GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND
WELCOME TO SENATE LABOR
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT
AND RETIREMENT. WE HAVE, LET'S
SEE, 11 ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA
TODAY. SO A PACKED AGENDA. AND
WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS ARE
GOING TO BE RUNNING TO PRESENT
BILLS. SO WE ARE GOING TO START
BY ESTABLISHING A QUORUM AND
THEN MOVE TO CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO ASSISTANT PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. SMOLLETT. CUEVAS HERE.
SMOLLETT CUEVAS HERE. WILK.
PRESENT. WILK. PRESENT CORTEZ.
DURAZZO. HERE. DURAZZO HERE.
LAIRD. HERE. LAIRD. HERE. WE
HAVE A QUORUM. MADAM CHAIR, I
WOULD MOVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA. THANK
YOU FOR THE MOTION. ASSISTANT.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS I WILK
I WILK I CORTEZ. DURAZZO.
DURAZZO. I LAIRD I. LAIRD I.
OKAY. WITH A VOTE OF 4 TO 0, THE
CONSENT CALENDAR IS ON CALL.
WE'LL TAKE IT UP LATER ON THIS
AFTERNOON. ALL RIGHT. SEEING
SENATOR WAHAB, WE ARE GOING TO
MOVE TO FILE ITEM NUMBER ONE. SB
984. SENATOR, YOU MAY BEGIN.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, CHAIR. AND
COLLEAGUES AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS
PROVIDE PROPER COMPENSATION,
BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO
HARD WORKING CALIFORNIANS,
INCLUDING WOMEN VETERANS, BIPOC
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND JUSTICE
INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR
CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE. SB 984
REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC
SUBSTANCE CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF
GENERAL SERVICES, AND THE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AND
THE CALIFORNIA COURTS TO
IDENTIFY THREE MAJOR
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO BE
GOVERNED BY A PLA. BEGINNING IN
2029, SB 984 WILL ALSO REQUIRE
THESE AGENCIES TO REPORT
PROGRESS OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT
GOALS. APPRENTICESHIPS AND
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS ON
THEIR PROJECTS. SB 984 ENSURES
THE STATE'S INVESTMENTS IN
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE ARE
PROTECTED FROM COSTLY DELAYS AND
PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY JOBS. I
WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THESE
ARE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE'RE
PUTTING TO WORK, AND
SPECIFICALLY, I'M VERY MUCH
INTERESTED IN PUTTING AMERICANS
TO WORK, ESPECIALLY ON OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. SO I
HAVE TWO WITNESSES WITH ME. ONE
IS JEREMY SMITH OF STATE
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES
COUNCIL, AND, IT'S GOING TO BE
YOURS, ELMER, FROM THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. JEREMY SMITH HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE STATE BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL, THE
SPONSORS OF THIS IMPORTANT PIECE
OF LEGISLATION. GOOD MORNING TO
EVERYBODY. I LOOKING AROUND THE
DAIS, I KNOW THAT MOST OF YOU UP
THERE KNOW WHAT A PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT IS. I'M NOT GOING TO
DIVE DEEP INTO THE DEFINITION OF
THOSE, BUT TO SAY THAT THEY'RE
BASICALLY PRE-HIRE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENTS SPECIFIC
TO ONE PROJECT THAT LAYS OUT
ESSENTIALLY THE RULES OF THE
ROAD FOR A PROJECT. NOT ONLY
THAT, THE PREVAILING WAGE WILL
BE PAID WITH THE COMMENSURATE
BENEFITS, BUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO
DEAL WITH ISSUES ON THE JOB AS
THEY ARISE. IT MAKES IT VERY
CLEAR THAT FOR CONTRACTORS, WHEN
THEY DO THEIR BIDS, WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO BE BIDDING AT IN TERMS
OF WAGES AND BENEFITS. SO
THEY'RE ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
WITH OTHER CONTRACTORS THAT
MAYBE ARE LOW ROAD AND DON'T
WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES. IT
ALSO THEY ALSO PROVIDE WORKPLACE
PROTECTIONS AND LABOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT, IN THIS TIME OF FEW
, INSPECTORS AT CAL OSHA AND
DLSS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
WORKERS ON JOB SITES. AND
ADDITIONALLY, AS I'LL POINT OUT
IN A SECOND, ON A SPECIFIC
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT, THEY
ARE ABLE TO BE CRAFTED TO THE
NEEDS OF AN INDIVIDUAL
COMMUNITY. I HAVE SEEN PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENTS THAT REQUIRE
TARGETED HIRING DOWN TO THE ZIP
CODE LEVEL, IN SAN DIEGO,
THERE'S A PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY WATER
AUTHORITY THAT I'LL GO THROUGH
IN A SECOND. THAT GOES EVEN
FURTHER. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT ANY QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR
CAN BID FOR WORK UNDER A PLA.
MANY AGREEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC
SECTOR CONTAIN SPECIAL
ACCOMMODATIONS TO MAKE IT EASIER
FOR CONTRACTORS THAT DO NOT
ORDINARILY WORK UNDER COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENTS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT. FOR,
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME AGREEMENTS
PERMIT CONTRACTORS TO BRING SOME
OF THEIR OWN CORE WORKERS ONTO
THE PROJECT. FURTHERMORE, THIS
BILL IS PUTTING INTO STATUTE
RIGHT UNDER, PUBLIC CONTRACT
CODE SECTION 2500, THERE ARE
RULES ABOUT WHAT IS REQUIRED IN
A PUBLIC PLA, WHICH IS GERMANE
TO THIS BILL. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS IN A PUBLIC PLA THAT
MUST, BE CLEAR IS THAT
PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION BASED
ON, REPRESENTATION IN A LABOR
ORGANIZATION, ON BOTH THE
CONTRACTOR SIDE AND THE WORKER
SIDE, I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY RUN
THROUGH A FEW PLA IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR THAT THAT EXIST. IF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR CAN DO PLA AND
IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE PROFIT,
PROFIT MOTIVE SHOULD BE GOOD
ENOUGH FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, THE SACRAMENTO KINGS
ARENA, THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
ARENA. AND I'M HOCKEY TEAM.
ANYTHING A VISITOR SEES AT
DISNEYLAND IS UNDER A PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENT, THE LA RAMS
STADIUM, THE CLIPPER STADIUM,
THE LUCAS MUSEUM, SEVERAL OF THE
MAJOR MOVIE STUDIOS. AND WE ALSO
HAVE A PLA NOW DOWN IN THE
IMPERIAL VALLEY ON LITHIUM
EXTRACTION, WHICH IS VERY
IMPORTANT IN THIS IN OUR
DISCUSSIONS ON GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS, THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC
PLA EXIST. THERE'S ONE ON THE
HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY
PROJECT. THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY
AIRPORT, LÀ COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT, LA USD, THE CITY OF
LA, THE COUNTY OF LA LA, DWP,
THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT,
THE TRANS BAY CENTER DOWN IN SAN
FRANCISCO WHICH IN THE FIRST
PHASE WILL PROVIDE 5.7 MILLION
WORK HOURS. BART HAS A PLA, YOU
SEE. THEY WORK FOR PUBLIC
AGENCIES AND THEY WORK FOR THE
PRIVATE SECTOR TO FINALLY, I
JUST WANTED TO FINISH WITH THAT
SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER
AUTHORITY, PLA. THIS PLA HAS A
FOLLOWING DEFINITION OF TARGETED
WORKERS. THE TYPES OF WORKERS
REQUIRED TO BE ON PROJECTS
CARRIED OUT BY THE AUTHORITY. A
TARGETED WORKER I'M READING
DIRECTLY FROM THE PLA IS A
WORKER WHO IS A VETERAN. AN
APPRENTICE WITH LESS THAN 15% OF
THE WORK HOURS REQUIRED FOR
COMPLETION, HAS NO HIGH SCHOOL
DIPLOMA OR GED, IS HOMELESS, IS
A FORMER FOSTER YOUTH, IS A
CUSTODIAL SINGLE PARENT. HAS A
DOCUMENTED INCOME AT OR BELOW
100% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY
LEVEL. IS FORMALLY INCARCERATED,
AND IS, I THINK I MENTIONED IS A
CUSTODIAL SINGLE PARENT. SO WE
CAN CRAFT PLA THAT SPECIFIC. SO
WE TARGETED HIRE IN AREAS OF
COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUALS. WE WANT
TO GET INTO APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS AND STARTED ON THEIR
CONSTRUCTION CAREER, THIS IS
WHAT A PLA CAN MEAN TO A
COMMUNITY. WE THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE TO TAKE
THIS STEP. WE URGE YOUR AYE VOTE
TODAY. THANK YOU. JUST IN TIME.
THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR MEMBERS, ELMER
LOZADA HERE WITH THE CALIFORNIA
LABOR FEDERATION. TWO YEARS AGO,
PRESIDENT BIDEN ENACTED HIS
EXECUTIVE ORDER REQUIRING PLAS
FOR ANY MAJOR STATE CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT WOULD COST GREATER THAN
$35 MILLION. AND SB 94 BUILDS ON
THIS FEDERAL MODEL BY EXTENDING
THE SAME REQUIREMENTS TO STATE
AGENCIES FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE
STATE FUNDED PROJECTS, LIKE THE
SENATOR MENTIONED, CALIFORNIA
SHOULD CONTINUE BUILDING ON
THESE EXISTING LABOR MODELS
WHENEVER POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY
WHEN THEY CAN HELP CREATE
QUALITY JOBS IN KEY INDUSTRIES.
PLAS ARE AN INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE
AND PROVEN TOOL THAT HELP
DELIVER COMPLETED PROJECTS ON
TIME AND ON BUDGET, THEREBY
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS BY
ELIMINATING COSTLY DELAYS. PLA
ALSO OFFER INVALUABLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH
TRADITIONAL BARRIERS OF
EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THEY OFTEN
INCLUDE LOCAL HIRE AND
APPRENTICESHIP SLASH
PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
GOALS, AS MENTIONED, THAT CREATE
MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO LIFE
SUSTAINING CAREERS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, AS
CALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO SPEND
THESE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON
MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, IT
SHOULD LOOK TO MAXIMIZE THOSE
DOLLARS BY BUILDING PROJECTS
WITH A SKILLED WORKFORCE THAT
HAS PAID GOOD WAGES AND BENEFITS
BOTH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
ALIKE. BRIEFLY, SB 94 HELPS
ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY
INCREASING PLA USE IN CALIFORNIA
AND ENSURING THAT MORE OF THE
STATE'S CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
ARE COMPLETED EFFICIENTLY WHILE
CREATING GREATER OPPORTUNITIES
FOR GOOD UNION JOBS AND A PATH
TO THE MIDDLE CLASS, THANK YOU.
AND FOR THESE REASONS, WE
SUPPORT SB 94. THANK YOU SO NOW
WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL.
MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, SCOTT
WELCH, ON BEHALF OF THE 125,000
MEMBERS OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION
OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS, 55,000
MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA
COALITION OF UTILITY EMPLOYEES,
THE 30,000 MEMBERS OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PIPE TRADES
COUNCIL, THE 30,000 MEMBERS OF
THE WESTERN STATES COUNCIL OF
SHEET METAL WORKERS, AND THE
ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS UNION.
SINCE WE DIDN'T FILL ALL OF OUR
TIME, JUST ONE FACT THAT I THINK
IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMITTEE
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS WERE
UPHELD AS CONSTITUTIONAL BY THE
US SUPREME COURT IN 1986. THAT
WAS A REAGAN-BUSH COURT. THE
SAME YEAR, IT WAS UPHELD BY THE
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT. THAT
WAS A PETE WILSON GEORGE
DEUKMEJIAN COURT. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. JUST NAME, MADAM
CHAIR MEMBERS, CHRIS WALKER, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA SHEET
METAL AIR CONDITIONING
CONTRACTORS, 300 CONTRACTORS
STATEWIDE IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR,
MEMBERS, EDDIE BERNACCHI, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE OF THE
PLUMBING, HEATING AND PIPING
INDUSTRY AND THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
ASSOCIATION, REPRESENTING OVER
3000 UNION SIGNATORY ELECTRICAL,
MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING
CONTRACTOR STATEWIDE IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. VINCE SEGRUE ON
BEHALF OF SMART SHEET METAL
WORKERS LOCAL 104, IN SUPPORT.
MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS LOUIS COSTA
IN SUPPORT, ON BEHALF OF SMART
TRANSPORTATION DIVISION IN
SUPPORT. SHANE GUSMAN ON BEHALF
OF THE TEAMSTERS IN SUPPORT.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL?
OKAY. WE WILL MOVE TO OPPOSITION
WITNESS. IS THERE OPPOSITION
WITNESS SPEAKING? YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES. GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS FELIPE
FUENTES AND I'M HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL
CONTRACTORS OF CALIFORNIA. WE
ARE AN ASSOCIATION THAT'S OVER
100 YEARS OLD WITH ALMOST A
THOUSAND GENERAL CONTRACTORS
BUILDING CALIFORNIA'S
INFRASTRUCTURE. HEAVY CIVIL
PROJECTS LIKE ROADS AND
HIGHWAYS, UNDERGROUND UTILITIES,
TREATMENT PLANTS, COMMERCIAL AND
RESIDENTIAL VERTICAL
CONSTRUCTION. WE'RE HERE TODAY
IN OPPOSITION TO SB 984, WHICH
WOULD MANDATE PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS ON SPECIFIED STATE
PUBLIC WORKS. WHILE THE MEASURE
HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED TO BE A
PILOT FOR A FEW PROJECTS, IT
STILL SETS A VERY BAD PRECEDENT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE PLA MANDATES
WOULD PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS IN
TWO VERY DISTINCT INSTANCES. THE
FIRST KNOW THAT AGC CONTRACTORS
ARE ABOUT TWO THIRDS UNION AND
ONE THIRD OPEN SHOP, NONUNION
CONTRACTORS. BUT WE ALL HAVE TO
COMPLY WITH THE SKILLED AND
TRAINED WORKFORCE, WHICH IS TO
SAY THAT WE PROCURE OUR
WORKFORCE FROM SKILLED AND
TRAINED FROM APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS THAT ARE DER CERTIFIED.
SO IN THIS CASE, OUR SAN DIEGO
AGC CHAPTER THAT RUNS A DIR
CERTIFICATED APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM, THEIR WORKFORCE, THEIR
GRADUATE, WOULD BE COMPROMISED
AND DISADVANTAGED IF THEY GO IN
WORK FOR A NONUNION EMPLOYER. SO
THAT IS A PROBLEM. BUT I THINK,
MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGE HERE IS THAT MANDATING
PLAS SUPERSEDES MASTER LABOR
AGREEMENTS THAT ARE CONTRACTORS
ALREADY ENJOY WITH OUR LABOR
PARTNERS. EVERY THREE YEARS, WE
NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AT THE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TABLE WITH
THE LABORERS, OPERATING
ENGINEERS, CEMENT MASONS,
TEAMSTERS, IRONWORKERS AND
CARPENTERS. PLAS WILL SUPERSEDE
THAT AGREEMENT. AND SO WHAT
HAPPENS HERE IS THAT WE THEN
HAVE TO, AS CONTRACTORS, UNION
CONTRACTORS, SET ASIDE OUR
WORKFORCE WITH WHICH WE HAVE A
LONG RELATIONSHIP THAT'S BEEN
PREBID OR PRE-PROJECT AND SET
THAT ASIDE FOR WHATEVER IT IS
THAT THE STATE DECIDES TO
NEGOTIATE WITH THE STATE
BUILDING TRADES. I'LL GIVE YOU A
GREAT EXAMPLE. THE DGS BUILDING
RENOVATION HERE ON NINTH STREET
THAT'S TAKING PLACE IS AN
EXCELLENT PROJECT THAT MAKES THE
GOALS OF THIS BILL REAL, BUT
IT'S DONE THROUGH MASTER LABOR
AGREEMENTS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO
THAT EFFECTIVELY. SO HAVING
CONTRACTORS WADE INTO
JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES BECAUSE
OF A PLA OVERLAID WITH AN MLA.
20S. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MADAM,
DOING THAT OVERLAY PUTS
CONTRACTORS IN A POSITION TO
HAVE TO PICK ONE GROUP OF LABOR
OVER ANOTHER. AND FOR THOSE
REASONS, WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP
THIS BILL IN COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR,
MEMBERS, DANNY CURTIN,
CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE OF
CARPENTERS I WANT TO START BY
SAYING EVERYBODY ON THAT SIDE
WHOSE ELECTED OFFICIAL WE
RECOGNIZE AS FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF
WORKERS AND WORKERS RIGHTS,
THERE ARE SOME LITTLE
DISAGREEMENTS NOW AND THEN, BUT
I THINK WE OWE YOU AN
EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE
CARPENTERS ARE NOT SUPPORTING
THIS BILL AND ACTUALLY OPPOSING
IT. THE MAJOR ISSUE IS THIS
TURNS PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS
FROM A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON MAY
DO TO A SHALL DO, WHICH CHANGES
THE DYNAMICS OF THOSE WHO ARE AT
THE TABLE. IT IS INCUMBENT NOW
ON A PUBLIC AGENCY TO HAVE A
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT,
ALTHOUGH IT'S BEEN NARROWED
QUITE A BIT. THAT MEANS THAT THE
OTHER PARTY TO THAT PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENT ACTUALLY HAS
VETO POWER OVER THAT PROJECT.
THAT'S A MISTAKE FOR A PUBLIC
AGENCY. SOME CAN DO THESE IN
AREAS WHERE THEY DO THEM. LOS
ANGELES IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. THEY
ARE MUTUALLY AGREED UPON. SO THE
QUESTION IS WHO NEGOTIATES THE
AGREEMENT? THE CARPENTERS ARE
NOT MEMBERS OF THE OF THE
BUILDING TRADES FOR ALMOST THREE
DECADES, MAYBE MORE NOW FOR THE
SAME REASONS WE'RE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION. WHO NEGOTIATES THE
AGREEMENT? WE'RE NOT AT THE
TABLE, SO WE DON'T GET TO BE A
PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS OF WHO
DOES WHAT WORK. I'M GOING TO GO
THROUGH THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE I
KNOW YOU'VE GOT AN EYE ON THAT
PUBLIC WORKS ONLY PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENTS. THEY DON'T NEED
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS. IT'S
PREVAILING WAGES, THE HIGHEST
WAGE STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY.
NOBODY PAYS HIGHER THAN
PREVAILING WAGES. SO THAT'S NOT
AN ISSUE HERE. IT'S A QUESTION
OF REALLY WHO IS DOING WHAT
WORK. AND THAT WAS MENTIONED A
MINUTE AGO. WHAT PROJECT, WHAT
PREVAILING WAGES DOES IS LEVEL
THE PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL
CONTRACTORS. THEY GOT TO SHARPEN
THEIR PENCILS. THEY GOT TO RUN
THE JOB PROPERLY. THEY GOT TO
INNOVATE AND BUY MORE EQUIPMENT.
IF THEY WANT TO BRING THEIR
COSTS DOWN, YOU'RE HURTING THE
PUBLIC AGENCIES, JURISDICTIONS.
WELL, LET ME GO BACK A SECOND IF
I CAN. IF I'VE GOT TIME IN THE
HOUSING DEBATES WE HAD OVER THE
LAST TWO YEARS, WE CAME UP WITH
PREVAILING WAGES, NOT PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENTS. 20S 1010 OH,
STOP NOW. OKAY. JURISDICTIONS
ARE THE MAJOR PROBLEM HERE.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE RESOLVED
BY THIS. THEY WILL BE MADE
WORSE. AND THERE IS NO
MANAGEMENT. I MEAN, NO
ENFORCEMENT. IT DIR IS 40%
UNDERDONE UNDER ENFORCED. THEY
HAVE NOBODY OUT THERE. WE NEED
SELF ENFORCEMENT. WE NEED
AGREEMENTS. AND IT CAN BE
BASICALLY DONE BY AGREEMENT NOT
BY FORCED AGREEMENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS
BILL? PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR
NAME, ORGANIZATION AND POSITION.
