Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

The Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment, Retirement will now come to order. Good morning. The Senate continues to welcome the public in person, but also via the Teleconference Service. For individuals wishing to provide public comments today via the Teleconference Service, the participant number is 877-226-8163. That's 877-226-8163. And there's an access code, which is 736-2834. Again, 736-2834. Each side today will be permitted an equal amount of time. Lead witnesses will have two minutes each and there is no reserving time for other witnesses.

All others wishing to testify must limit their comments to their name, affiliation and position on the measures. Testimony taken via the Teleconference Service will be limited to a total support and opposition of 20 minutes. We are holding our Committee hearings here, as you can see, in the O Street Building. And I ask all Members of the Committee to be present. I think actually we do have everyone here in Room 2200 so we can establish a quorum and begin our hearing.

We do have three bills on the agenda today, but let's go ahead and establish a quorum at this time. Please call the role.

Senator Cortese? Here. Cortese, here. Senator Wilk? Present. Wilk? Present. Senator Durazo? Durazo, here. Senator Laird? Here. Laird. Here. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. Smallwood cuevas here. We have a quorum.

Okay, thank you. First on the agenda, I'd like to take up as a consent item SJR 1. Do we have a motion on that item? Okay. Motion by Wilk. Any comment on the consent calendar? If none, I'll ask the consultant. Please call them.

No, I do want to comment.

Yes.

So I want to thank you for carrying this resolution. I've carried this three times during my ten year career in the Legislature. And it's a really important issue. And I really wish Social Security, I mean, the federal government would actually address this along with other reforms for Social Security to keep it viable for all. So I want to thank you for this effort.

Thank you for your comment. We'll ask the consultant to please call.

The Role file item number three, SJR One. The motion is consent.

Senator Cortez?

Aye.

Cortez, aye. Senator Wilk?

Aye.

Wilk, aye. Senator Durazo? Aye. Durazo, aye. Senator Laird? Aye. Laird, aye. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, aye. Smallwood-Cuavas. Aye. Bill is out. Five - zero

All right, thank you so much. We're now going to go to our first author who is our very own Senator Durazo. Senator, you can present from here or the podium. We'll let you decide. I know you have a couple bills today, so wherever you feel more comfortable. Thank you. And we're asking her to present as her first Bill SB 27.

Okay, great.

Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members. And I want to thank the chair and Members and our Committee staff for your thoughtful analysis. And I want to begin by accepting the suggested technical amendment on page six of the Committee analysis as an author's. Amendment, SB. 27. Creates an ability for employees to recover their unearned but their earned but unpaid wages.

The University of California's Equal Pay for Equal Work Policy requires vendor companies that have one of the estimated 400 service contracts with UC to pay their company employees the wages and benefits equal to what UC pays the service workers that it employs. While the UC has responded to an earlier version of the Bill last year by initiating a strong audit process the impacted workers are still left with no way to recover earned but unpaid wages.

To address this problem, the Bill Requires vendors to supply UC and the appropriate Joint Labor Management Committee the basic payroll information necessary and any audit outcomes to know if a vendor is abiding by UC policy. The Bill also requires a vendor to supply a written notice to their employees about the relevant compensation rates. The Bill would also allow a contracting vendor company an opportunity to correct and cure any discrepancies before facing a consequence.

If an employer refuses to comply with the UC Equal Pay for Equal Work policy or refuses to correct and cure employees would then have the right to pursue recovery of their earned but unpaid wages from the contracting vendor. In court, the Bill advances the strides that UC continues to make towards third party vendor compliance and it will not interfere with the UC's hiring ability.

But it does address the problem that has not been addressed of getting workers their money the money they earned but has been unpaid. My witness today is Monica De Leon with Afscme 32-99.

Thank you, Senator.

Thank you, Senator. Good morning, everyone. My name is Monica De Leon, Executive board Member and treasurer for Afscme 32-99 and a 17 year employee of the University of California at UC Irvine Medical Center. In support of SB 27 I'm here on behalf of service workers cleaning toilets, cutting grass, picking up trash, cooking food and cleaning hospital Bedpans helping to make university one of our greatest education, research and public medical institutions run and succeed.

