The author of SB 636 made good on his word and amended out a provision that would have created a “duty of care” for physicians performing utilization review services for private employers in California. The bill still would require these physicians to be licensed in California, but new amendments would give employers a year to …
The California legislature passed a critical deadline requiring bills to advance out of their houses of origin by June 2nd or be held over until next year. Insiders say a greater percentage of bills cleared that hurdle this year compared to the historical norm. They say it has everything to do with the total control …
A handful of workers’ comp-related bills had already passed out of their houses of origin, but the majority faced a do-or-die deadline last week to clear the Assembly and Senate fiscal committees. The pending workers’ comp bills cleared the fiscal review, while some are advancing in amended form. Moving ahead of the deadline were two …
A bill allowing local city and district attorneys to pursue civil and criminal prosecutions against employers for labor law violations is being drastically narrowed in scope. Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) announced during AB 594’s first hearing that he is eliminating workers’ compensation and workplace safety and health (Cal/OSHA) from the bill’s scope. “We will …
The Assembly Business and Professions Committee passed AB 336 by Assemblyman Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) on a unanimous vote (see photo). As amended in the hearing, the bill would require contractors to disclose to the Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) the construction class codes specified on its workers’ comp policies. “The only information the public can …
A wide-ranging coalition of employers and business representatives is opposing a labor union sponsored proposal to extend a broad array of public sector workplace presumptions to all acute care hospital employees who provide direct patient care. The measure not only extends but expands on an existing presumption for Covid-19 that is slated to expire on …
The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee will hear AB 594 by Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego), which would authorize many levels of public prosecutors to handle civil and criminal prosecutions independently from regulatory agencies to enforce state labor laws. That includes wage and hour cases and alleged Cal/OSHA regulations violations. An employee or independent contractor …
With several workers’ comp bills on the agenda, the Assembly Insurance Committee will hold its first policy hearing of the session next week. Legislators are also getting busy amending bills already introduced, including one to expand public disclosure of contractors’ workers’ comp policies. Next week, three workers’ comp bills are on the Assembly Insurance Committee …