WE HAVE A, I THINK A FEW
SPEAKERS, SO WE WANT TO GET
THROUGH IT. GOOD MORNING,
SENATORS. I'M RICHARD MARCUSSEN
AND I WILL RESPECT THE
COMMITTEE'S TWO AND TWO RULE. I
REPRESENT 18,000 JOURNEY
WORKERS, APPRENTICES AND
CONTRACTORS WHO REPRESENT THE
PLUMBING, HEATING AND COOLING
CONTRACTORS OF CALIFORNIA. THE
WESTERN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
ASSOCIATION, THE CALIFORNIA
CHAPTERS OF THE AMERICAN FIRE
SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION, AND THE
INDEPENDENT ROOFING CONTRACTORS
OF CALIFORNIA, ALL IN OPPOSITION
. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, ASHLEY HOFFMAN, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION, FOR THE REASONS
STATED BY AGC, THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR TRACY
STEVENS. ON BEHALF OF THE
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS
ASSOCIATION, ALSO RESPECTFULLY
OPPOSED. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, MR. WILK. ON BEHALF OF
THE 80,000 MEN AND WOMEN WHO
WORK FOR ASSOCIATED BUILDING AND
CONTRACTORS, EMPLOYERS ALSO IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, SENATORS MATTHEW
ESTIPONA WITH THE ASSOCIATED
BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER, AND
WHOSE MEMBER COMPANIES HAVE
SUBMITTED LETTERS IN OPPOSITION
IN THE COMMITTEE ANALYSIS. THANK
YOU. WE ARE OPPOSED. IT LOOKS
LIKE THAT'S IT FOR THOSE
SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, THE BILL
. SO WE WILL MOVE TO THE
MEMBERS, MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS
QUESTIONS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY
TO THE SENATOR I APPRECIATE YOU
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD. WE
TALKED ABOUT IT IN GEO
YESTERDAY, YOU KNOW, PLAS, ARE
IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER OF
FACTORS BECAUSE YOU CAN BUILD IN
ALL KINDS OF GREAT COMMUNITY
BENEFITS THAT HELP US ACCOMPLISH
A, A TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE AND A
WIN WIN VICTORY, I KNOW THAT
THIS BILL REQUIRES DGS TO REPORT
ON PLAS AND TO LOOK AT WHAT OUR
FUTURE GOALS CAN BE LIKE FOR
UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITIES. BUT
I'M WONDERING HOW YOU'RE
THINKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AND
COMPLIANCE ON THIS, AND WHAT ARE
THE WAYS THAT WE ENSURE THAT, AS
WE TALKED ABOUT THE TARGETED
HIRING, AS WE TALKED ABOUT
MAKING SURE WE'RE BRINGING
COMMUNITIES INTO THIS WORK, THAT
THERE ARE TOOLS TO ENFORCE THAT
AT THE AGENCY LEVEL. AND THIS IS
REALLY ABOUT CONTRACTORS
COMPLYING WITH, THE
REQUIREMENTS. DEFINITELY I HEARD
YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, AND I KNOW
THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE
BOTH CARE ABOUT. I'M GOING TO
LET JEREMY GET INTO THE WEEDS OF
IT, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT WE CAN NARROW IT DOWN AND
GET AS DEEP AS, YOU KNOW,
PARTICULAR ZIP CODES, RIGHT? IF
THERE ARE CERTAIN PROJECTS OR IF
YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY IT'S A
REGION, AND WE'RE TRYING TO
TARGET AND RECRUIT FROM THOSE
SPECIFIC ZIP CODES. OBVIOUSLY,
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE
QUOTAS, RIGHT? BUT WE ARE
GENUINELY ALLOWED TO BE ABLE TO
RECRUIT AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE
HAVING THE RIGHT PEOPLE WORK ON
THESE PROJECTS. SO THAT'S FIRST
AND FOREMOST. NUMBER TWO IS THAT
I THINK THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
EXAMPLES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
MORE IN PARTICULAR, THAT THEY
HAVE DASHBOARDS. AND I KNOW YOU
AND I HAD A CONVERSATION THÀNH
WE'LL BARELY, REGARDING REAL
TIME. RIGHT? I KNOW THAT WAS ONE
OF YOUR CONCERNS, AND I BELIEVE
WITH TECHNOLOGY AND BEING ABLE
TO START PROJECTS AND SO FORTH,
AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE
CONTRACTORS HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY
TO SAY, OKAY, HOW MANY DAYS ARE
THEY DELAYED? HOW MUCH IS THIS
GOING TO IMPACT ME? AND THEY CAN
ALSO APPLY THAT TYPE OF
TECHNOLOGY TO SOME OF THE
RECRUITMENT EFFORTS WE HAVE. AND
JEREMY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ANSWER IN A LITTLE BIT MORE
THROUGH YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU.
THROUGH THE CHAIR, I THINK,
SENATOR WAHAB SPOKE ON THIS
ELOQUENTLY. THERE'S, AT THE
BUREAU OF CONTRACT
ADMINISTRATION AT THE CITY OF
LOS ANGELES. THERE IS A
DASHBOARD, AND YOU CAN SEARCH.
YOU CAN, PUT FILTERS ON THERE
FOR WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING
HIRED FROM. WHO ARE THEY, WHAT'S
THEIR AGE? WHAT'S THEIR LEVEL OF
EDUCATION? ALL THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY SUPPORTIVE OF
THAT DASHBOARD. WE I THINK, YOU
KNOW, PRESIDENT HANNON OF THE
STATE BUILDING TRADES, WHEN HE
WAS THE HEAD OF THE LA BUILDING
TRADES COUNCIL, HAD A HAD A VERY
FIRM HAND IN CREATING THAT
DASHBOARD. AND SO AS THE BILL
MOVES FORWARD, WE'D BE HAPPY TO
TALK TO YOU AND TO SENATOR
WAHAB, OF COURSE, ABOUT, MAKING
THAT MORE CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE
TRACK OUTCOMES. WE'RE 100%
SUPPORTIVE. APPRECIATE THAT
ANSWER AND ALWAYS HAPPY TO WORK
WITH THE GOOD SENATOR ON THIS.
ON THIS WORK. AND I THINK
WITHOUT ANY OTHER COMMENTS,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE,
SENATOR, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AN AYE VOTE. I KNOW THAT THIS IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF US TO PUT PEOPLE
TO WORK. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
AGAIN, THESE ARE TAX DOLLARS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE
, THE, THE BEATING DRUM OF LABOR
FOR DECADES HAS PRIORITIZED AND
HIGHLIGHTED PLAS AT A LOCAL
LEVEL AND ABROAD IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT. AND NOW IN THE LAST
YEAR OR TWO, WE HAVE GROUPS THAT
ARE, YOU KNOW, WALKING AWAY FROM
THAT AND THE REALITY IS, AGAIN,
THIS PARTICULAR BILL IS A FOOT
IN THE DOOR TO HIGHLIGHT THREE
PARTICULAR PROJECTS THAT THESE
AGENCIES CAN IDENTIFY, TO SAY,
WE'RE GOING TO TRY THIS, WE'RE
GOING TO SEE IF IT WORKS, WE'RE
GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN ABSORB
DATA AND SHARE IT. AND BY 2029,
A REPORT IS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT
TO SEE WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS,
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS. SO I
DO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
AND YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT IF
IT'S NOT WRITTEN ON PAPER, WE
CAN'T, 100% RELY ON THE GOOD
FAITH OF THOSE IN POWER TO, YOU
KNOW, ACTUALLY HELP COMMUNITY
OUT ACROSS THE BOARD, REGARDLESS
OF WHICH INDUSTRY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND DO I
HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU,
SENATOR RUSSO. WE HAVE A MOTION,
ASSISTANT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON FILE ITEM ONE. THE MOTION IS
Dð PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS, SMALL. CUEVAS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS I WILK I WILK
I CORTEZ. DURAZO DURAZO I LAIRD.
LAIRD. I ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THIS
BILL HAS A VOTE OF 4 TO 0. AND
IT'S ON CALL. THANK YOU. HAVE A
SECOND ONE. OKAY PERFECT. OKAY,
WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE. RIGHT TWO.
FIRST, SENATOR WAHAB, SB 1321.
ARE YOU READY TO PROCEED?
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK
YOU. LET ME JUST FIND IT. THERE
WE GO. ALL RIGHT. CHAIR.
COLLEAGUES AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY
ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS. AND I REALLY WANT TO
THANK THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR
REALLY WORKING WITH US ON
PARTICULAR LANGUAGE AND SO
FORTH. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT BILL. SB 1321 WILL
ENSURE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
FUNDED THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENT
TRAINING PANEL, PROVIDE HIGH
QUALITY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR WORKERS, WHICH IS SOMETHING
WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT. HOW CAN WE
ENSURE THAT WE'RE UPSKILLING
WORKERS, MANAGE MANUFACTURING,
CONSTRUCTION, CLEAN ENERGY AND
OTHER INDUSTRIES NEED TRAINED
WORKERS TO BUILD THE ECONOMY OF
TOMORROW, BUT THESE SKILLS ARE
NOT NECESSARILY READILY
AVAILABLE IN LOCAL PROGRAMS AND
SO FORTH. THE EMPLOYMENT
TRAINING PROGRAM FUNDS PROJECTS
THAT THE PROJECTS THAT CREATE
HIGH WAGE, HIGH SKILLED CAREER
PIPELINES FOR THESE WORKERS IN
THESE INDUSTRIES. THIS BILL
PROMOTES A HEALTHY LABOR MARKET
AND HELPS BUSINESSES INCREASE
THEIR COMPETITIVENESS TO SECURE
FEDERAL, PRIVATE SECTOR AND
OTHER NON-STATE FUNDS. SB 1321
ENSURES ETP IS INVESTING IN
QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAMS AND
PRIORITIZING RECRUITMENT OF
DISADVANTAGED WORKERS. I'D LIKE
TO INTRODUCE MY WITNESS, VINCE
SHEET METAL WORKERS UNION LOCAL
104 AND SARA FLOCKS OF THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION.
THANK YOU. YOU MAY PROCEED. YOU
BOTH HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU
. HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE LABOR COMMITTEE. MY NAME
IS VINCE SEGRUE, STATE
LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR WITH SHEET
METAL WORKERS, LOCAL UNION
NUMBER 104. IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, WE REPRESENT OVER
10,000 HARD WORKING MEMBERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES AND I AM BEFORE
YOU TODAY TO ADVOCATE STRONGLY
IN SUPPORT OF SB 1321 AND TO
THANK SENATOR WAHAB FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD. THIS LEGISLATION
IS ABOUT BOLSTERING SUPPORT FOR
CALIFORNIA EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE A
HIGH ROAD EMPLOYMENT MODEL AND
TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT LEAD TO
CAREERS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SB
1321 SEEKS TO CORRECT A CURRENT
ISSUE. WE'RE SEEING ON THE
APPLICATION SIDE OF THE PROCESS
TO BRING ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY
MEASURES TO EMPLOYERS WHO ARE
SEEKING THIS FUNDING. SEVERAL OF
THESE MEASURES INCLUDE THE
FOLLOWING ONE. SB 1321 AIMS TO
DISCLOSE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS
TO FRINGE BENEFITS LIKE HEALTH
CARE AND RETIREMENT, ADDRESSING
A CURRENT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
SEE TWO. IN RECENT YEARS,
CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE RECEIVED
CIVIL WAGE AND PENALTY
ASSESSMENTS FROM THE DLSC WHO
HAVE BROKEN THE LAW HAVE APPLIED
AND RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE
ETP. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IF
THERE IS A PENALTY THAT IS
UNABATED OR UNSATISFIED, THAT
THEY ARE UNABLE TO PURSUE AN
APPLICATION AT THAT GIVEN TIME.
THREE IN ADDITION TO ASKING HOW
THE EMPLOYER ENGAGES VETERANS AS
THE APPLICATION CURRENTLY DOES,
WE BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO
INCLUDE A SECTION ON EMPLOYERS
PRACTICES REGARDING THE HIRING,
TRAINING, AND ADVANCEMENT OF
DISADVANTAGED, MARGINALIZED, AND
UNDERREPRESENTED WORKERS IN
ORDER TO ACHIEVE EQUITY GOALS.
AND FOUR. UNLIKE SISTER AGENCIES
WITH A 30 DAY WINDOW, THE
CURRENT SEVEN DAY RELEASE WINDOW
FOR THE APPLICATION REVIEW
LIMITS PUBLIC ANALYSIS AND
FEEDBACK, AND THIS BILL AIMS TO
EXTEND THAT WINDOW TO MATCH
OTHER AGENCIES BY SUPPORTING SB
1321, YOU'LL BE HELPING MAXIMIZE
LIMITED FUNDING, PROVIDING
STRONGER GUARDRAILS THAT ARE
NEEDED AT THE ATP TO PRIORITIZE
THE HIGHEST QUALITY PROGRAMS. WE
WOULD ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF
THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION TO
INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF HIGH
ROAD TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE
STATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
SARA FLOCKS, CALIFORNIA LABOR
FEDERATION, A PROUD CO-SPONSOR
OF THE BILL. AND MADAM CHAIR,
YOU, SENATOR DURAZZO, MANY OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE HAVE
WORKED VERY HARD ON SB 150 AND
OTHER BILLS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE LABOR AND EQUITY STANDARDS
ON FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATE GOOD
JOBS IN THE NEW ECONOMY IN
INFRASTRUCTURE, IN
MANUFACTURING, IN CLIMATE JOBS.
THIS BILL IS A COMPLEMENT TO
THAT. WE REALLY SEE IT AS THE
FLIP SIDE. IF WE'RE CREATING ALL
OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES, WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE TRAINED
WORKFORCE WHO HAS ACCESS TO
THESE JOBS. AND SO THIS BILL IS
TRYING TO TAKE THE MODEL OF
LABOR STANDARDS AND EQUITY
STANDARDS AND PUT IT INTO THE
TRAINING PROGRAM, IT BASICALLY
MODERNIZES THE STANDARDS THAT
ETP ALREADY HAS, ADDS IN SOME
NEW LANGUAGE, MAKES SURE THAT
TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE USED
EFFICIENTLY, AND IS ARE NOT
DUPLICATING EXISTING PROGRAMS IN
A REGION. AND PUTS IN LANGUAGE
THAT THERE SHOULD BE EFFORTS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WORKERS FROM
DISADVANTAGED AND MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO THE
TRAINING PROGRAMS. SO THEN THEY
ARE PREPARED TO HAVE ACCESS TO
THE GOOD JOBS THAT ARE CREATED.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BILL
THAT UPDATES A PROGRAM THAT'S
DOING GOOD WORK, TO MEET THE
CHALLENGE THAT THE STATE IS
FACING AND THAT YOU ALL HAVE
BEEN MAKING SURE THAT THE
FEDERAL MONEY GOING OUT AND THE
STATE MONEY GOING OUT IS
CREATING GOOD JOBS. SO WE ARE
ELONGATING THE PATH, MAKING SURE
THAT THE PATH TO THE MIDDLE
CLASS IS OPEN. I ALSO WANT TO BE
CLEAR BEFORE THE OPPOSITION
COMES UP. THIS BILL DOES NOT
PREVENT ANY PROGRAM FROM
APPLYING. IT BASICALLY SAYS FOR
THIS PROGRAM, WE NEED TO UPDATE
SOME OF THE STANDARDS THAT ARE
IN PLACE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE EMPLOYERS AND TRAINING
PROGRAMS THAT ARE GETTING THESE
PUBLIC DOLLARS DON'T HAVE ANY
VIOLATIONS, THAT WE ARE REALLY
LOOKING AT THEM. SO JUST WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE
AUTHOR. WE URGE SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. NEXT THESE ARE FOLKS IN
SUPPORT YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION
AND YOUR POSITION. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. JEREMY SMITH,
YOU'RE ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES
COUNCIL. ALSO IN SUPPORT. MADAM
CHAIR, MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE,
CHRIS WALKER, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA SHEET METAL AIR
CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS AND
SUPPORT. MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS,
EDIE BERNACCHI, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE
CONFERENCE OF THE PLUMBING,
HEATING AND PIPING INDUSTRY AND
THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL
CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, ALSO IN
SUPPORT. TIFFANY MOK, ON BEHALF
OF CFT, UNION OF EDUCATORS AND
CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONALS IN
SUPPORT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS, MARTIN
VENDIOLA, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS, THE
CALIFORNIA STATE PIPE TRADES
COUNCIL, AND THE WESTERN STATES
COUNCIL OF SHEET METAL WORKERS
IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. TOM HINCHEY,
ON BEHALF OF UAW REGION SIX, IN
SUPPORT, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS
LOUIE ACOSTA WITH SMART
TRANSPORTATION DIVISION IN
SUPPORT. FATIMA ZUBAIR WITH BLUE
GREEN ALLIANCE AND CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS IN SUPPORT
FOR BOTH. BOTH OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS. THANK YOU. OKAY.
NEXT ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK
IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL? OKAY
OPPOSITION WITNESSES, PLEASE
STEP FORWARD. YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES EACH. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, CHRIS
BOLLINGER, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ASIAN CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, WE REPRESENT SMALL AND
DIVERSE OWNED BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, 600,000 TO BE EXACT,
I WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE
EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PANEL. WE
FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY THAT
THIS IS THE PREEMINENT WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA, THAT SAID, THE
BILL IS DRAFTED IS FAR TOO
BROAD, WE FEEL THAT IT WEEDS OUT
A LOT OF THE SMALL MEDIUM AND
DIVERSE OWNED BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE FROM
APPLYING, THESE ARE THE SAME
BUSINESSES THAT PAY INTO THE
EMPLOYMENT TRAINING TAX AND
ACTUALLY FUND THE PROGRAM
ITSELF. SO YOU HAVE A YOU HAVE A
SITUATION WHERE COMPANIES ARE
PAYING THE TAX, AND THEN THEY
ARE EITHER RENDERED INELIGIBLE
OR THEY'RE HUGELY, HUGELY
DISINCENTIVIZED FROM
PARTICIPATING. WE DON'T THINK
THAT THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE
PROGRAM. AND WE THINK THAT THE
PROGRAM, LIKE I SAID, IS THE
PREEMINENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM IN THE STATE AND IS
HUGELY SUCCESSFUL, AS IS, ALSO
WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FOR
BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE
BECAUSE, AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S
BUDGET, $100 MILLION WAS
DIVERTED FROM THE EMPLOYMENT
TRAINING PANEL RESERVE AND GIVEN
TOWARD UI DEBT PAYDOWN, WHICH IS
ANOTHER HUGE, HUGE PROBLEM
BECAUSE ETP IS SO
OVERSUBSCRIBED. THERE ARE GREAT
APPLICANTS UP AND DOWN THE STATE
THAT ARE TRYING TO UPSKILL AND
TRAIN THEIR WORKFORCE. WE THINK
THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE
FUNDING WITH THIS PROGRAM. WE
AGREE WITH THE INTENT THAT WE
NEED TO WEED OUT BAD ACTORS, BUT
WE DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS THE
APPROACH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
AUTHOR AND SPONSORS. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, SENATOR WAHAB. MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
PHILIP HERRERA. I AM THE
MANAGING PARTNER OF HERON
COMPANY. WE SPECIALIZE IN
SECURING EMPLOYMENT TRAINING,
PANEL FUNDING AND OTHER GÓMEZ
INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS IN
CALIFORNIA'S LIFE SCIENCES AND
SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRIES. SINCE
MY EARLY DAYS AS AN ED TAX
AUDITOR AND AN ETP ANALYST IN
SAN MATEO, AND THROUGH THE
FOUNDING OF MY FIRM IN THE 90S,
I HAVE BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH
ETP. I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS
MY OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL
1321, WHICH WOULD NARROW
CRITERIA FOR YOU TO BE FUNDING
BY SEVERELY LIMITING AWARDS TO
APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT HAVE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS AND OR
TRAINING IN OCCUPATIONS APPROVED
BY DÍAS. WHILE THE INTENT OF THE
BILL TO CHANNEL FUNDS TO HIGHLY
SKILLED JOBS IS COMMENDABLE, I
URGE YOU TO CONSIDER ITS BROADER
CONSEQUENCES. ALTHOUGH I
RECOGNIZE AND PARTIALLY AGREE
WITH THE BILL'S OBJECTIVES, THE
CURRENT NONCOMPETITIVE ETP
APPLICATION PROCESS DOES
SOMETIMES RESULT IN WEAKER
APPLICATIONS BEING APPROVED.
THESE OFTEN BENEFIT EMPLOYERS
OFFERING LOWER WAGES IN SECTORS
THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE BETTER
SERVED THROUGH CALIFORNIA'S
IMPRESSIVE JOINT APPRENTICESHIP
TRAINING COUNCILS, THE PROBLEM
IS WORTH ADDRESSING, BUT SB 1321
GOES TOO FAR BY DEVALUATING
INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESSES THAT
PAY THE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING TAX
AND ARE CREATING GOOD CALIFORNIA
JOBS. THE STRENGTH OF THE
EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PANEL FROM
ITS INCEPTION OVER 40 YEARS AGO
IS THAT IT IS A REAL LABOR FOR
BUSINESS GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP
THAT ONLY REWARDS JOB TRAINING.
