Assembly Standing Committee on Public Employment and Retirement

Good morning. Good morning, Members of the Committee and the public to the Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement. Before we begin, I have a few announcements to make.

Assembly Member Lee is substituting for Assembly Member Schiavo for today's hearing. We welcome you, Assemblymember Lee. We have a letter on file from Senator Becker, who was unable to be here to present AB 803, but has asked Assembly Member Haney to present the Bill on his behalf.

We have two items on the agenda with one on consent, on the consent calendar, that bill is file item one, SB 327 (Laird). Second, We will be limiting testimony to two primary witnesses on each side of the bill, and each will have three minutes to speak. We need to establish a quorum. Secretary, please call the roll.

McKinnor? Here. McKinnor, present. Lackey? Addis? Here. Addis, present. Vince Fong? Here. Vince Fong, present. Haney? Present. Haney, present. Stephanie Wynn? Here. Stephanie Nguyen, Present. Lee? Here. Lee, present.

Today we have a quorum. Thank you. Let's begin with the consent calendar.

Is there any Members who wish to remove file item one from the consent calendar? Hearing none, is there a motion and second on the consent calendar? Motion by Assembly Member Fong. Second by Assembly Member Addis.

Can you please call the roll?

The motion is due passed and to be referred to the Committee on Appropriations with recommendation to the consent calendar.

McKinnor? Aye. McKinnor. I lackey Addis. Addis. I Vince Fong. Aye. Vince Fong. I Haney. Haney. I Stephanie Wynn. Stephanie Wynn. I Lee.

[Inaudible] is on call. Let's move on to file item number two, SB 803 by Senator Becker. Assembly Member Haney, you may proceed when ready.

Second.

I'll move the bill.

Thank you, Chair. And Members. On behalf of Senator Becker, I am presenting SB 803.

This Bill will close two loopholes in government code that allow property service companies contracting with state agencies to pay their workers below industry standards. Existing law requires state contractors to compensate property service workers, a classification that includes janitors, custodians and security officers at at least 85% of the corresponding civil service positions. This law was introduced to protect these workers wages, but there are two exceptions to the requirement that leave workers vulnerable.

First, the government code does not specify which pay step to use when calculating these wages. So contracts are negotiated at 85% of the entry level value for state employees, regardless of experience. Second, contracts are exempted from the requirement if the state entity does not occupy the entire building where the company will provide services.

Buildings with a privately operated property management office, coffee cart, cafeteria, or even ATM are exempted from the requirement opening the door for property service companies to pay their workers far below industry standards. These workers, a majority of whom are people of color, are among the lowest paid workers in the state and at high risk for wage theft. This bill will improve protections and close those loopholes, and property service workers provide essential services to the state and they owe our respect as well as ensuring that they receive wages that at a bare minimum, reflect industry standards.

Here to testify in support is Joy Hunt, security officer at the Legislative Council Office and Sandra Barreiro, government relations advocate for SEIU.

Good morning. As a reminder, two primary witnesses in support will have three minutes each to speak. Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Chair and esteemed members. My name is Joy Hunt. I'm a security officer and a Member of SEIU USWW.

I've been a security officer at the Legislative Data Center for five years. I'm 63 years old. I have four children, four grandchildren and a brand new great grandbaby.

My role as a security officer is to enforce rules, maintain order and serve as a helpful and approachable presence for anyone and everyone entering my building. I help legislative employees feel safe and supported, and I often interact with the homeless population. I treat everyone with as much compassion as possible, even when I'm telling them they can't use the bathroom in the building.

I sympathize with anybody who struggles, partly because I was once homeless myself. I was homeless when I worked at City Hall, although nobody could tell just by looking. Now I'm fortunate enough to just be housing insecure, but it shouldn't be that way.

I work full time serving public employees and because of loopholes in the law, I'm paid well below industry standard. I shouldn't have to choose between paying my rent and buying my blood pressure medicine or paying my rent and paying my utilities. I have a coworker who's 25 years old who also works full time.

He struggles with the same choices that I am. He's always hoping to pick up extra shifts to make sure he can at least afford to eat. We're 38 years apart, yet we're experiencing the same issues.

To fix the homelessness crises, we need to make sure that working people like myself and my coworkers can afford to pay rent. SB 803 will fix the loopholes in existing laws. So we're paid industry standard.

It's just a few dollars more per hour. But to us, it's the freedom that comes when you don't have to worry about your basic necessities. I respectfully request your aye vote.

Thank you so much for allowing me to speak this morning and go Sac.

Good morning. Madam Chair and Members. Sandra Barreiro on behalf of SEIU, California, I'd like to thank Ms. Joy and Assembly Member Haney for their comments and I'll align myself with what was already said. I am available to answer any questions and I respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there others remaining in support? If so, please come to the microphone and state your name and your organization.

Good morning. My name is Jose Luis Pavon, political organizer for SEIU USWW. And I support. Thank you

Hi, good morning. Daniel Schoorl, Legislative Advocate with SEIU Local 1000 in support.

Thank you. Are there any others remaining in support? If so, please come up. Hearing and seeing no others in support, we'll call on opposition to come forward.

Seeing no other opposition, are there any others? Seeing no opposition, we'll bring it back to the Members. Members, are there any questions? Yes, Assembly Member Addis.

I just want to say thank you, Joy and Jose, for taking your time and coming here. It's one of the reasons I actually really enjoy this committee. It's one of my favorites, is when we get to hear issues like this and make a difference. And it really is because you have the bravery to come and testify like this. And so thank you for your work as well.

Any others? Well, I'd just like to say thank you so much for coming and testifying. You're absolutely right. No one that works full time and works to serve the public should not be able to afford housing. And so I'm recommending an aye vote. We have a motion by Addis and a second by Nguyen. Secretary, please call the motion.

The motion is due, passed, and re referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

McKinnor? Aye. McKinnor, aye. Lackey? Not voting. Lackey, not voting. Addis? Aye. Addis, aye. Vince Fong? Not voting. Vince Fong, not voting. Haney? Aye. Haney, aye. Stephanie Nguyen? Aye. Stephanie Nguyen, Aye. Lee? place this bill on call.

Can I also say something to close?

I'm sorry I didn't let you close. I apologize.

No, I also wanted to thank Ms. Joy and tell her how much we appreciate what she does and what we do here in this building and working on the behalf of the people we represent couldn't happen without you and your colleagues and appreciate you sharing the way that you do your job and the integrity and compassion you do it with.

And also want to congratulate you on your new great grandbaby. And thank you so much for being here. Thank you.

Thank you.

Pass.

Thank you.

Item number one SB. 327. That Bill currently has five votes.

Lackey? Aye. Lackey, aye.

Item number one, consent calendar, SB 327. The current vote is 6-0. Lee? Aye. Lee, aye. That vote, that bill is out seven to zero. Item number three SB 803. Current vote is four to zero. Lee? Aye. Lee, aye. That vote is five to zero. That Bill is out.

We're adjourned. Thank you.