I'm advocating for workers who have no protection if they were to speak out today in fear of retaliation. These colleagues work alongside us at UC but who work for third party vendors and companies doing business with the university. Those workers need the Recovery of Earned but unpaid Wages Act because they need the money and you can help them get it. UC has a policy titled equal pay for equal Work. That means for service work being performed at UC by outside vendors.

Those workers should get the same pay and benefits that UC employees like me receive. UC has made strides in implementing that policy and we applaud that progress. But UC acknowledges that they are often left to rely on vendors about actual wages and benefits being paid since those vendors employ the workers. UC adopted a recent procedure, a recent audit procedure. I'm sorry. However, this worthwhile procedure won't get at the fundamental problem. It won't give workers a way to recover their earned, but unpaid wages and benefits.

This Bill, SB 27, fixes that problem. In simple terms, SB 27 means the difference of getting their child a backpack for school, putting gas in their car, paying their utility bills, or paying their rent. The Bill is fair for both the workers and their employers. Before a worker can pursue recovery of unpaid wages and benefits, their employer will have an opportunity to cure and correct the shortfall. If the vendor refuses to cure and correct, then their worker is permitted to recover their earned but unpaid wages.

In court, we ask for your consideration. Thank you.

All right, thank you for your testimony. We will now go to support witnesses. Additional support witnesses. We've dealt with the lead witness, so witnesses now on the support side will be limited to name, affiliation and position.

Thank you, Mr. Chair Members and staff. Mitch Steiger with the California Labor Federation also in support.

Good morning, chair Members. Janice O'Malley with the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees in strong support.

All right. Seeing no one else come forward on the support side, we're going to move to the opposition lead witness. Is there an opposition lead witness today? Please come forward. You'll have two minutes, up to two minutes to speak.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Michael Bedard on behalf of the University of California. We don't have an opposed position. We don't have a position on the Bill at all yet.

Recent amendments have us working with our suppliers. But if I could take a second to just talk about some of our concerns. Thank you. UC supports wage and benefit parity. We support our vendors employees getting paid the amount that we require through Regents policy and our contract with AFSME 32 99 on these two bargaining units. Our concerns with the Bill are similar to the measure from last year, largely.

And so we're talking to suppliers to understand whether SB 27 would create a chilling effect where they won't work with us anymore. If so, that could have a really significant impact on our ability to deliver affordable and safe health care and fulfill our educational mission on campuses. We're also concerned that the Bill is a little bit overly broad. It goes beyond just the AFSCME bargaining unit. We have 37 units covering a huge range of titles. We are not sure how we would implement it.

We don't have a wage and benefit or equal pay for equal work policy for these other 35 bargaining units. And lastly, as the author and some witnesses have said, we are in the midst of this audit. Data has now come in from all of our vendors and suppliers that are in the audit, and we're analyzing that data now. The audit results should be available on April 15.

Part of the audit includes remediation, and remediation plans are already in place for any non-compliance for these vendors where we've identified it. And again, I don't have any of the data. It's not available to us yet, but it will be shortly and we'll be happy to share that with the committee when we're done.

Thank you. Yes, thank you for your testimony. Would anyone like to express an opposition position beyond the lead witness who just testified? If so, you can come forward now. Seeing none, let's now go to the teleconference line. And let me ask the teleconference operator to check for either support or opposition witnesses on the teleconference line. We will begin that maximum of 20 minutes at this point for those witnesses, and they will be limited to again to name affiliation and position, either support or opposition.

We will cut someone off even beyond that, if there's any disruption on a teleconference line. Aside from that, we look forward to hearing from anyone. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your support or opposition. You might press one and then zero. We will go to line 17. Your line is opening. Line 17, your line is open. They picked themselves out. So, line 38, your line is open.

Hello, Chair and Members. I'm actually speaking in regards to support for SB 227.

Let me clarify. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but we have not opened the hearing on SB 227 yet. That will be the next Bill that we take up. So if you can remain in the teleconference queue or get back into it, we'll call upon you when we get to 227. It's a little probably confusing enough. The Bill we're on is actually SB 27. So, to all those on the teleconference line, if you're waiting for two-two-seven, the teleconference operator can skip over you.