THAT RESULTS IN WORKERS BEING
PAID MORE FOR HIGH SKILLED. DO
NOT RISK THIS MODEL OF
COOPERATION BY PASSING A LAW
THAT UNDERMINES THE ABILITY TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORKERS AND
THE ECONOMY OF CALIFORNIA, THERE
ARE BETTER, MORE EFFECTIVE WAYS
TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH THE
APPLICATION PROCESS. YOU HAVE MY
WORD THAT I WILL WORK WITH STAFF
TO FIX THOSE. PLEASE DO NOT PASS
BY 20 1321 IN THIS FORM. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, ANYONE
ELSE IN THE ROOM SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL, PLEASE
STEP FORWARD, GOOD MORNING,
ASHLEY HOFFMAN, THE CALIFORNIA
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN
OPPOSITION. BUT WANT TO ECHO THE
THANK YOU TO THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE
AND THE SPONSORS FOR MEETING
WITH US. THANKS. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL COME BACK TO
THE DAIS. MEMBERS OKAY.
WONDERFUL. WE HAVE A MOTION.
THANK YOU, SENATOR RUSSO.
SENATOR. WELL, HOW WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SENATOR
RUSSO. ASSISTANT, PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON FILE ITEM TWO. THE
MOTION IS DUE. PASS AS AMENDED
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SMALLWOOD,
CUEVAS. A SMALL CUEVAS I WILK
CORTEZ. DURAZO. DURAZO I. LAIRD
LAIRD I. OKAY. THIS BILL HAS A
VOTE OF 3 TO 0, AND IT'S ON
CALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IN
THE ROOM. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE YOU. SENATOR PORTANTINO
DON'T SEE SENATOR PADILLA, SO
WE'RE GOING TO SKIP FILE ORDER
AND MOVE TO ITEMS ARE YOU
PRESENTING ON FOUR AND FIVE?
YES, MA'AM. OKAY. SO WE'LL START
WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR SB 1100.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SB 1100
WILL MAKE IT UNLAWFUL, AND MAKE
IT AN UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT
PRACTICE FOR AN EMPLOYER TO
INCLUDE A STATEMENT IN
EMPLOYMENT MATERIALS THAT AN
APPLICANT MUST HAVE A DRIVER'S
LICENSE UNLESS THE EMPLOYER
REASONABLY EXPECTS, EXPECTS THE
DUTIES OF THE POSITION TO
REQUIRE DRIVING MAKES SENSE. IF
YOU'RE A DELIVERY PERSON, YOU
SHOULD HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU DON'T
NECESSARILY NEED ONE. THE BILL
WOULD INCLUDE THE LACK OF A
DRIVER'S LICENSE OR CAR
OWNERSHIP AS A PROTECTED
CHARACTERISTIC, AND HOUSING
DISCRIMINATION AS WELL. MAKES
SENSE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CAR
AND YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S
LICENSE, YOU SHOULD STILL BE
ABLE TO GET AN APARTMENT, THE
PRACTICE REQUIRING DRIVER'S
LICENSE POSES SIGNIFICANT
BARRIERS FOR MANY SEGMENTS OF
THE POPULATION, INCLUDING YOUNG
ADULTS, ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES, AND THOSE WHO
CHOOSE NOT TO DRIVE DUE TO
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
FURTHERMORE THE PRACTICE
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS LOW
INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO MAY
HAVE LESS ACCESS TO PERSONAL
TRANSPORTATION. THIS PRACTICE
CONTRADICTS THE STATE'S GOAL TO
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
BY ENCOURAGING ALTERNATIVE
TRANSPORTATION MODES. THE
INITIATIVE ALIGNS WITH
CALIFORNIA'S BROADER COMMITMENTS
TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. WITH
ME TODAY TO TESTIFY, I HAVE MARK
VUCEVIC FROM STREETS FOR ALL.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WHEN APPROPRIATE,
WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE. THANK YOU. SO MUCH.
WITNESS YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
CHAIR AND COMMITTEE, YEAH. OUR
BILL IS PRETTY SIMPLE. AND JUST
AS SENATOR PORTANTINO DESCRIBED.
SO I'LL JUST LAY OUT A FEW DATA
POINTS AND A FEW FACTS AND A
SHORT ANECDOTE. SO, 80% OF JOBS,
ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR
STATISTICS, DON'T INVOLVE
DRIVING IN ANY CAPACITY
WHATSOEVER. AND YET WE STILL SEE
MANY JOB LISTINGS REQUIRE A
DRIVER'S LICENSE, EXAMPLES THAT
WE FOUND INCLUDE A PUBLIC
ATTORNEY, A CITY PLANNER, AND A
BOOKKEEPER REQUIRING DRIVER'S
LICENSE, ONE OF THE MOST KIND OF
PERSONALLY, KIND OF, I GUESS,
EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES WE FOUND IS
LA METRO REQUIRED A JOB. AND FOR
CONTEXT, THIS JOB IS PLACED AT
THE UNION STATION IN LOS
ANGELES. AND IF YOU'VE NEVER
BEEN TO UNION STATION, IT HAS
THE CAPACITY, SORRY, A DAILY
CAPACITY, ABOUT ONE THIRD OF LAX
IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL PASSENGER
VOLUME AT L.A METRO. AND THAT'S
WHERE THEIR BIG HEADQUARTERS
ARE. YOU HAVE BUSSES, YOU HAVE
TRAINS, YOU HAVE OTHER FORMS OF
TRANSPORTATION. NOT SAYING THAT
ANYONE HAS TO TAKE THOSE, BUT
THE POINT IS THAT IT'S
ACCESSIBLE BY OTHER TRANSPORT
FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION. AND YET
THEY STILL ARE ASKING FOR AN
ACCOUNTANT JOB TO HAVE A
DRIVER'S LICENSE AT LA METRO, A
JOB THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE
DRIVING WHATSOEVER. AND SO WHAT
OUR BILL DOES IS IT TRIES TO
BRING THAT EQUITY COMPONENT IN
THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A
DRIVER'S LICENSE, YOU CAN STILL
BE ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT. THIS
IS SPECIFICALLY AN ISSUE WITH
PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY AND OTHER
DISABILITIES, INCLUDING LEVELS
OF BLINDNESS, WHO PHYSICALLY
CAN'T HAVE DRIVER'S LICENSES
BECAUSE OF THEIR DISABILITIES
THAT AFFECT THEM. AND SO, IN
SHORT, THAT'S THAT'S MY PITCH.
IN SHORT, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER WITNESS OR
IS THAT YOU? OKAY? WELL, THANK
YOU SO MUCH. SO I WILL CALL
ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK
IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL TO
PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM, STATE
YOUR NAME, AFFILIATION AND
POSITION. ANYONE IN SUPPORT?
OKAY, SO WE WILL TAKE THEN
OPPOSITION WITNESSES, ANYONE,
ANY WITNESSES SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? OKAY.
ANYONE, ANY INDIVIDUAL WISHING
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL? WELL, WE WILL MOVE TO THE
DÍAS MEMBERS. I MOVE WE HAVE A
MOTION FROM SENATOR LAIRD. THANK
YOU, SENATOR CORTEZ, PORTANTINO
THE OTHER ITALIAN. THE OTHER
ITALIAN. THAT'S IT. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. WONDERFUL, ASSISTANT, YOU
WANT TO CALL THE ROLL? ON FILE
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE MOTION IS
DUE PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD CUEVAS I WILK
CORTEZ. DURAZO LAIRD. LAIRD I.
OKAY. THIS BILL HAS A VOTE OF 2
TO 0. WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON
CALL. SENATOR. THANK YOU. WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER FIVE. AND THAT IS, 1116.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, I'M PROUD TO BE BACK
HERE PRESENTING SB 1116, WHICH
WOULD ALLOW WORKERS INVOLVED IN
A TRADE DISPUTE TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AFTER
TWO WEEKS OF BEING ON STRIKE. NO
ONE GOES ON STRIKE BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO. NO ONE GOES ON STRIKE
AS A FIRST RESORT, IT'S
TYPICALLY A LAST RESORT.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THERE'S
THIS ROMANTIC VISION OF BEING ON
STRIKE. IT'S NOT ROMANTIC. IT'S
A HARDSHIP. AND IT IS GENERALLY
DONE BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER
OPTION TO, RESPECTING THE
WORKERS AND NEGOTIATING, FAIR
CONTRACTS AND BETTER BENEFITS.
AND SO, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER
THIS MORNING AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE, I STILL REMEMBER MY
MOTHER IN LAW, 40 YEARS AFTER MY
FATHER IN LAW WENT ON STRIKE,
TALKING ABOUT HOW THE FAMILY,
THE TOLL IT TOOK ON THE FAMILY
AND NEVER FULLY RECOVERING FROM
IT. AND SO TO OFFER UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS FOR THOSE ON STRIKE FOR
TWO WEEKS SEEMS LIKE A HUMANE,
DIGNIFIED, APPROPRIATE THING TO
DO TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PUT FOOD
ON THEIR TABLE, PAY THEIR RENT
AND HAVE A MODICUM OF
SUBSISTENCE. UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE IS NOT FULL WAGES.
IT'S SOMETHING TO TIDE PEOPLE
OVER AND PEOPLE PAY INTO THE
PROGRAM. IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE
DOING IS WE'RE LIFTING A
PROHIBITION ON IT, A BENEFIT
THAT OTHER WORKERS GET WHEN
THEY'RE OUT OF WORK. AND SO WE
THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. OTHER
STATES HAVE DONE IT. AND GUESS
WHAT? THE SKY DIDN'T FALL IN.
PEOPLE DIDN'T, MAYHEM DIDN'T
HAPPEN. IT WORKS IN OTHER
STATES. AND SO WE'RE BACK AGAIN
THIS YEAR WITH THIS APPROPRIATE,
MEASURE TO HELP OUR WORKING
FAMILIES. AND SO WITH ME, I HAVE
VICTOR VALENCIANO FROM UFCW
LOCAL 1428 AND MEGAN SUBERS WITH
THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICAN
WEST. AND DANIELLA URBAN, A
LEGAL EXPERT, IS ALSO HERE TO
HELP WITH ANY TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS ON THE BENEFITS ITSELF
AND THE PROGRAM. SO WHEN
APPROPRIATE, I WOULD
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU SENATOR. WE'LL
NOW HEAR FROM YOUR WITNESSES.
PLEASE STEP FORWARD. YOU HAVE
TWO MINUTES. YES, MA'AM. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS VICTOR
VALENCIANO AND I HAVE BEEN A
GROCERY STORE WORKER FOR 44
YEARS WITH VONS. I'M A PROUD
LOCAL UFCW 1428 MEMBER. I'M HERE
TO TESTIFY TODAY IN SUPPORT OF
SB 1116. I WAS ON STRIKE FOR 141
DAYS IN 2003 AND 2004, ONE OF
THE LARGEST STRIKES IN HISTORY.
I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP HARDSHIPS OF
GOING ON STRIKE ON MYSELF, MY
COWORKERS, AND COMMUNITY. WHILE
THIS HAPPENED, 20 YEARS AGO, I
REMEMBER IT LIKE IT WAS
YESTERDAY. AT THE TIME OF THE
STRIKE, I WAS BATTLING CANCER
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF RECEIVING
TREATMENTS. AT THE TIME I WENT
ON STRIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER
I WOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE
COBRA INSURANCE PAYMENTS, IF I
WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD
MY DOCTOR'S PAYMENTS, MY
TREATMENTS, MY RENT, CAR
PAYMENT, FOOD OR OTHER BILLS. IT
WAS A VERY STRESSFUL AND
MENTALLY EXHAUSTING TIME. I
WOULD OFTEN STAY AWAKE AT NIGHT
TO SEE AND PRAY THAT I WOULDN'T
HAVE TO STOP TREATMENT, FIND A
NEW DOCTOR, OR RESTART MY
TREATMENT. IT WAS AN ANGUISHING
TIME AND IT WAS ABOUT THE
FUTURE. BECAUSE THIS FUTURE FOR
ME WAS ABOUT LIFE OR DEATH, AND
I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. I
WAS ABLE TO HAVE A FRIEND ASSIST
ME FINANCIALLY TO COVER THE COST
OF COBRA AND MY TREATMENTS, BUT
I STILL STRUGGLED TO MEET BASIC
NEEDS. MANY OF MY COWORKERS
WEREN'T SO LUCKY. IF WE HAD THE
PROTECTION FROM THIS BILL BACK
IN 2003 AND 2004, OUR FUTURES
TODAY WOULD BE A LOT DIFFERENT.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT
NIGHT KNOWING THAT WE COULD
COVER OUR BASIC NEEDS FOR OUR
FAMILIES. SOME OF OUR COWORKERS
WOULDN'T HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES,
THEIR CARS, AND COULD HAVE BEEN
MORE FINANCIALLY SECURE THAN
THEY HAVE BEEN THE LAST 20
YEARS. OUR EMPLOYEES EXTENDED
THE STRIKE, OUR EMPLOYEES
EXTENDED THE STRIKE SO THEY CAN
WEAR US DOWN AND FORCE US TO CUT
OUR FORCES, TO GIVE IN. 10S TO
SLASHING OUR BENEFITS AND
PUTTING OUR LIVES AT RISK. SO
I'M HERE TO ASK FOR SUPPORT ON
SB 1116. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
NEXT WITNESS. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. MEGAN SUBER, ON BEHALF OF
THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA
WEST, REPRESENTING A LITTLE OVER
13,000 MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA WHO
WRITE TV SHOWS, MOVIES, NEWS
PROGRAMS, DOCUMENTARIES AND
ONLINE PROGRAMING, AS WE ALL
KNOW, IN RECENT YEARS WORKERS
HAVE GONE ON STRIKE IN RECORD
NUMBERS TO FIGHT FOR BETTER
WORKING CONDITIONS, WAGES AND
JOB SECURITY. THE WRITERS GUILD
MEMBERS WERE ON STRIKE FOR 148
DAYS IN 2023. THE RIGHT TO
STRIKE TO IMPROVE WORKING
CONDITIONS, WAGES AND ADDRESS
OTHER ISSUES IN COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING IS A FUNDAMENTAL
WORKER RIGHT THAT IS CODIFIED IN
LAW, AND THE DECISION TO GO ON
STRIKE IS NOT ONE THAT UNION
MEMBERS TAKE LIGHTLY. DURING
THEIR STRIKE, WRITERS HAD TO
RELY ON STRIKE LOANS, MUTUAL
AID, PHILANTHROPY, AND SECOND
AND THIRD JOBS TO PAY FOR FOOD,
GAS AND RENT. CORPORATIONS RELY
ON THE EXPECTATION THAT STRIKING
WORKERS WILL LACK THE RESOURCES
TO HOLD OUT FOR BETTER WAGES,
FAIR COMPENSATION AND JOB
SECURITY, AND THEIR STRATEGY IS
OFTEN TO WAIT. WORKERS OUT UNTIL
THEY HAVE NO CHOICE. IN FACT,
DURING THE GUILD'S NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
EMPLOYERS, THOSE EMPLOYERS MADE
IT CLEAR THAT THEY WERE WILLING
TO EXPLOIT WORKERS FINANCIAL
DISTRESS TO AVOID GIVING WORKERS
A FAIR DEAL. ONE STUDIO
EXECUTIVE WAS QUOTED SAYING THE
EMPLOYER STRATEGY WAS TO ALLOW
THINGS TO DRAG ON UNTIL UNION
MEMBERS START LOSING THEIR
APARTMENTS AND LOSING THEIR
HOUSES. THAT WAS A QUOTE. THIS
MEASURE WILL HELP ENSURE GOOD
FAITH NEGOTIATIONS AT THE
BARGAINING TABLE. BY TAKING THAT
WEAPON AWAY. ACCESS TO
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. LIKE THE
AUTHOR SAID, IS SOMETHING THAT'S
ALREADY AFFORDED IN NEW YORK AND
NEW JERSEY, AND WE THINK IT IS
TIME FOR CALIFORNIA TO TAKE THIS
GOOD STEP FOR WORKERS. AND WE
ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYONE IN THE ROOM SPEAKING IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL, PLEASE STEP
TO THE MIC. STATE YOUR NAME,
AFFILIATION AND POSITION. HI.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS YVONNE
MELTON, REPRESENTING
COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA
DISTRICT NINE, WE REPRESENT
60,000, MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA.
WE'RE PROUD TO SUPPORT AND
CO-SPONSOR SB 1116. AND I URGE A
YES VOTE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS CLEO CABRAL. I'M WITH
COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA
FOR FRESNO, MADERA COUNTY TO
LARRY COUNTY, AND I AM IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL. GOOD
MORNING. RYAN CASTRO. I'M WITH
COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF
AMERICA, LOCAL 9416 OUT OF
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, AND I
AM IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
KARINA WOODSON LINDO. I'M WITH
COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA
LOCAL 9400, AND WE REPRESENT
MEMBERS FROM WHILE I REPRESENT
MEMBERS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA UP IN THE
EUREKA AREA, I STAND IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. PAT MORAN
WITH AARON REED AND ASSOCIATES
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL
SCIENTISTS, UAW, AND THE ORANGE
COUNTY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. JAZZY
GREWAL WITH UFCW WESTERN STATES
COUNCIL. PROUD CO-SPONSOR AND
SUPPORT THE BILL. THANK YOU.
ELMER LAZARD, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION,
PROUD CO-SPONSORS AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. CHRIS MYERS WITH THE
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. DANIEL PEARL, ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES IN STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
TOM HINCHEY, ON BEHALF OF UAW
REGION SIX, IN STRONG SUPPORT.
MADAM CHAIR LOUIE COSTA WITH
SMART TRANSPORTATION DIVISION IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
JEREMY SMITH, ON BEHALF OF THE
STATE BUILDING TRADES. ALSO IN
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING. SHANE
GUSMAN, ON BEHALF OF THE
TEAMSTERS, THE AMALGAMATED
TRANSIT UNION, SAG-AFTRA, UNITE
HERE AND THE UTILITY WORKERS
UNION OF AMERICA IN SUPPORT
ANNIE CHAO WITH THE CALIFORNIA
TEACHERS ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT
VINCE SMART, SHEET METAL WORKERS
LOCAL UNION NUMBER 104, IN
SUPPORT NEIL SWEENEY,
CO-PRESIDENT OF THE UAW, 4811
ACADEMIC WORKERS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, JUSTIN
GARCIA WITH THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL
SCIENTISTS, UAW IN SUPPORT.
TIFFANY MOK, ON BEHALF OF CFT IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. BRIAN HOWE,
ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA FACULTY
ASSOCIATION, WE'RE IN STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL? OKAY. WE
WILL MOVE TO OPPOSITION
WITNESSES. STEPPING FORWARD. YOU
HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND I WILL BE SOLO.
BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO RESPECT
THE TWO MINUTES, ROBERT WOOD FOR
THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE. WE ARE OPPOSED TO SB
1116 AS A JOB KILLER, WE'VE
SPOKEN TO THIS BEFORE IN THIS
COMMITTEE, SO I'LL SKIP SOME OF
THE PIECES. I CAN,
FUNDAMENTALLY, WE VIEW THIS BILL
AS DOING SOMETHING NEW IN
CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS PUTTING THE
STATE AND VIA THAT, THE UI FUND
ON ONE SIDE OF LABOR DISPUTES IN
A WAY WHICH IS VERY NEW TO US
AND DIFFERENT THAN THE FEDERAL
POLICY AROUND THE NATIONAL LABOR
RELATIONS ACT, WHICH WAS FOCUSED
ON NOT KIND OF KEEPING
GOVERNMENT NEUTRAL IN THESE
DISPUTES, I WANT TO BE CLEAR. WE
DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THE FEDERAL
RIGHT TO STRIKE STRIKING AS A
NEGOTIATING TACTIC. AND OF
COURSE, IT IS. IT IS INCREDIBLY
DIFFICULT ONE, AND IT'S HARD ON
ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. WOULD NOT
DISPUTE THAT AT ALL. BUT WE VIEW
IT AS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT
THAN BEING UNEMPLOYED. SOMEONE
IS UNEMPLOYED REALLY HAS NO IDEA
WHERE THAT IS COMING FROM,
WHEREAS SOMEONE ON STRIKE IS
USING A VERY DIFFICULT TACTIC AS
A TEMPORARY MEASURE TO GAIN
LEVERAGE. AND THAT IS DIFFICULT.
