Lead Authors: Mark Stone, Lorena Gonzalez, Reyes Summary: Many California employers settle threatened claims or lawsuits with agreements that includes a no re-hire provision, preventing the aggrieved employee from ever applying for a job within the company or its subsidiaries again. No re-hire provisions do nothing more than punish an employee who has been harmed. AB749 prohibits these provisions from being included in settlement agreements. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Ting Summary: Facial recognition technology is a nascent technology, both invasive and prone to systematic errors when used on women and people of color. As privacy concerns grow around personal privacy and our increasing surveillance state, AB1215 prohibits police departments across the state from using this harmful technology until 2023. This bill passed and has been signed into law.

Lead Authors: O’Donnell, Bonta, McCarty, Smith Summary: California has over a 1300 charter schools, many of which siphon resources from public education, disproportionately harming low-income families and accelerating the wealth gap. AB1505 would give local districts more power to evaluate charter applications based on the charter’s projected fiscal impact on the district as well as a potential school’s redundancy with other nearby charters. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Kalra Summary: A defendant facing trial should have every opportunity to know if an officer involved in their case has any instances of documented police misconduct. AB1600 helps to expedite this process by shortening the notice requirement from 16 days to 10 days after the defendant has filed a motion to obtain these records. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Wood Summary: The American Kidney Fund (AKF) is primarily funded by the two largest dialysis providers in the US -- DaVita and Fresenius. AKF steers dialysis patients from Medi-Cal and toward private insurance, where the reimbursement rates they receive are much higher. This practice has helped enable these two companies to make profits exceeding four billion dollars since 2017. AB290 stops this heinous, price-gouging practice and will benefit both patients and taxpayers. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Lorena Gonzalez Summary: Employers make common practice of forcing workers, as a condition of employment, to sign mandatory arbitration agreements -- in effect, demanding they waive their full legal right to pursue damages in a potential dispute -- to get a job. This practice is unethical and protects offending companies from being held fully accountable for causing injury -- especially in cases made more visible through the #MeToo movement. AB51 ends the practice of forced arbitration and has been passed and signed into law.

Lead Author: Holden Summary: Over 30,000 abandoned or idle oil and gas wells are scattered across California, and in many cases, nearby highly residential areas. A recent Los Angeles County report found many wells capable of leaking toxic chemicals, putting people and wildlife at risk. AB1328 requires two state agencies to study defunct wells to determine if greenhouse gases, volatile compounds, toxic contaminants and other pollutants are escaping into the air. This bill passed and has been signed into law.

Lead Author: Ting Summary: One devastating component of what we call the gig economy -- from driving to task apps -- has been the lack of critical training and oversight apps like Uber and DoorDash provide their employees. AB1360 mandates that third-party food delivery platforms require employees to take food safety training and carry insurance for these drivers, protecting consumers, as well as the low-wage employees who do the work. This bill did not receive a floor vote in the Senate.

Lead Author: Eggman Summary: Safe-injection sites offer protected space and clean supplies for people to use drugs with assistance from trained medical staff. Far from enabling drug use, safe-injection sites have played a role in reducing overdose mentality and improving public health in Canada. AB362 would allow California to establish contracts with safe-injection site operators in the Bay Area. It has yet to be considered by the Senate.

Lead Author: Kalra Summary: Workplace retaliation claims -- where an employer takes adverse action against an employee as retaliation for exercising their rights under the Labor Code -- increased by 22% in 2016, and immigration-specific retaliation claims increased by 90% in 2017. Immigrant workers are often afraid or unable to quickly come forward with a claim for a number of reasons. AB403 lengthens the statute of limitations for filing a claim from 6 months to 3 years. It passed, but was vetoed by the Governor.

Lead Authors: Mark Stone, Jones-Sawyer Summary: Incarcerated people enter prison with disproportionately high rates of poverty, then often forced to work manual labor for almost nothing. Charging inmates administrative fees (or co-pays) for medical visits is unnecessary and unfair. The barrier it creates to inmates receiving basic care exacerbates minor conditions and leads to the spread of infectious diseases. AB45 ends this practice. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Chiu Summary: Affordable housing is a priority concern all across our state, and no region has a bigger housing problem than the Bay Area. AB1487 creates the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority, which will raise and distribute funds for affordable housing and tenant protection. Unlike previous attempts at similar relief, the BAHFA will assess and meet challenges on a region, not just municipality level. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Rivas Summary: Despite progress being made toward renewable energy by California environmental groups, the state is still deeply invested in oil refining -- and the dangers of a spill of highly toxic ‘non-floating’ crude oil are vast. Past spills, like the Santa Barbara spill in 1969, have the potential to devastate both natural and human life. AB936 strengthens transparency around non-floating crude oil, forces into law a proper definition of this substance and requires the state energy commission to create contingency plans, in the event of a transportation accident. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Mark Stone Summary: Under current code, people are entitled to a hearing for early parole if they were less than 26 years old at the time of the controlling offense. However, the Department of Corrections holds a confusing, problematic definition of ‘initial hearing’ when measuring the time served of those incarcerated as youth. AB965 clarifies the definition and offers these folks the opportunity to earn credit toward earlier release dates, benefitting from the provisions of Prop 57 and having a smoother path toward rehabilitation and reintegration into society. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: McCarty Summary: A 1994 court ruling established the right of counties to oversee Sheriff Departments. Across California, however, many overzealous Sheriffs continue to resist this essential check on their power -- including a Sacramento Sheriff who blocked an Inspector General from coming to work after a reckless shooting performed by his office. AB1185 would codify the court ruling and affirm the right of counties to create oversight boards. It was not given a floor vote in the Senate.

