Leg Update

Hire California workers. Companies that receive state contracts should seek to hire California workers first. AB 1654 (De La Torre) would grant a bid preference for state contractors who hire Californians to do the work. More than a dozen other states provide some sort of preference for state vendors and contractors who employ in-state workers.

Status: passed Assembly Business & Professions Committee; failed in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Track the offshoring of our jobs. Offshoring continues to eliminate good California jobs. Even some state taxpayer funds are being used to create jobs in other countries. Yet, the state does not keep track of this data. AB 524 (Chan) would require state contractors to report back to the state (1) the number of workers they hire outside the U.S. and (2) information about any subcontracted work that is performed.

Status: passed Assembly Business & Professions Committee; passed Assembly Appropriations Committee; passed Assembly Floor.

Reduce the cost of workers' compensation insurance. The recent changes in the workers' compensation system have denied medical treatment to injured workers and taken away permanent disability benefits from those most seriously injured. These changes were enacted to bring down the cost of workers' comp insurance for employers, but employers are not seeing lower prices. This will bill will guarantee that these cost savings are passed on to employers. SB 46 (Alarcon) would stabilize and reduce the price of workers' comp insurance in California.

Status: passed Senate Labor Committee; passed Senate Appropriations Committee; passed Senate Floor.

Enforce our state's labor laws. Each year, scofflaw employers steal millions of dollars from our state treasury by cheating on payroll, unemployment, workers' comp, and business taxes. In difficult economic times, the underground economy grows as employers cut corners and disobey state laws. Too often, an employer who cheats on income taxes also cheats on other required state taxes. AB 875 (Koretz) would require the Labor Agency and Franchise Tax Boards to develop protocols where certain labor law violations would trigger a tax audit of the employer. Certain tax violations would similarly trigger a labor law audit.

Status: passed Assembly Labor Committee; passed Assembly Appropriations Committee; passed Assembly Floor.

Make prescription drugs more affordable. Prescription drugs are one of the primary cost-drivers behind skyrocketing health care costs. The pharmaceutical industry remains one of the most profitable in the world, and their profits continue to rise. We will continue to convene the OURx Bill of Rights coalition, an alliance of union, consumer, and senior organizations that are fighting for meaningful prescription drug reform. We will support and highlight any legislative measures to lower drug costs, expand access and improve drug safety. We will also expose any industry-backed measures that boost pharmaceutical company profits without providing meaningful benefits to individual Californians.