Transcript Highlights:

• And as a reminder, please, um, there's no remote attendance by members, as permitted on the 2025 interception

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee for Health and Family Services met for its first meeting, established quorum, and heard a presentation from Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Becktold. The department reviewed its compliance with House Bill 695, which requires legislative approval before certain Medicaid eligibility, service, benefit, or waiver changes, along with fiscal impact reporting to the Legislative Research Commission. They described current waivers, including home and community-based waivers, managed care and transportation waivers, and the 1115 re-entry waiver, and said the community engagement waiver is in public comment and on track for submission to CMS. They also said required reports and other HB 695 tasks, including a pharmacy rebate fund, budget analyses, expenditure reports, and a behavioral health scorecard, are underway or completed as required. The CFO outlined Medicaid’s budget, saying the department has two appropriation units and projecting near-full use of state funds while leaving some federal funds unspent because of matching-rate differences. They reported roughly 211 filled positions and 11 vacancies. Members asked about the vacancy makeup, the behavioral health scorecard, and whether a provider involved in quality metrics could have a conflict if used in the scorecard process; the department said it would follow up. Members also asked about the community engagement waiver and its interaction with federal policy, and the department said CMS guidance is still pending and that it will proceed under HB 695. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on federal Medicaid policy changes under a reconciliation bill, including possible limits on provider taxes, directed payments, cost-sharing, and community engagement requirements. Department officials said the final federal impact is still uncertain because the Senate bill is not finalized, but they have modeled several scenarios and warned that any reduction in federal support or benefits would be harmful, especially for hospitals and rural hospitals. They estimated Medicaid benefits are funded about 80% federal and 20% state overall, with expansion populations closer to 90% federal funding, and said administrative costs would also rise if federal requirements change. Members also asked about work requirements and eligibility. The department said the community engagement waiver would mainly affect the expansion population, which they estimated at about 450,000 people out of roughly 1.5 million total Medicaid enrollees, and that many groups are exempt, including children, the aged, blind, disabled, and people in substance use disorder treatment. Officials said they can provide data on how many enrollees are working or work-ready and explained that their eligibility system is designed to prevent duplication by automatically placing people in the correct category and correcting errors quickly. They also noted a federal proposal to require expansion eligibility reviews every six months, compared with current annual renewals.

Transcript Highlights:

• CANNOT ENFORCE THAT UNTIL THERE IS AN OFFICIAL PROGRAM GOING FORWARD AT WHATEVER TIME THAT MIGHT BE REMOTE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a driver's identification without having to leave their patrol cars if a digital license can be remotely

Keywords: 1183, house

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• students in this capacity when we get to visit. visit with our families, which, because we work in the remote

Bills: SB 10, SB 11

Keywords: human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Child care workers are already mandated reporters under Colorado law.
• Many families and guardians, however, do not know that child care workers are required to report suspected
• Don't put it on the healthcare workers.
• > it<05:48:29.800> on<05:48:29.920> the workers.
• Don't put it on the workers.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the journal, and then moved through announcements recognizing Nowruz/Persian New Year, Ute Day at the Capitol, Mosaic students, and other brief invitations and tributes. The chamber then agreed to proceed out of order to resolutions and adopted House Joint Resolution 1017, which urges the federal government to fulfill obligations to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe regarding water rights and the Animas-La Plata project. Supporters emphasized tribal water security, federal funding, and the tribes’ longstanding stewardship; an amendment (L.004) was adopted 60-0, and the resolution then passed 60-0, with several members adding as co-sponsors. The House also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 17, reappointing Carrie L. Hunter as State Auditor for a five-year term. Speakers from the Legislative Audit Committee praised Hunter’s professionalism, nonpartisan leadership, and the office’s national recognition; the resolution passed unanimously, 62-0, and members invited Hunter to be recognized in the chamber. After that, committee reports from Appropriations and Finance were read and several bills were set as special orders for later consideration. In Committee of the Whole, the chamber considered several measures. Senate Bill 39, dealing with Fire and Police Pension Association disability and survivor benefits, received a technical cleanup amendment and passed. House Bill 1311, concerning bonds in lieu of retainage in construction contracts, was amended to clarify public versus private projects and passed; supporters said it would help smaller contractors, including contractors of color and women contractors, enter the market. House Bill 1184, continuing the Colorado Forest Health Council, passed after committee report amendments. House Bill 1305, on aligning state and federal statutes to improve access to inpatient behavioral health, passed despite some committee-level concerns about regulation. House Bill 1234, concerning access to child abuse or neglect records, passed after an amendment limiting access unless courts explicitly grant it; supporters said it would help victims access their own records, including for legal defense. Finally, Senate Bill 50, on child care center policy disclosures, was introduced with sponsors explaining it would require centers to disclose mandatory reporter obligations, camera and footage policies, and related privacy/access rules, in response to a case where parents were denied access to video footage.