Lead Author: Bloom Summary: A widespread lack of affordable housing is the most pressing issue facing California today. AB1279 would identify “high-resource” areas that show patterns of exclusion, encourage the production of affordable housing there -- and prevent displacement where cheaper housing exists. It would force certain areas to accommodate people in desperate need of housing. It has yet to be considered by the Senate.

Authors: Daly, Obernolte Summary: In 2012, the legislature eliminated the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) – thinking that an unregulated market would produce more affordable, widely available broadband. It didn’t happen. Instead, as is most common, the lack of regulation created monopolistic conditions – and expensive, slow internet speeds throughout the state. Corporate providers like AT&T and Comcast would have loved to see such conditions continue, and tried to extend them via passage of AB1366. Internet and technology issues are complicated and, for a time, this complication obscuring these truly damning effects of the bill. Eventually, though, everyday people’s voices won out and the bill was pulled after wide protest.

Lead Authors: Chiu, Bloom, Bonta, Grayson, Wicks Summary: The systemic lack of affordable housing in California grants landlords extraordinary power to gauge renters. Limiting rent increases creates stability, helps vulnerable Californians plan for their future and balances the playing field between renters and landlords. AB1482 will cap rent increases at 5% over 12-month periods, as well as force landlords to show “just cause” before evicting. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Gipson Summary: Current California law allows juvenile court judges to criminalize youth for truancy and other non-criminal offenses. This practice increases the chances that youth end up in a juvenile court and, therefore, the juvenile justice system. AB901 firmly decriminalizes truancy and forces counties to seek non-criminal alternatives, including referring juveniles to community based diversion programs before issuing a notice to appear in court. This bill did not receive a Floor vote in the Senate.

Lead Author: Chiu Summary: The practice of “balance billing” -- forcing patients to pay surprise costs after they are treated, usually in an ER, by doctors who happen to be out of network -- is yet another example of our broken healthcare system. AB1611 strikes down this practice, requiring providers charge the same out-of-pocket costs for emergency care whether the doctors who treated a patient are in the patient’s plan or not. This bill has yet to be considered by the Senate.

Lead Authors: Chiu, Santiago Summary: Nationally-owned banks dominate the financial marketplace, and time and again, invest resources in causes opposed to the values of Californians. Wall Street-backed banks often charge whatever exorbitant fees they can, enabled by their stranglehold on the market. AB857 allows local governments to sponsor public banks, which will be FDIC-insured, likely to charge lower fees and invest in locally-oriented resources while increasing competition in the marketplace. This bill passed and was signed into law.

Lead Author: Lorena Gonzalez Summary: Current practice allows schools in the University of California system to subcontract out many staff positions, relieving them of the burden to offer certain benefits and protections a worker receives as part of a union. The UC system has displaced more than 7,000 of these jobs in recent years. ACA14 would force UC campuses to increase the percent of union workers on their payrolls. This proposed amendment fell 4 votes short in the Senate.

Author: Jones-Sawyer   Despite being institutions of public education, charter schools have operated with limited accountability. In an effort to increase accountability and coordination with local school districts, AB 1478 requires charter schools to seek approval from local school districts to open new campuses and renew existing agreements.

Author: Gloria Co-author: Wiener   Child welfare agencies are required to assess the health needs of all young people in foster care, and to ensure they receive appropriate and timely care to address the needs identified by qualified professionals. This bill makes clear that, to meet this obligation for transgender and gender nonconforming youth, child welfare agencies must ensure access to clinicians who provide gender-affirming treatment consistent with established standards of care.

Authors: Ting, Muratsuchi, Reyes Co-author: Allen   Currently, family members and law enforcement may make a request to the court when they believe someone is a danger to themselves or others. If a judge agrees, that person must temporarily give up possession of their firearms and is banned from buying new ones, generally for 21 days. AB 2888 would add employers, coworkers, high school and college staff, and mental health workers to the list of individuals who can seek this type of restraining order.

