Davis signed SB90, by Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Martinez, which makes landlords provide receipts and documents related to charges deducted from renter's security deposit.Posted on 09/11/2003 7:19:34 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO – Most state workers and employees of certain companies that do business with the state would have to be paid a "living wage" of at least $10 an hour under legislation sent to Gov. Gray Davis yesterday.
The measure by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Santa Clara, was given final approval by the Assembly on a 43-33 vote that accepted Senate amendments to the legislation.
Under the bill, certain companies that sign state contracts of $50,000 or more would have to pay their employees at least $10 an hour if they also provided the workers with health insurance.
For companies with no health coverage, the minimum wage would be $12 an hour.
The wage requirement would be adjusted each year to reflect inflation.
The bill includes a number of exemptions, including current contracts and contracts for janitorial, housekeeping, window washing and security services if the wages were at least 85 percent of comparable state pay.
It also would exempt companies that sign union contracts with their employees.
Republicans charged the bill was designed to raise the minimum wage to $10 in California and that it would cost jobs.
Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, said a similar "living wage" ordinance adopted by the city of Los Angeles helped the economy and didn't result in a shortage of bids for city contracts.
Also yesterday, prospective foster parents will get more anti-discrimination training under a bill signed by Davis requiring them to respect the race, ethnicity, religion and sexual preference of foster care children.
The bill's author, Assemblywoman Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, said the bill will protect 250,000 foster children from living in homes where they're singled out, insulted or assaulted based on their backgrounds. It also makes foster parents watch training presentations about the state's anti-discrimination law.
Republicans objected to the bill earlier this year, calling it part of a social agenda to advance gay rights, and predicted the bill would cause a greater shortage of foster parents.
Opponents said most foster parents have faith-based households and believe homosexuality is wrong.
"Discrimination, in any form, humiliates people and foster children are especially vulnerable to this," Davis said.
In other legislative action yesterday:
Davis signed SB90, by Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Martinez, which makes landlords provide receipts and documents related to charges deducted from renter's security deposit.
The governor signed SB515, by Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, which limits frivolous lawsuits filed by corporations against consumers.
The Assembly sent to the Senate SB892, by Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City, which requires public and private schools to meet maintenance standards for restrooms. It also allows the state to withhold funds from schools that fail to keep bathrooms clean.
The Senate passed and sent to the Assembly AB1340, by Assemblywoman Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, which requires oil refiners, producers and operators to submit weekly rather than monthly reports to California Energy Commission about inventory levels, imports and exports.
The Senate also passed and sent to the Assembly AB455, by Chu, which bans by 2006 packaging materials that include lead, cadmium, mercury or hexavalent chromium.
Seems the goal in the "living wage" proposals, even if they fail, is just to garner votes.
Amazing.
Not looking for an argument, just info.
All this bill will do is drive up the wage base for minimum wage jobs, thereby making it more attractive to hire illegal aliens at lower wages and no benefits. Americans at the lower end of the wage scale will be squeezed out of more jobs. It will also encourage more employers to throw in the towel and either fold or move.
But that's OK. It gets the Socialists more votes, throws more Americans on government assistance, sends more money to Mexico, increases the job base for illegal aliens and increases resentment and discord here at home (which they can continue to demogogue).
All in all, it's a win-win for the Dems!
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