2015 Job Creators

The California Chamber of Commerce has released its list of job creator bills calling attention to the 13 bills that will improve the state’s job climate and stimulate the economy.

Bills identified as job creators are consistent with the goals outlined in the Foundation for a Better California, a guide which provides policymakers with a framework to position California competitively to take advantage of the economic recovery.

Creates Construction Jobs

AB 35 (Chiu; D-San Francisco) Creates Affordable Housing Opportunities. Promotes affordable housing by expanding the existing low-income housing tax credit program, making the state better able to leverage an estimated $200 million more in Federal Tax Credits. Vetoed by the Governor, 10/10/15. Veto message can be read here.

AB 323 (Olsen; R-Modesto) Expedites and Reduces Cost for Roadway Repair and Maintenance Projects. Streamlines infrastructure development by extending until January 1, 2020 the current CEQA exemption for certain roadway repair and maintenance projects. Signed—Chapter 52, Statutes of 2015.

AB 641 (Mayes; R-Yucca Valley) Expedites and Reduces Cost for Housing Projects. Streamlines and reduces regulatory burdens for the approval and construction of housing developments by providing an expedited review process under the California Environmental Quality Act. Failed passage in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, 04/27/15.

Improved Legal Climate

AB 52 (Gray; D-Merced) Disability Access Litigation Reform. Seeks to improve access for disabled customers and limit frivolous litigation against businesses for construction-related accessibility claims by providing an opportunity for the businesses to timely resolve any potential violations. Assembly Judiciary Committee. Failed Deadline.

AB 54 (Olsen; R-Modesto) Disability Access Litigation Reform. Seeks to encourage businesses to become compliant with construction-related accessibility standards by increasing the available tax credit for expenses related to such efforts. CalChamber Supports – Former Job Creator.

AB 588 (Grove; R-Bakersfield) Reduces Frivolous Litigation. Seeks to limit frivolous litigation under the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act, by allowing an employer a 33 day right to cure technical violations on an itemized wage statement that did not cause any injury to the employee. Assembly Labor and Employment Committee. Failed deadline.

AB 1252 (Jones; R-Santee) Protects Businesses from Proposition 65 Lawsuits. Provides needed relief to small businesses by prohibiting a person from bringing a Proposition 65 lawsuit against a business employing fewer than 25 employees. Failed passage in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, 04/14/15. Reconsideration granted.

AB 1470 (Alejo; D-Salinas) Reduction of Costly Employment Class Action Litigation. Limits frivolous class action litigation against employers in California who are creating high paying jobs by creating a rebuttable presumption that employees earning at least $100,000 and performing nonmanual labor and at least one exempt duty are exempt from overtime requirements. Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, 04/21/15. Failed deadline.

AB 1506 (Hernández; D-West Covina) Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004. Seeks to limit frivolous and costly litigation against employers for technical violations on an itemized wage statement that does not create any injury to an employee, by allowing the employer a limited time period to fix the violation before any civil litigation is pursued, so that an employer can devote its financial resources to expanding its workforce. Signed 10/2/15 (Urgency)—Chapter 445, Statutes of 2015.

SB 67 (Galgiani; D-Stockton) Disability Access Litigation Reform. Seeks to limit frivolous litigation against small businesses and those that have sought to comply, by limiting remedies to injunctive relief and expanding the current period to correct any violation from 60 to 120 days. Senate Judiciary Committee 05/15/15. Failed Deadline.

SB 251 (Roth; D-Riverside) Incentivizing Disability Access and Education. Seeks to limit frivolous litigation and claims regarding construction-related accessibility claims by providing businesses that have proactively sought to become ADA compliant with an opportunity to resolve any identified violations as well as provide a tax credit for such improvements. Vetoed by the Governor, 10/10/15. Veto message can be read here.

Tourism

SB 249 (Hueso; D-San Diego) Enhanced Driver’s License. Encourages international trade and tourism by authorizing the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue enhanced driver licenses to U.S. citizens to expedite legal traffic at the border. Vetoed by the Governor, 10/9/15. Veto message can be read here.

Workplace Improvements/Training

AB 1038 (Jones; R-Santee) Flexible Workweek. Provides employers with the opportunity to accommodate employees’ needs as well as business demands by allowing employees to request a voluntary, flexible workweek agreement that can be repealed by the employee at any time with proper notice. Failed passage in the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, 04/22/15. Reconsideration granted.