Author: Muratsuchi, Limón Co-author: Jackson   The Trump administration has been actively attempting to increase offshore drilling efforts across the American coastline -- including off California’s shores. AB 1775 and SB 834 would protect California’s coastline, environment, and economy by putting a stop to new offshore oil and gas drilling and production and making it nearly impossible to transport oil from offshore facilities.

Author: Reyes Co-author: Lara   Communities deserve the right to know when new pollution sources are proposed to be built in their neighborhoods. AB 2447 would protect environmentally vulnerable and economically disadvantaged communities from further degradation by mandating that land use notices be provided in the languages spoken by local residents.

Authors: Arambula, Thurmond Co-authors: Burke, Carrillo, Chiu, Friedman, Gonzalez, Wood   Currently, undocumented Californians are not eligible for Medi-Cal, leaving thousands of residents uninsured and without adequate health care. AB 2965 and SB 974 would extend eligibility for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits to low-income adults ages 19-25 and 65 and over who are otherwise eligible, regardless of their immigration status.

Author: Gonzalez Co-authors: Jackson, Bonta, Carrillo, Friedman, Gloria, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Levine, McCarty, Muratsuchi, Reyes, Mark Stone, Weber, Leyva, Mitchell, Skinner   Vulnerable workers are often subjected to workplace abuse and even coerced into signing agreements that force them to settle disputes out of courts of law, effectively stripping away a worker’s ability to fight against wage theft, sexual harassment, and other workers’ rights violations in court. AB 3080 would prohibit employers from requiring workers to sign forced arbitration agreements as a condition of employment, protecting vulnerable workers from coercion.

Author: Bonta Co-authors: Skinner, Wiener, Fletcher, Quirk   Although the passage of Proposition 64 legalized recreational cannabis use and allowed for the “resentencing and destruction of records for prior convictions,” it did not specify a process for the retroactive erasure of non-violent cannabis convictions. AB 1793 mandates the California Department of Justice to search its database for eligible cases and send them to district attorneys for review by July 2019, potentially prompting the overturning of a plethora of wrongful convictions within the next few years.

Author: Reyes   Securing employment is a crucial step in keeping people from going back to prison. However, about 30 percent of all jobs require professional licenses, which are usually granted by state boards. AB 2293 was part of a bill package that would have prohibited these boards from using arrest or conviction records as the only basis to deny professional licenses to applicants with nonviolent criminal arrests or convictions. It would have prohibited denial of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification based on an individual's criminal record. The bill was significantly amended to focus exclusively on mandating new reporting on EMT certification applicants including the demographic and criminal conviction history of applicants that were approved and denied certification.

Authors: Bloom, Chiu   The Ellis Act allows landlords to evict all tenants from a building, in order to go out of the rental business and use that building for another purpose. If an owner chooses to do so, they may not turn around after evicting the tenants and return their units to the rental market. However, the Act contains a loophole which allows landlords to do this unit-by-unit, thus allowing them to evict all their renters one by one and still remain in the rental business. AB 2364 would have closed this loophole.

Author: Kalra Co- authors: Bradford, Mitchell, Bloom, Bonta, Chiu, Chu, Gonzalez, Jones-Sawyer, McCarty, Mark Stone, Ting   Californians struggling with loans -- often minorities, veterans, students, and seniors -- end up falling deeper in debt due to penalty fees, debt collection lawsuits, damaged credit, and even bankruptcy. AB 2500 would have protected consumers from being targeted by predatory lenders by capping interest rates for loans at roughly 20% for consumer loans between $2,500 and $10,000.

Authors: Gonzalez, Bonta   Currently, California’s labor code prevents discrimination or retaliation against victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. AB 3081 would also prohibit an employer from firing or otherwise discriminating or retaliating against an employee because of his or her status as a victim of sexual harassment, further expanding protections for victims of workplace harassment.

Authors: Gloria, Chiu Co-author: Hill   The increased militarization of local law enforcement has made of our neighborhoods feel like warzones. AB 3131 would restore transparency and accountability by making sure that law enforcement agencies provide notice to the public before they decide to acquire military equipment.

Author: Talamantes Eggman Co-authors: Wiener, Friedman, Lara   4,654 people died of drug overdoses in 2016 in California alone, according to the Center for Disease Control. AB 186 would authorize local governments to operate safe, hygienic, and secure injection sites for IV drug users and protect users and staff from prosecution. Permitting local governments to start these pilot programs would also prevent needless overdoses by managing dosages and prevent the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C by assuring access to clean needles. Additionally, the sites would refer people to treatment and housing services.

Author: Hernandez Co-authors: Gloria, Mitchell   Many hospitalized, unhoused people are often at risk of being discharged out into extreme weather or other unsafe conditions, making them even more vulnerable to worsened illness. SB 1152 would create a hospital discharge planning process for patients experiencing homelessness that takes into account the unique medical and social service needs of these individuals by mandating hospitals discharge homeless patients to a primary residence, health facility, or shelter facility that has agreed to accept them. SB 1152 would also require discharge planning for patients experiencing homelessness to ensure that the patient is clothed, has been offered screening for communicable disease, and has been offered enrollment assistance for affordable health care options.

