Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce
Legislative Positions
Legislative Positions
STATE
AB 1400
This bill, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act, would create the California Guaranteed Health Care for All program, or CalCare, to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state.
Cal Chamber : Job Killer -Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill failed to pass the Assm- legislature by the deadline.
AB 1192
Requires certain companies to publish online data regarding wages, benefits, promotions, etc. on their entire United States workforce. That data would be used to have the state determine whether an employer is a “high road employer,” and their eligibility for benefits or tax breaks would be tied to that determination by the state. It would also open businesses up to frivolous litigation because that data would all be posted online.
CalChamber: Job Killer - Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill failed to pass the Assm - legislature by the deadline.
SB 213
This bill has been tried 8 times over the past 13 years and has failed each time. It would establish a workers’ compensation presumption for cancer, musculoskeletal injuries, COVID, respiratory disease, and other diseases for all healthcare workers. There is no data to support this proposal and more than 90% of healthcare worker workers’ compensation claims are already accepted. Other than the limited COVID presumption, this would be the first time a workers’ compensation presumption has ever been established in the private sector.
CalChamber: Job Killer -Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill Passed Sen 21-9; Stern-Yes; In the Assembly for 1st read-Held at Desk
AB 257
Enacts the Fast Food Accountability and Standards (FAST) Recovery Act that establishes the Fast Food Sector Council (council) and tasks the council with conducting a full review every three years on the adequacy of fast food restaurant health, safety, and employment standards and establishing industry-wide minimum health, safety, wage, working hours, and employment standards. Council could enact its own laws without going through the Legislature. It would also automatically hold franchisors liable for violations by a franchisee.
CalChamber: Oppose
Svcc: Oppose
2/1 Bill Passed Assm 41-21; Valladares-No, Irwin-Yes; In Sen RLS Comm
OEHHA Proposed Rule Making
Article 6
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is looking to amend Article 6 regarding Prop 65 & Consumer safety notifications. Proposing substantial changes that will require all businesses using the “Short Form” warnings to re-do their programs. The new regulation radically limits the use of the short form, changes the content of the short form warning and changes the existing law on internet warnings.
CalChamber: Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
AB 995
Imposes new costs and leave requirements on employers of all sizes, by expanding the number of paid sick days employers are required to provide, which is in addition to all the recently enacted leave mandates (COVID-19 sick leave, Cal/OSHA emergency paid time off, California Family Rights Act leave, workers’ compensation, etc.)
CalChamber: Job Killer - Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill failed to pass the Assm - legislature by the deadline.
AB 1001
Creates subjective, non-quantifiable standards in the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that could threaten California’s economic recovery and ability to construct housing. Also removes local government discretion on analyzing and mitigating proposed project impacts, making projects more expensive
CalChamber: Job Killer - Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
1/31 Passed in Assm 43 – 24 Valladares- No, Irwin-NVR; 2/1 In Sen RLS Comm
SB 113
$6.1B business relief bill: Nearly $500 million in relief for restaurants and shuttered venues by conforming state tax policy with federal policy, which does not tax grants received from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Shuttered Venue Operators grant programs. Restoring $5.5 billion in tax credits and deductions by restoring the research and development tax credit and the net operating loss deduction a year earlier than set when the tax incentives were removed in 2020 legislation. $150 million in funding for California’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants Program for pandemic-affected applicants previously waitlisted when applying for the grants of up to $25,000.
CalChamber: Support
SVCC: Support
Passed and signed by the Governor
Sen- All Aye, 3 NVR
Assm – All Aye, 7 NVR
AB 1993
Covid vaccine mandate effective 1/1/23. Requires each employer to affirm that each employee or independent contractor who is eligible to receive a Covid vaccine to show proof to the employer that the person is vaccinated against Covid with the exception of verified medical condition, disability or sincerely held religious belief. It provides for a penalty of an unspecified amount on an employer for any violation.
See Board of Dir
2/10 Assm 1st read; 2/11 to Comm 3/13
FEDERAL ISSUES/LEGISLATION
US Chamber: Request for National Privacy Law to keep State Privacy Laws aligned
US Chamber - Support
SVCC: Support
1/14 Coalition Letter to Cong.
