What California lawmakers sent to Newsom for COVID-19: PPE, unemployment and tax breaks
The California Legislature at the end of its 2020 session this week sent more than a dozen bills aimed at addressing the coronavirus pandemic to Gov. Gavin Newsom, including protections for renters that are intended to minimize evictions.
The virus has infected more than 700,000 residents, strained the healthcare system, and put millions of Californians out of work. With no vaccine yet available, it’s unclear how long coronavirus will upend normal life.
Newsom signed one of the biggest bills of the night, the eviction relief measure, just two hours after lawmakers sent it to him. The bill was urgent because the state’s coronavirus eviction ban was scheduled to expire at midnight on Tuesday, and eviction proceedings could have restarted as early as Wednesday.
Assembly Bill 3088 provides five months of relief for some renters who’ve experienced the worst of COVID-19-related financial distress. It holds that tenants do not have to immediately repay rent they missed between March and August, although landlords will be able to sue them to recover the money beginning in March 2021.
Newsom called for more help from the federal government when he announced he signed the law. As many as 4 million Californians are believed to be at risk of eviction because of unpaid rent.
“California is stepping up to protect those most at-risk because of COVID-related nonpayment, but it’s just a bridge to a more permanent solution once the federal government finally recognizes its role in stabilizing the housing market,” he said.
Here’s what else the Legislature sent to Newsom for the state’s battle with the coronavirus:
Wages, work, and retirement accounts
The Legislature in a new budget bill set aside up to $100 million to spur hiring in small businesses by offering them tax credits if they add workers to their payroll by Nov. 30. Senate Bill 1447 by Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, would offer companies $1,000 for each employee they hire.
Another bill going to Newsom would raise the size of loans individuals can take out of their retirement funds from $50,000 to $100,000, conforming to recent changes in federal law. The goal of Assembly Bill 276 by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, is to allow individuals to take out more money without penalties typically associated with $100,000 withdrawals.
Assembly Bill 3216, introduced by Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, requires employers who operate a hotel, private club, event center, airport hospitality or service, janitorial service, building maintenance or security service to give preference to laid off employees when rehiring.
Lawmakers also moved to expand work-sharing plans — allowing employees the chance to work in some capacity while supplementing their income with unemployment benefits.
Work-sharing programs allow an employer to submit a plan to the state detailing a reduction in hours for a specified number of workers, in exchange for that employer avoiding layoffs. This way, workers are allowed to continue to receive health benefits, but also have the ability to apply for unemployment benefits to supplement their lowered wages. Employers are in turn able to cut costs during economic downturns without laying anyone off.
Assembly Bill 1731 by Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath, D-Encinitas, orders the Employment Development Department to consider all work-sharing plans to be approved for 12 months if the plan is submitted between September 15, 2020 and September 1, 2023.
Protection for workers
Under Senate Bill 1159, workers who die or become ill due the coronavirus are eligible to receive workers compensation. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, creates a presumption that a peace officer, firefighter, or other frontline worker who contracts the coronavirus did so via a workplace exposure. Other workers are also eligible for compensation if their employer experienced a coronavirus outbreak.
Assembly Bill 685, by Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-San Bernardino, mandates employers notify their workers in the case of potential COVID-19 exposure.
A stockpile of PPE
The Legislature on Monday passed a bill allocating $250 million for the Department of Public Health to create a personal protective equipment stockpile that could be used in the event of another pandemic or medical emergency. The bill requires the state to gather enough supplies for a 90-day pandemic. Health care employers, like hospitals and nursing homes, would be required to maintain their own 45-day supply.
If Newsom signs the bill, the Department of Public Health and the Office of Emergency Services would have one year to acquire such a stockpile. Health care employers will have until 2023 to do so. If a hospital or other facility fails to maintain enough PPE sufficient for a 45-day pandemic surge, they could face a $25,000 violation fine.
Farmworker relief package and more
If signed by the governor, California would be the first state to approve a farmerworker COVID-19 relief package, according to Assemblyman Robert Rivas, D-Hollister. The Legislature passed the three bills included in Rivas’ relief package, related to expanding telehealth and electronic filing of court documents. The key piece of legislation in the package, AB 2034, directs the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to share information on preventing COVID-19 to agricultural employees. The state is also supposed to compile information about investigations into conditions, practices, injuries or illnesses.
Rivas said farmworkers are living and working in crowded conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to the virus.
“This year, we have seen farmworkers putting their health and, indeed, their lives on the line to help keep us fed during this pandemic,” he said in a statement. “They have continued to work day-after-day despite the threat of illness or death from the virus.”
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "What California lawmakers sent to Newsom for COVID-19: PPE, unemployment and tax breaks."