Author: Portantino   Despite having some of the strongest gun safety legislation in the country, California still suffered from over 300 mass shootings in 2018. Currently, Californians are only permitted to purchase one handgun every 30 days. SB 1177 would prohibit a person from purchasing more than one long gun per month, aligning California law for both types of firearms.

Authors: Jackson, Lara Co-authors: McGuire, Muratsuchi, Allen, Bloom, Stern, Wiener   The Trump administration has been actively attempting to increase offshore drilling efforts across the American coastline -- including off California’s shores. SB 834 and AB 1775 would protect California’s coastline, environment, and economy by putting a stop to new offshore oil and gas drilling and production and making it nearly impossible to transport oil from offshore facilities.

Author: De León Co-authors: Allen, Beall, Berman, Bonta, Carrillo, Chiu, Dodd, Friedman, Gabriel, Gloria, Gonzalez, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Lara, Levine, Limón, McCarty, Monning, Muratsuchi, Pan, Quirk, Reyes, Rivas, Santiago, Skinner, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wieckowski   As the world’s fifth-largest economy and a global leader in environmental protections, California has the ability to move toward 100% clean energy. SB 100 acknowledges this and sets a goal for California to transition to 100% clean energy by 2045.

Author: Portantino Co-authors: Bonta, Gipson, Gonzalez, Wiener, Skinner   Despite having some of the strongest gun safety legislation in the country, California still suffered from over 300 mass shootings in 2018. Existing law prohibits the sale or transfer of a handgun to anyone under 21 years old. SB 1100 raises the minimum age to purchase a long-gun to 21 years old, making both the law concerning handguns and long-guns consistent.

Author: Muratsuchi, Limón Co-author: Jackson   The Trump administration has been actively attempting to increase offshore drilling efforts across the American coastline -- including off California’s shores. AB 1775 and SB 834 would protect California’s coastline, environment, and economy by putting a stop to new offshore oil and gas drilling and production and making it nearly impossible to transport oil from offshore facilities.

Authors: Skinner, Anderson Co-authors: Gipson, Bonta, Burke, Medina, Wiener   Current California law states that someone can be held criminally liable for murder if it occurs during a felony they committed, even if they were not present for the actual death. This results in hundreds of people being jailed for murders they didn’t commit. SB 1437 would ensure that a person can only be convicted of felony murder if they were directly involved with the crime and would reduce the number of people unfairly sentenced.

Author: Wieckowski   While we need to bring more renewable energy onto our electric grid, we cannot allow the transition to clean energy to unjustly impose more burdens on communities already suffering from pollution that fossil fuel and natural gas production have caused. SB 64 would require state agencies to work together to collect data and identify ways to reduce air pollution, specifically prioritizing reducing emissions in communities most impacted by climate change.

Author: Reyes Co-author: Lara   Communities deserve the right to know when new pollution sources are proposed to be built in their neighborhoods. AB 2447 would protect environmentally vulnerable and economically disadvantaged communities from further degradation by mandating that land use notices be provided in the languages spoken by local residents.

Authors: Gonzalez, Bonta   Currently, California’s labor code prevents discrimination or retaliation against victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. AB 3081 would also prohibit an employer from firing or otherwise discriminating or retaliating against an employee because of his or her status as a victim of sexual harassment, further expanding protections for victims of workplace harassment.

Authors: Gloria, Chiu Co-author: Hill   The increased militarization of local law enforcement has made of our neighborhoods feel like warzones. AB 3131 would restore transparency and accountability by making sure that law enforcement agencies provide notice to the public before they decide to acquire military equipment.

Author: Jackson Co-author: Gonzalez   Despite the progress made in recent years to combat cultures of harassment and abuse, workplace harassment remains a pervasive issue. SB 1300 amends existing state law to strengthen training requirements and other employer obligations to prevent workplace harassment, requires employers provide employees with information on how to file harassment complaints, and removes barriers to workers bringing claims and speaking out against harassment and abuse.

Author: Wieckowski   Currently, individuals such as farm laborers, substitute teachers, janitors, and others who work seasonally are at risk of losing their savings to creditors during the off-season. SB 298 would protect two months’ worth of savings at the amount of the hourly minimum wage from being taken by debt collectors so that seasonal workers are not left bankrupt.

Authors: Mitchell, Lara Co-author: Kamlager-Dove   Currently, California lacks any law to prevent young children from being prosecuted as adults, leaving young children within the criminal justice system particularly vulnerable to prosecution and unfair convictions. SB 439 establishes 12 years as the minimum age for prosecution in juvenile court unless a minor younger than 12 has committed murder or rape.