VENTURA COUNTY AND CITY OF SIMI VALLEY ISSUES
Ord 1334
City ordinance to finalize election districts based upon the 2020 census
SVCC: No Position
Passed 2/14
City allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) impacting business
Ord 1335
City ordinance for 22 mo extension to interim SB 9 interim emergency ordinance to establish rules and regs for developing 2 unit residential developments & for sub-dividing single family residential properties
SVCC: No Position
Passed by City Council 1/24/22
Ord 1332
City ordinance amending City Municipal Code relating to the regulation of solid waste storage, collection, Disposal, Transfer and Resource Recovery
SVCC: No Position
Passed by City Council 1/24/22
EDUCATION AND UTILITY ISSUES
AB 1500
Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2022
MWD-Support
2/1 Died in Assm
SB 351
Water Innovation Act of 2021
MWD-Support
2/1 Died in Sen
SB 559
Department of Water Resources: water conveyance systems: Water Conveyance Restoration Fund. Establishes the Water Conveyance Restoration Program (Conveyance Program) at the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to minimize losses in water conveyance capacity due to damaged water conveyance infrastructure.
MWD-Support
5/28/21 Passed Sen 34-1; Stern-NVR
9/8 Ordered to Inactive File by Assm membr Gray
AB 1400
This bill, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act, would create the California Guaranteed Health Care for All program, or CalCare, to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state.
Cal Chamber : Job Killer -Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill failed to pass the Assm- legislature by the deadline.
AB 1192
Requires certain companies to publish online data regarding wages, benefits, promotions, etc. on their entire United States workforce. That data would be used to have the state determine whether an employer is a “high road employer,” and their eligibility for benefits or tax breaks would be tied to that determination by the state. It would also open businesses up to frivolous litigation because that data would all be posted online.
CalChamber: Job Killer - Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill failed to pass the Assm - legislature by the deadline.
SB 213
This bill has been tried 8 times over the past 13 years and has failed each time. It would establish a workers’ compensation presumption for cancer, musculoskeletal injuries, COVID, respiratory disease, and other diseases for all healthcare workers. There is no data to support this proposal and more than 90% of healthcare worker workers’ compensation claims are already accepted. Other than the limited COVID presumption, this would be the first time a workers’ compensation presumption has ever been established in the private sector.
CalChamber: Job Killer -Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill Passed Sen 21-9; Stern-Yes; In the Assembly for 1st read-Held at Desk
AB 257
Enacts the Fast Food Accountability and Standards (FAST) Recovery Act that establishes the Fast Food Sector Council (council) and tasks the council with conducting a full review every three years on the adequacy of fast food restaurant health, safety, and employment standards and establishing industry-wide minimum health, safety, wage, working hours, and employment standards. Council could enact its own laws without going through the Legislature. It would also automatically hold franchisors liable for violations by a franchisee.
CalChamber: Oppose
Svcc: Oppose
2/1 Bill Passed Assm 41-21; Valladares-No, Irwin-Yes; In Sen RLS Comm
OEHHA Proposed Rule Making
Article 6
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is looking to amend Article 6 regarding Prop 65 & Consumer safety notifications. Proposing substantial changes that will require all businesses using the “Short Form” warnings to re-do their programs. The new regulation radically limits the use of the short form, changes the content of the short form warning and changes the existing law on internet warnings.
CalChamber: Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
AB 995
Imposes new costs and leave requirements on employers of all sizes, by expanding the number of paid sick days employers are required to provide, which is in addition to all the recently enacted leave mandates (COVID-19 sick leave, Cal/OSHA emergency paid time off, California Family Rights Act leave, workers’ compensation, etc.)
CalChamber: Job Killer - Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
2/1 Bill failed to pass the Assm - legislature by the deadline.
