CBPA's California Legislative Update 10/11/19
- LEGISLATIVE BILL WATCH – DEADLINE TONIGHT
- GOVERNOR SIGNS LACTATION ROOM BILL
- GOVERNOR SIGNS RENT CAP / “JUST CAUSE” BILLS
- AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILLS SIGNED
- CBPA 2019/2020 CALENDAR
LEGISLATIVE BILL WATCH – DEADLINE TONIGHT
The Governor has just a few hours left to sign or veto all the bills on his desk. The Governor has until Midnight tonight to act. There are just a few bills left for which we are awaiting an outcome.
GOVERNOR SIGNS LACTATION ROOM BILL
Two years in a row, the State of California has enacted legislation tightening the rules and responsibilities for employers to provide accommodations to lactating employees. Governor Newsom has signed SB 142 (Weiner; D-San Francisco) which expands the responsibilities for employers.
Just last year, Governor Brown enacted AB 1976 (Limon; D-Santa Barbara) which is substantially similar; however specifically objected to SB 142 in that we believe the bill’s additional employer mandates will create potential for PAGA lawsuits, labor issues regarding meal and rest breaks, and has no “safe harbor” provisions for workplaces that cannot accommodate a lactation space due to size or safety issues.
An interesting note is that the Governor’s Department of Finance, agreed with us about cost estimates on the bill and released an analysis stating it would cost the state millions of dollars to comply with construction costs in state buildings. DOF estimates a cost of $149,000 in each impacted state building and it seems the argument prevailed; while it estimated $50,000 in private buildings.
Click here to read the new law.
GOVERNOR SIGNS RENT CAP / “JUST CAUSE” BILLS
Surrounded by dozens of legislative leaders, working families and rent advocates in the East Bay, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a series of bills to “fight a key cause of our state’s housing crisis – rent gouging and evictions.”
Central to the package is AB 1482 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) to establish a 5 percent annual rent cap, plus inflation, coupled with just-cause protections – the strongest renter protections in the nation.
“About a third of California renters pay more than half of their income to rent and are one emergency away from losing their housing,” said Governor Newsom. “One essential tool to combating this crisis is protecting renters from price-gouging and evictions. The bills signed into law today are among the strongest in the nation to protect tenants and support working families.”
Click here to read the full Governor’s press release.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILLS SIGNED
Governor Newsom announced signing a large package of bills meant to increase the state’s housing supply:
“Building on the state’s historic actions and investments this year to tackle the housing affordability crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed 18 bills designed to help jumpstart housing production. Included was SB 330, major legislation aimed at removing local barriers to housing construction and speeding up new development.”
”’Since taking office in January, my Administration has been urgently focused on California’s housing affordability crisis,’ said Governor Newsom. ’The high cost of housing and rent is putting the squeeze on family budgets, and our housing shortage threatens our economic growth and long-term prosperity.’”
“’In 2019, California has taken urgent action to address this challenge. We’ve invested more in new housing than at any point in our history, and we have created powerful new tools to incentivize housing production. Now, we are removing some key local barriers to housing production. This crisis has been more than a half century in the making, and this Administration is just getting started on solutions,’” added Governor Newsom.
Click here to read the full package of bills that are now law.
CBPA 2019/2020 CALENDAR
2019
Thursday-Friday, December 5-6
Strategic Issues Conference
Embassy Suites Napa Valley
2020
Wednesday, February 26
CBPA Winter Board Meeting
CalChamber, Sacramento
Thursday, April 2
CBPA’s Industry-Wide Legislative Committee Meeting
Southern California
Tuesday-Wednesday, June 9-10
California Commercial Real Estate Summit
& Annual Meeting
CalChamber, Sacramento
Thursday, October 22
Industry Awards Dinner
The Renaissance Hotel, Newport Beach