Author: Ting Co-authors: Carrillo, Jones-Sawyer   AB 748 would mandate that, if requested, law enforcement agencies publicly provide audio and visual recordings of incidents in which lethal force was used. With so many jurisdictions and departments all over California, transparency and accountability would increase dramatically if body camera footage were made more available to the public.

Authors: Mitchell, Lara Co-authors: Kalra, Beall, Bradford, Carrillo, Jones-Sawyer, Quirk, Skinner, Weber   California’s severe sentence enhancements for prior convictions keeps inmates imprisoned for much longer than they should have to serve time. SB 1393 would restore the court’s discretion to slash the five-year sentence enhancements for prior serious felony convictions.

Author: Skinner Co-authors: Lara, Bradford, Glazer, Hill, Jones-Sawyer, McCarty, Mitchell, Moorlach, M. Stone, Weber, Wieckowski   Police departments across the state have traditionally acted with little accountability and transparency, especially in cases of sexual assault, planting evidence and lying, and racist uses of lethal force. SB 1421 provides the public access to records regarding police misconduct, deadly and serious uses of force, and sexual assault.

Author: Lara   Californians’ personal data is often collected and stored by the state to help state agencies serve the public, but the data has also been used to aid mass deportations and religious registries. SB 244 would enhance privacy and confidentiality protections in state databases to ensure that personal data is only used to assess eligibility for and to provide public services. It would also prohibit disclosure of personal data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles database except in cases of warranted requests.

Authors: De León, Wiener Co-authors: Santiago, Bonta   After the Trump administration moved to slash net neutrality’s protections for consumers, California legislators attempted to protect net neutrality with state legislation. SB 460 would reinstate net neutrality in CA and prohibit broadband providers from charging website access fees.

authors: Bonta, Bloom, Chiu, Jones-Sawyer, Quirk, M. Stone co-authors: Allen, Hertzberg, Mitchell, Wiener, Eggman, Friedman, Gloria   California's mandatory bail system is broken. By setting exorbitantly high dollar amounts which, if paid, allow someone accused of a crime to temporarily return to their life, the current bail system unfairly creates two standards of justice -- one for the rich, and one for the poor. Further, studies repeatedly show that eliminating bail -- allowing the accused to live normal lives while awaiting trial -- does not increase crime. AB 42 would allow judges and law enforcement more discretion in setting bail amounts, taking a big step toward fixing this unfair and ineffective system. (This bill died.)

author: Weber co-author: Mendoza   CalGang is a database that holds information on over 150,000 individuals -- mostly Latinos and blacks -- who may or may not be connected to a gang in California. This system had many flaws, including not requiring law enforcement to notify those who had been added to the database. Transparency and accountability in the system has begun to increase, continuing with AB 90. New regulations will be put in place that will further secure privacy rights for all individuals -- including immigrants whose information in the CalGang database can no longer be shared with ICE officials. There also must be stronger evidence of gang membership before individuals can be added to the CalGang database in the first place. (This bill is now law.)

author: Weber co-author: Mendoza   CalGang is a database that holds information on over 150,000 individuals -- mostly Latinos and blacks -- who may or may not be connected to a gang in California. This system had many flaws, including not requiring law enforcement to notify those who had been added to the database. Transparency and accountability in the system has begun to increase, continuing with AB 90. New regulations will be put in place that will further secure privacy rights for all individuals -- including immigrants whose information in the CalGang database can no longer be shared with ICE officials. There also must be stronger evidence of gang membership before individuals can be added to the CalGang database in the first place. (This bill is now law.)

author: Assembly Budget Committee In 2015, a leak at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility released more than 100,000 tons of methane into the air and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. AB 127 would respond to the calls of environmental champions and help prevent another disaster by mandating the closure of the Aliso Canyon facility by no later than 2028. (This bill died.)

Author: Talamantes Eggman Co-authors: Wiener, Friedman, Lara   4,654 people died of drug overdoses in 2016 in California alone, according to the Center for Disease Control. AB 186 would authorize local governments to operate safe, hygienic, and secure injection sites for IV drug users and protect users and staff from prosecution. Permitting local governments to start these pilot programs would also prevent needless overdoses by managing dosages and prevent the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C by assuring access to clean needles. Additionally, the sites would refer people to treatment and housing services.

authors: C. Garcia, E. Garcia, Holden co-authors: Bloom, Bonta, Eggman, Friedman, Gomez, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, McCarty, Reyes, Stone, Thurmond, Ting   California's 'cap and trade' policy often leaves low-income communities particularly vulnerable to pollution and environmental deterioration. AB 378 would require the state’s Air Resources Board to grade individual plants and to set new limits on air pollution as a condition for receiving some of the economic benefits of cap and trade. (This bill died.)

author: Bonta As urban areas in California rapidly gentrify, low-income renters are often disenfranchised by both rising rents and shady landlord practices. One such practice -- evicting low-income tenants from single room occupancy residences (in shared housing or in hotels) -- is currently allowed in Oakland. AB 423 would no longer allow this, protecting thousands of low-income Californians from shady eviction practices. (This bill died.)

