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By: @Aaron Avery

Two employment-related measures opposed by CSDA are awaiting signature or veto by Governor Gavin Newsom by September 30. CSDA encourages special districts and others to request a veto on these bills that would adversely affect local government services.

CSDA achieved significant success this year advocating against onerous employment-related legislation that would have adversely affected local government services (See: CSDA Scores Major Legislative Wins on Employment Measures). However, two costly bills opposed by CSDA have reached the Governor’s desk.

SB 399 (Wahab) Employer communications: intimidation.

This bill would, with narrow exceptions, prohibit employers from taking action against employees who decline to participate in employer-sponsored meetings or receive communications, the purpose of which is to share the employer’s opinion about political or religious matters. CSDA is leading a local government coalition with an oppose position on the bill because of its unique impacts on local government workplaces where routine activities may be regarded as political matters.

CSDA remains opposed to SB 399 notwithstanding recent amendments to add an exception for certain public entity communications to their employees. Exceptions in the bill are too narrow to satisfactorily address the risks associated with routine government meetings and employee engagement.

You can read CSDA’s letter requesting a veto HERE. 

AB 2561 (McKinnor) Local public employees: vacant positions.

This bill would require every local agency (even agencies without represented workforces) to present the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts during a public hearing before the governing board at least once per fiscal year. The recognized employee organization for a bargaining unit shall be entitled to make a presentation at the public hearing at which the public agency presents the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts for positions within that bargaining unit. Agencies with high vacancy rates of 20 percent or more of the total number of authorized full-time positions shall, upon request by the recognized employee organization, provide additional detailed information at the public hearing, as specified.

CSDA believes that requiring local agencies to meet to discuss employment vacancies will divert local agencies’ resources without resolving the root causes of vacancies. The bill requires this meeting to occur every year and applies to all local agencies (cities, counties, and thousands of special districts) regardless of an agency’s vacancy rates.

You can read CSDA’s letter requesting a veto HERE.

Special districts wishing to request Governor Newsom veto SB 399 or AB 2561 should send separate letters with the subject lines “Request for Veto: SB 399 (Wahab)” and “Request for Veto: AB 2561 (McKinnor)” respectively to:

The Honorable Gavin Newsom

Governor, State of California

1021 O St., Ste. 9000

Sacramento, CA 95814

Effective veto request letters are respectful and concise and may utilize the talking points from this article.

Please email the Governor’s Legislative Unit with a copy of each of your letters to Leg.Unit@gov.ca.gov, and copy CSDA at advocacy@csda.net.

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