Existing law establishes the Emergency Medical Services Authority within the California Health and Human Services Agency, and requires the authority to coordinate state activities concerning emergency medical services. Existing law requires a public safety agency that provides "911" call processing services for emergency medical response, by January 1, 2027, to provide prearrival medical instructions to "911" callers requiring medical assistance, including, at a minimum, administration of naloxone for suspected narcotics overdoses. Existing law requires the authority to develop and adopt training, standards, and regulations for all prehospital emergency medical care personnel regarding the use and administration of naloxone hydrochloride and other opioid antagonists. Existing law makes any person who violates these provisions guilty of a misdemeanor. Existing law grants the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which is within the Department of Industrial Relations, jurisdiction over all employment and places of employment, and the power necessary to enforce and administer all occupational health and safety laws and standards. Exiting law requires the division, before December 1, 2027, to submit a draft rulemaking proposal to revise specified regulations on first aid materials and emergency medical services to require first aid materials in a workplace to include naloxone hydrochloride or another opioid antagonist approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to reverse opioid overdose and instructions for using the opioid antagonist. Existing law requires the standards board to consider for adoption revised standards for the standards described above on or before December 1, 2028. This bill would require an employer operating in this state that requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification training of its employees to also require those employees, except as specified, to take an online video module training on the use of naloxone to increase the rate of opioid overdose reversals, as prescribed. Because a violation of this provision would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the Emergency Medical Services Authority to review and approve the online video module trainings to ensure that the training content meets certain minimum standards. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law requires a person engaged in certain businesses to register with the Labor Commissioner, as provided. This bill would require a staffing agency, as defined, to register, as prescribed, with the commissioner before conducting any business in this state and annually thereafter. The bill would prohibit the commissioner from registering or renewing a registration, unless the staffing agency satisfies certain conditions, including submitting an application that is certified under penalty of perjury to the commissioner for registration or renewal of registration and providing the commissioner proof of a current workers' compensation policy in effect for all employees, as provided. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. If the commissioner, at any time, finds that the staffing agency does not have the current workers' compensation insurance policy in effect for all employees, this bill would require the commissioner to deny, suspend, or revoke the registration, after a hearing, and notify the Director of Industrial Relations of that matter. The bill would also require the commissioner to post a specified list of registered staffing agencies on the internet website of the Department of Industrial Relations. The bill would prohibit a business from using the services of a staffing agency without a registration pursuant to these provisions. The bill would authorize a registered staffing agency to bring an action against an unregistered staffing agency or a business that uses the services of a staffing agency without a registration, as provided, and would authorize the court to enter an order to enjoin the defendant from engaging in any business as a staffing agency without a registration or using the services of a staffing agency without a registration. The bill would authorize the commissioner to promulgate regulations and rules necessary to carry out these provisions. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law provides for state-subsidized childcare programs and childcare for recipients of benefits under the CalWORKs program and establishes 3 stages of childcare services managed by county welfare departments and agencies contracting with the State Department of Social Services. Existing law requires an applicant for, or a recipient of, CalWORKs benefits to be provided written notice, both at the time of application and when they sign an original or amended welfare-to-work plan, informing them of, among other things, the availability of paid childcare to allow them to be employed or participate in welfare-to-work activities. Existing law requires an applicant for, or recipient of, CalWORKs benefits to be asked to sign a copy of the written notice acknowledging that they have been informed of and received the notice, as specified. This bill would instead require an applicant for, or a recipient of, CalWORKs benefits to be provided written notice, and verbally informed, of the availability of paid childcare, as described above, at the time of application, approval, and when they sign an original or amended welfare-to-work plan, annual certificate of eligibility, or a semiannual report form. The bill would specify that a "written notice," for purposes of these provisions, includes a CalWORKs childcare request form. Upon receipt of a CalWORKs childcare request form and eligibility information, the bill would require a county to approve or deny the request for childcare within 10 calendar days. The bill would require the department to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction on or before June 1, 2027, until regulations are adopted. By imposing additional duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, commencing January 1, 2021, or the date that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation, whichever date is later, requires the written notice described above to additionally be provided to a recipient at the time of orientation, when they are assigned to a program activity, when they report new or increased participation in a program activity, and when they report new earned income or employment. This bill would extend that commencement date from January 1, 2021, to January 1, 2028. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law requires a claimant for unemployment compensation disability benefits to establish medical eligibility for each uninterrupted period of disability by filing a first claim for disability benefits supported by a certificate of a treating physician or practitioner that establishes the sickness, injury, or pregnancy of the employee, or the condition of the family member that warrants the care of the employee. For subsequent periods of uninterrupted disability after the period covered by the initial certificate or any preceding continued claim, existing law requires a claimant to file a continued claim for those benefits supported by the certificate of a treating physician or practitioner. This bill would prohibit a physician or practitioner from charging an administrative fee to complete a form for a certificate. The bill would also prohibit a physician or practitioner from charging an administrative fee to complete a recertification examination or for a form that is required to maintain continued eligibility for disability benefits. The bill would provide that these provisions do not prohibit a physician or practitioner from billing for medical services provided in connection with an examination or collecting an applicable copayment, coinsurance, or deductible, as specified.