We just want to hear from support and opposition on 27 at this time.

Thank you. If you are for Two 27, you may press one and zero to get yourself out of queue. And now we are doing SB 27 and we will go to line ten. Your line is open. Line ten, your line is open. For the other one. Line twelve, your line is open. Please go ahead. Line twelve, your line is open. Okay, we will go to line 31. Your line is open. Line 31, your line is open. Okay. Line 49, they took themselves out.

Okay. So if you are in opposition or support of SB 27, you may press one and then zero.

Moderator can you explain just one more time how people can take themselves out of the queue? Because I'm assuming some of those are trying to get over to the 227 line.

I sure can.

If you are in opposition of support of SB 227, please remove yourself from queue by pressing one and then zero. We will take support or opposition from SB 27 by pressing one and then zero. We will go to line 38. Your line is open. We will go to line 35. Your line is open. Line 35, your line is open. Okay, we will go to line ten. Your line is open.

We want to let the witness know we're not laughing at the witness. We're just on SB 27 at this time. 227 is the next Bill that we'll hear after we're done with the current one. So, again, sorry to have to remind people of this, but I guess we had a little confusion at the start of the hearing. This is testimony for SB 27 only. Support or opposition. Thank you.

Moderator thank you. We'll go to line twelve. Your line is open, Mr. Chair. We have no further opposition or support in queue.

All right, great job. Moderator we appreciate your wading through that, if you will. We're going to come back now to the committee itself and ask if there's any question or comment by Members of the committee.

Senator Larid, thank you very much. And let me just say to the author, when I was in the Assembly, I had the 27th District and I desperately tried to get bills with 27 in them. And I think you're regretting that right now. I have a question for you, and then one for the UC person that's still here. And I supported the version of this Bill last year, and I obviously support the direction this year it was vetoed.

And the analysis sort of goes by that it sounds like you have addressed a concern that the Governor made in his veto message. Do you feel like you've addressed what he said in his veto message in this version of the Bill?

Well, we took all that into consideration to try to get to the core issue. And the core issue is how can somebody recover the difference between what they're supposed to be paying, this outside vendor supposed to be paying, and what they actually got paid? So we tried to deal with other issues and just get more to the core.

Do you feel like you didn't have a problem with the core issue, he had a problem with all these other issues?

No. Well, I'm hoping that we addressed his concerns and we just get to the bottom of it. And this is not to not put UC in the middle of it, but rather allow the employees to be able to have an opportunity for them to collect. And we hope that UC continues to make progress on the compliance front.

Great. Thank you very much. And then to the UC representative.

Says in the same paragraph about the governors, about this audit. And I appreciate the fact that you're willing to provide it the minute it's available, because I think it'll be useful to all of us. But I don't understand totally what will come out of the audit that will reflect on the need for this Bill. I mean, what do you think the audit will produce? That would be helpful.

Sure appreciate the question, Senator. The scope of the audit actually covers a couple of different areas. There is an audit of a fairly large sample of vendors that are in the so called Article Five contracts, Article Five of our bargaining agreement with AFSCME. So looking at those audits will allow us to verify that locations, the hospitals, the campuses, are putting the correct wage rates into the contracts with vendors, that vendors are actually remitting those payments that we give them to their employees.

And if there's a mistake on the vendor side, we're forcing remediation and asking for the money to be given to the employees who were underpaid. If there's a problem on our side where we have not included the correct wage rate in the contract, we'll make good on that, and the university will pay up to make sure the employee is made whole.

The other thing we're looking at in the audit is UC's processes and policies as a system about how we're notifying vendor employees, how we're notifying vendors, how employees are aware of their other rights. Under Article Five, such as, we have a policy that vendor employees for these covered services can be offered a full time job at UC or offered a career employment position at UC if they meet certain hourly thresholds over a certain amount of time. That's in our bargaining agreement and Regents policy as well.