BUT IT IS DIFFERENT THAN
UNEMPLOYMENT TO US. AND WE
BELIEVE LEGALLY, SECOND, I WANT
TO FLAG THE ISSUE OF THE UI FUND
DEBT. WE'VE ALL HEARD THIS MANY
TIMES, SO WE'RE NOW $20 BILLION
IN DEBT. WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
ADDING THOSE COSTS AND TAXES TO
EMPLOYERS, THIRD, I WANT TO FLAG
A FEDERAL LAW ISSUE THAT CAME UP
BRIEFLY LAST YEAR AND WASN'T
THOROUGHLY ADDRESSED, FEDERAL
LAW REQUIRES THAT AN EMPLOYEE BE
ABLE TO WORK LOOKING FOR WORK
AND UNEMPLOYED THROUGH NO FAULT
OF THEIR OWN E.G. FIRED TO
QUALIFY FOR BENEFITS. WE RAISED
THIS LAST YEAR. THERE WAS A
RESPONSE ABOUT A NEW YORK CASE,
DEALING WITH, UPHOLDING THIS
KIND OF UI PROGRAM, WASN'T
RAISED HERE, BUT I JUST GOING TO
FLAG FOR THE LEGAL POINT, THAT
CASE IS ACTUALLY DISTINGUISHABLE
BECAUSE IT DEALT WITH PRIOR LAW
AND IS NOT APPLICABLE ANYMORE.
AND FOURTH, I WANT TO TOUCH ON
ED COST AND FEASIBILITY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE IN A DIFFICULT
BUDGET YEAR. ED ALSO CONTINUES
TO STRUGGLE WITH THEIR REVAMP OF
ED NEXT, AND WE HAVE CONCERNS
ABOUT THE TIME ON THEIR ABILITY
TO DO THAT. AND I'LL WRAP THERE
FOR TIME. FOR THOSE REASONS, WE
ARE OPPOSED TO SB 1116 AS A JOB
KILLER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY, THERE'S NOT ANOTHER
WITNESS. SO IS ANYONE ELSE
INDIVIDUALLY IN THE ROOM WHO
WANTS TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO
THE BILL? PLEASE STEP FORWARD.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR CHRIS
MCCAULEY. ON BEHALF OF THE LOS
ANGELES AREA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, IN RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. GOOD MORNING, TIM TAYLOR WITH
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF
INDEPENDENT BUSINESS IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. NICO MOLINA, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
FORESTRY ASSOCIATION AND
OPPOSITION, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. MEMBERS, CHRIS WALKER, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA SHEET
METAL AIR CONDITIONING
CONTRACTORS, UNION CONTRACTORS
IN OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. THANK
YOU. HI, NATALIE BOUSE, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE, IN
OPPOSITION ON. LAWRENCE GAYTAN,
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS AND TECHNOLOGY
ASSOCIATION. IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. NICK NH█P, ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION. IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. RAFEAL, WITH CAPITAL
ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION,
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. ANNA LEE
AUGUSTINE, ON BEHALF OF THE
FAMILY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIA, RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED
. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. CARLOS
GUTIERREZ, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA GROCERS ASSOCIATION,
CALIFORNIA FRESH FRUIT
ASSOCIATION, AND A NUMBER OF
OTHER AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES
IN OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. SABRINA LOCKHART, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
ATTRACTIONS AND PARKS
ASSOCIATION AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, BRIAN LITTLE,
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU AND
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. THANK YOU
. BEN, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF FOOD
PRODUCERS AND OPPOSITION, THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, MICHAEL
MILLER, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
OF WINE GRAPE GROWERS. WE ARE
OPPOSED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. MARCUS DETWILER
HERE TO EXPRESS OPPOSITION ON
BEHALF OF A NUMBER OF
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE
CALIFORNIA SPECIAL DISTRICTS
ASSOCIATION, THE LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA CITIES, THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES, THE URBAN COUNTIES OF
CALIFORNIA, THE RURAL COUNTY
REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA,
AND THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
OF RECREATION AND PARK
DISTRICTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, DEVIN ANDERSON
WITH POLITICAL SOLUTIONS, ON
BEHALF OF BOTH THE FAMILY
WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA AND
WESTERN CAR WASH ASSOCIATION IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, AMELIA
ZAMANI WITH THE CALIFORNIA
TRAVEL ASSOCIATION AND
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. GOOD
MORNING, KATIE DAVEY WITH THE
DAIRY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. RYAN. ELAINE, ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA RETAILERS
ASSOCIATION AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING. JACKIE ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA FUELS
AND CONVENIENCE ALLIANCE,
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED ETHAN
NAGLER ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO CUCAMONGA. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. MORNING, SENATORS
RICHARD MARKUSON FOR THE WESTERN
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
ASSOCIATION, IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE
WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO
THE BILL? OKAY. WE WILL MOVE TO
THE MEMBERS, I THE MEMBER WE
DON'T HAVE ANY. SO WE WILL HOLD
THE BILL UNTIL, WE GET A MOTION.
AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T HAVE
ONE. IF I MAY CLOSE, PLEASE. SO
I, AS EVIDENCED BY THE NUMBER OF
SPEAKERS, THIS IS A BILL THAT
STIMULATES THE ECONOMY AND
CREATES MORE WORK FOR PEOPLE.
BECAUSE I THINK EVERY LOBBYIST
IN THE BUILDING WAS HERE BILLING
A CLIENT JUST BECAUSE OF THIS
BILL. SO WE'RE I WOULD SUBMIT
THAT THIS BILL IS GOOD FOR THE
ECONOMY BECAUSE IT HELPS PEOPLE
SURVIVE AND AGAIN, THE BENEFIT
ONLY EXTENDS FOR YOUR AFTER
YOU'VE BEEN ON STRIKE FOR TWO
WEEKS, THE NUMBER OF STRIKES
THAT LAST THAT LONG IS VERY
SMALL. THE NUMBER OF SHEER
NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THIS WILL
IMPACT IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT
PORTION OF THOSE FOLKS WHO GO ON
STRIKE, BUT IT'S A PORTION OF
PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS AT THAT
TIME IN THEIR LIFE TO SURVIVE.
AND SO I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN
AYE VOTE WHEN YOU HAVE ENOUGH
MEMBERS HERE TO DO IT. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR. OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO FILE
ITEM NUMBER THREE. THE GOOD
SENATOR STEVE PADILLA IS HERE SB
1070. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
READY SENATOR. GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR. AND THE PROSPECTIVE
OTHER MEMBERS WHO MAY BE
JOINING. I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT SB
1070, AND I WANT TO BEGIN BY
ACCEPTING COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
AND THANKING THE COMMITTEE STAFF
FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE. I
SHARE THE COMMITTEE'S COMMITMENT
TO THE STATE'S CIVIL SERVICE AND
BELIEVE THAT THIS BILL CLARIFIES
EXISTING LAW, WHILE ENSURING
THAT PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS DO NOT
COMPETE WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE
SYSTEM. ACCESS TO INTELLECTUAL
TALENT, ESPECIALLY IN EMERGING
SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY FIELDS,
IS CRUCIAL FOR CALIFORNIA'S
GOVERNMENT AND THE ECONOMIC
GROWTH OF THIS STATE. CALIFORNIA
HAS TAKEN IMPORTANT STRIDES TO
KEEP OUR TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE
COMPETITIVE, BUT THERE CONTINUES
TO BE CHALLENGES. BY ONE RECENT
COUNT, 60% OF NEW PHD GRADUATES
SPECIALIZING IN Ã. I CHOSE TO
WORK IN INDUSTRY ABOUT A QUARTER
ENTERED ACADEMIA, AND ONLY LESS
THAN 2% DECIDED TO WORK IN
GOVERNMENT IN 2023, NEARLY 8 IN
10 STATE CHIEF INFORMATION
OFFICERS SAID THEY LACKED THE
WORKFORCE NECESSARY WORKFORCE
NECESSARY TO MEET THEIR CURRENT
NEEDS. IN SHORT, TECHNICAL AND
TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERTISE IS
CONCENTRATED IN OUR UNIVERSITIES
AND IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NOT
IN OUR GOVERNMENT. SB 1070 WOULD
ADDRESS THIS EXPERTISE GAP BY
LEVERAGING AN EXISTING MODEL OF
TALENT EXCHANGES BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND HIGHER ED
INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE STATE
AGENCIES WITH ACCESS TO THE DEEP
WELLS OF EXPERTISE HOUSED IN
CALIFORNIA'S WORLD CLASS
UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY
COLLEGES. THE BILL CLARIFIES
THAT BOTH PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
AND NONPROFIT PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PARTICIPATION
IN THE TALENT EXCHANGES. SB 1070
WOULD LEAVE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE
EXISTING LAW UNTOUCHED, BUT I
UNDERSTAND FROM THE COMMITTEE
AND THE COMMITTEE ANALYSIS HAS
EXPRESSED CONCERNS, SOME
CONCERNS, BUT MANY ARE GEARED
TOWARDS A PROGRAM THAT IS
ALREADY DEVELOPED, A REGULATORY
SCHEME DESIGNED TO ADDRESS
ISSUES AROUND CONSTITUTIONALITY.
THE MERIT PRINCIPLE AND FEDERAL
PREEMPTION. THE STATUTE AND
REGULATIONS ARE CLEAR THAT THESE
TALENT EXCHANGES ARE MEANT TO
FILL AN URGENT AND NON-RECURRING
PROGRAM OR DEPARTMENTAL NEED,
AND THAT THOSE NEEDS CANNOT BE
MET THROUGH THE ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE. THE SELECTION PROCESS
ALSO INCLUDES TESTS AND OTHER
SELECTION PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO
OBJECTIVELY AND FAIRLY EVALUATE
AND COMPARE EACH EMPLOYEE'S
QUALIFICATIONS. TO BE SUCCESSFUL
IN THE ASSIGNMENT, THE BILL IS
SIMPLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE PRIVATE UNIVERSITY TALENT
POOL IS INCLUDED AS ORIGINALLY
INTENDED. WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS
CREATED, THE TALENTED PEOPLE AT
STAFF, OUR AGENCIES, AND
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ARE A
CRITICAL PART OF OUR SUCCESS AS
A STATE. TALENT EXCHANGES LIKE
THIS MEAN THAT PUBLIC BENEFIT
DIRECTLY FROM THE WORK THAT
THESE BRIGHTEST MINDS WE HAVE IN
THE STATE. WITH ME TODAY, I HAVE
CHRISTINE TSANG, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF STANFORD REG LAB,
AND DOCTOR SARAH CODY, PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND
HEALTH OFFICER FOR THE COUNTY OF
SANTA CLARA. THANK YOU SENATOR.
WITNESS YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
CHRISTINE TSANG. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STANFORD
REG LAB, WHICH PARTNERS WITH
AGENCIES TO USE DATA SCIENCE AND
AI TO STRENGTHEN GOVERNMENT. WE
SERVE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE
CUTTING EDGE ADVANCES BEING
DEVELOPED IN OUR UNIVERSITIES
AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR. FOR
EXAMPLE, WE WORK WITH THE US
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO PILOT NEW
AI USE CASES TO HELP IMPROVE
BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION LIKE
WORKERS COMP AND UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE. THIS WORK IS POSSIBLE
THROUGH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
PERSONNEL ACT, OR IPA, WHICH
CREATES A MECHANISM FOR TALENT
EXCHANGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
CALIFORNIA HAS A SIMILAR
MECHANISM FOR INTER
JURISDICTIONAL EMPLOYEE
EXCHANGES. HOWEVER, AMBIGUITY IN
THE STATUTE HAS RESULTED IN
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES BEING LEFT
OUT OF THE REGULATIONS. SB 1070
WOULD CLARIFY THE EXISTING
STATUTE COMPLEMENT, RATHER THAN
COMPETE WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE
SYSTEM AND ENABLE OUR FACULTY
AND RESEARCHERS TO SHARE THEIR
DEEP EXPERTISE FOR THE BENEFIT
OF CALIFORNIA AT NO COST TO THE
STATE. I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL AND YIELD MY REMAINING
TIME TO DOCTOR SARAH CODY. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. AGAIN. MY NAME IS
SARAH CODY. I'M THE HEALTH
OFFICER AND PUBLIC HEALTH
DIRECTOR FROM THE COUNTY OF
SANTA CLARA. I'VE WORKED FOR THE
COUNTY FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND
HAVE SERVED AS A HEALTH OFFICER
FOR OVER A DECADE. I'M HERE TO
SUPPORT SB 1070 TO FACILITATE
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND EXPERT
ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS FROM PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES. AS WE
REMEMBER, THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
WAS A HISTORIC PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS. BASED ON MY OWN
EXPERIENCE RESPONDING TO THE
PANDEMIC, I KNOW THAT
FACILITATING SUCH PARTNERSHIPS
IS CRITICAL TO RAPIDLY ASSISTING
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
TACKLE SOME OF OUR TOUGHEST
CHALLENGES, AS WE DIDN'T HAVE
THE MANY SPECIFIC TYPES OF
EXPERTISE IN-HOUSE THAT WE
NEEDED TO QUICKLY ADDRESS THE
DELUGE OF STRATEGIC POLICY AND
OPERATIONAL DECISIONS. LIKE MANY
OTHERS, WE WERE BUILDING THE
PLANE AS WE FLEW IT TO SUPPORT
OUR EFFORTS. WE NEEDED A LEVEL
OF SPECIFIC EXPERTISE THAT IS
OFTEN CONCENTRATED IN OUR
UNIVERSITIES, AND TIME WAS OF
THE ESSENCE. IN OUR CASE, WE
WERE LUCKY TO HAVE EXISTING
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS THAT
ALLOWED US TO PUT TOGETHER A
VOLUNTEER KITCHEN CABINET OF
ACADEMIC ADVISORS FROM STANFORD,
UCSF AND UC BERKELEY TO SUPPORT
OUR PANDEMIC RESPONSE. AS A
RESULT, WE COULD MODEL OUR LOCAL
HEALTH SERVICE HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM CAPACITY AND HAD THE
CONFIDENCE TO ISSUE A SHELTER IN
PLACE ORDER. EARLY, DECISIVE
ACTION THAT SAVED LIVES LATER.
THESE SAME ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS
ENABLE ENABLED US TO MEASURE THE
IMPACT OF OUR POLICY ON MOBILITY
AND TRAVEL PATTERNS TO TRACK THE
VIRUS THROUGH WASTEWATER
SURVEILLANCE, TO IMPROVE CONTACT
TRACING, AND TO BETTER MATCH
SCARCE COVID TEST SUPPLY WITH
PEOPLE IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES
WHO NEEDED THEM MOST. BUT NOT
EVERY AGENCY HAS THESE
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS AND
RELATIONSHIPS WITH ACADEMIC
COLLEAGUES. WRAP UP YOUR TIME AS
EVEN FOR AGENCIES LIKE OURS THAT
DID, WE ENCOUNTERED CHALLENGES
THAT WASTED PRECIOUS TIME.
GOVERNMENTAL, PUBLIC HEALTH AND
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES ARE
COMPLEMENTARY. TIME IS UP. THE
WAY THIS WORKS IS EACH WITNESS
GETS TO IT DOESN'T COMBINE TO
FOR I. OKAY. I'M SORRY. MY
APOLOGIES. STAND IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM WANT TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
PLEASE STEP FORWARD. MADAM
CHAIR, MEMBERS, ON BEHALF OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING. TYLER AGUILAR, ON
BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE
ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT
OF THE BILL? OKAY. ARE THERE
OPPOSITION WITNESSES? ANYONE
SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION OF THE
BILL? ANY INDIVIDUAL WANT TO
SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE BILL?
SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE TO THE
DAIS. MADAM CHAIR, I WOULD MOVE
THE BILL. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
SENATOR LAIRD, LET'S SEE, BEFORE
WE GET TO CLOSE, I JUST WANTED
TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING
THE AMENDMENTS. WE APPRECIATE,
THE COOPERATION OF YOUR STAFF.
THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO ME IN
TERMS OF THE DISCLOSURES.
DISCLOSURES ARE IMPORTANT IN
TERMS OF ETHICS, MAKING SURE
THAT WE ARE, MINDFUL OF WHO'S
COMING INTO OUR PUBLIC SECTOR
SPACE AND WHAT ROLE THEY'RE
GOING TO PLAY IN THAT SPACE IN
TERMS OF BUILDING THE CAPACITY
OF OUR, OF OUR OF OUR
GOVERNMENT. I CAME OUT OF THE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND, THERE'S
ALL KINDS OF FUNDING SOURCES
THAT FUND PEOPLE COMING OUT OF
THE UNIVERSITY. AND, THAT
FUNDING HAS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF
EXPERTISE. AND SOMETIMES THERE'S
CERTAINLY A LOT OF BIAS IN SOME
OF THOSE FUNDING STREAMS. AND
I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN SOME
OF THAT MAY COME INTO AND IN
SOME CASES INFILTRATE OUR
GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS WORKING FOR
ALL THE PEOPLE. SO FOR ME, THAT
WAS A PERSONAL, CONCERN, I
THINK, IN TERMS OF THE
COMMITTEE'S WORK AND STAFF, YOU
KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
THIS BILL MOVE FORWARD. I WANT
TO SUPPORT THIS BILL TODAY. I
ALSO THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT
WE ARE MODERNIZING HOW WE'RE
DOING. OUR PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND
BUILDING, IT'S LONG OVERDUE, AND
AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT
THIS TO BE EXCLUSIVELY SOMETHING
THAT ELITE WORKERS GET TO DO.
WORKERS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES.
WE THINK ALL WORKERS SHOULD HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEIR
SKILL SETS AND BRING THEM INTO
OUR PUBLIC SECTOR AND SERVE. SO
I WISH YOU LUCK WITH THIS AND,
HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE A
PARTNERSHIP AROUND HOW WE BUILD
THE FUTURE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKFORCE TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE YOU TO
CLOSE, I THANK YOU WOULD
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE
AND JUST NOTE THANK THE CHAIR
AND WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD
INTERROGATORIES WITH YOUR STAFF
BACK AND FORTH TO ADDRESS THIS
WHOLE MYRIAD OF ISSUES. AND
WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN
RESPONSE. BUT WE TOTALLY AGREE
THAT ANY ASSIGNEES IN THE
PROGRAM SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE
EXISTING RIGOROUS DISCLOSURE
REGULATIONS. AND THERE WERE A
HOST OF OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE
RAISED IN THE IN THE ANALYSIS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLARIFYING
THAT AND WORKING THAT FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WE HAVE
A MOTION FROM SENATOR LAIRD.
ASSISTANT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON FILE ITEM THREE. THE MOTION
IS DUE. PASS AS AMENDED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. Ã. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS. AYE. WILK CORTEZ.
DURAZZO. LAIRD AYE. LAIRD. AYE.
OKAY. THIS BILL HAS A VOTE OF 2
TO 0, AND WE PUT IT ON CALL,
MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE WE GO TO THE
NEXT AUTHOR. YOU NEVER HAD A
MOTION ON THE SECOND PORTANTINO
PORTANTINO. THEN FOR THE
PURPOSES OF PUTTING THAT ON, I
WOULD MOVE ITEM NUMBER FIVE, SB
11. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU, SENATOR PADILLA. ASSISTANT.
CALL THE ROLL ON FILE. ITEM
NUMBER FIVE, SB 1116. THE MOTION
IS DUE PASSED. THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SMALLWOOD,
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS I WILK
CORTEZ. DURAZO. LAIRD I. LAIRD I
. OKAY. THIS BILL HAS A VOTE OF
2 TO 0. AND WE WILL PLACE IT ON
CALL. OKAY. FINAL ITEM NUMBER
SIX. I SEE SENATOR GLOVE, ARE
YOU READY? PLEASE. PLEASE SIT TO
THE MIC. READY? WHENEVER YOU
ARE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR,
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR
WORKING WITH ME ON THESE
AMENDMENTS. I DO APPRECIATE IT
VERY MUCH. AND I THANK THE
MEMBERS FOR WORKING WITH ME AS
WELL TO ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR
SITUATION THAT THIS SB 1264
TENDS TO ADDRESS EXISTING LAW,
WHICH TOOK EFFECT JANUARY 1ST OF
THIS YEAR, PROHIBITS EMPLOYERS
FROM MAKING CERTAIN HIRING AND
EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS RELATIVE TO
OFF DUTY PRIOR CANNABIS USE OR
PRIOR CANNABIS USE. I WANT TO
THANK THE COMMITTEE AND THE
CHAIR FOR THEIR FEEDBACK ON THIS
BILL, AND I'LL ACCEPT THE
COMMITTEE'S AMENDMENTS DETAILED
IN THE ANALYSIS THAT REMOVE
NON-SWORN OFFICERS OR NON-SWORN
EMPLOYEES FROM THE EXEMPTION AND
NARROW THE SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT
CATEGORIES TO WHICH THE
EXEMPTION APPLIES. ADDITIONALLY,
THE AMENDMENTS THAT NARROW THE
NATURE OF THE EXEMPTION, AS
AMENDED, SB 1264, WOULD PROVIDE
LIMITED EXCEPTION FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FROM THE
STATUTE GOVERNING EMPLOYMENT
PRACTICES OF OFF DUTY CANNABIS
USE, ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO BE
TESTED FOR CANNABIS USE. THIS
BILL NARROWLY IS DRAWN TO
PROVIDE TARGETED EXEMPTION FOR
JUST THOSE SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT
APPLICANTS AND EMPLOYEES WHO,
WHO ARE OR WOULD BE UNDERTAKING
DUTIES DIRECTLY RELATED TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT, THIS NARROWER
EXEMPTION, THIS IS A NARROW
EXEMPTION MORE THAN THE BUILDING
AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES THAT
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE IN STATUTE.
