This rollback does not take into account prior research conducted by the CSLB. Could this bill place those licensees or employees at risk? The CSLB may need to complete an updated industry study on those licensing classifications that may be able to operate without employees.

Are there potential workarounds for the $2,000 contract threshold? This bill would allow a licensee to self-certify that they have no employees if they contract for a project (labor and materials) less than $2,000 and specifies that the contract cannot be broken into multiple contracts to avoid the $2,000 threshold. Unfortunately, this exemption could potentially be circumvented. The $2,000 threshold appears to be arbitrary and does not reflect any study conducted by the CSLB finding that only contracts offered at $2,000 or less ensures that a licensee would be eligible for an exemption, or that any contract higher would require employees.

Does this bill satisfy the legislative mandate for an audit or other proof to verify an applicant or licensee’s eligibility for a workers’ compensation exemption? The CSLB is required to establish a process and procedure that may include an audit, proof, or other means to verify that an applicant or licensee is eligible for an exemption from the requirement to obtain workers’ compensation insurance by January 1, 2027 (BPC § 7125.7). It’s unclear if the provisions of this bill satisfy the legislative mandate for the CSLB to establish a process to verify if a licensee may not have any employees and would be eligible for an exemption. The proposed increased civil penalty and open book examination are not comparable to an audit or providing proof that an applicant or licensee does not have employees.

To address the concerns raised above, the author agreed to amend the bill to strike the current contents of this bill, except the increased penalties for violating the current workers’ compensation coverage requirements and the inclusion of disciplinary actions related to workers’ compensation violations in the report the CSLB submits annually to the Legislature, to provide greater insight into the current number of violations for workers compensation exemptions. In addition, to reinforce that the Legislature already provided time for the CSLB to address the issue of verifying employee status, this bill should clarify that the CSLB must provide a mechanism no later than January 1, 2027, to effectively determine whether a licensee has no employees and qualifies for an exemption to the workers compensation coverage requirements and report back to the Legislature.

With those amendments, the Committee approved the bill 11-0.

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Trump Orders Federal Procurement Overhaul President Trump ordered federal agencies to overhaul their procurement systems and regulations. According to Federal News Network, this is the biggest effort to modernize how federal agencies buy products and services since Congress passed the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act and the Federal Acquisition Reform Act into law in the ’90s.

Trump’s April 15 executive order said the FAR had evolved “into an excessive and overcomplicated regulatory framework.” He called for it to include only those “provisions required by statute or essential to sound procurement,” and said any provisions that do not advance these objectives should be removed.

In a second order on April 16, Trump also directed agencies to purchase only commercially available products and services, rather than unique government systems or custom solutions, unless they are given a waiver from the agency’s approval authority. Story

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Former Edison Executive Calderon, Now A Lawmaker, Seeks to Cut Rooftop Solar Credits Nearly 2 million California rooftop solar owners could lose the energy credits that help them cover what they spent to install the expensive, climate-friendly systems under a proposed bill. The bill’s author, Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whittier), is a former executive at Southern California Edison and its parent company, Edison International. She says the credits that rooftop solar owners receive when they send unused electricity to the grid raise the bills of customers who don’t own the panels. Assembly Bill 942 would limit the program’s benefits to 10 years, half the 20-year period the state had told the rooftop owners they would receive. The bill would also cancel the solar contracts if the home were sold. Story

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Steve Hilton, Former Fox News Host, Is Running for California Governor Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host who has also worked in conservative politics in Britain, announced on Monday that he was running to become California’s next governor. Mr. Hilton is the second prominent Republican to enter the 2026 race, but he faces difficult odds. California voters have not elected a Republican to statewide office since they re-elected Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. Story

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Here's Where Your Tax Dollars Are Going Individual income taxes are the largest source of tax revenues and half of total annual receipts. Here's what they support in the federal budget. More



From Hostile to Union Leaders to Vacationing with Them Leaders at the Chula Vista Elementary School District once had an adversarial relationship with the teachers’ union. That’s changed in the years since Francisco Tamayo, a former union leader in the Sweetwater Union High School District, joined the Chula Vista school board. With Tamayo on the Chula Vista Elementary District Board, Voice of San Diego reports, the district’s teachers’ union has gotten pay raises five of the last eight years and won concessions from district leaders – even as the district faces a $15 million budget deficit this year. Tamayo’s partnership with union president Rosi Martinez has made those gains possible. Martinez and Tamayo both say their relationship is professional. But their close ties have provoked questions about accountability. Story