So we're looking at all these elements of Article Five and Regents policy, which passed in 2020, took us about a year to put out some guidelines and renegotiate these contracts. So it's still won't say it's new, but it's kind of new ish still. So it's kind of typical for us, for the university, to go back and look at how those things are done.

So the answer to the question is, we'll understand that locations are able to implement the policy, are notifying employees, and that vendors are actually following through on the contractual rate that we have set.

Okay, thank you very much. That's helpful. I'll look forward to the audit and also look forward to the comment of the author when the audit comes out, because I'm confident she will have one. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Senator. Any other questions or comments? Yes, Senator.

No, I just wanted to ask a question, too, of UC about the timeline on that audit, because I understand that's been happening for quite some time.

That the audit has been happening. We started collecting data from our vendors in January, and I understand that vendors had until March 1, they all had approved third party auditors. It wasn't UC doing the audit. We had a list of, I think, ten or so auditors that vendors could select from. These are verified auditors. And so, as I understand it, we've received that data. We're going through it. We have to do some validation of the audits.

And I understand there are some contracts that occur at multiple locations, UC locations with the same vendor. So we have to kind of combine them and make sure and understand where the problems where if there's any non compliance and what remediation plans look like.

Thank you for that. And I wanted to just say thank you. I wanted to say to the author, I appreciate the persistence in continuing to move this policy forward. I can't tell you how many sectors where we see this unequal pay for the same work. And as the witness talked about, when you bring those dollars home, those communities where we're getting the uneven pay, we have uneven stability in those communities. And so many of our families need that fair and living wage.

And I'm glad that UC is not opposing this policy because equal pay is the law in discrimination, whether it's a contractor or an employee. It feels the same way in their families. So I want to appreciate this policy and getting to the core of the matter. I'm appreciating that. So I'm looking forward to the audit, but more importantly, those workers being made whole through this Bill.

Thank you, Senator. Yes. Vice Chair Wilk.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I've been here, I guess, going on Year eleven and we have a lot of these wage issues with the UC system. It seems to me like they do do as I say, not as I do, which I really find offensive. I was in this space a few years ago with then Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and we wanted to codify it in the Constitution. Unfortunately, we came up a little short because it was two thirds vote. I'm interested to see if they're going to do the right thing.

So I'm going to lay off it today because I want to see what they come back with and if they are going to remedy it. And I'm open to voting it in the future because it's time that these guys start doing the right thing. And again, I appreciate your persistence as well. So thank you for your efforts.

Thank you. Thank you, Senator.

Thank you. Let me just for the record, first of all, I'm very supportive of the Bill and have been supportive of getting to this place in the past. Just a question I think is probably important just to get out on the record or an opportunity for you, Senator Durazo.

And that is something that we heard which the kind of things you hear when you're committee chair and committee staff, which I think did a great job on the analysis of the Bill, that questions or concerns about allowing any individual UC employee to have standing under this Bill, legal standing to pursue remedies. I'm quite sure that was done by design, but we just want to give you an opportunity, or your lead witness for that matter.

I think you're probably best to explain what the philosophy is behind allowing each and every one of them to have standing to pursue remedies.

Sure. Well, one thing is clear is, as lead witness said, these vendor employees and UC employees work side by side. They know each other, they work with each other. And it's really important when it comes to the wage and compensation package that that's also the same. So that there's no threat of pulling that work away more and more into the outside vendors doing it and not the UC employees doing it.

That's a really important element to be able to have the standing to say there's something wrong here. You are not you vendor company are not providing the same wages. By policy, you should be doing that. And I'm going to step up in case that employee is too afraid, which is also the testimony given, too afraid. I'm going to step up and help enforce this because it's in their interest. It's in the employee that's being wronged interest.

And we think that's the best way of enforcing what the policy is. So that's the basic I don't know if either of the arc witness wants to add to anything to that.

I'm certainly satisfied with your response. More than anything, I wanted to give you an opportunity to thank you, to get that on the record before the Bill starts proceeding into other committees and so forth. With that, if there's nothing else, Senator Russell will give you an opportunity to close.

Well, I'm going to keep doing this until we get all those employees paid what they should be paid. We have an agreement from UC to pay the same wages and compensation and it's not being done. So now it's got to be put in the hands of the employees. They need to be given. But again, the vendors will be given the opportunity to correct it. This is not I'm going to try to catch you doing something wrong.

