Skip to main content

2019 - 2020 Legislation

AB-35 Protecting Workers from Lead Poisoning: Introduced in response to investigations of hundreds of unreported worker lead poisoning cases, AB 35 ensures the California Department of Public Health reports elevated blood lead incidences to Cal/OSHA. This enables Cal/OSHA to investigate work site instances and determine appropriate remedies to prevent lead exposure. Chapter 710, Statutes of 2019

AB-59 Vote Centers on College Campuses: AB 59 requires college and university campuses be considered as a location for a vote center under the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA). By bringing a vote center to a college campus, many college students and first-time voters will have access to voter assistance services and instill strong civic engagement. Chapter 554, Statutes of 2019

AB-454 California Migratory Bird Protection Act: Threats to weaken longstanding environmental protections of migratory birds by the Trump Administration necessitated the adoption of the California Migratory Bird Protection Act. AB 454 preserves these migratory bird protections in California, allowing California to continue the legacy of conservation and maintaining vital protections for our state’s incredible diversity of wildlife. Chapter 349, Statutes of 2019

AB-647 Access to Safety Data Sheets: AB 647 requires cosmetic and disinfectant manufacturers to make chemical ingredient information available on their website through posting Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and translating them into languages commonly spoken by salon professionals. In doing so, workers are empowered to take control of their health by using SDS information to follow recommended precautions and protect themselves from health risks. Chapter 305, Statutes of 2019

AB-707 Updates Valley Water Contracting Threshold: AB 707 increases the public works contracting formal bid threshold for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. This change enables Valley Water to deliver small public work projects in a more cost-effective and timely manner. Chapter 264, Statutes of 2019

AB-731 Enhancing and Expanding State Health Insurance Review: In an effort to combat skyrocketing health insurance premiums and obtain a clearer picture of what is driving health care costs, AB 731 expands state review of how health insurance plans determine premiums for the large group market. The bill also enhances data collected in the rate review process that will help purchasers and regulators control rising health care costs and keep affordable coverage for working Californians and their families. Chapter 807, Statutes of 2019

AB-948 Coyote Valley Conservation: Nestled between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range, Coyote Valley is an invaluable landscape that provides an essential corridor for wildlife and enhances regional resilience from natural disasters like flooding. AB 948 designates Coyote Valley as an area of statewide significance and also establishes the Coyote Valley Conservation Program within the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to conserve, enhance, and preserve this incredible natural resource for generations to come. Chapter 356, Statutes of 2019

AB-1162 Phasing Out Plastic Waste in Hotels: AB 1162 significantly reduces plastic consumption by restricting hotels and other lodging establishments from placing single-use bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and bath soap in rooms by 2023 for large hotels and by 2024 for small hotels. By phasing out these small plastic bottles, the hotel and lodging can transition towards more sustainable alternatives. Chapter 687, Statutes of 2019

AB-1600 Modernizing Pitchess Motions: AB 1600 modernizes a more than 45-year-old court procedure to better reflect the current legal practices and realities faced today in criminal courts. Referred to as a Pitchess Motion, it brings the legal procedures of uncovering prior law enforcement misconduct into alignment with other similar discovery motion timelines. In doing so, it makes the court process less burdensome and time consuming while helping streamline the court process and increasing greater access to due process in criminal proceedings. Chapter 585, Statutes of 2019

AB-1745 Emergency Bridge Housing Communities: The bill extends authority for the City of San Jose to build and provide interim housing opportunities to unhoused adults in a safe, private, and secure environment. AB 1745 is a critical piece in addressing San Jose’s homelessness crisis by bridging onsite supportive services, community engagement, and housing stability for those residents to permanent housing. Chapter 342, Statutes of 2019

AB-1947 Protections for Retaliated Workers: Far too often low-wage workers with limited means are unable to file a retaliation claim due to the short time frame and lack of legal assistance. AB 1947 directly addresses the pervasive and growing problem of retaliation by employers by extending the time for filing a retaliation claim from six months to one year, and also adds the ability for prevailing employees to recoup attorney’s fees in the legal process. Chapter 344, Statutes of 2020

AB-2118 Health Insurance Market Reporting: AB 2118 requires health plans and insurers to annually submit aggregated reports on changes in rates and market trends in the individual and small group markets. Improved health insurance market transparency will help us achieve the goal of bringing healthcare costs down for all Californians. Chapter 277, Statutes of 2020

AB-2231 Receive a Prevailing Wage: AB 2231 ensures that more private developers taking large public subsidies must pay their workers the prevailing wage. Construction workers who are paid the prevailing wage are more likely to weather crises, successfully support their families, and put necessary dollars back into our local economies. Chapter 346, Statutes of 2020

AB-2542 California Racial Justice Act: AB 2542 established the California Racial Justice Act and undoes a nearly 35-year old US Supreme Court precedent established by the court in its ruling in McCleskey v. Kemp that legalized racism in our criminal justice system. By overturning this ruling, the Racial Justice Act strictly prohibits the conviction or sentencing of a person due to his or her race, ethnicity or national origin. In doing so, it takes the long overdue step towards addressing institutionalized and implicit bias in our criminal courts system. Chapter 317, Statutes of 2020

AB-2588 Reimbursing Healthcare Workers for Employer-Mandated Trainings: This bill prohibits health care employers from passing on the costs of employer-mandated training to nurses and other direct healthcare employees. AB 2588 ensures our nurses and those providing essential health care services are reimbursed for mandated training costs and expenses. Chapter 351, Statutes of 2020

ACR-9 India Republic Day.

ACR-74 Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.

ACR-96 The 2019 International Day of Yoga.

ACR-113 India’s Independence Day

ACR-114 Mahatma Gandhi: 150th birth anniversary.

ACR-132 California Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month.

ACR-133 California’s Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month.

ACR-141 India Republic Day.

Legislative Accomplishments PDF+