THE WORK FROM BOTH THE
PROFESSIONS IS IMPORTANT, FOR
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC
SAFETY AND RESPONSIBILITY, THE
WORK THAT BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND THE TRADES DO IS BENEFICIAL
TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY OF OUR OUR
COMMUNITY. PEACE OFFICERS ARE
EXPECTED TO OVERCOME INTENSE
PHYSICAL CHALLENGES AND MAKE
SPLIT DECISIONS, SPLIT SECOND
DECISIONS IN LIFE AND DEATH
SITUATIONS. AND THOSE
RESPONSIBILITIES ARE GENERALLY
INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE EFFECTS OF
CANNABIS USE. SB 1264 WILL
ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENTS
RETAIN THE ABILITY TO TEST
EMPLOYEES FOR CANNABIS USE AND
ENSURE THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR
LAW ENFORCEMENT, I KNOW WE HAVE
A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON SOME
THINGS, BUT I JUST REALLY, TRULY
BELIEVE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER
STANDARD. SPECIFICALLY THOSE
THAT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, HIGH
SPEED CHASES, CARRYING A GUN,
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. I THINK
THAT THAT IS A DIFFERENT THAN,
THE GROCERY STORE WORKER, LIKE
MY BILL IS NOT TO ROLL BACK
ANYTHING THAT WOULD AFFECT
INDIVIDUALS. THAT WOULDN'T BE
HELD TO THIS HIGHER STANDARD,
SIMILAR TO THE TRADES I TODAY
HERE WITH ME, I HAVE CORY
SALZILLO FROM THE CALIFORNIA
STATE SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION AND
JONATHAN FELDMAN WITH THE
CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEFS
ASSOCIATION TO TESTIFY. THANK
YOU. SENATOR, WITNESSES, YOU
HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, CORY
SALZILLO, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE SHERIFFS
ASSOCIATION, PLEASED TO BE HERE
AS A CO-SPONSOR OF SB 1264. WE
REALLY APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR'S
WORK HERE, AS WELL AS THAT OF
THE COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIR AND
THE MEMBERS TO GET THIS BILL
INTO A SHAPE THAT WE HOPE WILL
PASS MUSTER IN THIS COMMITTEE, I
DON'T WANT TO DUPLICATE ANYTHING
THAT THE AUTHOR SAID, BUT I WILL
JUST NOTE THAT, THE EXISTING
LAW, AS IT WAS GOING THROUGH THE
PROCESS, THIS THE BILL BY MR.
QUIRK, WE BELIEVED WE WERE
EXEMPT UNDER THE LANGUAGE OF
THAT BILL AND SINCE ITS PASSAGE
AND IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME MORE
REFINED LEGAL ANALYSIS, THERE IS
A LITTLE BIT LESS CLARITY THAN
WE INITIALLY HAD. SO WE THINK
THIS IS A VERY TARGETED
EXEMPTION, AGAIN, WITH THE WORK
OF THE COMMITTEE AND NARROWING,
THE BILL AS REFLECTED IN THE
AMENDMENTS THAT ARE LISTED IN
THE ANALYSIS, WE ARE HAPPY TO
ACCEPT THOSE AMENDMENTS TO MOVE
THIS EFFORT FORWARD, WE AGREED
TO AMENDMENTS IN THE SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WE HAVE
AGREED TO FURTHER AMENDMENTS. AS
THE AUTHOR NOTED, THAT NARROW
EVEN FURTHER TO JUST CERTAIN,
ASSIGNMENTS AND WORK FUNCTIONS
OF SOME SWORN OFFICERS. SO WE
THINK A VERY NARROW AND TARGETED
EXEMPTION, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS, BUT WE VERY MUCH
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND
APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT WITNESS. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR MEMBERS JONATHAN
FELDMAN, CALIFORNIA POLICE
CHIEFS ASSOCIATION I WON'T
DUPLICATE ANYTHING THAT WAS
ALREADY SAID. ECHO THE COMMENTS
OF THE AUTHOR AND MY COLLEAGUE.
ASK FOR AN AYE VOTE. THANK YOU.
OKAY, ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL
? SEEING NONE, ARE THERE
OPPOSITION WITNESSES SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? GOOD
MORNING. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
OKAY. THANK YOU. KRISTIN
HEIDELBACH, UFCW WESTERN STATES
COUNSEL, ORIGINAL SUPPORTERS,
CO-SPONSORS OF AB 2188, WHICH
AFFORDED ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS
FOR MOST WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE
BUILDING TRADES, WE HAVE MAJOR
CONCERNS WITH THIS BILL, EVEN IN
ITS AMENDED CONDITION, BECAUSE
WE FEEL THAT WHAT THIS DOES IS
CARVE OUT A HUGE GROUP OF
WORKERS THAT NEXT YEAR, WE'RE
GOING TO BE FINDING ANOTHER
GROUP OF WORKERS. IN THE
FOLLOWING YEAR, WE COULD BE
FOLLOWING AND CARVING OUT
ANOTHER GROUP OF WORKERS,
FURTHER WEAKENING AB ONE, AB
2188. AND WE REALLY LOOK AT THIS
IN TWO FACTS REMAIN, AND THAT IS
THAT IN CALIFORNIA YOU CANNOT
SHOW UP TO WORK HIGH. YOU CANNOT
BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF
CANNABIS AND GO TO WORK. THE
NOTHING IN CURRENT LAW ALLOWS
THAT. ADDITIONALLY YOU HAVE THE
RIGHT TO TEST YOUR WORKERS. NOW
YOU HAVE THE ABILITY LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND OTHERS HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TEST THEIR WORKERS.
USE A SWAB TEST. JUST TO RECAP,
AB 2188 ALLOWED WORKERS TO HAVE
A CHEEK SWAB INSTEAD OF A URINE
TEST. I CAN TELL YOU THIS IS NOT
ANECDOTAL. I SPENT 13 YEARS
INSIDE OF A LABOR UNION, AND
I'VE WATCHED MULTIPLE WORKERS
HARASSED, DISCRIMINATED AGAINST,
OR THREATENED TO BE INTIMIDATED
OR THREATENED WITH A CANNABIS
TEST. AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING,
RESPECTFULLY, IS A NO VOTE ON
THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, ALSO, WE
HAVE FOUND AND IN MY TIME IN A
LABOR UNION, OUR BLACK AND BROWN
BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE SUBJECT TO
HIGHER RATES OF TESTING. SO WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A NO VOTE.
THANK YOU. HI. GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS. BETH
MALINOWSKI WITH SEIU CALIFORNIA
REPRESENT AROUND 700,000 WORKERS
ACROSS OUR STATE IN BOTH PRIVATE
AND PUBLIC SECTOR SETTINGS.
WE'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY
CONCERNED THIS BILL SINCE
INTRODUCTION AND HAVE HAD
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DIALOG WITH
BOTH THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE AND
WITH THE COMMITTEE. WE'VE
APPRECIATED THAT DIALOG, YOU
KNOW, CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THE
DEEP AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING
TAKEN TODAY. BUT SIMILAR TO OUR
COLLEAGUES AT UFCW, DO REMAIN
CONCERNED WITH THIS BILL. AND
REMAIN IN OPPOSITION, YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK
ABOUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS BILL
IS WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE
CREATING KIND OF TENSIONS WITHIN
OUR BARGAINING UNIONS AND OUR
JOB SETTINGS. AND SO EVEN WITH
AN EXEMPTION THÀNH THAT REMOVES
OUR NON-SWORN FROM THE BILL, WE
STILL WILL HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE OUR SWORN MEMBERS, SEIU
DOES HAVE SOME SWORN MEMBERS
ACROSS AND VÀ COUNTY AND LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS WILL BE WORKING
UNDER A POLICY ENVIRONMENT THAT
IS DIFFERENT THAN THOSE PEERS
THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THEY'RE
WORKING THE SAME WORK SETTINGS
WITH, YOU KNOW, WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIALOG WE'VE
BEEN HAVING AROUND HOW DO WE
DEFINE ON THE JOB VERSUS OFF THE
JOB AND HOW IN LAW ENFORCEMENT,
CERTAINLY A CALL CAN COME IN AND
A SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE TO BEGIN
ENGAGING IN THEIR WORKDAY, EVEN
IF MAYBE THAT WAS A DAY THEY
WERE OTHERWISE OUT AND ABOUT
WITH THEIR FAMILY OR IN THE
COMMUNITY. THE REALITY IS THAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENS FOR SOME OTHER
WORKERS AS WELL, INCLUDING OTHER
WORKERS REPRESENTED BY SEIU. I
THINK ABOUT OUR HEALTH CARE
WORKERS IN PARTICULAR, WHERE
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON WHERE HEALTH
CARE WORKER MIGHT BE OFF, THE
JOB SITUATION EVOLVES. MAYBE
THEY'RE CALLED IN TO THAT
HOSPITAL INTO THAT JOB SETTING
TO BEGIN WORKING. WE, OF COURSE,
ONE FIRST AND FOREMOST HOPE THAT
OUR MEMBERS ARE GOING TO MAKE A
DECISION IMMEDIATELY TO KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT IT IS RIGHT FOR
THEM TO BEGIN WORK THAT DAY.
THEN, DEPENDING ON THE
ENVIRONMENT OF WHAT THEIR
ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN THAT DAY.
AND AS NOTED, AS SOON AS A
WORKER, YOU KNOW, WALKS THROUGH
THAT DOOR, BE IT WALKS THROUGH
THE DOOR OF AN ER, YOU KNOW,
PICKS UP THAT GUN AND ENGAGES IN
SOME ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
BASED ON A NEED THAT THEY ARE ON
THE JOB. AND AT THAT POINT,
THEIR EMPLOYER COULD CHOOSE TO
TEST THEM USING THE TESTING
ALLOWANCES THAT STILL EXIST IN
LAW. AS A RESULT OF THE QUICK
EFFORT FROM LAST SESSION. SO
I'LL I'LL STOP MY COMMENTS THERE
, ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE DIALOG
AND CONVERSATION AND AGAIN, ASK
FOR YOUR NO VOTE TODAY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE HERE,
SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL, PLEASE STEP FORWARD. STATE
YOUR NAME, POSITION AND
AFFILIATION. CHRIS MYERS WITH
THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION RESPECTFULLY
OPPOSED. THANK YOU. DANIEL
PEARL, ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, JUST WANTED
TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF SEIU AS
WELL, AND WE REMAIN IN
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. MARIKO
YOSHIHARA, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS
ASSOCIATION AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION, JARED CHILO, ON
BEHALF OF THE UNITED CANNABIS
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE
COACHELLA VALLEY CANNABIS
ALLIANCE, LONG BEACH COLLECTIVE
ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION, SAN
FRANCISCO RETAILERS ALLIANCE,
ANGELS EMERALD AND SOCIAL
EQUITY. LÀ IN OPPOSITION.
JEANETTE, SORRY, ON BEHALF OF
DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE AND
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. TALIA
D'AMATO ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
NORML. ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR OF AB
2188 CLARK, AS WELL AS SUPERNOVA
WOMEN, BOTH IN RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. RICH MILLER, ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE
FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS, WHERE
PATIENTS ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED,
ASKING FOR YOUR OPPOSITION AND A
NO VOTE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION OF THE BILL? OKAY, WE
WILL MOVE TO THE MEMBERS, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. AND
I, REALLY APPRECIATE THE
TESTIMONY ON BOTH SIDES. AND I
TAKE THE, THE AUTHOR'S WORD
ABOUT THIS BEING AT A HIGHER
STANDARD, AND I THINK IT'S
TOUGH. I ALWAYS HAVE A TOUGH
TIME WITH THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
ARGUMENT, BECAUSE THIS SEEMS
LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR
THIS. AND THERE WAS, I DON'T
KNOW, THE DIPLOMATIC WORD. THERE
WERE VERY ANIMATED DISCUSSIONS
BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE AND THE
AUTHOR, AND I THINK BOTH GAVE ON
THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO
GIVE ON TO GET TO THE POINT OF
HAVING AMENDMENTS THAT THAT THE
COMMITTEE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH.
AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE
WOULD CONTINUE TO BE DISCUSSIONS
IF THERE'S ANY PLACE TO GO. BUT
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT IN
FRONT OF WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US
WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE
ASKED FOR BY THE COMMITTEE, IS A
GOOD PATH TO TAKE OUT OF THIS
COMMITTEE. SO WITH THAT IN MIND,
I WOULD MOVE THE BILL AS AMENDED
. THANK YOU FOR THE MOTION,
SENATOR LAIRD, ANYONE ELSE WANT
TO SPEAK? SENATOR RUSSO? YES I
ALSO APPRECIATE THE AMENDMENTS
THAT WERE MADE, BUT WHAT THE
BEST PART OF HAVING PUBLIC
COMMENT IS WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE
LIVING THE THIS PARTICULAR
SITUATION OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT IN A PROPOSED BILL, THEY
REMIND US WHAT IT'S LIKE IN THAT
REAL WORLD AND NOT JUST WHAT
WE'RE DEBATING HERE AMONGST
OURSELVES. AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE, BECAUSE A LOT HAS
BEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD A LOT
THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE THOUGHT ON
MY OWN FROM THE PEOPLE WHO'VE
TESTIFIED HERE AGAINST. SO I
FIND IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO,
SUPPORT EVEN WITH ALL THE
AMENDMENTS, BECAUSE OF THE
IMPACT THAT IT'S STILL GOING TO
CONTINUE TO HAVE, OUT THERE IN
THE REAL WORLD. SO
UNFORTUNATELY, I WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT THE BILL. SO,
WITH ME BEING THE LAST TO SPEAK
ON THIS, WE HAD MANY
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS, AND I
APPRECIATE, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN
DONE WITH THE COMMITTEE. AND I
APPRECIATE THE POSITION OF THE
MEMBERS AND, AND CERTAINLY THE
TESTIMONY TODAY. I ABSOLUTELY
AGREE, THE VOTERS VOTED FOR PROP
64, AND IT IS NOW PART OF OUR
SOCIETY. AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE
OUT THE WAYS IN WHICH WE
INTEGRATE CANNABIS USE INTO OUR
WORKPLACES. AND I WANT TO
RESPECT THE OPPOSITION FOR
HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WITH ME
AND EDUCATING ME ON, YOU KNOW,
THE ADVANCEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
MADE IN TERMS OF TESTING, AND,
AND EDUCATING ME ON HOW THIS IS
NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST BILL
THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE
THINGS RIGHT AND TO PROTECT
WORKERS, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT,
PROTECTING WORKERS IN THE
WORKPLACE, WE HAVE TO PROTECT
WORKERS, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT AN ACTIVITY THAT
IS NOW LEGAL, AND AT SOME POINT,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING
EMPLOYERS AND UNIONS AND
COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO, TO FIGURE
THIS, THIS PIECE OUT, THE MODERN
TEST I, THE SWABBING, I JUST
LEARNED ABOUT THESE NEW
ADVANCES, AND WE JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE NOT HIGH AT
WORK, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW
WHAT THEY DID LAST WEEK OR THE
WEEKEND OR, YOU KNOW, THE NIGHT
BEFORE. THIS IS ABOUT TESTING
AND DEALING WITH THE ISSUE ON
THE JOB, AND, WE THINK THAT A
SPONSORS SHOULD AND MUST REQUIRE
THOSE TESTS AND NOT USE THE
ARCANE BLOOD AND HAIR SAMPLE
TESTING, WHICH DOES NOT PROTECT
WORKERS. AND, IS REALLY BEEN
INVALIDATED BECAUSE OF ALL OF
THE, THE INNOVATION, I'M
UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT ALLOWING,
ANY EMPLOYER TO, TO DO TESTING
THAT BRINGS IN WHAT HAPPENS OFF
THE JOB, AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT
VERY CLEAR, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE
, S, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO
HOLD POLICE WHO ARE ARMED,
ACCOUNTABLE, AND WITH THAT, I'M
GOING TO LET THE BILL MOVE
FORWARD TODAY AND SO I INVITE
YOU TO CLOSE. I AGAIN, JUST WANT
TO REITERATE MY COMMENTS ABOUT
WORKING WITH THE CHAIR.
INCLUDING OUR FACE TIME THIS
MORNING WHEN I WAS TRYING TRYING
TO GET READY, AND I ONLY SAY
THAT BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF
HUMOROUS AND NOT NOT WHAT THE
DISCUSSION WAS VERY SERIOUS, BUT
THE SITUATION ITSELF AND I WAS I
WAS VERY GRACIOUS TO THE FACT
THAT YOU, AT LEAST YOU TOOK THE
TIME TO FACETIME ME THIS MORNING
AND REALLY HAVE A THOUGHTFUL
DISCUSSION ON THIS. AND I
APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE
THE CONVERSATION, THE AMENDMENTS
THAT WE TOOK IN JUDICIARY AND
AGAIN, WHEN WE INTRODUCED THE
BILL, IT WAS NOT MY INTENT TO
WRAP UP, ANYBODY WHO WAS NOT A
SWORN OFFICER, I REALIZE THAT
THERE ARE ISSUES OF A SLIPPERY
SLOPE. I JUST REALLY DO BELIEVE,
FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY SOUL THAT
LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE HELD
TO A HIGHER STANDARD, AS BECAUSE
OF THE DUTIES THAT THEY PERFORM.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE ISSUES OUT
THERE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THOSE
THINGS WORSE. YOU AND I HAVE
BOTH DISCUSSED THOSE THINGS, AND
SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE CHAIR'S
SUPPORT OF THE BILL, WORKING
WITH ME ON THE AMENDMENTS. AND I
THANK YOU FOR YOUR I VOTE. WE
HAVE A MOTION FROM SENATOR LAIRD
. ASSISTANT, PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON FILE ITEM SIX. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS AS AMENDED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
SMALLWOOD, CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS I WILK I WILK I CORTEZ.
DURAZO NOT VOTING. SENATOR.
LAIRD I. OKAY. WITH A VOTE OF 3
TO 0, THIS BILL IS ON CALL.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK
YOU. MEMBERS. OKAY, BEFORE WE
MOVE FORWARD, SENATOR DODD,
WE'RE JUST GOING TO LIFT CALLS.
SO WE CAN GET THROUGH IT REAL
QUICKLY HERE. LET'S START WITH
ITEM NUMBER THREE. WE'RE GOING
TO START WITH FILE ITEM NUMBER
THREE, SB 1070. SENATOR PADILLA
ASSISTANT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON FILE ITEM NUMBER THREE. THE
MOTION IS DO PASS AS AMENDED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,
SENATOR WILK. AYE. SENATOR.
WILK. AYE, CORTEZ DURAZZO I
DURAZZO I. WE HAVE A VOTE OF 4
TO 0 ON THAT BILL, AND IT IS ON
CALL ITEM NUMBER FOUR. WE'RE
MOVING TO FILE ITEM NUMBER FOUR,
SB 1100. SENATOR PORTINO
ASSISTANT, PLEASE. PORTANTINO.
WHAT AM I SAYING, ASSISTANT,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL FOR FILE
ITEM NUMBER FOUR. THE MOTION IS
DUE PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. WILK. HI. WILK
AYE. CORTEZ. DURAZZO. DURAZZO
AYE. OKAY. ON A VOTE OF 4 TO 0,
THIS BILL IS ON CALL NUMBER
FIVE. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO
ITEM OOPS. MY ON FILE. ITEM
NUMBER FIVE, SB 1116. THAT'S
SENATOR PORTANTINO ASSISTANT.
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL FOR FILE
ITEM NUMBER FIVE. THE MOTION IS
Dð PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SENATOR WILK.
NO. SENATOR WILK. NO. SENATOR
DURAZZO. Ã. DURAZZO. AYE. THREE
ONE IS ON CALL. THAT BILL HAS A
VOTE OF 3 TO 1, AND IT IS ON
CALL. I THINK THAT'S THE ONE
THAT SHE BROUGHT UP FIRST THAT
YOU VOTED. AYE I BOUGHT IT IRON.