AB 1001
Creates subjective, non-quantifiable standards in the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that could threaten California’s economic recovery and ability to construct housing. Also removes local government discretion on analyzing and mitigating proposed project impacts, making projects more expensive
CalChamber: Job Killer - Oppose
SVCC: Oppose
1/31 Passed in Assm 43 – 24 Valladares- No, Irwin-NVR; 2/1 In Sen RLS Comm
SB 113
$6.1B business relief bill: Nearly $500 million in relief for restaurants and shuttered venues by conforming state tax policy with federal policy, which does not tax grants received from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Shuttered Venue Operators grant programs. Restoring $5.5 billion in tax credits and deductions by restoring the research and development tax credit and the net operating loss deduction a year earlier than set when the tax incentives were removed in 2020 legislation. $150 million in funding for California’s Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grants Program for pandemic-affected applicants previously waitlisted when applying for the grants of up to $25,000.
CalChamber: Support
SVCC: Support
Passed and signed by the Governor
Sen- All Aye, 3 NVR
Assm – All Aye, 7 NVR
AB 1993
Covid vaccine mandate effective 1/1/23. Requires each employer to affirm that each employee or independent contractor who is eligible to receive a Covid vaccine to show proof to the employer that the person is vaccinated against Covid with the exception of verified medical condition, disability or sincerely held religious belief. It provides for a penalty of an unspecified amount on an employer for any violation.
See Board of Dir
2/10 Assm 1st read; 2/11 to Comm 3/13
FEDERAL ISSUES/LEGISLATION
US Chamber: Request for National Privacy Law to keep State Privacy Laws aligned
US Chamber - Support
SVCC: Support
1/14 Coalition Letter to Cong.
VENTURA COUNTY AND CITY OF SIMI VALLEY ISSUES
Ord 1334
City ordinance to finalize election districts based upon the 2020 census
SVCC: No Position
Passed 2/14
City allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) impacting business
Ord 1335
City ordinance for 22 mo extension to interim SB 9 interim emergency ordinance to establish rules and regs for developing 2 unit residential developments & for sub-dividing single family residential properties
SVCC: No Position
Passed by City Council 1/24/22
Ord 1332
City ordinance amending City Municipal Code relating to the regulation of solid waste storage, collection, Disposal, Transfer and Resource Recovery
SVCC: No Position
Passed by City Council 1/24/22
EDUCATION AND UTILITY ISSUES
AB 1500
Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2022
MWD-Support
2/1 Died in Assm
SB 351
Water Innovation Act of 2021
MWD-Support
2/1 Died in Sen
SB 559
Department of Water Resources: water conveyance systems: Water Conveyance Restoration Fund. Establishes the Water Conveyance Restoration Program (Conveyance Program) at the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to minimize losses in water conveyance capacity due to damaged water conveyance infrastructure.
MWD-Support
5/28/21 Passed Sen 34-1; Stern-NVR
9/8 Ordered to Inactive File by Assm membr Gray
2021 Legislative Tracking:
Active Legislation:
AB 1074: Employment: displaced workers
Chamber Position: Oppose
This bill would make it extremely difficult for hotels to switch vendors and contractors by requiring any new contractor for hotel service (housekeeping, valet, spa, food/beverage, etc.) to hire the employees of the former contractor.
SB 657: Telecommuting: Employee Notices and Acknowledgements
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows telecommuting employees to receive all required notices and posters electronically and to acknowledge receipt of the documents electronically.
Outcome: signed into law on July 16, 2021
SB 95: Budget: Paid Supplemental COVID-19 Sick Leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
These bills would impose a significant cost onto small employers. These bills (1) require employers, with only one or more employees, to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year to all employees for COVID-19 related reasons; (2) applies retroactively to January 1, 2021, (3) provides no tax credit or funding to businesses to offset the cost of the leave unlike the Families First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA), and (4) drastically expands the reasons for which an employee can take leave.
Outcome: Signed into law
Inactive Legislation:
AB 62 - Income Taxes: Credits: Costs to Comply with COVID-19 Regulations
Chamber Position: Support
Description: This bill would provide a dollar for dollar tax credit to businesses that were forced to spend money on mandated Cal/OSHA regulatory requirements.