authors: McCarty, Santiago co-authors: Chiu, Gloria   Despite the numerous murders committed with guns on school and college campuses all across America, California law allowed certain permitted individuals to carry concealed firearms on to campuses. AB 424 will make schools truly “gun free” by not allowing anyone -- even those with permits -- on the property with a gun, keeping students and educators safer from gun violence. (This bill is now law.)

authors: McCarty, Santiago co-authors: Chiu, Gloria   Despite the numerous murders committed with guns on school and college campuses all across America, California law allowed certain permitted individuals to carry concealed firearms on to campuses. AB 424 will make schools truly “gun free” by not allowing anyone -- even those with permits -- on the property with a gun, keeping students and educators safer from gun violence. (This bill is now law.)

author: Reyes co-author: Lara   Each year, the California Energy Commission (CEC) administers $130 million through the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) to invest in clean energy development in California, providing a benefit to our environment and helping lower costs for millions of energy users. AB 523 will dedicate a minimum of 25% of this annual money toward projects that exist in and benefit low-income communities who are the most vulnerable to pollution and its environmental and health concerns. (This bill is now law.)

author: Eggman In 2016, 13% of elder care facilities in California were reported for exploitation, abuse, and neglect — twice as high as the national average of 5%. Hundreds of thousands of California’s elderly residents live in these care facilities. Previously, the burden of clear and convincing proof lied on the abused in these cases. AB 859 would have reduced that burden if it was found that the facility had destroyed evidence of abuse. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Eggman In 2016, 13% of elder care facilities in California were reported for exploitation, abuse, and neglect — twice as high as the national average of 5%. Hundreds of thousands of California’s elderly residents live in these care facilities. Previously, the burden of clear and convincing proof lied on the abused in these cases. AB 859 would have reduced that burden if it was found that the facility had destroyed evidence of abuse. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Medina co-author: Gonzalez Fletcher   Housing developments that are approved by voters via ballot initiatives are allowed to skip the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. CEQA is a key step in evaluating the environmental impact of large construction projects. AB 890 would require developers to undergo full CEQA review and bans local governments from approving such projects outright. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Medina co-author: Gonzalez Fletcher   Housing developments that are approved by voters via ballot initiatives are allowed to skip the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process. CEQA is a key step in evaluating the environmental impact of large construction projects. AB 890 would require developers to undergo full CEQA review and bans local governments from approving such projects outright. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

authors: McCarty, Gipson, Holden, Reyes, Weber co-author: Bradford   In 2013, California passed a 'Ban the Box' law, forbidding most employers from asking job applicants about their criminal history as part of the initial job application process. AB 1008 strengthens the provisions of 'Ban the Box', forbidding all state and local agencies from inquiring about a criminal history until an employment offer has been made, and prohibiting employers from considering this information unless it directly affects the responsibilities of the job. AB 1008 will help more persons rehabilitate their lives after incarceration. (This bill is now law.)

authors: McCarty, Gipson, Holden, Reyes, Weber co-author: Bradford   In 2013, California passed a 'Ban the Box' law, forbidding most employers from asking job applicants about their criminal history as part of the initial job application process. AB 1008 strengthens the provisions of 'Ban the Box', forbidding all state and local agencies from inquiring about a criminal history until an employment offer has been made, and prohibiting employers from considering this information unless it directly affects the responsibilities of the job. AB 1008 will help more persons rehabilitate their lives after incarceration. (This bill is now law.)

author: Stone Current law in California requires the consideration of release for certain offenders whose crimes were committed when they were 23 or younger. AB 1308 will extend that mandate to offenders whose crimes were committed at age 25 or younger, giving more people who made mistakes in early adulthood the chance to rehabilitate themselves and return to society and their families. (This bill is now law.)

authors: Bloom, Chiu, Gloria co-authors: Bradford, Wiener, Allen, Gonzalez Fletcher, Mullin, Ting   Housing costs throughout California have surged in recent years, with the median home now costing over $500,000. This unfettered market has increased homelessness and has created serious barriers in sustaining a healthy middle class. AB 1505 restores the authority of local government to require that new rental housing developments include 15% of units that are affordable to households earning 80% or less of the area’s median income. (This bill is now law.)

authors: Bloom, Chiu, Gloria co-authors: Bradford, Wiener, Allen, Gonzalez Fletcher, Mullin, Ting   Housing costs throughout California have surged in recent years, with the median home now costing over $500,000. This unfettered market has increased homelessness and has created serious barriers in sustaining a healthy middle class. AB 1505 restores the authority of local government to require that new rental housing developments include 15% of units that are affordable to households earning 80% or less of the area’s median income. (This bill is now law.)