ONE NUMBER. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE
UPDATED NOW AND WE ARE GOING TO
MOVE TO FILE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
SENATOR DODD, SB 1379. NO NO NO
NO. WE NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT
BECAUSE THAT'S. I'M SORRY. DID I
SAY NINE? FILE ITEM SEVEN.
THAT'S YEAR NINE. FILE ITEM
NUMBER SEVEN, SB 1379. THAT IS
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBERS,
TODAY I AM PRESENTING SB 1379 TO
TEMPORARY EARLY WAIVE THE NINE
60 HOUR LIMIT FOR ANY RETIRED
INUIT WORKING FOR SOLANO COUNTY
SHERIFF TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL
STAFFING NEED IN THE CITY OF
VALLEJO. I WOULD LIKE TO START
BY ACCEPTING THE COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS AND THANK THE CHAIR
AND COMMITTEE STAFF FOR WORKING
WITH ME ON THIS MEASURE. REALLY
APPRECIATE IT VERY, VERY MUCH,
WITH THESE AMENDMENTS, THIS
WOULD ALLOW, ANY RETIRED
ANNUITANT WORKING FOR SOLANO
COUNTY SHERIFF TO BE EXEMPT FROM
THE 960 HOUR WORK LIMIT. THIS
WOULD APPLY TO DEPUTY SHERIFFS,
EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS, OR
COMMUNICATION OPERATORS. WITH A
THREE YEAR SUNSET. THE VALLEJO
CITY COUNCIL DECLARED A STATE OF
EMERGENCY LAST YEAR DUE TO A
MAJOR POLICE OFFICER STAFFING
SHORTAGE. THE DESPITE BEING
AUTHORIZED FOR 132 OFFICERS. AS
VALLEJO PD CURRENTLY ONLY HAS 32
OFFICERS, FOUR DETECTIVES AND NO
TRAFFIC OFFICERS. AS A RESULT,
THE SOLANO COUNTY SHERIFF IS
TAXED WITH RESPONDING TO
EMERGENCY CALLS IN VALLEJO AND
THIS BILL IS ESSENTIAL TO ASSIST
THEM. RESPONDING TO THESE CALLS,
THE BILL WOULD ALSO PROHIBIT ANY
OFFICER BEING HIRED AS A RETIRED
ANNUITANT IF THEY ARE UNDER
INVESTIGATION BY POST OR ON A
POST. DECERTIFICATION LIST.
ADDITIONALLY, ANY POSITION MUST
BE ADVERTISED FOR A FULL TIME
POSITION OFFICER SIX MONTHS
PRIOR TO BEING FILLED BY A
RETIRED ANNUITANT. THERE'S
PRECEDENT FOR WAIVING THE HOUR
LIMIT, IN UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES
IN TIMES OF EMERGENCIES LIKE
THIS. LAST YEAR, GOVERNOR NEWSOM
ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER N-1, DASH
23, IN RESPONSE TO WINTER STORMS
ALLOWING FOR ANY RETIRED
ANNUITANT WORKING IN CALIFORNIA
STATE AGENCY IN RECOVERY ROLE TO
BE WAIVED. THE NINE 60 HOUR WORK
LIMIT, GIVEN THE STAFFING
SHORTAGE IN THE CITY OF VALLEJO
AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEMS
IT PRESENTS, AND I'M SAYING
SEVERE PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEMS
THAT PRESENTS THE CITY CAN'T
AFFORD TO WAIT FOR MORE OFFICERS
TO BE TRAINED WITHOUT THIS
IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, THE SOLANO
COUNTY SHERIFF WON'T BE ABLE TO
RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF VALLEJO.
THE BILL IS SPONSORED BY THE
SOLANO COUNTY SHERIFF AND IS
SUPPORTED BY CALIFORNIA STATE
SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION. WITH ME
TODAY IS UNDERSHERIFF BRAD
DEWAAL AND SHERIFFS EXECUTIVE
OFFICER JOHN ROBERTSON. THANK
YOU, SENATOR. AND SIR, YOU HAVE
TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU MA'AM. SO
MY NAME IS BRAD DEWAAL. I'M THE
SOLANO COUNTY UNDERSHERIFF.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
A COMMUNITY IN NEED. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE CITY OF
VALLEJO, WHICH IS THE LARGEST
SOLANO COUNTY CITY WITH A LITTLE
OVER 120,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY,
WHICH IS ABOUT 25% OR SO OF THE
POPULATION, IN THE COUNTY. SO A
BRIEF HISTORY AND TIMELINE. 2008
THE CITY DECLARES BANKRUPTCY AT
THAT POINT, THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAD ABOUT 160 SWORN
OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO THE
EMERGENCIES. AS THE SENATOR
SAID, THEY HAVE ABOUT 132
POSITIONS, ALTHOUGH THERE'S ONLY
ABOUT 70 FILLED. BUT THAT
INCLUDES THE CHIEF AND
LEADERSHIP ON DOWN, WHERE THE
RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. WHEN IT
ALL BOILS DOWN, YOU HAVE 32
OFFICERS THAT ARE RESPONDING ON
A DAILY BASIS TO THE EMERGENCIES
AND THEN FOUR DETECTIVES. THEY
BASICALLY ELIMINATED ALL OTHER
ASSIGNMENTS. TO ADD TO THAT,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S NOT
UNCOMMON. 2 TO 3 OFFICERS ARE ON
PATROL AT ANY GIVEN TIME IN THAT
CITY JUST BECAUSE OF LEAVES,
INJURIES OR MANDATED TRAINING
THAT THEY HAVE TO ATTEND. SO A
VERY SMALL AMOUNT. IT'S NOT
UNCOMMON FOR VALLEJO POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO HAVE 60 PRIORITY
CALLS BACKED UP OR PENDING,
WHICH MEANS A VERY EXTENDED
RESPONSE TIME OR NONE AT ALL. IN
MANY CASES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
VIOLENT CRIMES TO INCLUDE
SHOOTINGS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
ROBBERIES, ASSAULTS. AND THAT'S
NOT EVEN TO MENTION, I'D BE
REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY IF YOU
WALKED AROUND OR DRIVEN OR DROVE
AROUND IN THE CITY OF VALLEJO,
YOU WOULD SEE THE YOUNG LADIES
OUT THERE THAT ARE PROBABLY
BEING VICTIMIZED BY HUMAN
TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION.
THAT'S BEING UNCHECKED BECAUSE
THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY. OUR
SHERIFF'S DISPATCH CENTER
ROUTINELY RECEIVES CALLS FROM
VALLEJO RESIDENTS PLEADING FOR
HELP FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF RESPONSE
THEY RECEIVE FROM THE VALLEJO
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN JULY OF
LAST YEAR. IN 2023, THE CITY
COUNCIL DECLARED AN EMERGENCY
BECAUSE OF THEIR INABILITY TO
RESPOND TO CALLS AND ATTRACT AND
HIRE QUALIFIED POLICE OFFICERS.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM THAT
POINT. THEY CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE
WITH THAT. THE CITY TELLS US
THAT WHEN THEY GET TO 56 SWORN
OFFICERS, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO REVISIT HOW THEY RESPOND
TO CALLS AND REPRIORITIZE WHAT
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO THE
CITY IS FORMALLY REQUESTED. HOW
TIME YOUR TIME IS UP. SORRY
ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. WE'LL MOVE TO NEXT WITNESS.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE, JOHN ROBERTSON,
EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR SHERIFF
TOM FARRAR, THIS EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION IS A KEY COMPONENT
TO US ASSISTING, IN SERVING THE
CITY OF VALLEJO. THIS
LEGISLATION ASSISTS US BY
ALLOWING US TO INCREASE OUR
STAFFING LEVELS RAPIDLY. AND
RETAIN CURRENTLY TRAINED AND
VETTED POLICE OFFICERS BY GIVING
THEM THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE
SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY PAST
THEIR DATE OF RETIREMENT. THIS
EMERGENCY STAFFING PROPOSAL WILL
ASSIST US IN RESPONDING TO
REQUESTS FOR EMERGENCY
ASSISTANCE FROM VALLEJO POLICE
OFFICERS AND DISPATCH, RESPOND
TO CRITICAL CALLS FOR SERVICE
FROM THE COMMUNITY. STABILIZED
CRIME SCENES, AND PROTECT LIFE
AND CONDUCT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
AND CRIME SUPPRESSION EFFORTS IN
A TARGETED AREA. EVERYONE
DESERVES A SAFE COMMUNITY, AND
YOUR SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 1379
WILL ASSIST US IN ACCOMPLISHING
THIS ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. ANYONE ON HERE ALSO
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL,
PLEASE STEP FORWARD. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. CORY SUSILO, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE
SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION, IN SUPPORT
. CLIFTON WILSON, ON BEHALF OF
THE SOLANO COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS IN SUPPORT. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
OKAY. WE WILL MOVE TO
OPPOSITION. ANY OPPOSITION
WITNESS SPEAKING AGAINST THE
BILL? ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO WISHES
TO SPEAK AGAINST THE BILL,
PLEASE STEP FORWARD. OKAY. WE
WILL MOVE TO MEMBERS. SENATOR
LAIRD, THANK YOU, I HAVE TO SAY,
AS A NATIVE OF VALLEJO, THIS IS
A VERY HARD DEBATE TO LISTEN TO.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE
HERE IN TERMS OF THE POLICY IN
FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE IS A
COLLISION OF TWO THINGS. AND ONE
IS JUST BASIC PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN
IT'S AT RISK AND IT IS TRULY AN
EMERGENCY. AND THE OTHER IS THE
INTEGRITY OF OUR PENSION SYSTEM
AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR
RETIREMENT SYSTEM. AND HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT THE
FIRST OF MANY, MANY THAT COME
AND RUN AT THIS? BECAUSE ONE OF
THE ISSUES WE ALWAYS HAVE IS
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE IN THE
PENSION SYSTEM, WHICH AT TIMES
IS STRESSED AND I APPRECIATE THE
AMENDMENTS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS
BILL WAS SET EARLIER AND WASN'T
CONSIDERED READY TO GO. AND THE
AMENDMENTS ADDRESS SOME VERY KEY
ISSUES, SUCH AS MAKING SURE THAT
THAT SOMEBODY THAT IS
POTENTIALLY BEING DECERTIFIED IS
NOT CONSIDERED FOR THIS, THAT
THERE IS A SUNSET. SO THIS ISN'T
A GOING ON FOR A LENGTHY PERIOD
OF TIME. AND I THINK THAT THE
QUESTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE THAT MAY BE UNRELATED TO
THIS BILL DIRECTLY IS HOW ARE WE
GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS IF WE
HAVE MULTIPLE ONES THAT START TO
COME AT US AND, AND I SORT OF
TOO LATE FOR THIS DISCUSSION,
GAVE SOME THOUGHT TO IT. AND IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THERE'S A
TIME THAT THAT YOU HAVE LESS
THAN 30% OF THE SWORN OFFICER
POSITIONS FILLED AND THAT THAT
HAVING A BENCHMARK LIKE THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD TRIGGER
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH A
SUNSET, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE
LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING IN TO DO
NOT HAVE CASES THAT ARE AS ACUTE
AS THIS ONE. AND, AND, AND IF
YOU DID SOME, TIME LIMIT ON IT
OR FILLING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
POSITIONS AS THE REASON THAT YOU
WOULD MOVE OUT OF THAT STATUS, I
THINK THAT GIVES SOME COMFORT TO
THOSE OF US THAT KNOW. AND THERE
ARE SOME CITIES THAT ARE AT 60%
AND CONSIDER IT AN EMERGENCY.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TROUBLE
UNLESS WE SET IT REALLY LOW
DOING THAT. BUT I THINK AS THIS
MOVES ALONG, I HAVE NO DOUBT
THAT THE SENATOR IS GOING TO
HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF TOUGH
CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMITTEES TO
COME. AND JUST HAVING SOME
ALTERNATIVES IN YOUR BACK POCKET
AS WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS IS, IS
SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
SO TO TAKING THAT ALL INTO
ACCOUNT. AND I APPRECIATE THE
TESTIMONY, I BELIEVE THE BEST
ALTERNATIVE IS, IS THIS BILL
THAT'S IN FRONT OF US WITH THE
AMENDMENTS THAT THE COMMITTEE
HAS ASKED FOR. AND SO I WOULD
MOVE THE BILL AS AMENDED. THANK
YOU, SENATOR LAIRD. SENATOR RASO
, A QUESTION I HAD SOME SERIOUS
PROBLEMS WITH IT. AND I THANK
ALL OF YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THE
AUTHOR, FOR WORKING ON IT, I
GUESS MY BASIC QUESTION IS WHAT
MAKES YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO
WORK TO SOLVE THE ISSUE OF THE
SHORTAGE? WELL IT JUST CREATES A
BIGGER POOL OF, YOU KNOW, OF
APPLICANTS RIGHT NOW, THE POOL
OF APPLICANTS APPLICANTS IS AND
I THINK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
CAN, YOU KNOW, TALK TO THE
SPECIFICS OF THAT. BUT THERE'S
SO MUCH COMPETITION IN THE
MARKETPLACE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR
OFFICERS THAT THEY JUST CAN'T
POSSIBLY HIRE QUICK ENOUGH TO
MAKE ANY REASONABLE DENT IN THE
PUBLIC SAFETY DILEMMA THAT IS
BROUGHT FORWARD. I APPRECIATE
THE CHAIR AND STAFF CUTTING THIS
FROM A FIVE YEAR TO A THREE
YEAR, BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND
THE CONCERNS THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE BROUGHT FORWARD. THEY
BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A
RETIREMENT POOL THERE. ALSO,
THERE WAS A RETIREMENT POOL. YOU
KNOW, FRANKLY, FROM THE CITY OF
VALLEJO THAT, YOU KNOW,
CANDIDLY, WAS NOT AS DESIROUS
UNDER ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
HAVE THAT HAVE HAPPENED THERE,
BUT IF THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH
FOR YOU, WE DO HAVE, YEAH. I
THINK IT A LITTLE BIT GOES TO
SENATOR LAIRD, WHICH IS WHAT'S,
WHAT'S GOING TO WORK HERE SO
THAT WE'RE NOT FACING THE
SITUATION OVER AND OVER AND OVER
AGAIN. AND IF WE PUT GUARDRAILS,
IF WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, IT'S
KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH
THESE ON ON OTHER ISSUES IS HOW
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THIS
WORK OTHER THAN, WE HOPE TO HAVE
A BIGGER POOL. THAT'S A ONE
THOUGHT. BUT IS THAT REALLY
GOING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU?
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED
. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, WE
ARE REACHING OUT AND WE'RE
LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE
A MEASURE OF SAFETY TO A
COMMUNITY, IT HASN'T BEEN TRIED
BEFORE. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT,
IS POTENTIALLY BRINGING BACK
RETIREES, BUT ALSO PEOPLE AT THE
SOLANO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT
RETIRING. THEY ARE OF RETIREMENT
AGE, BASICALLY ALLOWING THEM TO
RETIRE AND THEN CONTINUE, IN, IN
ROLES LIKE IN OUR COURTS AS
BAILIFFS OR TRANSPORTING THÀNH
OR HOSPITAL WATCHES AND THINGS
LIKE THAT. WHILE WE CONTINUE TO
DO RECRUITING FOR FULL TIME
POLICE OFFICERS, AND WE ARE
ALLOWED THE TIME TO TRAIN THEM
AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT TAKES
ALMOST 18 MONTHS TO 24 MONTHS TO
GET SOMEBODY OUT ON THE STREET,
JUST THROUGH THE BACKGROUND
PROCESS, THROUGH TRAINING AND
THROUGH VETTING THAT PERSON,
THROUGH OUR PROCESSES. SO, I'M
NOT I'M NOT POSITIVE THAT THIS
IS GOING TO WORK. WE'RE TRYING
ANYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THIS
COMMUNITY, THEY ARE IN DESPERATE
NEED OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. OKAY,
WELL, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE
BILL AND YOUR EFFORTS, BUT I
THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE MUCH
MORE THOUGHT AS FAR AS REALLY
SOLVING THE ISSUE. AND I WISH
YOU GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. COULD I ASK A FOLLOW UP
QUESTION? PLEASE DO. AND YOU
MIGHT NEED, BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO
ME IN THE ORIGINAL ITERATION OF
THE BILL, WE WERE TALKING
PRIMARILY ABOUT THE VALLEJO
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALLOWING
PEOPLE TO COME THERE AND THIS
ITERATION SEEMS A LITTLE MORE TO
BE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO COME TO
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. SO
THAT THEY CAN COVER. WHILE
VALLEJO RECRUIT VOIGTS IT. IS
THAT WHAT THE CASE IS, OR DID I
MISUNDERSTAND THAT? SURE IT IS
MY UNDERSTANDING. AFTER TALKING
WITH THE CHIEF OF VALLEJO, THAT
THEY DO HAVE A RECRUITMENT
PROCESS AND IT'S CONTINUING.
OURS IS AS WELL. IT HAS BEEN
OBVIOUSLY IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY. IT'S GETTING IT'S
GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO FILL THAT
ROLE OF A PEACE OFFICER, SO
WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING TO DO THAT,
BUT IT DOES TAKE THE 18 TO 24
MONTHS TO GET THEM TRAINED AND
OUT ON THE STREETS VETTED.
OBVIOUSLY. IS SUPER IMPORTANT. I
CAN APPRECIATE THE WE REQUIRE A
LOT MORE OF OUR PEOPLE, AS WE
SAW IN THE PREVIOUS, SENATE
BILL, WE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE
THING ABOUT IT IS, AND I'M SORRY
TO INTERRUPT YOU, THE THING
ABOUT IT IS, IS EITHER WAY, THIS
IS TO BUY TIME TO MAKE SURE
THERE'S COVERAGE BY THE VALLEJO
POLICE DEPARTMENT TRIES TO
RECRUIT AND FILL POSITIONS. YES,
SIR. IT'S JUST THAT THIS WAS
THOUGHT TO BE A LITTLE BETTER
THAN THE ORIGINAL ITERATION OF
HOW IT WAS DONE. YES, SIR. OKAY.
THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT EXCHANGE. SO THANK YOU FOR
THE CONVERSATION AND FOR THE
DEEPER DIVE ON THE ISSUE. AND I
WANT TO THANK THE SPONSOR AND
THE SENATOR FOR WORKING THROUGH
THE AMENDMENTS. AND, AND GLAD TO
HEAR ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN SOLANO COUNTY SHERIFFS
AND THE VALLEJO POLICE
DEPARTMENT. MY CONCERN TWO
THINGS IS FIDUCIARY
RESPONSIBILITY AROUND PENSIONS.
ONCE WE START THE DOUBLE
DIPPING, IT GETS REALLY
CHALLENGING AND I REALLY THINK
THAT YOU ACCEPTING THOSE
AMENDMENTS HELPS US TO
UNDERSTAND REALLY THE UNIQUE
SITUATION THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS
IN. AND WE WANT TO WE WANT TO
ADDRESS AND SUPPORT THAT. I AM
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
THE WAY THAT WE ARE ENGAGING
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE
CHANGES TO THE LAW BECAUSE LET'S
BE HONEST, EVERY DEPARTMENT
ACROSS OUR STATE IS STRUGGLING
TO RECRUIT PEOPLE AND IT'S MORE
OF A NARRATIVE SHIFT. IT'S MORE
OF A GRIEVE. COMMUNITIES IT'S
MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP HEALING
AND BUILDING THAT NEEDS TO TAKE
PLACE, TO SORT OF ADDRESS THE
NEEDS. THIS IS A BAND-AID. THIS
IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE
SHORTAGE. THIS IS ABOUT
TEMPORARY SORT OF LOOK AT HOW WE
DEAL WITH THIS URGENT ISSUE. BUT
I DO THINK, THAT, BRINGING BACK,
RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME MAY BE
HELPFUL. AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE'RE BRINGING THEM BACK IN A
WAY THAT DOESN'T COLLAPSE THE
SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER
WAGES AND THE HIGH PENSIONS
COMING OUT AND EXTRACTING FROM
THE FUNDS ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I'M I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE
BILL TODAY. AND I THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK. AND, HOPEFULLY THIS
WILL BE RESOLVED BEFORE THE NEXT
THREE YEARS. SO THANK YOU. AND I
THINK WE HAVE A MOTION FROM
SENATOR LAIRD. OH. I'M SORRY.
