Senate labor committee advances package of workplace bills, sending six measures to next committees

SACRAMENTO — The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee advanced a package of workplace measures on March 27, moving bills that would change how the state tracks wages for benefits verification, expand bereavement leave, give AC Transit employees access to the Public Employment Relations Board, boost enforcement for public works projects, require a standardized "Know Your Rights" curriculum in the workforce system, and tighten enforcement of skilled-and-trained workforce rules.

The six bills cleared committee by votes ranging from unanimous to 4–1, and will now proceed to relevant policy and appropriations panels. Committee leaders said the measures respond to gaps in enforcement, data and worker protections that have real effects on workers’ pay and access to benefits.

SB 1054, presented by the bill’s author, would add occupation and hours-worked fields and other data elements to the state’s base wage file used for unemployment insurance reporting. "SB 1054 can change that by allowing us to answer key questions like, do education and training programs connect people to the right jobs," said Maxwell Johnson, senior policy and research analyst at California Competes. Witnesses from the California EDGE Coalition also said the data would help counties and state agencies automate Medi‑Cal and CalFresh redeterminations and reduce the risk that eligible Californians lose benefits; proponents noted the change could help the state comply with forthcoming federal workforce-Pell reporting requirements. The committee recorded a 5–0 vote to move SB 1054 out of committee.

SB 1166 would place Alameda-Contra Costa Transit (AC Transit) employees under PERB for adjudication of unfair labor-practice claims. "Resolving labor disputes through the courts is often slower, more costly, and lacks the specialized expertise that PERB provides," the bill’s presenter told the committee, and AFSCME Local 3916 witnesses said an arbitration this year cost the union "over $20,000." Senator Loehrke noted AC Transit’s neutrality on the bill and signaled support; the measure passed the panel 4–1.

SB 1149, authored by Senator Durazo, would expand bereavement leave to cover a "designated person" — a term the bill defines to include chosen or extended family — while allowing employers to limit leave to one designated person per year. Jenna Schenkman of the California Coalition on Family Caregiving said the bill "closes that gap" between caregiving and bereavement leave, and Equality California highlighted the measure’s importance for LGBTQ+ Californians. The committee moved SB 1149 to Appropriations with a 5–0 vote.

Labor-backed SB 909 would update contractor registration fees and increase penalties for prevailing-wage and related violations, tie certain fee amounts to inflation and direct penalty revenue into the Public Works Enforcement Fund to support enforcement staffing. "When the state spends public dollars on construction, workers should be paid the wages they earn," an operating-engineers representative told the committee. The Associated General Contractors and other contractor groups opposed the bill, saying it would raise costs and shift uncertainty to contractors; AGC’s Felipe Fuentes warned the measure "takes a cost heavy approach" that could reduce competition and raise bid prices. The panel approved SB 909 4–1.

SB 1132 would require the California Workforce Development Board, with subject-matter experts, to develop a standardized Know Your Rights curriculum delivered through the state’s workforce system. Supporters said the training would help reentrants and vulnerable workers understand workplace and immigration-protection rights. The committee voted 4–1 to send the bill on to Appropriations.

SB 1241 seeks to strengthen enforcement of existing skilled-and-trained workforce requirements by defining what a substantial-compliance plan must include and limiting repeated reliance on such plans. Trade-union witnesses argued the change protects apprentices and prevents responsible contractors from being undercut; construction-industry groups raised concerns about administrative burdens and workforce availability. The committee approved the bill as amended, 4–1.

Votes at a glance: SB 1054 — passed 5–0 (to Appropriations); SB 1166 — passed 4–1 (to Judiciary); SB 1149 — passed 5–0 (to Appropriations); SB 909 — passed 4–1 (to Judiciary); SB 1132 — passed 4–1 (to Appropriations); SB 1241 — passed 4–1 (to Appropriations); SB 1038 (CalPERS audit notification) also moved out earlier with a 4–0 vote.

What’s next: Each bill now goes to the committee noted in the roll call (Judiciary or Appropriations) for further review; sponsors said they will work with agencies and stakeholders to address implementation details such as data-sharing protocols, administrative rulemaking, and penalty structures.

Key quotes and exchanges from the hearing illustrate the split between labor advocates seeking stronger enforcement, and industry groups warning about costs and administrative burdens. Committee members repeatedly framed the debate as balancing worker protections, enforcement capacity and the state’s broader fiscal constraints.

The committee recessed briefly and adjourned after completing the day’s agenda.