We just want the policy to be implemented and I hope that the audit shows that. But the audit is not going to pay when the employees have been wronged. And that's the most important thing that we need to get at. So thank you all for your consideration. I urgent aye vote.

All right, thank you. Senator, do we have a motion on SB 27?

So moved.

Okay.

Moved by Senator Smollett Quavis. And I'll ask that the roll call be called. Thank you.

File item number one, SB 27. The motion is due pass. But first, amend and re refer to the Committee on Judiciary. Senator Cortese?

Cortese, aye. Senator Wilk? Not voting. Senator Wilk not voting. Senator Durazo? Aye. Durazo, aye. Senator Laird? Laird aye. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas? Aye. Smallwood-Cuevas, aye. That Bill is out 40.

Aye.

All right, the Bill is out 40. And just to be clear, the motion was due passed. But first I'm going to refer to the Committee on Judiciary. As we noted earlier, the technical amendments were adopted by the author. Thank you. And, Senator Raza, if you're ready, you may proceed with your second Bill, SB Two Two Seven. Sounds like we have some other folks that want to speak on that one, too, right?

Thank you. Federal law excludes over 1 million Californians from unemployment insurance benefits when they temporarily lose work. Yet employer taxes on the labor of undocumented workers contribute an estimated four hundred eighty-five million each year to our unemployment insurance system, even though those same employees never see a cent of the benefits. This disparity hurts employers as well as workers. That money is supposed to help sustain industries, have a workforce ready to go as conditions allow, and help workers get back to work when the jobs become available.

Without unemployment benefits, our economy suffers missed paychecks spiral into missed rent, missed car payments, and the inability to provide food for families during their hardship. Modeled on successful programs in New York and Colorado, SB 227 creates a program to provide unemployed workers who are excluded from unemployment insurance due to immigration status with a $300 per week benefit for up to 20 weeks. That's the essence of the Bill.

Here with me today to speak in support of the proposal are Erica Zermeno, center for Working Rights Workers Rights and Francisco Ventura, Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, thank you, Mr. Chair.

All right. Thank you, Senator. And I assume Erica is the first lead witness, so you'll have two minutes apiece. Thank you.

Yes.

Good morning, chair and Members. My name is Erica Zermeno, here on behalf of the Safety Net for all coalition sponsors of SB 227, this Bill intends to establish an excluded workers program to be administered by the EDD. The Excluded Workers Program would provide income assistance to workers who are unemployed and currently not eligible for state or federal benefits for reasons related to their status.

Majority of California's undocumented immigrants work in industries that are essential and critical to the economy, such as agriculture, construction and domestic work. Yet, due to historic exclusions from safety nets, California's undocumented workers are not able to access economic support when they face unexpected job loss. Undocumented workers have contributed an average of $485,000,000 per year into the regular unemployment insurance system.

This means that, in total, approximately $4.85 billion in taxes have been paid over the past ten years, and undocumented workers have not been able to access any of this in recent years. We've seen numerous natural disasters impact communities across the state. These natural disasters often put workers out of work and consequently, out of income.

Without economic support, undocumented immigrant workers are often forced to exhaust their life savings, accumulate greater debt, and compromise their health to simply afford basic necessities, such as food and shelter when they lose their jobs. Undocumented immigrants are categorically excluded from unemployment insurance. There are just over 1 million undocumented workers in California who are all currently excluded from receiving unemployment benefits. This program would ensure that all of those 1 million workers have access to a safety net if they lose their job.

Thank you.

Next lead witness. Buenos días soy Francisco Ventura. Soy un trabajador de campo y vivo en la ciudad de Madera.

Let me ask you to pause for a minute. Do we have a translator? Okay, so you'll do a summary translation at the end. All right? So we'll allow two minutes and two minutes for the translation. Thank you.