Transcript Highlights:

• trucks, same spray mechanism or squeegees or, you know, and it has some health benefits too to their workers
• trucks, same spray mechanism or squeegees or, you know, and it has some health benefits too to their workers
• <01:17:01.840> too<01:17:02.000> to<01:17:02.159> their<01:17:02.400> workers
• health benefits too to their workers. health benefits too to their workers.
• Data center means a facility consisting of a large group of computers used for remote storage, etc.,

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• unemployment benefits as any other worker, which already includes locked-out workers.
• workers. my co-workers face given the my co-workers face given the skyrocketing<00:10:16.640> cost
• workers.
• workers only affects budgets if workers workers only affects budgets if workers are<00:17:42.120
• workers workers workers there<00:26:44.200> uh<00:26:45.080> 57<00:26:45.679> years

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Public sector workers, so many... Making sure those workers are taken care of.
• have enough, but our community worker centers have workers ready to be trained.
• Workers.
• we see workers.
• do workers access them?

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly labor committees held a hearing on the Los Angeles wildfires and their impact on workers, employers, and recovery efforts. Chairs and members emphasized that rebuilding should prioritize worker safety, equity, local hiring, and strong labor standards rather than simply moving quickly or relying on the lowest bidder. They also stressed the need to learn from past disasters and to create a more coordinated state response for future emergencies. Worker advocates described how domestic workers, day laborers, firefighters, and other frontline workers were affected by the fires. Testimony focused on workers being trapped in evacuation zones, lacking timely information in Spanish, losing jobs and income, and facing exposure to toxic debris without adequate PPE. Speakers called for expanded outreach and education, stronger Cal/OSHA enforcement, broader occupational safety coverage for domestic workers and day laborers, recall and transfer rights, childcare and transportation support, and a centralized disaster relief system that can quickly deliver cash aid and equipment regardless of immigration status. Firefighter Derek Irwin said California firefighters face serious carcinogenic exposure and urged continued funding for the firefighter cancer prevention and research program, along with a long-term state health monitoring and research effort similar to the World Trade Center Health Program. Building trades and labor representatives argued that cleanup and rebuilding should be done through community workforce agreements, prevailing wage, apprenticeship requirements, and local hire provisions, and said the state already has trained workers available. They also said federal debris-removal work through the Army Corps has limited the state’s ability to impose some standards, but that state and local funding or subsidies should trigger labor requirements. Employer and business representatives described major losses to property, inventory, revenue, and jobs, especially in Altadena and nearby areas. The Altadena Chamber said it is coordinating recovery resources, while a construction business owner said small local firms are being shut out of disaster contracts and proposed a more accessible procurement process for local and minority businesses. LAEDC presented preliminary estimates of billions in property damage and business disruption, tens of thousands of potential job losses, and a recovery timeline of five to ten years, warning that low-income communities will be disproportionately affected and that workforce retraining and upskilling will be needed alongside the broader economic recovery.

