Posted on 09/10/2011 7:48:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
California is still a land of political surprises--outlandish, foolish, and mischievous ones. Consider the latest:
The state legislature is about to pass a bill (AB 889) requiring that adult babysitters (age 18 and up) be paid the minimum wage, overtime pay and worker's compensation insurance. In addition, they must have a break every two hours, plus a meal break. This means parents will have to hire two babysitters at the same time, one on duty, the other to take over during the breaks. It's the Nanny State run wild, for the sitters would have to keep time sheets and the parents who engage them would have to issue paychecks, keep payroll records, and pay an employer's share of payroll taxes. Outraged parents in the state have dubbed it "The Babysitter Bill."
Governor Jerry Brown announced recently that before any new state regulation can go into effect it must be analyzed for its potential impact on the state's economy in order to make sure it is justified. Guess who does the analyzing? The regulators who promulgated it.
In the mischievous category is an idea being considered by the Democrats' large majorities in the legislature. It would move all initiatives (of which California usually has several in every election) to November. This would not be done out of some philosophical constitutional concern, but rather to help defeat a pending initiative that would bar unions from collecting political funds through members' payroll deductions. The Dems think that if the initiative gathers enough signatures this fall it could appear on next June's ballot when there will be less interest in the uncontested Democratic presidential primary than in the hotly contested Republican one.
Moving it to November would mean a bigger Democratic voter turnout--or so they think.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
We called about this, and it’s met with major resistance, and has been shelved indefinitely.
It’s too bad bills have to be that obviously destructive to meet with public resistance. The Golden State is full of laws that are no less destructive, just not as obviously.
Babysitting consists largely of watching TV, raiding the fridge, and not making any stupid decisions. If the babysitter took a break from not making any stupid decisions, she would qualify to be in the California Legislature!
I imagine AB 889 will be a boom for the under 18 crowd and a bust for everyone else.
Why would anyone still live in this 3rd world hellhole of a state?
Sounds like Slow Joe Biden and the Mobster Trumka had their fingers in making this one up. Sounds like babysitter unions in the near future.
HEY, SKYPE is the answer, tell the kids to sit in front of the computer, have them call their grandparents..and the grandparents remotely can keep an eye on the kids and save all of this bickering. That’s what we do.
It's not a hellhole. California is fantastic, with outstanding weather and an extremely diverse environment. The problem is that a bunch of nutballs moved here from elsewhere and have enacted a lot of stupid polices.
good grief! just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, they sink to new levels!
What? They didn’t call for a babysitters union?
When I used to look at photographs in National Geographic of ancient civilization ruins that were abandoned it was a mystery to me “where did they go, what happened”? It’s pretty obvious now!
California is lost.
Mentally, spiritually, morally, to bad Growing up there was a lot of fun.
The same posters played the same Alinksy tactics.
I guess the babysitter could lock the kids in the closet while she takes her break.
Not only will it kill baby sitting, it will kill entertainment.
The union already exists. They just need this to re-classify adult babysitters as ‘Home Healthcare Providers’. Then automatically sign them up in SEIU.
I know! I know! Take your kids to your entertainment in California! Kids of all ages should be welcome in any eating establishment!
Seriously, how many people 18 or older are still baby-sitting?
it is an idiot bill, but so is one gil bil’s latest addition to the dream act
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.