author: Thurmond co-author: Gonzalez Fletcher   Under current law, many California workers are not entitled to overtime compensation if their annual salary is greater than $23,660. In 2016, the Obama Administration issued new regulations, doubling that ceiling to include guaranteed overtime compensation for workers making less than $47,476. AB 1565 would protect low and mid-income workers by making that regulation part of California law. (This bill is now law.)

author: Jones-Sawyer co-authors: Bonta, Chiu, Eggman, C. Garcia, Skinner, Wiener, Wood   Despite California's legalization of cannabis, the Trump Administration recently threatened to use federal enforcement to continue treating medical cannabis or marijuana use as illegal. Californians have spoken on this issue, and AB 1578 would ensure that, absent a court order, local and state agencies will not assist federal agents in taking action against citizens who are operating legally under California law. This would help protect our citizens from unwelcome federal overreach and protects limited state and local resources from being used unlawfully. (This bill died.)

author: Friedman co-authors: Hertzberg, Skinner, Allen, Wiener   California may be heading straight back into another drought after the previous one ravaged the state for years. AB 1668 would help California’s cities and towns better prepare for drought by providing them with the necessary support and resources they need to use water more efficiently. It will also save taxpayers money by better managing current water facilities before building new ones. (This bill is now law.)

author: Santiago co-authors: Aguiar-Curry, Berman, Bloom, Bonta, Calderon, Chau, Chiu, Chu, Friedman, E. Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez Fletcher, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Levine, Limon, Low, McCarty, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Quirk, Rendon, Reyes, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriquez, Rubio, Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Weber, Wood   Over 30,000 Americans are killed each year by firearms. Despite the plague of gun-related deaths in our country, federal legislators have recently introduced bills that would require states to recognize concealed carry permits from out-of-state gun holders. AJR 24 will draw a firm line in the sand that California opposes such reciprocity, which would have eroded the common sense gun safety legislation our state has passed. (This bill is now law.)

author: Dodd co-authors: Dababneh, Wieckowski, Chiu, Hertzberg   In a massive case of corporate deceit, Wells Fargo was recently fined $185 million for the illegal creation of over 3 million fraudulent consumer accounts. On top of that, corporations like Wells Fargo often force consumers to sign documents promising to forgo their right to go to court when the business commits fraud against them. SB 33 safeguards consumers from this shady practice, particularly the most vulnerable among us -- the elderly, working poor, immigrants grappling with a language barrier, and harried students just learning to balance a checkbook. (This bill is now law.)

Authors: De León, Stern Co-authors: Beall, Chiu, Dababneh, Friedman, Levine, McCarty, Skinner   The Trump administration has targeted environmental protections across the country. For example, the administration lifted some restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants and eased drilling regulations in protected habitats across eleven western states. SB 49 would protect many federal environmental protection regulations and other rules by including similar protections within California state law.

author: de León   co-authors: Atkins, Beall, Bonta, Chiu, Cooper, Gomez, Levine, Pan, Reyes, Santiago, Skinner, Wiener   In recent months, deportations have surged throughout the country, creating a culture of fear that has resulted in the separation of families, the terrorization of undocumented workers, and division in communities. SB 54 makes California a sanctuary state -- ensuring that state funds will not be used to tear apart families and that law enforcement does not participate in mass deportations. (This bill is now law.)

authors: Mitchell, Lara co-authors: Bradford, Skinner, Wieckowski, Wiener   One of the many legacies of the War on Drugs was that a person convicted of drug possession (or a similar offense) is sentenced to an additional three years for each prior conviction, leading to exorbitantly long jail sentences. The prosecution of these cases disproportionately impacts low-income communities of color, the homeless, and the mentally ill. SB 180 reforms the sentence enhancement to be based only on prior convictions involving the use of a minor as a seller or buyer. (This bill is now law.)

Author: Wieckowski   Currently, individuals such as farm laborers, substitute teachers, janitors, and others who work seasonally are at risk of losing their savings to creditors during the off-season. SB 298 would protect two months’ worth of savings at the amount of the hourly minimum wage from being taken by debt collectors so that seasonal workers are not left bankrupt.

author: Hertzberg co-author: Gonzalez Fletcher   Previously, workers in California who filed a labor claim against their employers were not able to work while it was in process -- a process that can take years. This places an unfair and heavy burden on workers. SB 306 provides those workers with the right to return to their jobs while the claim is being resolved. (This bill is now law.)

author: Bradford During recent years, when many unarmed citizens have been seriously injured or killed by police, public interest in police procedure and training has increased. With so many jurisdictions and departments all over California, transparency and accountability would increase dramatically if their policies and procedures were visible to the public. SB 345 would mandate that every law enforcement agency in the state publish on its website all “current standards, policies, practices, operating procedures, and education and training materials” by January 1, 2019. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Lara, Mitchell co-authors: Bradford, Skinner, Wiener   Nearly 300 Californians are currently serving mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences for crimes committed when they were minors. States all across the country are moving to eliminate LWOP sentences for minors under the belief that creating the opportunity for parole is a more humane, rehabilitation-focused approach to criminal justice. SB 394 will do just that in California, giving young people who have committed crimes the chance to rehabilitate their lives. (This bill is now law.)