Transcript Highlights:

• They deserve so much more than this—our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members.
• They deserve so much more than this—our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members.
• They deserve so much more than this—our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members.
• They deserve so much more than this—our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members.
• And trust me, I have a lot of experience with public restrooms, being an outdoor worker.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 148, which Rep. Jim Kofalt said is the same language as last year’s HB 396, vetoed by the governor. He described the bill as allowing, but not requiring, separation by biological sex in three areas: bathrooms and locker rooms, houses of correction, and certain athletic competitions. Kofalt argued the bill would give local school boards and other policymakers discretion to set practical rules, citing concerns about safety, privacy, and a Milford incident involving a biological male in girls’ locker rooms. Committee members pressed him on the lack of a definition of “biological sex,” and he said he did not think one was necessary because males and females are commonly understood. He also said the bill was meant to address situations where outside groups threaten lawsuits and leave local boards with no latitude. Testimony then split sharply. Supporters, including Executive Counselor Karen Hill and several others, said HB 148 would roll back anti-discrimination protections, contradict New Hampshire’s “Live Free or Die” values, and harm transgender and non-binary people. Opponents described the bill as discriminatory and unnecessary, arguing that existing bathroom and sports policies already work and that the bill would invite harassment, invasive enforcement, and legal conflict. Several speakers, including trans residents and parents of trans children, said they had used public restrooms without incident and warned that enforcement would be impractical or abusive. One supporter argued the bill was needed to protect girls’ privacy and safety and cited school sports disputes and a concern about a sex offender at a game as examples of why sex-segregated rules should be restored. Committee members asked questions about how biological sex would be defined, whether the bill was responding to real incidents in New Hampshire, and how any restrictions would be enforced. Kofalt said he was aware of issues in several school districts and at the State House, but did not have detailed documentation for every case. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided; the chair instead moved through public testimony under a strict two-minute limit and noted that follow-up questions would be limited so the committee could hear multiple bills that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:15.720> and<00:02:15.920> worker but supportive of workers and worker but supportive
• meetings with workers. meetings with workers.
• targeted workers. targeted workers.
• these workers from succeeding. these workers from succeeding.
• workers to ensure nursing home workers workers to ensure nursing home workers are<00:48:47.920><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• workers' compensation system.
• Workers with chronic conditions.
• We hire lots of seasonal workers.
• I'm a worker. I'm a mom of three children. Yes, I'm a worker. I'm a mom of three children.
• We outreach workers in the overall industries, including domestic workers and restaurant workers, who

