The California Chamber of Commerce has released its annual list of "job killer" bills list, which identifies the negative impact that proposed state measures would have on California's competitiveness and job climate if they were to become law.
CalChamber also unveiled a new website, CAJobKillers.com, that allows interested parties to keep track of the proposals under consideration by the state legislature.
The initial list, unveiled last month, included 23 bills (several were added afterward).
Allan Zaremberg, President and CEO of the California Chamber, said the proposed laws,”threaten to create further hardships and costs for private sector job creators in a time of unprecedented unemployment.”
Barriers to Economic Recovery
AB 1543: Increases the cost of state contracts. Prohibits state and local governments from contracting with many businesses that use component parts and materials from other countries in construction projects and to manufacture goods.
AB 1897: Requires that general plans incorporate concepts related to healthy food access and urban agriculture.
AB 1963: Imposes a new sales-and-use-tax base on numerous services, disadvantaging California businesses that will not benefit by the proposed reduction in other tax rates.
AB 2517: Allows employees to file liens on an employer's real property or any other person's real property where work was performed for unproven wage claims.
AB 2540: Imposes a new sales-and-use-tax base on numerous services.
SB 950: Forces taxpayers to overpay their taxes in order to avoid severe penalties.
SB 1470: Allows all borrowers, including strategic defaulters and investors, to abuse the loan modification process to forestall legitimate foreclosures.
Costly Workplace Mandates
AB 1313: Removes the existing overtime exemption allowed for agricultural employers.
AB 1439: Indexes the minimum wage rate upwards according to the percentage of inflation even during an economic downturn.
AB 1450: Subjects employers to charges of discrimination for inquiring into an applicant's employment history.
AB 1808: Expands the definition of "public employee" to include employees of any private employer where a public agency "shares" in the employment decisions of those private employees.
AB 1999: Expands the Fair Employment and Housing Act to include a protected classification for any person who is, who will be, or who is perceived as a family caregiver.
AB 2039: Expands the category of individuals with serious health conditions for whom an employee can take a leave of absence.
AB 2217: Discourages businesses from even locating a call center in California by requiring the business to adhere to overreaching mandates.
Expensive, Unnecessary
Regulatory Burdens
AB 2424: Increases costs of timber production by changing the state's forestry goals to give equal consideration to each public need when reviewing forestry operations, including Timber Harvest Plans.
SB 568: Bans all food vendors from using polystyrene foam food service containers.
Fuel Price Increases
AB 1532/ AB 2404/ SB 535/SB 1572: Increases energy costs, including fuel prices, on consumers and businesses by allocating funds to various programs that are not necessary to implement the market-based trading mechanism under AB 32.
Inflated Liability Costs
AB 1208: Decentralizes control of trial court funds.
AB 2149: Allows the sharing of certain information contained in settlement agreements.
SB 1528: Allows an injured party to recover expenses never actually incurred.
CalChamber also unveiled a new website, CAJobKillers.com, that allows interested parties to keep track of the proposals under consideration by the state legislature.
The initial list, unveiled last month, included 23 bills (several were added afterward).
Allan Zaremberg, President and CEO of the California Chamber, said the proposed laws,”threaten to create further hardships and costs for private sector job creators in a time of unprecedented unemployment.”
Barriers to Economic Recovery
AB 1543: Increases the cost of state contracts. Prohibits state and local governments from contracting with many businesses that use component parts and materials from other countries in construction projects and to manufacture goods.
AB 1897: Requires that general plans incorporate concepts related to healthy food access and urban agriculture.
AB 1963: Imposes a new sales-and-use-tax base on numerous services, disadvantaging California businesses that will not benefit by the proposed reduction in other tax rates.
AB 2517: Allows employees to file liens on an employer's real property or any other person's real property where work was performed for unproven wage claims.
AB 2540: Imposes a new sales-and-use-tax base on numerous services.
SB 950: Forces taxpayers to overpay their taxes in order to avoid severe penalties.
SB 1470: Allows all borrowers, including strategic defaulters and investors, to abuse the loan modification process to forestall legitimate foreclosures.
Costly Workplace Mandates
AB 1313: Removes the existing overtime exemption allowed for agricultural employers.
AB 1439: Indexes the minimum wage rate upwards according to the percentage of inflation even during an economic downturn.
AB 1450: Subjects employers to charges of discrimination for inquiring into an applicant's employment history.
AB 1808: Expands the definition of "public employee" to include employees of any private employer where a public agency "shares" in the employment decisions of those private employees.
AB 1999: Expands the Fair Employment and Housing Act to include a protected classification for any person who is, who will be, or who is perceived as a family caregiver.
AB 2039: Expands the category of individuals with serious health conditions for whom an employee can take a leave of absence.
AB 2217: Discourages businesses from even locating a call center in California by requiring the business to adhere to overreaching mandates.
Expensive, Unnecessary
Regulatory Burdens
AB 2424: Increases costs of timber production by changing the state's forestry goals to give equal consideration to each public need when reviewing forestry operations, including Timber Harvest Plans.
SB 568: Bans all food vendors from using polystyrene foam food service containers.
Fuel Price Increases
AB 1532/ AB 2404/ SB 535/SB 1572: Increases energy costs, including fuel prices, on consumers and businesses by allocating funds to various programs that are not necessary to implement the market-based trading mechanism under AB 32.
Inflated Liability Costs
AB 1208: Decentralizes control of trial court funds.
AB 2149: Allows the sharing of certain information contained in settlement agreements.
SB 1528: Allows an injured party to recover expenses never actually incurred.