author: Lara, Mitchell co-author: Skinner   Developmental science concludes that cognitive brain development continues into adulthood, leaving minors with less capacity to understand their rights. Because of this, youth are significantly more vulnerable to giving false statements to authorities. SB 395 will safeguard young people’s rights by mandating that individuals 15 years or younger be permitted to consult with legal counsel prior to an interrogation. (This bill is now law.)

author: Hill co-authors: McCarty, Wiener   Over 33,000 Americans are killed each year by firearms, many of them stolen. SB 464 would increase the storage and security requirements of all firearms in the inventory of a licensed firearms dealer to help prevent theft. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Pan co-author: Baker   In 2014, California enacted a Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) law, allowing law enforcement and family members to petition a court for a temporary firearm prohibition when a person is at risk of injury to self and others by accessing a firearm. These laws help prevent homicide and suicide, which contribute to the over 33,000 American deaths by guns each year. SB 536 allows certain researchers access to GVRO data, in order to better study the impacts of public policy on gun violence. (This bill is now law.)

author: Bradford In California, criminal sentences are often lengthened if the crime was committed with the use of a firearm. Judges often have little discretion due to mandatory sentence enhancements, and can sometimes be forced to levy unfairly long sentences on people who were not the ones carrying or using a firearm. SB 620 will grant judges more leeway to make determinations on sentence enhancements on a case-by-case basis, ensuring a more thoughtful, empowered approach to justice. (This bill is now law.)

author: Bradford In California, criminal sentences are often lengthened if the crime was committed with the use of a firearm. Judges often have little discretion due to mandatory sentence enhancements, and can sometimes be forced to levy unfairly long sentences on people who were not the ones carrying or using a firearm. SB 620 will grant judges more leeway to make determinations on sentence enhancements on a case-by-case basis, ensuring a more thoughtful, empowered approach to justice. (This bill is now law.)

author: Skinner The further a person needs to go to obtain emergency medical care, the more likely they are to suffer or even die. The problem is being exacerbated as hospitals close as their owners search for greater profits. SB 687 would mandate that non-profit hospitals -- which are often profit-driven despite their tax status -- receive written approval from the state Attorney General before closing their general care or emergency departments, creating a more robust chain of accountability and an increased ability to block these closures. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Skinner The further a person needs to go to obtain emergency medical care, the more likely they are to suffer or even die. The problem is being exacerbated as hospitals close as their owners search for greater profits. SB 687 would mandate that non-profit hospitals -- which are often profit-driven despite their tax status -- receive written approval from the state Attorney General before closing their general care or emergency departments, creating a more robust chain of accountability and an increased ability to block these closures. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Leyva The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the agency responsible for protecting Californians from the harmful effects of toxic substances, has struggled to earn the trust of communities of color, due to many cases of dubious oversight, like the Exide battery plant, Kettleman Hills hazardous waste facility, and Jordan Downs housing project. SB 774 would create a independent, 5-member board -- the California Toxic Substances Board (CTSB) -- to oversee the work of the DTSC, providing more accountability. (This bill was vetoed by Governor Brown.)

author: Skinner co-author: Anderson   The average California prison is currently 30% over capacity, leading to inhumane or poor living conditions. The prison population costs taxpayers an average of $70,836 per inmate, and many incarcerated individuals have not been sentenced fairly or equitably. SCR 48 gives judges and jurors more leeway to deliver a sentence that is appropriate for the crime committed, rather than requiring those who committed small crimes to serve unnecessarily long jail times. (This bill is now law.)

Author: Talamantes Eggman Co-authors: Wiener, Friedman, Lara   4,654 people died of drug overdoses in 2016 in California alone, according to the Center for Disease Control. AB 186 would authorize local governments to operate safe, hygienic, and secure injection sites for IV drug users and protect users and staff from prosecution. Permitting local governments to start these pilot programs would also prevent needless overdoses by managing dosages and prevent the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C by assuring access to clean needles. Additionally, the sites would refer people to treatment and housing services.

Author: Wieckowski   Currently, individuals such as farm laborers, substitute teachers, janitors, and others who work seasonally are at risk of losing their savings to creditors during the off-season. SB 298 would protect two months’ worth of savings at the amount of the hourly minimum wage from being taken by debt collectors so that seasonal workers are not left bankrupt.

Authors: Mitchell, Lara Co-author: Kamlager-Dove   Currently, California lacks any law to prevent young children from being prosecuted as adults, leaving young children within the criminal justice system particularly vulnerable to prosecution and unfair convictions. SB 439 establishes 12 years as the minimum age for prosecution in juvenile court unless a minor younger than 12 has committed murder or rape.