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee on State Administration heard presentations on the Department of Industrial Relations’ labor-related budget items, with the main focus on proposed trailer bill language to reform the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and a related budget change proposal for staffing. DIR said SIBTF has grown far beyond its original purpose, citing the 2020 Todd decision, expanded eligibility based on chronic or asymptomatic conditions, and a backlog that has grown to more than 30,000 pending cases. The administration argued the reforms would restore guardrails, reduce liabilities and employer assessments, and speed processing for severely injured workers; the LAO said the proposal was largely consistent with its prior recommendations. Members raised concerns about using trailer bill language for major policy changes, the retroactive application to open cases, and the impact on workers already in the queue, while supporters from employer groups and public agencies backed the proposal as necessary to control costs and restore sustainability. Public comment was split, with injured-worker advocates opposing the retroactive changes and business/public employer representatives supporting the reforms. The committee then heard the SIBTF workload request, which would phase in 177 positions over five years at a cost of $36.5 million, including staff for the Division of Workers’ Compensation, the Office of the Director Legal Unit, and administrative support. DIR said the additional staffing is intended to address very high caseloads and reduce processing times, but emphasized that the request assumes the reform package is adopted; LAO agreed the staffing increase made sense if paired with reforms. Members asked about vacancy rates, current staffing, and whether the workload request would become the new normal, and DIR said it would monitor caseload trends and adjust future requests as needed. Finally, the committee received an update on the California Workplace Outreach Program (CWOP), which DIR described as a partnership with community-based organizations to educate workers and help employers comply with labor laws. DIR reported that CWOP has reached 1.75 million workers and employers and made 8 million touchpoints since 2020, with the current round awarding $50.7 million to 87 partners for a two-year period through June 2027. Members and public commenters highlighted the program’s role in reaching immigrant, farmworker, janitorial, nail salon, and other vulnerable communities, and several speakers urged continued funding at $30 million per year for five years. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We ourselves as workers, right?
• for Worker Rights, and Tess Brellante, residential care facility worker.
• In fact, my dad was a worker. When I was nine years old, he was a restaurant worker.
• We have restitution funds for some industries like garment workers, farm workers, and car wash workers
• We have to interview workers. We have to interview workers. We have to go well.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment held a review hearing on SB 588, focused on wage theft enforcement and whether the law’s tools are working as intended. Committee members emphasized that wage theft is a major and under-enforced form of theft in California, citing large backlogs in wage claims and long delays that can leave workers waiting years for payment. The hearing was framed as oversight of the Labor Commissioner’s enforcement authority and a discussion of whether additional tools or funding are needed to improve collections and deter bad actors. Witnesses from UCLA, worker advocacy organizations, and legal aid described SB 588’s main enforcement mechanisms, including liens, levies, stop-work orders, successor and individual liability, and the ability to pursue upstream entities in fissured industries. They argued these tools have improved settlement leverage and recovery rates, especially in janitorial and property services cases, and gave examples involving Tesla, Cheesecake Factory, Optum, and grocery and care-home employers. At the same time, they said the law is less effective in industries like residential care, where employers often transfer assets or change ownership before judgments are collected, and they urged changes such as broader prejudgment lien authority, more license-revocation power, and additional staffing for the Judgment Enforcement Unit. Worker testimony highlighted the human impact of delayed or unpaid wages. A care worker described being underpaid, denied pay for breaks and off-the-clock work, and facing intimidation when filing claims. Marta Lepe Martinez said she was owed more than $300,000, waited more than three years for a hearing, and still had not recovered any money despite a judgment and a lien on property. Another worker advocate explained that SB 588 helped identify responsible individuals and businesses earlier, increasing the chance of recovery, but said more resources and faster enforcement are still needed. Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower said SB 588 has significantly improved collections, reporting that the Judgment Enforcement Unit has recovered $125 million since enactment and that first-year recovery rates have risen from 17% to 46%. She said the agency is using liens, levies, stop orders, and individual liability more aggressively, but acknowledged that the tools are limited when employers are undercapitalized, hide assets, or transfer property before judgment. She supported the need for more staff and continued legislative investment. Public comment from SEIU California also backed SB 588’s framework and encouraged focusing enforcement on bad actors and expanding the law’s reach.

Transcript Highlights:

