AB 1442 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Essential Worker Commission.

Summary

Existing law establishes the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, consisting of various offices and entities, including the office of the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, and the California Workforce Development Board. This bill would establish the Essential Worker Commission within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to review, investigate, and analyze issues relating to essential workers in the state, including workplace safety and health protections and wages and benefits for undocumented workers. The bill would require the Essential Worker Commission, based on that review, investigation, and analysis, to establish the Essential Worker Legal Work Program to provide essential workers with legal pathways to remain in California and work lawfully.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/28/25 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Mar 28, 2025

MODERATE

AB 1442 was dramatically expanded from a single-line legislative intent statement into a full operative bill that establishes the Essential Worker Commission within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. The amended version adds an entire new chapter (Chapter 8) to the Unemployment Insurance Code, defining 'essential worker' as an undocumented worker in critical industries, creating a 16-member commission with specific appointment sources, and setting deadlines for the commission to analyze workplace issues by July 2027 and establish a legal work pathway program by January 2028. The fiscal note also changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now carries budgetary implications.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a purely declaratory intent statement (one sentence) to an operative law creating a new state agency body with defined membership, specific policy mandates, and binding deadlines. The scope now explicitly covers undocumented workers in essential industries and directs the commission to develop legal work pathways, which is a significant policy commitment beyond the original symbolic language.

SCOPE

Added an entirely new Chapter 8 (Sections 11050-11055) to Part 1 of Division 3 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, transforming the bill from a symbolic intent statement into operative law creating a new state commission.

DEFINITION

Defined 'essential worker' as an undocumented worker in California who performs critical labor in agriculture, health care, construction, food service, domestic work, and other frontline industries. Also defined 'Essential Worker Commission.'

REQUIREMENT

Established the Essential Worker Commission with 16 members appointed by Cal-OSHA, the State Public Health Officer, the Speaker of the Assembly (including one essential worker), the Senate Committee on Rules (including one essential worker), the Governor (two members), and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (representing labor unions, Federally Qualified Health Centers, business organizations, agricultural industry, local government, public health, urban community organizations, and an IRCA expert).

Required the Commission to establish the Essential Worker Legal Work Program by January 1, 2028, providing legal pathways for essential workers to remain in California and work lawfully, including recommendations for policy changes and collaboration with federal agencies.

TIMELINE

Set a deadline of July 1, 2027 for the Commission to complete its review and analysis of workplace safety, wages and benefits, labor rights, workforce development, support for disadvantaged communities, public-private collaboration, and emergency preparedness for essential workers.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee note changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amended bill now has state fiscal implications due to the creation of a new commission.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on L. & E.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

0 primary · 6 co-sponsors