Por más de veinte-cinco años, he estado diferentes trabajos de campo aquí en el Estado de California. He piscado todo tipo de fruta como uva, naranja, tomate, blueberry, y la poda de viña. California es un estado industrial enorme de cosecha ala uva para vino. Mi familia es de siete personas, incluido mis hijos. Para mí es difícil durante los meses de septiembre, noviembre, febrero, marzo y enero, porque baja la temporada de trabajo y no hay trabajo y son las épocas que más necesitamos ingreso. No solo para pagar los gastos de luz y renta. Sino también son tiempos de convivir y celebrar con nuestra familia. Lamentablemente nosotros como campesinos no tenemos documentos, no tenemos dinero para estas celebraciones, lo poco que tenemos es para comprar la comida, y hacer nuestro pago de luz y renta y más.

En este tiempo que la comida y la renta ha subido demasiado, esto lo que les estoy contando es mi historia personal pero tambien la historia de mucho mas de mis compañeros trabajadores del campo. Por eso estoy aquí, para decirle a ustedes que es muy importante que apruebe y que apoye SB 227. Que nos ayudara un poco económicamente en los tiempos que mas los necesitamos. Muchas gracias y espero que podamos contar con ustedes. Gracias.

My name is Francisco Ventura. I am a farm worker and I live in the city of Madera. For over 25 years I have been doing different farm jobs here in the state of California. I've picked all kinds of fruits such as grapes, oranges, tomatoes, blueberries and I prune grapevines. California is a state with a huge wine grape harvesting industry. There are seven people in my family, including my children.

For me, it is difficult during the months of September, November, February, March and January because the work season is low or there are no jobs. And these are the times that we need more income not only to pay the expenses of light and rent, but also because they are times to live and celebrate with our families. Unfortunately, we as farm workers who do not have documents, do not have money for these celebrations.

The little we have is to buy food, pay our light and rent bills, especially in these times that food and rent has risen too much. What I'm telling you is my personal story, but it is also the story of many of my fellow farm workers. That is why I'm here to tell you that it is very important that you support and approve SB 227, which will help us all a little economically only in the times we need it the most.

All right, thank you for your testimony. Gracias a todos. And we'll move on now to anyone else in the room who wishes to express a support position, name, affiliation and support.

Thank you. Chair Members, Janice O'Malley with the American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees in support.

Good morning, Mr. Chair and Members, Andrea Vesca on behalf of the California Immigrant Policy Center. Proud co sponsor of the Bill in support. Hello, chair and Members Sam Wilkinson, representing Grace and Inchile Poverty California as well as a safety net for all coalition in support of SB Two 27.

Anyone else wishing to express a support position in the room in room 2200? Seeing none, is there a lead opposition witness on this Bill? If so, you may come forward at this time and you'll be allowed two minutes. Seeing none, is there anyone who wishes to express an opposition position on this Bill? SB two-two-seven. If so, you may come forward now and indicate your name, affiliation, and opposition. Seeing that no one's in the room, we will move to the teleconference line.

At this time and again, support and opposition, unlike last year, will be combined into one teleconference queue. We'll ask the moderator to please check at this time for folks who wish to express support or opposition on SB two two seven. And a reminder to those witnesses, again, name, affiliation, and support or opposition is all we can hear from you. Thank you.

Thank you. If you're in support or opposition of SB 227, you may press one and then zero. Thank you, and we will go to line 45. Your line is open. Good morning. My name is Bianca Blompus. I'm policy Director for Small Business Majority, and I'd like to express our emphatic support for SD 227. I'm also on the board of California Asset Building Coalition, expressing strong support for the Bill. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 54. Your line is open.

Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Members, Anna Alvarado, on behalf of the California Edge Coalition in strong support. Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 42. Your line is open. Hi. Daniela Alvarenga with the California Immigrant Policy Center and Safety Net for all coalition in support of SB 227. Thank you. Next, go to line 66. Your line is open. Morning, Mr. Chairman.

Members Christopher Sanchez, policy Advocate with the Western Center on Mom Poverty and strong support.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 61. Your line is open. Hello, chair Members. My name is Lupita Lashotic, and I am asking to vote yes on SB 27. Thank you. Thank you. Next, go to line 52. Your line is open. Yeah, line 52. Your line is open. Hello, chair and Members. My name is Luis, Member of Todic, and I am asking you to vote yes on SB two-two-seven. Thank you. Thank you. Line 62. Your line is open. Hello, can you hear me?