• Workers that make Affected about 350 workers represented by the United Steelworkers.
• , especially immigrant, Black, and Indigenous workers and workers of color.
• Center, where we support day labors and domestic workers and other low-wage workers across L.A.
• County, laborers and domestic workers and other low-wage workers across L.A.
• These are the most vulnerable workers. These are the workers who have the least protection.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard and advanced several bills focused on worker protections, training access, wage enforcement, outreach, and workplace safety. SB 513 would require employees to have access to their training and certification records; supporters, including laid-off refinery workers and labor organizations, said employers sometimes withhold records during layoffs, while committee members called the practice unacceptable. The bill passed 5-0 and was re-referred to Appropriations. SB 809 addressed misclassification of construction truck owner-drivers by offering employers amnesty if they reclassify workers as employees and adopt a two-check payment system; labor and construction trades groups supported it, and it passed 5-0 to Judiciary. SB 578 would codify the California Workplace Outreach Program, which funds trusted community organizations to educate workers about their rights. Supporters described the program as a proven way to reach low-wage, immigrant, and hard-to-reach workers, especially amid wage theft, retaliation, and immigration enforcement concerns. The bill passed 5-0 to Appropriations. SB 261 would strengthen collection of wage theft judgments by creating a public list of nonpaying employers and adding penalties after six months of nonpayment; county enforcement officials and labor advocates said it would help workers recover unpaid wages. It passed 6-0 to Judiciary. The committee also approved SB 369, which would require skilled and trained workforce standards for Salton Sea restoration projects, with supporters saying the work is hazardous and should use trained labor; it passed 6-0 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 20 sought to address silicosis in stone countertop fabrication by requiring training and certification protections for workers; supporters said the disease has caused deaths among mostly Latino workers, while industry groups supported the bill with amendments and requested implementation resources. It passed 6-0 to Appropriations. The committee also adopted a consent calendar of four additional bills and adjourned after all listed measures were moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• We ourselves as workers, right?
• So that's a worker. Workers got to start thinking like a debt collector from the beginning.
• for Worker Rights; and Tess Brellante, residential care facility worker.
• We have restitution funds for some industries like garment workers, farm workers, and car wash workers
• We have to interview workers. We have to interview workers.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment held a review hearing on SB 588, the 2015 wage theft enforcement law, focusing on whether its tools are working and what additional authority or resources may be needed. Committee members emphasized that wage theft is a major and under-enforced form of theft in California, citing large backlogs in wage claims and long delays that often leave workers unpaid even after winning judgments. Panelists from UCLA, worker advocacy organizations, and legal aid described SB 588’s enforcement tools, including liens, levies, stop orders, successor and individual liability, and priority in bankruptcy. They said the law has improved collections and settlement leverage, especially in industries like janitorial services and property services, where client companies and contractors can be held jointly responsible. Several examples were discussed, including cases involving Tesla, Cheesecake Factory, Optum, and Winko Foods, where the law helped secure payments or settlements for workers. At the same time, advocates argued that the prejudgment lien provisions are too limited, that care home cases remain especially difficult, and that more staffing and broader authority would improve recovery. Workers testified about unpaid wages, long delays, retaliation fears, and the difficulty of collecting even after obtaining judgments. A home care worker described waiting years for a hearing and still not recovering money because assets had been moved or hidden. A residential care worker said caregivers are often underpaid, denied breaks, and left with little practical recourse. The Labor Commissioner reported that the agency has recovered more wages since SB 588, including through mail levies, liens, and stop orders, but said many cases involve judgment-proof employers and require intensive investigation. Public comment from a SEIU representative supported SB 588 and urged continued focus on bad actors and targeted enforcement. No vote or formal action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1221 requires advance notice to workers when employers introduce or use surveillance tools so workers
• These workers deserve dignity.
• The other reason they might want to know when workers are off duty but on the premises is when workers
• method to retain workers.
• . ...back from workers.

Summary: The committee heard a series of labor-related bills, with most measures focused on worker training, privacy, wages, and safety. AB 296 would require schools or districts to host apprenticeship fairs at least once a year, with flexibility on how they are run and whether programs outside the county can participate. Supporters said it would help connect students to skilled trades and address workforce shortages; school administrators opposed the bill as an unfunded mandate that could be impractical for elementary schools. The bill was later moved on call, with the committee noting it could not vote until quorum was established. AB 1221 and AB 1331 both addressed workplace surveillance. AB 1221 would restrict invasive monitoring tools, require notice to workers, limit the use and sharing of worker data, and require human review before discipline based on surveillance outputs. Labor groups supported the bill as a response to AI-driven monitoring, while business groups raised concerns about broad definitions, security cameras, investigations, and data-access provisions. AB 1331 focused more narrowly on privacy in off-duty and private spaces, limiting surveillance in places like restrooms, break areas, vehicles, and homes; hospitals and business groups opposed it as too broad and potentially disruptive to safety, cybersecurity, and facility monitoring. Both bills were advanced by committee vote. The committee also heard AB 1181, which would require firefighter turnout gear to be free of cancer-causing chemicals such as PFAS by 2027, and AB 1198, which would require prevailing wage rates on public works to reflect the wage in effect when the work is performed rather than when the project was first advertised. Firefighter representatives strongly supported AB 1181, while the chemical industry asked to continue working on scope and timelines. AB 1198 drew support from labor and contractor groups but opposition from local governments and housing groups concerned about mid-project cost increases; it was passed to Appropriations after a roll-call vote. Other measures approved included AB 1235 on skilled-and-trained workers for CSU construction, AB 1251 on ghost job postings, AB 552 on locating the Agricultural Labor Relations Board office outside Sacramento, AB 1110 on updating Cal/OSHA workplace posters, AB 1136 on expanding high road training partnerships, and AB 1234 on wage claim enforcement. AB 692, which would ban employer debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave a job, drew strong support from nurses and labor advocates and opposition from business and health care groups; it was also passed on a roll-call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• damages if they're not providing the workers' comp benefits to injured workers.
• Shannon Lindsay from Injured Workers; Joseph Jolassant from Injured Workers.
• from Injured Workers.
• . injured workers.
• Robin Crumholt from injured workers. Trey Mustian from injured workers.