Existing law establishes the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program to assist small businesses in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Existing law requires the Capital Programs and Climate Financing Authority to adopt regulations to establish and regulate new loss reserve accounts for qualified loans made by participating lenders to small businesses for eligible products, as specified, including regulations limiting terms of loans and recaptures from loss reserve accounts to 5 years, as specified. Existing law caps qualified loans under the program at $50,000. Existing law establishes the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program Fund, a continuously appropriated fund to be administered by the authority for the purposes of the program. Existing law prescribes the uses for moneys in the fund, including specified program and administrative expenditures, and limits administrative expenditures to 5% of the initial appropriation plus 5% of all moneys recaptured. Existing law establishes the California Seismic Safety Capital Access Loan Program, which is similar to the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program, to assist residential property owners with and small business owners seismically retrofitting residences and small businesses, as specified. Existing law establishes the California Seismic Safety Capital Access Loan Program Fund, a continuously appropriated fund to be used for the purposes of the program, as specified. This bill would increase the cap for qualified loans under the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program to $250,000. The bill would, as of the operative date of the bill, require the authority to transfer the moneys from the California Seismic Safety Capital Access Loan Program Fund to the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program Fund. The bill would provide that moneys in the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program Fund may additionally be used for financial assistance to eligible projects, as specified. The bill would change the limit for administrative expenditures from the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program Fund to 5% of the initial appropriation plus 5% of all interest earned and moneys recaptured. The bill would require the regulations adopted for the California Americans with Disabilities Act Small Business Capital Access Loan Program to increase the 5-year term and recapture limits described above to 15 years. By transferring money into a continuously appropriated fund, expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, and increasing the amount of moneys that may be expended from a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation.
Senate Resolution 84 designates the week of March 1 to March 7, 2026, as Women in Construction Week in California. This legislative measure requests that the Governor issue a proclamation encouraging the public to observe the week with programs and educational activities focused on women in the construction industry. The resolution highlights the importance of increasing female participation in construction to address workforce shortages and promote diversity, while also supporting existing apprenticeship initiatives. It serves as a commemorative observance rather than establishing new laws or funding requirements.
Existing law establishes a minimum wage for all industries and imposes criminal penalties for violation of these wage provisions. Existing law authorizes the Labor Commissioner to collect due and unpaid wages or benefits on behalf of workers. Under existing law, the commissioner acts as trustee and deposits collected wages and benefits into the Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund, which is continuously appropriated for the purpose of remitting the collected wages or benefits. This bill would require the minimum hourly wage for an approved agricultural employee and corresponding employee, as defined, to be $19.75 per hour. Commencing January 1, 2027, and each January thereafter, the bill would require the above-described minimum hourly wage to be adjusted by an amount equal to the cost-of-living adjustment for social security benefits, as specified. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. By increasing the revenue to the Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, and expanding the purposes for which moneys in that fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
(1) Existing law establishes the Department of Industrial Relations, which includes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Existing law requires the division to investigate the causes of any employment accident that is fatal to one or more employees or that results in a serious injury, illness, or exposure, except as specified. Existing law requires the chief of the division and all qualified inspectors and investigators authorized by the chief to have free access to any place of employment to investigate and inspect and sets forth various other duties related to investigation and inspection, as specified. This bill would make it a misdemeanor to willfully resist, prevent, impede, or interfere with the chief or their authorized representative in the performance of the above-described duties or to willfully violate an order of the court relating to those duties. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law makes it a public offense for any employer or any employee having direction, management, control, or custody of any employment, place of employment, or of any other employee who willfully violates any occupational safety or health standard, order, special order, if that violation caused death or permanent or prolonged impairment to the body of an employee, as specified. This bill would additionally make it a public offense if that violation caused serious injury, illness, or exposure. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law makes the Bureau of Investigations within the Division of Occupational Safety and Health responsible for directing accident investigations involving violations of laws, standards, and orders in which there is a serious injury to 5 or more employees, death, or request for prosecution by a division representative. Existing law requires the bureau to review inspection reports involving a serious violation if there have been serious injuries to one to 4 employees or a serious exposure, and authorizes the bureau to investigate cases for the purpose of prosecution, as specified. Existing law requires the bureau to refer the results of investigations it is required to conduct to the appropriate prosecuting authority having jurisdiction for appropriate action unless it determines that there is legally insufficient evidence of a violation of the law. This bill would revise and recast these requirements to, among other things, additionally require the bureau to investigate any accident in which there is a serious injury, illness, or exposure for which the division issues a citation for a willful violation. The bill would require the bureau to establish written policies and procedures for reviewing cases and deciding whether to investigate or refer them for prosecution. The bill would also require the division to establish a routine or automated process for transmitting information to the bureau about incidents with serious injuries, illnesses, or exposures so that the bureau can review them. Existing law authorizes the department, upon the request of a county district attorney, to develop a protocol for the referral of cases that may involve criminal conduct to the appropriate prosecuting authority in lieu of or in cooperation with an investigation by the bureau. This bill would require the division to immediately notify the appropriate prosecuting authority upon learning of an accident in which there is a serious injury, illness, or exposure to 5 or more employees, death, or request for prosecution by a division representative. The bill would delete the above-described provisions regarding developing a protocol and would instead authorize the bureau, upon request of an appropriate prosecuting authority, to refer cases that may involve criminal conduct to the appropriate prosecuting authority, as specified. The bill would require the bureau and the division, in cases accepted for investigation, to cooperate with the prosecuting authority. Existing law requires the bureau to submit an annual report to the division on its activities. This bill would additionally require the report to be submitted to the Legislature and to include information relating to certain cases involving a fatality that are referred by the bureau to the appropriate prosecuting authority, as specified. The bill would make the specifics of that information confidential. (3) Existing law requires all information reported to or otherwise obtained by the Chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health or representatives of the chief in connection with any inspection or proceeding of the division that contains or that might reveal a trade secret to be considered confidential, except that this information may be disclosed to other officers or employees of the division concerned with carrying out the purposes of the division or when relevant in any proceeding of the division, as specified. This bill would revise the above-described exception to also permit this information to be disclosed to law enforcement officers or prosecutors in any law enforcement investigation or prosecution. Existing law requires the responding agency, whenever a state, county, or local fire or police agency is called to an accident involving an employee covered by the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 in which a serious injury or illness, or death occurs, to immediately notify the nearest division office. Existing law then requires the division to immediately notify the appropriate prosecuting authority of the accident. This bill would expand this requirement to include an accident in which a serious exposure occurs. The bill would also require the responding agency to immediately notify the district attorney's office in the county where the accident occurred. The bill would additionally require the division to immediately notify the bureau, and the district attorney's office or other appropriate prosecuting authority, of the accident, whether the division received notification by the responding agency, the employer, or by other means. The bill would make other related and conforming changes to those provisions. (4) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. (5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes a workers' compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment, which, in the case of the death of an employee, includes a death benefit. Existing law governs temporary and permanent disability indemnity payments and prohibits a payment made by a written instrument unless it is immediately negotiable and payable in cash, among other things. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, allows an employer to commence a program under which disability indemnity payments are deposited in a prepaid card account for employees. This bill would extend the authorization to deposit indemnity payments in a prepaid card account indefinitely.
Existing law, the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act, declares the intent of the Legislature to increase the number of students and residents receiving quality education and training in specified primary care specialties and as primary care physician's assistants, primary care nurse practitioners, and registered nurses. This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information to maintain a New Nursing Graduate Support and Placement Program to award program grants to community college associate degree of nursing programs, through which support grants would be awarded to recent graduates for loan repayment assistance, relocation, transportation, housing assistance, childcare, and other financial support. The bill would specify grant eligibility criteria for community colleges and recent graduates. The bill would require the department to consider labor standards of hospital sites that employ support grant applicants when determining grant distribution. Implementation of these provisions would be contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature. This bill would also express the intent of the Legislature to support and strengthen existing programs that train registered nurses under the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act.
