Schwarzenegger vetoes CRA-opposed bills
The legislative year closed Oct. 11 as Gov. Schwarzenegger decided the fate of the approved legislation sent for consideration. He signed 696 bills and vetoed 257, virtually mirroring his past ratio of bills signed and vetoed.
The regular legislative year has closed, but the Capitol continues to bustle with three special sessions underway on water, tax reform and education. Water continues to take center stage, though a comprehensive deal remains elusive. The proposed water package centers around the following issues: conservation, via a 20 percent reduction by 2020; storage, via reservoirs, conveyance concerns in transporting water to Southern California; Delta stability; and financing with a $9 billion bond proposal being discussed.
Several bills of major concern to the California Restaurant Association were among those rejected by the Governor, including:
- AB 527(Fuentes) Employee complaints, payroll records
Would have provided that if the labor commissioner found that payroll records submitted for any pay period relating to any claim or complaint brought pursuant to the commissioner's authority were falsified, then all payroll records relating to that claim or complaint would have been presumed false and disregarded.
- AB 838 (Swanson) Indoor heat illness standards
Would have required the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt a standard for controlling the risk of occurrence of heat illness where employees work indoors, including restaurant kitchens. It also duplicated an existing law.
- AB 793 (Jones)
Would have extended the time to bring complaints for employment discrimination.
- AB 943 (Mendoza) Employment, credit reports
Would have prohibited employers using consumer credit information for most hiring decisions.