BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 556
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 8, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                    AB 556 (Salas) - As Amended:  April 11, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                               
          JudiciaryVote:10-0
                        Labor                                   7-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill prohibits employment discrimination against all active  
          duty service people and veterans of the armed forces, pursuant  
          to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Specifically,  
          this bill adds "military and veteran status," to the list of  
          categories protected from discrimination under the act by  
          employers, labor organizations and employment agencies with  
          respect to all aspects of employment and membership in a labor  
          union.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          The Department of Fair Employment and Housing anticipates that  
          costs related to investigation of additional complaints filed  
          under the FEHA will be minor and absorbable.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  . This measure expands existing legal prohibitions  
          regarding job discrimination against active and former members  
          of the military by adding "military and veteran status" to the  
          classes protected by the FEHA.  Because active members of the  
          military are covered by existing state law, the primary  
          expansion of coverage appears to be the inclusion of veterans,  
          who although protected against job discrimination under federal  
          law, are not similarly protected under state law. Supporters  
          (several veterans' organizations) maintain that existing  
          protections are inadequate, and note that veterans on average  
          suffer much higher rates of unemployment than many other groups,  
          despite the existing state and federal veterans hiring  








                                                                  AB 556
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          preferences. In addition to bringing veterans within the classes  
          protected against employment discrimination, the primary effect  
          of adding military and veteran status to the FEHA would be to  
          cover not only employers but also labor organizations and  
          employment agencies and to broaden the types of prohibited  
          discrimination.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081