Yes.

Please go ahead. Okay. Hello, chairs and Members, my name is Noemi with Tojik, and I am asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 69. Your line is open. Hello, chairs and Members. My name is Danielle Bautista with United Ways of California, and we are in support of SB Two two seven and ask for your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 70. Your line is open. Hi.

Good day, chair of Members. My name is Vanelli Milan with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center and the safety Net for all coalition asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next we go to line 53. Your line is open. Hello, chair Members. My name is Berta Gonzalez and I'm with Clean Car Wash Workers Center and the Safety Net For All Coalition asking you to vote yes on SB two seven. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 37.

Your line is open. Hello, chair Members, my name is Janet Resemblance, and I'm with Stacy Nephew asking you to vote yes on S. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 68. Your line is open. Well, good morning, chair and Members. My name is Yosenia Barrera. I'm with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center and the Safety Net for all coalition in support and asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 36. Your line is open.

Hi, good morning, chair and Members. My name is Carlos Amador and I'm with the safety net for our coalition. I ask for your aye vote on SB 227.

Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 73. Your line is open. Hello. This is Kevin Insco with the Friends Committee on Legislation of California in strong support. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 44. Your line is open. Hi, good morning. I'm Andrea Gonzalez with the Clean Car Wash Worker Center and the Safety Net for all coalition asking you to support SB 2227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 40. Your line is open.

Hello, chair and Members, my name is. Alex Garcia with Cause and the Safety Net for all coalition, and I'm asking your support for SB Two 27. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 67. Hello, chair Members, my name is Samaria and I am part of the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition and the Coalition of and today is a beautiful day to vote yes on SBT seven. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 26. Your line is open. Good morning, chair and Members. Beth Malinowski with SEIU California and strong support. Thank you.

Next we'll go to line 75. Your line is open. Hi, this is Katie Duberg with the California Work and Family Coalition.

We are in strong support of SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go line 23. Your line is open. Hi, good morning. My name is Sarah Perez and I am with Buenosino in Ventura County, as well as the Safety Net for all coalition, and I'm asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next we'll go line 74. Your line is open. Different line 74. Your line is open.

What is the name?

We will move on to line 57. Your line is open. Good morning, my name is I am a Member of Kodak and I ask you to vote yes and SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 51. Your line is open. Hi. My name is Lucia Tuan. I'm be careful of eco right advocate. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 20. Your line is open. Hello, Karen.

Members, my name is Ariana, a Member of TODEC, and I am asking you to vote yes on SC 227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 33. Your line is open. Hello, chair Members, my name is Jonathan with Torek, and I am asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line ten. Your line is open. Line ten. Your line is open. Next we'll go to line 30. Your line is open. Line 30. Your line is open.

Hello, yes, we can hear you, Chairon Members. Go ahead. Hello, Chairman, Members, my name is Natalia and I am a Member of Toads from Coachella, and I am asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 25. Your line is open. Line 25. Your line is open. Members. My name is Desenya. I am a Member of Tote from Coachella, and I am asking you to vote yes on SC 227. Thank you.

Next we'll go to line 76. Your line is open. Good morning. Vanessa Teran with the Mistico Indigena community organizing project and the Safety Net for all coalition and strong support. Thank you. Thank you. And next we'll go to line 43. Your line is open. Hello, chair and Members, my name is Brian Sanchez with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, part of the Safety Net for all coalition, and I'm in strong support of SB 227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 63.

Your line is open. Hello, chair and Members, my name is Daniel Sanchez with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 77. Your line is open. Hi, this is Jenna Gary with the National Employment Law Project and strong support. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 19. Your line is open. Hello, can you hear me?

Yes. Please proceed.