SB 62 - Employment: Garment Manufacturing
Chamber Position: Oppose
This bill would place enormous burdens on employers in the clothing industry, presumes that entities with no control over garment workers are liable for an employee's entire wage claim, and include punitive enforcement measures. The bill does all of this without addressing the root cause of problems that exist in the garment industry: the need for increased enforcement of existing laws and education of workers and employers about California's labor laws.
AB 230: Employment: Flexible Work Schedules
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows employees to enter into individual alternative workweek schedules.
AB 513: Telecommuting: Employee Notices and Acknowledgements; Final Pay Support
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows an employee who is telecommuting to receive all required notices and posters electronically, acknowledge receipt of documents electronically, and deems final payment of wages for a telecommuting employee on the day the paycheck is mailed to the employee.
AB 1028: Telecommuting: Telework Flexibility Act
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows telecommuting employee to enter into individual alternative workweek schedule agreement, choose when they take meal and rest breaks as long as the employer has not otherwise scheduled a break time, and eliminates PAGA penalties for certain claims.
AB 84: Budget: Paid Supplemental COVID-19 Sick Leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
These bills would impose a significant cost onto small employers. These bills (1) require employers, with only one or more employees, to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year to all employees for COVID-19 related reasons; (2) applies retroactively to January 1, 2021, (3) provides no tax credit or funding to businesses to offset the cost of the leave unlike the Families First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA), and (4) drastically expands the reasons for which an employee can take leave.
AB 530: Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004: Notice Requirements
Chamber Position: Support
This bill provides employers with a notice of the specific violations alleged under PAGA and an employer's right to cure those violations.
AB 1119: Employment Discrimination
Chamber Position: Oppose
Imposes new burdens on employers by requiring employers to provide a reasonable accommodation every time an employee needs to miss work due to a school or care center closure. This bill adds any individual with "family responsibilities" as a protected class to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which creates an automatic basis for someone in that new classification to challenge any adverse employment action. It would impose a burdensome new accommodation requirement on employers for any employee who has "family responsibilities," which could include daily or weekly time off requests and unexpected schedule changes.
AB 290: College Mental Health Services Act
Chamber Position: Support
The College Mental Health Services Act will appropriate funding for mental health services for students in the California Community College, California State University, and University of California systems. These funds would come from the Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) to expand student mental health services. This bill would establish the College Mental Health Services Act, allocating funds from the Mental Health Services Act State Administrative fund.
SB 230: Statewide Constituents of Emerging Concern Drinking Water Program
Chamber Position: Support
SB 230 would require the State Water Board to establish and then maintain an ongoing, dedicated program for CEC's to proactively improve the understanding of their occurrence and public health significance in drinking water sources.
SB 727: Labor-related liabilities: direct contractor
Chamber Position: Oppose
This bill would expand liability for businesses that use subcontractors. Contractors would now also be liable for a subcontractor's liability related to Unemployment Insurance withholdings/dedications/contributions or the failure to maintain workers' compensation coverage. They would also be liable for penalties, liquidated damages, and interest on top of any wages owed by a subcontractor.
AB 1041: Leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
Will significantly expand the CFRA and paid sick leave to allow an employee to take protected and/or paid time off to care for anyone who the employee is related to by blood or who has a relationship to the employee that is "equivalent of a family relationship."
AB 95: Employees: bereavement leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
Will mandate that every employer with 25 or more employees grant employees up to ten days of bereavement leave upon the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grand child, or domestic partner. It will also mandate that every employer with less than 25 employees grant up to three days of bereavement leave.
Active Legislation:
AB 1074: Employment: displaced workers
Chamber Position: Oppose
This bill would make it extremely difficult for hotels to switch vendors and contractors by requiring any new contractor for hotel service (housekeeping, valet, spa, food/beverage, etc.) to hire the employees of the former contractor.
SB 657: Telecommuting: Employee Notices and Acknowledgements
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows telecommuting employees to receive all required notices and posters electronically and to acknowledge receipt of the documents electronically.
Outcome: signed into law on July 16, 2021
SB 95: Budget: Paid Supplemental COVID-19 Sick Leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
These bills would impose a significant cost onto small employers. These bills (1) require employers, with only one or more employees, to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year to all employees for COVID-19 related reasons; (2) applies retroactively to January 1, 2021, (3) provides no tax credit or funding to businesses to offset the cost of the leave unlike the Families First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA), and (4) drastically expands the reasons for which an employee can take leave.
