Committee hears wide testimony on bill to hold landowners accountable for unregistered farmworker camps

The House Committee on Judiciary opened a public hearing Thursday on House Bill 3,194, which would amend the Camp Operator Registration Act (CORA) to make landowners jointly and severally liable for violations by farmworker camp operators who fail to comply with registration and safety requirements, unless landowners can show they delegated operations to a licensed, compliant operator and had no actual knowledge or reason to know of the noncompliance.

Proponents told the committee the change is aimed at stopping a recent rise in unregistered, illegal labor camps tied largely to illicit cannabis operations and at making it easier for exploited workers to obtain relief. Representative Pam Marsh, who described her district’s experience with environmental damage and worker exploitation, said the legislature has provided funding for aid but "the state shouldn't be shouldering the full responsibility for this crisis. We need to hold the operators and the owners responsible for the…