Hello, chair. Hello, chair Members. My name is Manuel de Paz. I am from East By Sanctuary Cabinet and safety Net for all. And I'm asking you to JS on SB 27. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 31. Your line is open. Line 31. Your line is open. Hello, chair Members. Ed. Hello, chair and Members. My name is Ishmael, and I am a Member of TODEC Legal Center from the Coachella Valley, and I'm asking you to vote yes on SB two 27. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we'll go to line 24. Your line is open. Hello, chair Members, my name is Rosa. I am a Member of Public from achella. I am asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 79. Your line is open. Good morning, chair Members. My name is Amaranta Silva with Foreign Voice of California, also with network pollution in support of SB two Two Seven. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 82. Your line is open.

Good morning. My name is Berseva for Cayo with Warehouse Worker Center in support with SB 27. Thank you. Next we'll go to line 81. Your line is open. Good morning, Chair and Members. My name is Veronica Alvarado. I'm with the Warehouse Worker Resource Center and also part of the Safety Net for all coalition in strong support of SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. Next we'll go to line ten. Your line is open.

Hello, my name is Luzga Diegos with Bodec out of the Inland Empire and super strong support on SB 227. Thank you. Next we'll go to line twelve. Your line is open. Hello, chair Members. My name is Nora and I am with TODEC, and I am asking you to vote yes on SB 227. Thank you. Thank you. And Mr. Chair, we have no further public comment. Thank you.

All right, thank you again. Moderator we'll bring it back to the committee for any questions or comments before we entertain a motion.

I moved the Bill.

All right, Senator Laird has moved the Bill. Senator Small with Cuevas, did you have a comment?

I did have a comment and a question one. Thank you so much for this Bill. As I was hearing those calls of support, I was thinking about my great grandfather, Charlie Smallwood, who worked at tobacco fields, who didn't have this protection, whose family my family couldn't weather these kinds of economic storms that happen when employers don't allow folks to earn a fair wage. And then when unemployment strikes, you have to just weather it.

So I'm holding Charlie Smallwood in this hearing today and also really appreciating the comments from the workers, particularly the gentlemen in the agricultural sector who are feeding our communities. The question I had, and this comes from some of the work doing in community, where we're seeing a large number, a growing number of black immigrants from across a broad diaspora, the fear of coming forward, the fear of accessing the services.

Just.

In your view, how are you making sure that these communities, these workers, know these benefits will be for them and to break through that fear, to access the resources that they need that this very important Bill will provide? So I wanted to just ask that question of your thoughts on that.

Thank you, Senator, and thank you for sharing your family story. This is a constant challenge in a state like California, but throughout our nation, when sometimes the political environment makes it even more fearful for. People to step up and ask for the help that they need. Sometimes they don't ask for that help because they are so afraid of engaging with government. But I think we're much better placed in California. We also have our moments. It affects us as well. We know that with certain programs.

But there are other programs where the culture has become so natural, whether it's workers compensation, other programs where there is a lot less fear because a program has been established and people are used to it. And the word gets around that if you, for example, use the services of workers compensation, that nothing happens to you. There's no fear there. So I think we still have to continuously struggle with it.

But when there are organizations on the ground, as so many testified today, they are the ones who help those Californians get through their fear, help them walk them through it, and then word begins to get around. So I think that's empowerment in the true sense of the word. And it also leads to getting what's fair and what they deserve and what they need and frankly, what we all need. Thank you.

Thank you for that.

All right, anything else from Members of the committee? Seeing none. We do have a motion by Senator Larry and the motion is due passed. But first, refer to the Committee on Governance and Finance. We'll ask Committee assistant to please call.

The role file item number two, SB 227. The motion is due pass. But first we refer to the Committee on Governance and Finance. Senator Cortese.

Aye.

Cortezzi, aye. Senator Wilk. Senator Durazo. Aye. Durazo, aye. Senator Laird. Aye. Laird, aye. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, aye. Smallwood cuevas, aye. That Bill is out four - zero.

The Bill is out for zero. And we'll just note that Vice Chair Wilk indicated that he would not be back today. So we'll close the roll. And again, the Bill is out.

Thank you everyone for Members thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Apologize for not giving you an opportunity to close. I do want to thank everyone, including the committee staff, for an excellent set of analyses today on these bills and all the legislation before us today. And thank you to the witnesses who took the time to participate today. We are now adjourned.