Clashing Compromises Chavez’ Celebration Assemblymember Corey Jackson recently confronted Assemblymember Carl DeMaio on the body’s floor over remarks about a resolution celebrating labor leader Cesar Chavez ahead of the state-observed holiday Cesar Chavez Day. Chavez’s views on undocumented immigrants were complicated and related to their role as strikebreakers when he was organizing the United Farm Workers union in the 1960s and 1970s.

DeMaio, a San Diego Republican known for needling Democrats, drew attention to this with his floor speech. “During his life, Cesar Chavez spoke out against illegal immigration while affirming legal immigration,” DeMaio said. “He was a strong voice for the Latino community and Latino workers in our country while also holding concerns and opposing illegal immigration.”

Jackson, a Riverside-area Democrat, took issue with this frame, calling it “very disrespectful to the heroes of our communities” and leaving his seat to chastise DeMaio at his desk. “You should be disgusted [with] yourself,” he yelled. “Grow a soul for a change. That’s a piece of crap move.”

DeMaio remained seated at his desk during the interaction while Assemblymember Tina McKinnor and Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry stood in front of Jackson, and Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal tugged at his arm and guided him away.

DeMaio later claimed in an X post Jackson “physically lunged” at him. However, the video that accompanied the post also appeared to show DeMaio smiling during the face-off. The incident was reminiscent of a similar exchange that took place last year, when Jackson and Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli got into a dispute during a tense floor debate over a bill banning school districts from outing transgender students. [Politico]

And in related news, Former Assemblymember Bill Essayli is wasting no time jumping into his new job as U.S. attorney. Essayli announced a federal task force to investigate “fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption involving funds allocated toward the eradication of homelessness” in the state’s Central District. He threatened arrests if the task force finds federal violations. “California has spent more than $24 billion over the past five years to address homelessness,” Essayli said in a statement. “But officials have been unable to account for all the expenditures and outcomes, and the homeless crisis has only gotten worse. Taxpayers deserve answers for where and how their hard-earned money has been spent.”

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Copper Caper Clampdown The Fresno City Council will take a swing at fighting copper theft with an ordinance that could mean jail time for having more than 10 pounds without a legitimate purpose. The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a similar ordinance recently. It was introduced by Supervisors Garry Bredefeld and Nathan Magsig. The county ordinance prohibits receiving, possessing and transporting more than 10 pounds of commercial grade wire stripped of its protective sheathing, except by a licensed business.

An afternoon news conference after the supervisors’ vote brought out business, farming and elected officials from the county and city of Fresno. The action represents a collaborative effort to fight copper theft, which causes tens of thousands of dollars in damages to water pumps and machinery for something worth about $3.25 a pound from a recycler.

At the Fresno City Council’s meeting on Thursday, April 10, members will consider an ordinance that goes even further with penalties in city limits. It was introduced by Council President Mike Karbassi and Councilmembers Annalisa Perea and Tyler Maxwell.

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Utah’s Mike Lee won the energy gavel. Now what? It's been more than three months since Mike Lee took control of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and colleagues and advocates are still wondering how the Utah Republican will use his perch, writes Kelsey Brugger. Lee, who has a deeply conservative voting record, has been pushing politically difficult ideas like selling public lands and retooling environmental laws. But he is not known for being a schmoozer or dealmaker. [Politico]

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DA to Diversion The California State Bar is sending San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to a diversion program after a series of ethics complaints against her. Story

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Commissioner Compromises Career With less than two years left in his final term, Insurance Commissioner (you know we have one, right?) Ricardo Lara has been using what appears to be a shell campaign committee to pay for nearly $30,000 in meals and drinks at some of the country’s fanciest restaurants and bars, according to an investigation by The Standard. Almost a third of these charges were listed as campaign meetings, and it’s unclear who Lara has been wining and dining during meals costing hundreds or, in at least one case, more than $1,000. Story