Outcome: Signed into law
Inactive Legislation:
AB 62 - Income Taxes: Credits: Costs to Comply with COVID-19 Regulations
Chamber Position: Support
Description: This bill would provide a dollar for dollar tax credit to businesses that were forced to spend money on mandated Cal/OSHA regulatory requirements.
SB 62 - Employment: Garment Manufacturing
Chamber Position: Oppose
This bill would place enormous burdens on employers in the clothing industry, presumes that entities with no control over garment workers are liable for an employee's entire wage claim, and include punitive enforcement measures. The bill does all of this without addressing the root cause of problems that exist in the garment industry: the need for increased enforcement of existing laws and education of workers and employers about California's labor laws.
AB 230: Employment: Flexible Work Schedules
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows employees to enter into individual alternative workweek schedules.
AB 513: Telecommuting: Employee Notices and Acknowledgements; Final Pay Support
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows an employee who is telecommuting to receive all required notices and posters electronically, acknowledge receipt of documents electronically, and deems final payment of wages for a telecommuting employee on the day the paycheck is mailed to the employee.
AB 1028: Telecommuting: Telework Flexibility Act
Chamber Position: Support
This bill allows telecommuting employee to enter into individual alternative workweek schedule agreement, choose when they take meal and rest breaks as long as the employer has not otherwise scheduled a break time, and eliminates PAGA penalties for certain claims.
AB 84: Budget: Paid Supplemental COVID-19 Sick Leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
These bills would impose a significant cost onto small employers. These bills (1) require employers, with only one or more employees, to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year to all employees for COVID-19 related reasons; (2) applies retroactively to January 1, 2021, (3) provides no tax credit or funding to businesses to offset the cost of the leave unlike the Families First Coronavirus Act (FFCRA), and (4) drastically expands the reasons for which an employee can take leave.
AB 530: Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004: Notice Requirements
Chamber Position: Support
This bill provides employers with a notice of the specific violations alleged under PAGA and an employer's right to cure those violations.
AB 1119: Employment Discrimination
Chamber Position: Oppose
Imposes new burdens on employers by requiring employers to provide a reasonable accommodation every time an employee needs to miss work due to a school or care center closure. This bill adds any individual with "family responsibilities" as a protected class to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which creates an automatic basis for someone in that new classification to challenge any adverse employment action. It would impose a burdensome new accommodation requirement on employers for any employee who has "family responsibilities," which could include daily or weekly time off requests and unexpected schedule changes.
AB 290: College Mental Health Services Act
Chamber Position: Support
The College Mental Health Services Act will appropriate funding for mental health services for students in the California Community College, California State University, and University of California systems. These funds would come from the Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63) to expand student mental health services. This bill would establish the College Mental Health Services Act, allocating funds from the Mental Health Services Act State Administrative fund.
SB 230: Statewide Constituents of Emerging Concern Drinking Water Program
Chamber Position: Support
SB 230 would require the State Water Board to establish and then maintain an ongoing, dedicated program for CEC's to proactively improve the understanding of their occurrence and public health significance in drinking water sources.
SB 727: Labor-related liabilities: direct contractor
Chamber Position: Oppose
This bill would expand liability for businesses that use subcontractors. Contractors would now also be liable for a subcontractor's liability related to Unemployment Insurance withholdings/dedications/contributions or the failure to maintain workers' compensation coverage. They would also be liable for penalties, liquidated damages, and interest on top of any wages owed by a subcontractor.
AB 1041: Leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
Will significantly expand the CFRA and paid sick leave to allow an employee to take protected and/or paid time off to care for anyone who the employee is related to by blood or who has a relationship to the employee that is "equivalent of a family relationship."
AB 95: Employees: bereavement leave
Chamber Position: Oppose
Will mandate that every employer with 25 or more employees grant employees up to ten days of bereavement leave upon the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grand child, or domestic partner. It will also mandate that every employer with less than 25 employees grant up to three days of bereavement leave.