YES. PLEASE CLOSE. SENATOR DODD
JUST ONCE AGAIN, APPRECIATE, THE
CHAIR AND STAFF FOR HELPING US
THROUGH THIS AND GETTING THESE
AMENDMENTS FORWARD. AND
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. ASSISTANT. CALL
THE ROLL, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. ON
FILE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE
MOTION IS Dð. PASS AS AMENDED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,
SMALL CUEVAS. SMALL CUEVAS I
WILK I WILK I CORTEZ. DURAZO
DURAZO I LAIRD I LAIRD I. THANK
YOU. MEMBERS OKAY. THIS BILL IS,
ON CALL WITH A VOTE OF 4 TO 0.
WE. LET'S LIFT, CALL NOW ON FILE
ITEM NUMBER TWO. THAT IS,
SENATOR WAHAB'S BILL, SB 1321
ASSISTANT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON FILE ITEM NUMBER TWO. THE
MOTION IS DO PASS, AS AMENDED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
SENATOR WILK NØ WILK. NØ CORTEZ.
OKAY. THAT BILL IS ON CALL WITH
A VOTE OF 3 TO 1. NOW, WITH THAT
BEING SAID, LET'S MOVE TO
SENATOR. SENATOR RASO, DO YOU
WANT TO MOVE ON TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER NINE? OKAY WE WILL HEAR
FILE ITEM NUMBER NINE, SB 1375,
QUICK. OKAY. 1375. GREAT.
PLEASE, SENATOR. THANK YOU.
MADAM CHAIR, AND, MEMBERS, SB
1375 RESERVES, 2% OF FEDERAL
INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY TO CREATE
THE EQUITY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE
AND QUALITY JOBS FUND. EXCUSE
ME? THIS POVERTY REDUCING
APPROACH WILL SUPPORT SECTOR
BASED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH HIGH ROAD TRAINING,
PARTNERSHIPS, HIGH ROAD
CONSTRUCTION CAREERS AND OTHER
PROGRAMS THAT REACH COMMUNITIES
WITH THE HIGHEST BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC EQUITY.
1375 WILL ALSO ASSIST STATE
AGENCIES WITH APPLYING WORKFORCE
STANDARDS CONSISTENTLY ACROSS
PROGRAMS TO MAXIMIZE EQUITY
OUTCOMES, WHILE ALSO MAKING THE
APPROACH FIT SPECIFIC PROGRAMS
AND NEEDS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT IN CLEAN TECH
INDUSTRIES, WHERE EXISTING
STANDARDS DO NOT APPLY, JUST AS
AN EXAMPLE, IN PENNSYLVANIA,
GOVERNOR SHAPIRO CREATED THE
COMMONWEALTH WORKFORCE
TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM BY
RESERVING 3% OF ALL FUNDING IT
RECEIVES FROM THE IIJA AND THE
I.R.A. THIS THEIR PROGRAM IS THE
FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION,
INVESTING AS MUCH AS $400
MILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
IN WORKFORCE TRAINING TO CREATE
10,000 NEW, HIGH QUALITY JOBS.
OREGON AND MARYLAND PASSED
LEGISLATION THAT ALLOCATES HALF
OF ONE OF 1% OF FEDERAL FORMULA
DOLLARS TO SUPPORT CHILDCARE AND
CONVENE INDUSTRY OR SECTOR
PARTNERSHIPS. OREGON'S LAW
CREATES A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT
AND THE BUREAU OF LABOR AND
INDUSTRY TO INCREASE DIVERSITY
IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION.
WORKFORCE. WE, CALIFORNIA IS
MAKING HISTORIC INVESTMENTS OF
OUR OWN. WE ARE POSITIONED TO BE
A NATIONAL LEADER. BUT THE
PROBLEM IS NOT JOBS. THE PROBLEM
IS ACCESS TO HIGH PAID JOBS. WE
HAVE STANDARDS IN CONSTRUCTION,
AND FEDERAL INVESTMENTS INCLUDE
PREVAILING WAGE AND PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENT INCENTIVES. BUT
IT LEAVES US WITH A GAP FOR
MANUFACTURING, OPERATIONS,
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES. AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON WHAT WE
KNOW WORKS. I'M PROUD THAT OUR
CURRENT WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUE
ON SB 150, IS MOVING FORWARD.
IT'S TIME TO IMPLEMENT STRONG
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS
SO THAT ALL PROJECTS FUNDED BY
THESE FEDERAL INVESTMENTS WILL
PRIORITIZE HIGH PAID JOBS,
EQUITY, AND MAKE CALIFORNIA
COMPETITIVE TO GET EVEN MORE
FEDERAL FUNDING. WITH ME TODAY.
NOT DUMB. OH, OKAY, TOM HANS
FROM THE UAW AND TERESA MARKHAM,
FROM, CEO. THEY'RE HERE TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
SENATOR, AS WITNESSES, YOU HAVE
TWO MINUTES EACH. THANK YOU.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS TERESA
MARKHAM, AND I AM HERE AND
TESTIFYING ON SUPPORT OF CENTER
FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ON
SENATE BILL SB 1375. CEOS AND
EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE,
OPERATING IN NINE OFFICES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE PROVIDE IMMEDIATE
EMPLOYMENT TO INDIVIDUALS
RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, FOCUSING
ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE FACED SOME OF
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO
REENTERING THE WORKFORCE. I CAME
TO CEO AS A PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
AND AM NOW AN ADVOCACY FELLOW IN
OUR EMERGING LEADERS
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. I'M
PURSUING A CAREER IN WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT AS CEO, WE PARTNER
WITH THE CALTRANS MAINTENANCE
DIVISION, WHICH ALLOWS PEOPLE IN
OUR PROGRAM TO WORK IMMEDIATELY
WHEN THEY ENROLL. THIS WAS THE
FIRST JOB I HAD WITH CEO, AND IT
HELPED ME EARN INCOME RIGHT AWAY
AND ACCESS OTHER WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO
ADVANCE MY CAREER. SOME OF MY
COWORKERS CHOOSE TO PURSUE THEIR
COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE OR
HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
CERTIFICATION, AND ARE NOW
WORKING FULL TIME AT CALTRANS.
THIS WORK EXPERIENCE, COMBINED
WITH ACCESS TO ADVANCED TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES, HELPS PROPEL CEO
PARTICIPANTS IN HIGH PAYING, IN
DEMAND JOBS. JUSTICE IMPACTED
PEOPLE NEED MORE ACCESS TO THIS
KIND OF TRAINING TO COMPLETE FOR
IN-DEMAND JOBS. THESE PROGRAMS
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES
THE LIFE THEY DESERVE. IN MY
CURRENT ROLE AS AN ADVOCACY
FELLOW, I GET TO GROW AS A
PERSON AND I GET TO SHARE MY
PASSION IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE
FOR JUSTICE IMPACTED
INDIVIDUALS. HAVING MYSELF
PARTICIPATED IN CEO PROGRAM, MY
LIFE HAS CHANGED FOR THE BETTER.
I'M DOING THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT
WERE POSSIBLE. SB 1375 WILL HELP
ENSURE THAT OTHER JUSTICE
IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS
TO OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE THEIR
CAREER DREAMS, ESPECIALLY IN
INDUSTRIES THAT WE HAVE
HISTORICALLY BEEN LEFT OUT OF.
IN CLOSING, I HOPE YOU ALL WILL
SUPPORT THIS BILL. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, MY NAME IS TOM HINCHEY.
I'M AN INTERNATIONAL REP WITH
UNITED AUTO WORKERS, REGION SIX,
REPRESENTING OVER 100,000 ACTIVE
AND RETIRED WORKERS, THANKS ALSO
TO THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING THIS
IMPORTANT BILL FORWARD. I'M GLAD
TO BE HERE. SPEAKING TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF SB 1375, UAW MEMBERS
ARE FIGHTING FOR A JUST
TRANSITION TO ENSURE THAT
CHANGES IN THE US AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY RESULT IN HIGH QUALITY
JOBS THAT BENEFIT WORKERS AND
COMMUNITIES. UAW MEMBERS KNOW
THAT THE TRANSITION TO ZERO
EMISSION VEHICLES REPRESENTS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESERVE AND GROW
HIGH QUALITY JOBS IN THE EV
SUPPLY CHAIN, INCLUDING IN
BATTERY MANUFACTURING. WORKERS
IN CALIFORNIA AND ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY ARE LEADING THE FIGHT
AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT THEY
CANNOT AFFORD TO SACRIFICE GOOD
UNION JOBS FOR LOW ROAD JOBS IN
THE GREEN ECONOMY. SB 1375
PROVIDES A PATHWAY FOR THE STATE
TO CREATE MEANINGFUL JOB QUALITY
STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL
INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT
WORKERS WHO ARE LEADING THE
FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD JOBS IN
ORDER TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO
THE GREEN ECONOMY TRULY JUST,
CALIFORNIA ALSO MUST ENSURE THAT
WORKERS HAVE THE SKILLS THEY
NEED TO SUCCEED. SB 1375
ADDRESSES THIS CRITICAL NEED BY
CREATING THE EQUITY, CLIMATE
RESILIENCE AND JOB QUALITY FUND
TO FUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH
ROAD STANDARDS AND HIGH ROAD
PARTNERSHIP APPS, INCLUDING
THOSE FOR MANUFACTURING WORKERS
WITH PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS TO
CALIFORNIA'S HIGH ROAD TRAINING
PARTNERSHIP GRANTS THIS YEAR,
CREATING A RESERVE OF FUNDS FOR
HIGH ROAD WORKFORCE TRAINING IS
ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING THAT
CALIFORNIA CAN CONTINUE TO
FOSTER HIGH ROAD PARTNERSHIPS
BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND UNIONS,
LIKE THE ONE THAT UAW HAS WITH
OUR EMPLOYER PARTNER, SPARKS, TO
MANUFACTURE BATTERIES. UAW IS
PROUD TO JOIN A CHORUS OF OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS IN DEMANDING THAT
CALIFORNIA STAND WITH WORKERS,
NOT MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES, IN FIGHTING FOR A
JUST TRANSITION AND A GREEN
FUTURE. SB 1375 TAKES AN
IMPORTANT STEP BY ENSURING THAT
THERE IS A PATHWAY FOR THE STATE
TO CREATE HIGH ROAD WORKFORCE
STANDARDS AND FOSTER HIGH ROAD
PARTNERSHIPS FOR ALL FEDERAL
INVESTMENTS. SO I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING
TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
PLEASE STEP FORWARD. MADAM
CHAIR. MEMBERS SARA FLOCKS,
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION, IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
FATHER MICHAEL ZUBIATE WITH
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL ORDERS
IN SUPPORT AND ALSO WITH
TRANSFORMATIVE WEALTH
MANAGEMENT, WANTED ME TO DO A.
ME TOO. ALSO. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. SAVANNA JORGENSEN, ON
BEHALF OF THE LUTHERAN OFFICE OF
PUBLIC POLICY, CALIFORNIA, IN
STRONG SUPPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD
EVENING. GOOD AFTERNOON. SORRY.
AZARIAH SMITH, CEO Þ INTERN
REPRESENTING THE CENTER FOR
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND
DEFINITELY IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, AMIDST FROM CEO
SACRAMENTO AND ALSO IN STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANY WITNESSES TESTIFYING IN
OPPOSITION OF THE BILL WANT TO
STEP FORWARD SEEING NONE ANY
INDIVIDUAL WANTING TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION OF THE BILL. PLEASE
STEP FORWARD. OKAY. WE WILL MOVE
TO THE DAIS. MEMBERS, ANY
MEMBER. WELL, THERE'S TWO, MADAM
CHAIR, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
BILL. I WOULD MOVE THE BILL.
THANK YOU. I ALSO AGREE THIS IS
A GREAT BILL, AND I THANK THE
GOOD SENATOR FOR BEING A PARTNER
IN BUILDING A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR
ALL OF CALIFORNIA. A REALLY
IMPORTANT BILL. AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT. THANK
YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM
SENATOR Þ. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? THANK YOU. ASK FOR YOUR I
VOTE THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION
FROM SENATOR LAIRD. ASSISTANT,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON FILE
ITEM NINE. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SMALLWOOD,
CUEVAS. SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS I
WILK. NØ. WILK. NØ CORTEZ.
DURAZZO I DURAZZO I. LAIRD.
LAIRD I. OKAY. THIS BILL HAS A
VOTE OF 3 TO 1, AND WE'LL PUT IT
ON CALL. SENATOR DURAZZO, THANK
YOU. DO YOU WANT TO MOVE TO FILE
ITEM TEN, PLEASE? OKAY. SB 1460.
YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR, SB 1460 WILL HELP
ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND ACCESS
TO HIGH PAID JOBS AND SAFE
WORKING CONDITIONS IN OUR
BROADBAND BUILD OUT. THIS BILL
SUPPORTS AGREEMENTS BETWEEN
STATE AGENCIES TO ADVANCE THE
CREATION OR RETENTION OF HIGH
QUALITY JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY
SECTOR AND EQUITABLE ACCESS
THROUGH THE TRAINING. HIGH
QUALITY TRAINING CALIFORNIA HAS
THE HIGHEST SUPPLEMENTAL POVERTY
RATE OF ALL 50 STATES. THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CLEAR
THAT FEDERAL INVESTMENTS THAT WE
RECEIVE ARE MEANT TO IMPACT
JOBS. THE ECONOMY AND POVERTY.
THEY EXPECT STATES TO INCLUDE
STRONG LABOR STANDARDS AND
EQUITY WHEN USING FEDERAL FUNDS.
THEY HAVE ISSUED GUIDANCE ON
COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS
AND PLAS. THEY'VE HOSTED
WEBINARS ON ENGAGING
COMMUNITIES, ADVANCING DIVERSITY
, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. WHEN
CALIFORNIA ROLLED OUT BILLIONS
OF TAXPAYER FUNDED MIDDLE MILE
PROJECTS, LABOR STANDARD
REQUIREMENTS WERE NOT INCLUDED
IN THE STATUTORY LANGUAGE. THE
AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE MIDDLE
MILE DID NOT INCLUDE STANDARDS
THAT SUPPORT QUALITY, JOB
CREATION, AND ACCESS TO THOSE
JOBS. INSTEAD, THEY REFERENCED
THE BASIC LABOR LAWS THAT ARE
GENERALLY APPLICABLE TO THESE
TYPES OF PROJECTS. THESE WORKERS
THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE THE
ONES WHO RUN THE FIBER OPTIC
LINES, WHO SPLICE THE LINES AND
CONNECT THE BROADBAND NETWORK TO
HOMES AND THIS TOO OFTEN GETS
OVERLOOKED. A MAJOR PART OF THIS
NEED IS FOR WORKERS WHO CAN
MAINTAIN, TRAIN, AND REPAIR THE
FIBER OPTIC LINES AND NETWORK.
ONCE THERE IS CONNECTIVITY.
COLLEAGUES, IF WE DO NOT TAKE
STEPS NOW TO GET PEOPLE INTO
THIS WORKFORCE, WE RUN THE RISK
OF THE NETWORK NOT BEING BUILT
OUT ON THE FRONT END OR NOT
HAVING ENOUGH WORKERS TO KEEP IT
RUNNING AND REPAIRED IN THE LONG
RUN, AND WITHOUT STRONG LABOR
STANDARDS, WE MAY END UP WITH A
NETWORK THAT IS INCOMPLETE OR
CANNOT BE KEPT RUNNING, AND THE
WORKERS WHO ARE AVAILABLE MAY
COME THROUGH CONTRACTORS WHO ARE
NOT PROVIDING THE BEST HEALTH
AND SAFETY, AND THE TECHNICAL
TRAINING THAT IS BROADBAND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCES IN OTHER
STATES SHOW US THAT THESE
CONTRACTORS, OFTEN FROM OUT OF
STATE, BEING WORKERS FROM OUT OF
STATE, WITHOUT THE ADEQUATE
TRAINING THAT THREATENS THE
SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF THE
BROADBAND NETWORK ITSELF. AND
THERE IS NOTHING IN PLACE TO
REQUIRE LOCAL HIRES OR TO PULL
FROM HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AREAS OR
DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHIC TO NOT ONLY
BUILD OUT BROADBAND, BUT TO
BUILD OUT THE MIDDLE CLASS WITH
THIS, MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE RYAN
CASTRO FROM CWA LOCAL 9416 AND
IGNACIO HERNANDEZ HERE IN
SUPPORT OF SB 1460. THANK YOU,
SENATOR, AND AS WITNESSES, YOU
HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH. GOOD
MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MADAM
CHAIR. AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M RYAN CASTRO,
PROUDLY REPRESENTING CWA LOCAL
9416 OUT OF BAKERSFIELD,
CALIFORNIA, AND A DEDICATED
MEMBER OF CWA DISTRICT NINE
BROADBAND BRIGADE FROM, TODAY I
STAND BEFORE YOU IN FIRM SUPPORT
OF SB 1460 CWA ALONGSIDE ITS
WORKFORCE, STANDS AT THE
FOREFRONT TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE AND STRIVE TO ENSURE
BROADBAND ACCESS FOR ALL
COMMUNITIES. WE ARE ACTIVELY
ENGAGING IN SHAPING POLICY AT
BOTH NATIONAL AND STATE LEVELS,
WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY
SPEARHEADING BROADBAND SPECIFIC
INITIATIVES FROM NETWORK
CONSTRUCTION TO MAINTENANCE AND
MAINTENANCE TO LONG TERME
CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE ARE DEEPLY
INVOLVED AT EVERY ASPECT OF
BROADBAND. HOWEVER, OUR
EXPERIENCE REVEALS A TROUBLING
TREND IN OTHER STATES WHERE
NETWORK EXPANSION HAS OCCURRED
WITHOUT ADEQUATE CONSIDERATION
FOR WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY
OUTSOURCING. INEXPERIENCED OUT
OF STATE WORKERS HAS RESULTED IN
SUBPAR NETWORKS AND EXPLOITED
WORKERS. REGRETTABLY,
CALIFORNIA'S CURRENT LEGISLATION
LACKS LAX SPECIFIC STANDARDS FOR
BROADBAND BROADBAND WORKERS,
LEAVING EACH PROJECT TO NAVIGATE
LABOR STANDARDS ON ITS OWN.
DESPITE THIS, THE SUBSTANTIAL
INVESTMENTS MADE BY THIS
LEGISLATURE IN BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE, THESE LACK ONLY
BASIC GENERALIZED LABOR
STANDARDS, FALLING SHORT OF WHAT
IS TRULY NECESSARY TO ADVANCE
BROADBAND WORK, ADVANCE FOR
BROADBAND WORKERS, AND EXPANSION
FOR OF OUR WORKFORCE. THE TIME
HAS COME FOR CALIFORNIA TO
EXHIBIT ITS COMMITMENT TO
BROADBAND WORKERS AND ENACTING
COMPREHENSIVE LABOR STANDARDS,
SETTING THE BAR FOR CALIFORNIA
AND THE NATION ON BEHALF OF CWA
AND ITS DEDICATED WORKFORCE, I
URGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR SB 1460,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION. THÀNH THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS, IGNACIO HERNANDEZ,
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNICATION
WORKERS OF AMERICA, DISTRICT
NINE, WHICH COVERS CALIFORNIA
AND NEVADA AND HAWAII, LET ME
JUST ADD, I THINK IT WAS A GOOD
TESTIMONY BY BOTH THE AUTHOR AND
THE WITNESS. LET ME JUST ADD
THAT, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH
OUR BROADBAND INVESTMENTS AND
DEVELOPMENT HERE IN CALIFORNIA,
THE FOR FIBER OPTIC LINES, FOR
REPAIR, FOR MAINTENANCE, WE
PROBABLY NEED UPWARDS BETWEEN 6
AND 9000, WORKERS IN THE
WORKFORCE. AND CURRENTLY
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS THAT
EXIST NOW ARE PROBABLY IN THE
HUNDREDS, SO WE HAVE WE NEED A
LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, AND WE
NEED A LOT OF WORKERS IN THIS
SPACE. VÀ RIGHT NOW HAS A
REFERRAL WEBSITE FOR BROADBAND
BROADBAND PROJECTS. SO IF AN
EMPLOYER WANTS TO FIND WORKERS,
YOU CAN GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND
CONNECT WITH LITERALLY CONNECT
WITH WORKERS WHO HAVE WORKED IN
THIS SPACE. BUT WE'RE ALSO
TRYING TO EXPAND OUT
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS RIGHT
NOW, SPECIFICALLY FOR BROADBAND
WORK. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S
NOT REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON, AND
WE HAVE THE NEED NOW. WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE THE NEED FOR YEARS
TO COME, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T
DEVELOP THIS WORKFORCE AND WE
DON'T DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, WE'RE
NOT GOING TO HAVE ACCESS THAT WE
REALLY NEED HERE IN CALIFORNIA
FOR BROADBAND. SO, THIS BILL
GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS THAT AND
ASK FOR SUPPORT. THANK YOU, IS
THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WANTING
TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL?
PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM. NAME,
AFFILIATION AND POSITION ELMER
LAZARD, ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
LABOR FEDERATION IN SUPPORT.
YVONNE MELTON, CDVA DISTRICT
NINE, IN SUPPORT. HI. CLEO
CABRAL, CWA, FRESNO, MADERA
COUNTY, TULARE COUNTY, IN
SUPPORT. GOOD MORNING. TARINA
WOODSON. LINDA CWA LOCAL 9400. I
STAND IN STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. OKAY ANYONE ELSE IN SUPPORT
MOVING TO OPPOSITION? ARE THERE
ANY OPPOSITION WITNESSES HERE?
SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANYONE
WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION
TO THE BILL? OKAY. WE WILL BRING
IT TO THE DAIS. I WOULD MOVE THE
BILL. OKAY. AND JUST ONE
QUESTION FOR YOU, SENATOR
DURAZZO. DID YOU MENTION
ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS FROM
ENERGY COMMISSION? THEY SAID
THAT, ENERGY VÆ. SORRY. THE
ENERGY COMMITTEE IS SAYING THAT
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE
AMENDMENTS HERE TODAY. OKAY
OKAY. YES. THANK YOU. YES. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A MOTION
FROM SENATOR LAIRD. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE, PLEASE? GIVE ME
YOUR VOTE. ASSISTANT, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. ON. ON FILE. ITEM
NUMBER TEN. THE MOTION IS TO
PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. Ã.
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS. I WILK. NÓ.
WILK. NØ. CORTEZ DURAZZO I.
DURAZZO I. LAIRD LAIRD I. OKAY.
THAT BILL IS ON CALL WITH A VOTE
OF 3 TO 1.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO THE
FINAL ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ITEM 11, SENATE BILL 1343 FROM
THE CHAIR, WHENEVER YOU'RE
READY, PLEASE PRESENT AND
WELCOME TO YOUR OWN COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR THE WARM WELCOME.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, IS THIS STILL
MORNING? YES. GOOD MORNING. I
WOULD LIKE TO START BY THANKING,
MY COMMITTEE STAFF FOR ALL OF
YOUR AMENDMENTS, WHICH I HAVE
ACCEPTED. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
OUR CONTINUED TO WORKING
TOGETHER ON THIS, I AM REALLY
THRILLED TO PRESENT SB 1340.
THIS BILL WILL SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF LAST YEAR'S SB
150, WHICH HELPS TO GUIDE THE
STATE'S USE OF INCOMING FEDERAL
FUNDING, SUCH AS THE
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT ACT
AND JOBS ACT. EXCUSE ME? THE
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND THE
CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT FOR
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, GOOD JOBS
AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS WITH
EQUITY PLANS FOR THE GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.
PRESIDENT BIDEN'S GUIDELINES
CALL FOR CALIFORNIA TO BE
COMPETITIVE TO ENSURE THAT THESE
JOBS WITH REAL LABOR STANDARDS
AND ENSURING UNDERREPRESENTED
POPULATIONS HAVE ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITY THAT IS WHAT WILL
MAKE CALIFORNIA COMPETITIVE AND
IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT, WE
HAVE TO ADDRESS EXISTING
BARRIERS. AS SB 1340 AUTHORIZES
THE CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT TO
PARTNER WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO
INVESTIGATE AND ENFORCE CASES OF
EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION,
ACCORDING TO CRDS, MOST RECENT
ANNUAL REPORTS, IN 2020, THEY
RECEIVED OVER 23,000 EMPLOYMENT
DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS. IN
2021, THAT NUMBER WAS OVER
24,000. THE HIGH VOLUME OF THESE
COMPLAINTS, IN ADDITION TO THE
DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES,
LEAVE CRD OVERBURDENED AND
UNDERSTAFFED. THE LOS ANGELES
CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT AND MY
DISTRICT IS TRAINED, STAFFED AND
READY TO ADDRESS THESE CLAIMS.
BUT EXISTING LAWS PREEMPTS THEM
FROM INVESTIGATING THE LARGE
MAJORITY OF THE CLAIMS THEY
RECEIVE AND REQUIRES THAT THEY
FORWARD THEM TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, WHICH ONLY SERVES TO
INCREASE BACKLOG AND CHALLENGES
AND PROTECTING WORKERS WITH
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND OTHER
FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES COMING
TO CALIFORNIA TO CREATE MILLIONS
OF NEW JOBS. C.R.D WILL NEED
LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE
THAT THE WORKERS ARE ABLE TO
HAVE THEIR CASES SEEN, REVIEWED
AND ADDRESSED IN A TIMELY MANNER
. THIS BILL WOULD ADDITIONALLY
REQUIRE CONTRACTORS TO REPORT
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA TO THE
CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS
DEPARTMENT, WHICH WILL BE
TRACKED AND REPORTED ON
PUBLICLY. LASTLY, SB 1340 WOULD
ESTABLISH A PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE MADE
UP OF A COMMUNITY AND LABOR AND
WORKFORCE EXPERTS TO ACT AS
INTERMEDIARIES BETWEEN THE STATE
CONTRACTORS AND LABOR TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN
RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND
PROTECTION OF OUR MOST
VULNERABLE WORKERS AND TO ENSURE
THAT WE MEET OUR GOALS OF HAVING
A GREEN AND STRONG ECONOMY AND
EQUITABLE WORKFORCE AND WORKERS
AND JOBS THAT BRING OUR
ECONOMIES TOGETHER. TENS OF
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE COMING
TO CALIFORNIA TO CREATE GOOD
JOBS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR
MILLIONS OF CALIFORNIANS. SB
1340 ENSURES THESE DOLLARS IN
THOSE JOBS REACH OUR MOST
HISTORIC, DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. AND WITH THAT, I
HAVE WITNESSES WITH ME TODAY. I
DON'T SEE THEM WRITTEN HERE ON
MY SHEET, BUT I KNOW THIS
GENTLEMAN, WE HAVE MIGUEL
CABRAL, WHO IS ONE OF THE EARLY
ARCHITECTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION
CAREERS IMPLEMENTATION AT ONE OF
THE LARGEST TRANSIT DISTRICTS,
LOS ANGELES METROPOLITAN
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. AND
I'M GLAD TO HAVE HIM WITH US
TODAY. AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING
YOU PATIENTLY WAIT FOR THE LAST
BILL DURING THE WHOLE HEARING.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, IS
THIS YOUR ONLY PRINCIPAL
WITNESS? IT IT IS NOT. I SEE MY
OTHER. OKAY, THEN EACH OF YOU
HAVE UP TO TWO MINUTES. WELCOME
TO THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. AND
GOOD MORNING, SENATORS, MY NAME
IS MIGUEL CABRAL. I'M THE FORMER
SENIOR EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF
DIVERSITY AND ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY AT LA METRO, WHERE
THE REGION, BUILDER, DEVELOPER,
CONTRACTOR FOR OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN LOS
ANGELES COUNTY. SO WITH THAT
BEING SAID, I WANTED TO TELL YOU
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DID IT
AT LA METRO AND HOW THIS KIND OF
TIES IN, TO WHAT MADAM CHAIR HAS
PROPOSED IN THIS LEGISLATION,
METRO APPROVED A PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION
CAREERS POLICY IN 2012. I HAD
THE PLEASURE OF BEING OVER THAT.
IN ADDITION TO OTHER DUTIES
SINCE ITS INCEPTION. IT WAS THE
FIRST PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT
WITH TARGETED HIRING GOALS
APPROVED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION. AT THE TIME. SO
WE HAD A BIG AUDIENCE VIEWING US
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID IT
RIGHT. AND OUR PILOT PROJECT
HAPPENED TO BE A $2 BILLION
CRENSHAW ADVANCED UTILITIES
PROJECT. SO WE COULDN'T AFFORD
TO GET IT WRONG. SO ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE
DID IS CREATE A SYSTEM TO TRACK
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND TO TRACK
THE COMMITMENTS FROM CONTRACTORS
TO THE TARGETED HIRING GOALS,
WHICH WERE INCLUDED IN THE
PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT. SO
THINK ABOUT ANY POSSIBLE
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT ANYONE
WOULD ASK FOR RACE, ETHNICITY,
GENDER, ZIP CODE, ECONOMIC
DISADVANTAGED, ZIP CODE
BARRIERS, HISTORICAL BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT. THAT'S THE SYSTEM
THAT WE NEEDED TO CREATE. AND WE
CREATED THAT, RATHER QUICKLY.
AND THE REASON THAT WAS
IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WE WERE
ABLE TO DRILL DOWN, AND THE
DRILLING DOWN WAS VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE HAD JUST PASSED A
SALES TAX MEASURE. OUR VOTERS
HAD JUST PASSED A SALES TAX
MEASURES, AND WE MADE A LOT OF
PROMISES WITH THAT SALES TAX
MEASURE. AND AS YOU KNOW, IN IN
CALIFORNIA, IT TAKES TWO THIRDS
OF THE VOTERS TO PASS THE SALES
TAX MEASURE. PART OF OUR
PROMISES WERE JOBS AND EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE JOBS. SO
BEFORE THIS, TO BE COMPLETELY
FRANK, WE WEREN'T TRACKING WHERE
OUR INVESTMENT DOLLARS WERE
GOING. AFTER THIS, WE WERE ABLE
TO DRILL DOWN AND TRACK EXACT
WHERE OUR DOLLARS WERE GOING. AS
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, OVER 2000
DISTINCT APPRENTICES HAVE WORKED
ON OUR PROJECTS OVER 17,000,000
HOURS PERFORMED BY WORKERS FROM
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ZIP
CODES. THINK ABOUT THAT NUMBER
17,000,000 HOURS AND HOW YOU CAN
PRESENT THAT NUMBER. AND
APPROXIMATELY 11% OF WORKERS BY
OF OUR WORK HOURS HAVE BEEN
PERFORMED BY WORKERS WITH
HISTORICAL BARRIERS TO
EMPLOYMENT. SO THINK ABOUT,
SINGLE PARENTS, HIGH SCHOOL
DROPOUTS, FOLKS WITH A HISTORY
WITH THE. AND IF YOU COULD JUST
BEGIN TO WRAP UP, OF COURSE, OF
COURSE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT THIS LEGISLATION THÀNH WILL
DO THE SAME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
TRACK THIS DATA, AND IT CAN ONLY
HELP YOU WITH YOUR EFFORTS AND
THE PROMISES THAT YOU MADE YOUR
CONSTITUENTS WHEN IT COMES TO
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. AND
TO THE NEXT PRINCIPAL WITNESS,
YOU HAVE UP TO TWO MINUTES.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ELDA
SOLOMON. I'M THE POLICY MANAGER
FOR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
BLACK WORKER HUB. WE ARE A
SPONSOR OF THIS BILL, A PROUD
SPONSOR, WANTED TO TALK MORE
ABOUT THE NEED FOR THIS BILL FOR
SB 1340 AND DISCRIMINATION
PROTECTIONS FOR WORKERS, WITH
CRD, THE CIVIL RIGHTS
DEPARTMENT'S PARTNERSHIP WITH
LOCAL AGENCIES, WE UNDERSTAND IT
TO GIVE WORKERS A FIGHTING
CHANCE AGAINST DISCRIMINATION BY
EMPOWERING WORKERS TO FILE
COMPLAINTS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES
AND DEPARTMENTS IN THEIR OWN
COMMUNITIES. FOR LOW WAGE
WORKERS WHO COMPOSE A GROWING
NUMBER OF CALIFORNIA'S
WORKFORCE, FINDING JUSTICE FOR
THEIR DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS IS
COSTLY AND INEFFICIENT,
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO
RELY ON LITIGATION OR HIRING AN
ATTORNEY, WE CANNOT RELY ON THE
CURRENT SYSTEM TO CURRENTLY
ADEQUATELY ADDRESS WORKER
COMPLAINTS WITHOUT THE POWER AND
REACH OF LOCAL ENFORCEMENT, BY
POWERING WITH LOCAL STATE
AGENCIES TO SHARE AND ENFORCING
WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION LAWS,
SB 1340 WOULD INCREASE
ENFORCEMENT OF THE STATE'S
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS,
A FAR MORE EFFECTIVE STRATEGY IN
PROTECTING WORKERS FROM CIVIL
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. NOT ONLY WILL
WE EXPERIENCE GREATER
ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT WORKERS
FROM DISCRIMINATION, BUT THE
EXPANDED CAPACITY CAN ALSO BE
DEVOTED TO BETTER TRACKING AND
REPORTING OUTCOMES. THE NEED FOR
STRONG ENFORCEMENT IN ADDRESSING
WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION IS NOT
ONLY A MATTER OF MORE
ENFORCEMENT, BUT A MATTER OF THE
KIND OF ENFORCEMENT THAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS CAN PROVIDE. LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE EQUIPPED TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR WORKERS, THE
CONDITIONS OUR WORKERS ARE
FACING, LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND
LOCAL ECONOMIES. THERE ARE NEWLY
FORMED CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICES IN
MANY CALIFORNIAN CITIES,
INCLUDING THE LÀ HUMAN AND CIVIL
RIGHTS OFFICE. THE SAN FRANCISCO
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND
OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES.
ENFORCEMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
WILL CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR WORKERS TO FILE COMPLAINTS,
BUT ALSO PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE
IN THE ENFORCEMENT LANDSCAPE BY
PREVENTING DISCRIMINATION FROM
HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKER
CENTER IN THE SOCAL HUB HAVE
BEEN FIGHTING FOR THIS WORK FOR
YEARS BECAUSE WE SEE THE REAL
WORLD IMPACTS OF DISCRIMINATION
ON OUR WORKERS AND THE
PREVALENCE OF DISCRIMINATION IN
THE EXPERIENCES OF BLACK AND
OTHER VULNERABLE WORKERS. THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BLACK WORKER
HUB IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. OH, EXACTLY TWO
MINUTES. GOOD WORK. AND I
NOTICED HOW RAPIDLY YOU WERE
SPEAKING, SO YOU GOT IT IN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THIS WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR ME TO USE YOUR NAME, YOUR
ORGANIZATION, AND THAT YOU
SUPPORT THE BILL. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS. ELMER LAZARD, ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA LABOR
FEDERATION AND SUPPORT, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. MARIKO YOSHIHARA,
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
COALITION FOR WORKER POWER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TOM
HINCHEY, ON BEHALF OF UAW REGION
SIX AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. BY PROCESS OF
ELIMINATION, UNLESS THE
SERGEANTS WANT TO OPPOSE THE
BILL, THERE'S NOBODY LEFT HERE
IN THE IN THE HEARING TO DO IT.
BUT I WILL ASK, DOES ANYBODY
WISH TO OPPOSE THE BILL, SEEING
NO. NO ONE. WE'RE BRINGING THE
MATTER BACK BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
FOR QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION OR
ACTION. A MOTION BY SENATOR
DURAZO. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS
FROM THE COMMITTEE THEN? MADAM
CHAIR, YOU COULD CLOSE. WELL, I
JUST WANT TO THANK THE WITNESSES
WHO GAVE TESTIMONY AND MY
COLLEAGUES FOR, SUPPORTING THIS
BILL AS IT GOES THROUGH
DIFFERENT COMMITTEES. THIS IS
ABOUT BUILDING CALIFORNIA'S
GREEN FUTURE AND MAKING SURE
EVERYONE HAS A PIECE OF IT. AND
WE WON'T KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T
TRACK AND MONITOR AND EVALUATE
OUR PROGRESS IN REAL TIME.
NOTHING WORSE THAN A WORKER
BEING A DISCRIMINATED AGAINST
AND HAVING TO WAIT UNTIL THE
PROJECT IS OVER TO TRY TO GET
MADE WHOLE. WHY CAN'T WE ADDRESS
IT SO THE WORKER STAYS WORKING,
WE IMPROVE AND CREATE
INCLUSIONARY WORK SITES AND
ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMIES ARE
COMING TOGETHER WITH GOOD JOBS
AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS BEING
LIFTED UP. SO WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WOULD
YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON ITEM
SB 1340? THE MOTION IS Dð. PASS
AS AMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SENATOR
SMALLWOOD. CUEVAS I SMALLWOOD.
CUEVAS I WILK CORTEZ. CORTEZ I.
DURAZZO I. DURAZZO I. LAIRD I.
LAIRD I. THAT BILL HAS FOUR
VOTES AND WE WILL PUT IT ON CALL
. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH
.
TO LIFT. CALL NOW. WE'RE GOING
TO LIVE. CALL AND WORK FROM THE
TOP OF OUR FILE ITEM LIST TO THE
BOTTOM TO MAKE SURE WE CAPTURE
SENATOR CORTEZ, LET'S SEE ON
ITEM NUMBER ONE, SB 984. SENATOR
WAHAB, ASSISTANT, WILL YOU CALL
THE ROLL? THE MOTION IS DUE
PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SENATOR CORTEZ.
CORTEZ, I. THAT VOTE, THAT BILL
HAS A VOTE OF 5 TO 0. AND IT IS
OUT ON FILE ITEM NUMBER TWO, SB
1321. SENATOR WAHAB, ASSISTANT,
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL WITH A
MOTION OF DO PASS, AS AMENDED,
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SENATOR CORTEZ
CORTEZ, I. OKAY. THAT BILL HAS A
VOTE OF 4 TO 1, AND IT IS OUT.
MOVING TO FILE ITEM SB 1070.
SENATOR PADILLA ON FILE ITEM
THREE WITH A MOTION OF DO PASS,
AS AMENDED, TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SENATOR CORTEZ
CORTEZ, I IT IS FIVE ZERO OKAY.
THAT BILL HAS A VOTE OF 5 TO 0.
IT IS OUT. MOVING ON TO FILE
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, SB 1116. OH
I'M SORRY, FILE ITEM NUMBER
FOUR, SB 1100. SENATOR
PORTANTINO, WITH A MOTION OF Dð,
PASSED THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS ON SENATOR
CORTEZ. CORTEZ. I OKAY. WITH THE
VOTE OF 5 TO 0, THAT BILL IS OUT
. MOVING TO FILE ITEM NUMBER
FIVE, SB 1116. SENATOR
PORTANTINO. THE MOTION IS DUE
PASSED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. SENATOR CORTEZ
CORTEZ I. OKAY. THAT BILL IS OUT
WITH A VOTE OF 4 TO 1 FILE. ITEM
NUMBER SIX, SB 1264. AND THAT IS
SENATOR GROVE WITH A MOTION OF
Dð PASS, AS AMENDED, TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
SENATOR CORTEZ CORTEZ, I.
CORTEZ, NØ DURAZO.
OKAY. THAT'S A VOTE OF 3 TO 1.
THAT BILL IS OUT. OKAY. FILE
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, AN SB 1379.
THAT IS SENATOR DODD. THE MOTION
IS Dð PASS, AS AMENDED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
SENATOR CORTEZ CORTEZ, I. WE
HAVE A VOTE OF 5 TO 0. THAT BILL
IS OUT. FILE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT
AS. OH, WAIT. NO THAT'S CONSENT.
WE STILL OPEN. OKAY ON FILE ITEM
EIGHT, SB 1090 DURAZZO. THAT IS
OUR BILL. THAT'S ON CONSENT. ON
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. SENATOR
CORTEZ. CORTEZ, I FIVE ZERO. THE
CALENDAR. OH, THAT'S A50 VOTE.
THE CALENDAR IS OUT. FILE ITEM
NUMBER NINE, SB 1375. SENATOR
DURAZZO WITH A MOTION OF Dð PASS
TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS, SENATOR CORTEZ.
CORTEZ, I. LET'S SEE WHAT A VOTE
OF 4 TO 1. THAT BILL IS OUT.
MOVING TO FILE ITEM NUMBER TEN,
SB 1460. SENATOR DURAZZO, THE
MOTION IS Dð PASS AS AMENDED,
SENATOR CORTEZ. CORTEZ. I. A
VOTE ON THAT BILL OF 4 TO 1. AND
THAT BILL IS OUT
.
OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO FILE ITEM
NUMBER 11, SB 1340. SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS. THE MOTION IS
Dð PASS, AS AMENDED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATE.
SENATOR WILK. FOUR ZERO. THAT
BILL IS OUT. OKAY. THE VOTE OF 4
TO 0. AND THAT BILL IS OUT.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WELL, THAT
CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.
IF YOU HAVE, I'M SORRY IF YOU
WERE NOT ABLE TO TESTIFY, PLEASE
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS AND WRITING
TO THE COMMITTEE. THANK EVERYONE
ON THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
LABOR, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND
RETIREMENT IS ADJOURNED