By Ward Scheitrum

Minimum Wage increase for 2007 & 2008

Did you know the first minimum wage increase in California occurred in 1916 for a whooping sixteen cents ($ 0.16)?  Wow, while making sixteen cents an hour in 1916 you could still afford to feed a family of four!  Today, we can’t even purchase a postage stamp for that price.  Now, some 24 minimum wage increases later we are on our way to become the national wage leader again.  The time has come to raise our pay in California.  Effective January 01, 2007, the minimum wage for California will be no less than $7.50.  Click on the link below to print out a free copy of the new minimum poster for your workplace.  Use  8.5" x 14" paper for printing and posting. http://www.dir.ca.gov/IWC/Minwage2007.pdf or to access a free supply on many of California posting requirements go to:http://www.dir.ca.gov/wp.asp

Heat Stress

Well, just when you thought they finalized the Heat Stress regulation for California you may not know that they are planning to extend the regulation to indoor occupations.  We will keep you posted.  In the meantime, don’t forget to develop your heat stress policy and keep training your employees in relation to heat stress.  For more information on heat stress click on the link below.http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/HeatIllnessInfo.html

California State Council of SHRM, Legislative Conference, Sacramento, April 23rd and 24th. Don’t forget to mark you calendars for April 23rd & 24th.  The California State Council of SHRM will host their very successful annual Legislative Conference in Sacramento.  Terry Kolasa will be the 2007 State Council President.  Terry is a former president of the PIHRA Chapter (with over 5,000 SHRM members).  He and the 2007 Board are working hard to develop an outstanding program.  This conference also offers an excellent opportunity for our chapter members to network with other California HR professionals.  Both Manjit Muhar and Ward Scheitrum serve on the State Council.  We would like addition representatives from our area. 

New California Statewide HR Certification (first in the nation)

At the California State Council of SHRM Legislative Conference, we will be offering the only state sponsored HR certification offered in the nation.  California has partnered with SRHM and HRCI to offer the first ever state level HR certification.   The exam is expected to be held during the conference and will be a paper and pencil test.  This exam is completely separate of the HRCI & SHRM national exams for the PHR, SPHR & GPHR.  So, why is California offering this new exam?  In part, because the labor/safety regulations in California are so numerous and complicated.  This was a method to protect the interests of HR practitioners and industries in California.   By offering this certification, businesses will be able to hire HR professionals who have demonstrated experience and knowledge with California laws.  We will keep you posted on this new certification and testing information.

2007 SHRM Employment Law & Legislative Conference

On March 12 -14, 2007, SHRM will host their conference at the Capitol Hilton, Washington, DC.  To see more on this conference visit: http://www.shrm.org/conferences/leg/ or for more information on SHRM Governmental Affairs webpage visit:http://www.shrm.org/government/

What's new for 2007?

In addition to minimum wage, the California Legislature passed and the Governor approved several other laws affecting employment during the 2006 session. The California Chamber of Commerce has prepared a summary, which can be viewed at the link below. http://www.calchamber.com/HRC/News/LaborLawArticles/WhatsNew/NewLawsfor2007.htm

Download the list of your 2007 Legislators

Are you looking for information on pending legislation? Do you want to contact your State Senator or Assemblyman? Do you want to review information on California Labor Standards? Below are some useful links to websites providing an abundance of information.

California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/

Look up labor code, the California Code of Regulations, read DLSE opinion letters

California State Assembly Site
http://www.assembly.ca.gov

Click on “legislation” and make comments on pending bills

From this site you can also:

Find your representative if you’re unsure of who it is.
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset7text.htm

Find a list of Assembly Committees and links to their members
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset8text.asp

California State Senate Site
http://www.senate.ca.gov/

Look up your State Senator from this site

Find a list of Senate Committees and links to their members
http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/committees/committees.htp

Useful links state and federal legislative information at:
www.SHRM.org/government

The California Chamber of Commerce website www.calchamber.com under “Products and Services, subcategory “Legislative Advocacy,” provides links, sample letters and the Chamber’s position on pending legislation.

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW
 
1. Idea
All legislation begins as an idea. Ideas can come from anyone. The process begins when someone persuades a Senator or Assembly member to author a bill.
 
A Legislator, who acts as the author, sends the idea and language for the bill to the Legislative Counsel where it is drafted into the actual bill. The drafted bill is returned to the Legislator for introduction.
 
2. First Reading
A bill's first reading is when the Clerk reads the bill number, the name of the author, and the descriptive title of the bill. The bill is then sent electronically to the Office of State Printing. A bill must be in print for 30 days, giving time for public review, before it can be acted on.
 
3. Committee Hearings
The bill then goes to the Senate or Assembly Rules Committee where it is assigned to the appropriate policy committee for its first hearing. Bills are assigned according to subject area. During the hearing the author presents the bill, people testify in support or opposition of the bill, and the committee acts on the bill. The committee can pass the bill, pass the bill as amended, or defeat the bill. It takes a majority vote of the membership of the committee to pass a bill. Bills that require money must also be heard in the Fiscal Committee, Senate and Assembly appropriations.
 
4. Second Reading
Bills passed by committees are read a second time in the house of origin and then placed in the Daily File for third reading.
 
5. Third Reading
When a bill is read the third time it is explained by the author, discussed by the Members and voted on by a rollcall vote. Bills which require money, or which take effect immediately, require 27 votes in the Senate and 52 votes in the Assembly. All other bills require 21 votes in the Senate and 41 votes in the Assembly.
 
Once the House of origin approves the bill it proceeds to the other House where steps 1-5 are repeated.
 
If a bill is amended in the second House, it must go back to the House of origin for concurrence, which is agreement on the amendments. If agreement cannot be reached, the bill moves to a two house conference committee to resolve differences. Three members of the committee are from the Senate and three are from the Assembly. If a compromise is reached, the conference report is voted upon in both houses.
 
6. Governor
The bill then goes to the Governor. The Governor has three choices. He or she can sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without his or her signature or veto it. A governor's veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both houses. Most bills go into effect on January 1 of the next year. Urgency measures take effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor and chaptered by the Secretary of State.
 
7. Secretary of State
Bills to become law are sent to the Secretary of State for final review for accuracy. Each bill is given a chapter number and the Secretary of State stamps it with the Great Seal of the State of California.

These summaries are intended as general information, and should not be construed as legal advice or opinions, or as a substitute for the advice of an attorney.