Committee advances bill to expand pay-data reporting to track reparations task force recommendations
Summary
SB 464 would add specified state workers to the Civil Rights Department's annual pay-data reporting to provide a clearer picture of workforce demographics and occupational segregation; committee advanced the bill unanimously.
The committee advanced SB 464 6-0, a bill prioritized by the California Legislative Black Caucus to expand pay-data reporting in state government to better track representation and earnings disparities identified by the California Reparations Task Force.
Senator Smallwood-Cuevas said the bill would include specified state workers in the Department of Civil Rights' annual pay-data reporting, expanding categories and requiring reporting of annual earnings rather than overbroad pay bands, in line with recommendations from the National Academies and the reparations task force. Proponents said the data would reveal occupational segregation and disparities in supervisory and managerial representation for Black Californians.
Tanisha Herring of the NAACP and Jessica Stender of Equal Rights Advocates testified in support, highlighting data showing underrepresentation of Black workers in supervisory roles and pay gaps: "Black Californians make up just 4% of supervisory roles," Herring said, and she cited reparations task force findings on pay disparities. County associations and other local-government groups urged amendments clarifying the bill applies only to state departments and state employees; the California State Association of Counties said narrow language changes would remove their opposition.
The secretary recorded the committee motion as "do pass and be re-referred to the committee on judiciary," and the transcript shows the measure advanced with unanimous support recorded in committee. Sponsors said they will continue to work with opponents on conforming amendments.