Bills: HB282, HB293, HB390, HB456, HB460, HB561, HB819, HB1023, HB1047, HB1101

Keywords: employment discrimination, criminal history, rehabilitation, hiring process, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, workplace equality, labor rights, domestic abuse, unpaid leave, employee rights, workplace protection, mental health, survivor support, workers' compensation, employment benefits, claims process, fraud prevention, legal petition

Transcript Highlights:

• We represent over 2.3 million union workers in the state, including thousands of skilled workers who
• Lori Wallace said that taking away workers’ voices hurts both the communities and the workers.
• The witness said that taking away workers’ voices hurts both the communities and the workers.
• Is that fair to the workers?
• workers’ comp insurance.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on labor standards, worker safety, and public transparency. SB 954 by Senator Blakespear would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by adding worker protections such as prevailing wage, a skilled and trained workforce, high-road employment standards, and environmental guardrails. Supporters from labor, environmental justice, and conservation groups said the bill restores promised safeguards after SB 131, while business groups argued the added requirements would undermine the exemption and discourage investment. The committee voted 5-0 to do pass and re-refer SB 954 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open for absent members. The committee then considered SB 966 by Senator Gonzalez, which would codify refinery worker participation and safety protections adopted in 2017 after the 2012 Chevron Richmond fire. Supporters, including United Steelworkers and a former refinery worker, said the bill would preserve workers’ ability to report hazards, select representatives, and stop unsafe work, preventing future disasters. The Western States Petroleum Association opposed the bill, arguing it could be preempted by federal labor law and would add regulatory uncertainty. The committee passed SB 966 3-0 and re-referred it to Appropriations, with the roll left open. Next, SB 1203 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas sought to modernize private security guard training, expand de-escalation instruction, strengthen accountability, and create a clearer professional pathway for the industry. The author and many security workers testified that guards are often first responders in volatile situations and need more practical training and better standards; opponents from industry and business groups warned the bill would raise costs, worsen staffing shortages, and create implementation problems, especially around third-party training and a new wage order. The committee voted 4-1 to do pass and re-refer SB 1203 to Public Safety, with one no vote and the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 1284 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, a transparency bill requiring DHCS to publish the names of large employers with workers enrolled in Medi-Cal and the estimated taxpayer cost. Supporters said the measure would show how low wages and unaffordable coverage shift health costs to the public, while opponents argued Medi-Cal enrollment depends on many factors and that naming employers would be misleading and amount to public shaming. After discussion, the committee voted 4-2 to do pass and re-refer SB 1284 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open. The transcript then began discussion of SB 1054 by Senator Cabaldon, which would improve workforce data collection and sharing to better evaluate job-training pathways, but the excerpt cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Trey Mustian, representing injured workers. Robin Krumholt, representing injured workers.
• This is not fairness, and this is not how workers' compensation. Worker, everything.
• damages if they're not providing the workers' comp benefits to injured workers.
• damages if they're not providing the workers' comp benefits to injured workers.
• from injured workers.

