SACRAMENTO -- Six bills authored by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) passed the Assembly this week.
“My package of bills will help keep those who serve their time in prison from going back in, make sure employers pay workers fairly, and give high schools more flexibility in giving students real-world experience,” Speaker Bass said. “Especially during this tight budget year, legislators must find creative ways to improve our state while maintaining fiscal restraint. These simple and cost-effective reforms will improve the lives of thousands of Californians yearly.”
Bills authored by Speaker Bass that were approved by the Assembly this week include:
- AB 2070 – Keeping Families Together (Passed the Assembly 66-8): Provides social workers and family courts more flexibility to try to keep families together after the parent is incarcerated.
- AB 2177 – Prevailing Wage Accountability Act (Passed the Assembly 42-29): Establishes a statewide labor compliance program, which would authorize Compliance Group Representatives to interview workers in an ethical and impartial manner to determine whether they are being paid a proper prevailing wage.
- AB 2423 – Remove Barriers to Employment for Ex-Offenders (Passed the Assembly 78-0): Authorizes various state licensing boards to extend probationary licenses to individuals who were previously incarcerated but have met parole requirements.
- AB 2541 – Re-Entry and Recidivism Reform Act (Passed the Assembly 47-31): Adds “reentry” to the California Penal Code and permits Re-entry Courts to be established by counties for the purposes of assisting in the successful re-entry into society of individuals with prior offenses.
- AB 2648 – Multiple Pathways Feasibility Report (Passed the Assembly 49-23): Introduces “multiple pathway programs” as multi-year, comprehensive high school programs that connect coursework with real-world employment opportunities in a field or industry and prepare students for a full range of postsecondary options, and requires that the State Superintendent of Public Instruction convene diverse stakeholders and prepare a report for the Legislature and the Governor exploring the feasibility of establishing and expanding multiple pathway programs in California high schools.
- AB 2754 – MRSA Public Safety Workers’ Health Protection Act (Passed the Assembly 73-0): Expands state worker’s compensation presumptions for public safety workers to include infections caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Other bills authored by Speaker Bass that were recently approved by the Assembly that await consideration in the Senate include:
- AB 180 – Foreclosure Consultants Accountability Act (Passed the Assembly 47-27): Ensures the real estate market has more accountability for the consumer in order to help eliminate the predatory practices of some foreclosure consultants.
- AB 190 – Veterans Metered Parking Exemption (Passed the Assembly 72-1): Allows veterans with certain commemorative military service license plates to park their vehicle without charge at a metered parking space.
- AB 638 – CA Physician Assistant Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program (Passed the Assembly 75-0): Establishes scholarships for physician assistant students and educational loan repayments for physician assistants who provide services in medically underserved areas.
- AB 2096 – Extracurricular Activities for Foster Youth in Group Homes (Passed the Assembly 68-0): Fulfills the intent of Assembly Bill 408 to include group home providers under the list of caregivers legally allowed to care and provide extracurricular activities for foster children.
- AB 2302 – Extend Specialist Credentials for Teaching Children with Autism (Passed the Assembly 76-0): Provides licensed educators holding current specialist teaching credentials with the authorization to additionally teach and address the special needs of children with autism.
- AB 2370 – Residential Care Facility Rate Transparency Act (Passed the Assembly 46-31): Requires residential care facilities to provide current residents their average monthly rate increases for the previous three years.
- AB 2483 – Extend Legal Rights to Teenage Parents in Foster Care (Passed the Assembly 76-0): Extends the right to legal counsel to foster teen parents in order to provide an opportunity to keep families together.
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