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WECA’s Government Relations Surveys Legislation At its April meeting, WECA’s Government Relations Committee adopted the following positions:

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. WECA Position: SIA (Support if Amended)

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 WECA Position: Support

AB 296 (Davies - R) This bill would require school districts and schools to host at least one apprenticeship fair event during each school year. WECA Position: Support

AB 303 (Addis - D) Restricts new installations of utility size BESS WECA Position: Oppose

AB 305 (Arambula - D) This bill would exempt small modular reactors from existing law prohibiting new nuclear power plant construction until it’s too late. WECA Position: Support

AB 306 (Schultz - D) It proposes a moratorium on adopting or modifying new state and local building standards affecting residential units from June 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, with limited exceptions. WECA Position: Support

AB 345 (Jackson - D) Implements a deadline by which the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) must render a decision on an application for a new apprenticeship program outside of the building and construction trades and firefighting programs and provides for conditional approval if certain conditions are met. WECA Position: Watch

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. 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. WECA Position: Support

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. WECA Position: Watch

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. WECA Position: Watch

AB 667 (Solache - D) Requires CSLB to provide examination interpreters WECA Position: Watch

AB 742 (Elhawary - D) Requires CSLB to prioritize license applications from contractors who are descendants of American slaves WECA Position: Watch

AB 765 (Flora - R) Sponsored by Coalition for ETP and Jobs, this bill would prohibit money in the Employment Training Fund from being diverted, transferred, or otherwise used to pay the interest charged on federal loans to the Unemployment Fund or related liabilities without the approval of the Legislature by statute and a public report justifying the necessity for the diversion, transfer, or use. The bill would also make related findings and declarations. WECA Position: Support

AB 862 (Castillo - R) It requires the collection and reporting through the California School Dashboard (Dashboard) and Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) of the percentage of students who intend to enroll in college or specified careers. WECA Position: Support

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 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. WECA Position: Watch

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. WECA Position: Support

AB 1198 (Haney - D) Requires contractors to pay the new prevailing wage whenever DIR changes them. WECA Position: Oppose

AB 1221 (Bryan - D) This bill requires employers to notify workers 30 days before introducing any workplace surveillance tools. The notification must detail the data collected, its purpose, and the necessity of the surveillance. It prohibits the use of surveillance technologies that incorporate facial, gait, or emotion recognition. The Labor Commissioner is responsible for enforcing the bill, employees can take civil action for violations, and public prosecutors can also enforce the provisions. Employers violating the bill face a $500 civil penalty for each infraction. WECA Position: Oppose

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. WECA Position: Oppose

AB 1235 (Rogers - D) Prohibits a contractor from being prequalified for, shortlisted for, or awarded a design-build contract with the Trustees of the California State University unless the contractor provides an enforceable commitment to the trustees that the contractor and its subcontractors at every tier will use a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work on the project or contract WECA Position: Watch

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 WECA Position: Watch

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. WECA Position: Oppose

AB 1371 (Sharp-Collins - D) This bill would revise and recast existing law to, among other things, allow an employee to refuse to perform a task assigned by an employer if the employee has an apprehension that the performance of the assigned task would result in injury or illness to the employee or other employees. WECA Position: Oppose

SB 61 (Cortese - D) Limits the retention payment amount for a private work of improvement from exceeding five percent, subject to certain exceptions. WECA Position: Support

SB 75 (Smallwood-Cuevas - D) Creates a 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. WECA Position: Support

SB 84 (Niello - R) 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. WECA Position: Support

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 WECA Position: Oppose

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. WECA Position: SIA (Support if Amended)

SB 291 (Grayson - D) Repeals the requirement that all contractors must have a workers' compensation policy, except for roofers. WECA Position: Oppose

SB 310 (Wiener - D) Violates last year’s amendments to PAGA by permitting W&H penalties to be recovered through an independent civil action under PAGA. 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. WECA Position: Oppose

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. WECA Position: Oppose

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. WECA Position: Oppose

SCR 55 (Niello - R) Would declare the week of April 27, 2025, to May 3, 2025, inclusive, as “Apprenticeship Week” in the State of California and would request that the Governor issue a proclamation calling on the people of the great State of California to observe the week with appropriate programs and educational activities. WECA Position: Support