Summary: The committee first voluntarily deferred House Bills 460 and 561, then took up House Bill 1101 on workers’ compensation. The sponsor said the bill would define maximum medical improvement, adjust fraud provisions, shorten temporary total disability and supplemental earnings benefit periods, and revise vocational rehabilitation rules; an amendment removed proposed age-based termination language for benefits. Business groups including LABI supported the bill as a way to reduce Louisiana’s comparatively high indemnity costs and align the state with regional norms, while injured-worker advocates and attorneys strongly opposed it, arguing it would cut benefits, shift medical and disability decisions away from treating physicians and judges, broaden fraud too far, and potentially push costs onto public programs. After debate, the committee voted to report HB 1101 with amendments. House Bill 282 was voluntarily deferred. House Bill 293, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Louisiana employment discrimination protections, drew generally supportive testimony from the sponsor and supporters, with some members raising questions about religious exemptions and federal law. The committee ultimately voted against reporting HB 293 favorably. House Bill 390, providing unpaid leave protections for domestic abuse survivors at larger employers, was presented as a tool for survivors, but the committee split 6-6 on a motion to report it favorably; the tie resulted in the bill being voluntarily deferred. The committee then heard House Bill 456, which would expand workers’ compensation petition requirements and allow employers or payers broader access to file disputed claims and seek discovery. Supporters argued employers currently lack a practical way to obtain records and challenge claims without first cutting off benefits, while opponents said the bill would revive a rejected 2012 approach, increase litigation, and undermine the no-fault workers’ compensation bargain. The discussion centered on whether the bill would preserve benefits while allowing discovery or instead encourage more disputes and penalties. The transcript ends with testimony still underway on HB 456, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is the voice of the worker and the workers impacted?
• Cal/OSHA has 20 million workers.
• of workers.
• Workers need to know their rights.
• It comes out of workers' comp.

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Division of Workers' Compensation oversees the administration of workers' compensation claims for
• injured workers, with appeals adjudicated by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
• And so for injured workers and workers who have pre-existing disabilities and conditions, those cases
• We coordinate Black workers throughout Southern California, reaching more than 15,000 Black workers.
• So we met with workers and owners, and we all agreed that business cannot open while workers don't go

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of labor and public employment budget items. The first issue focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, fraud prevention, language access, and the phased Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged closer legislative oversight as the project enters a more difficult phase, and members questioned the schedule, cost, change orders, fraud reduction, stress testing, and the reasons for re-phasing unemployment insurance behind disability and paid family leave. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that it has no major cost overruns, and that it has saved more than $20 million by moving some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The committee also received updates on SB 1090 implementation timing, SB 1058 demographic data confidentiality, and SB 590 outreach concerns. The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing over five years as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. Members questioned the large staffing reduction in light of the board’s grant administration role and asked about the High Road Construction Careers Program, AI-related workforce needs, and the impact on reentry programs. The administration and Finance said the positions were added for surge grant work and are being phased down as those grants close, while the LAO had no objection to the reporting streamlining proposal. A major portion of the hearing addressed the Department of Industrial Relations, especially the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund trailer bill. DIR and the LAO said SIBTF applications, backlog, and liabilities have grown rapidly, with liabilities projected around $30 billion by 2030 if no changes are made. The administration’s reforms would tighten eligibility, apply the new standards to open cases, and use QME reports and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities; DIR said this would reduce employer costs and help return the program to its original intent. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented conditions, and the interaction with another bill moving through policy committees. The committee also discussed eliminating vacant DIR positions, adding Cal/OSHA Bureau of Investigation staff to handle fatality and serious injury cases, and making permanent the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed. Finally, DIR requested a larger apprenticeship training grant augmentation to raise annual grants from $3 million to $20 million, citing available fund balances and construction workforce needs.