BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 702
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 10, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 702
(McGuire) - As Amended August 3, 2016
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Policy |Labor and Employment |Vote:|7 - 0 |
|Committee: | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill extends the sunset date by five years on an exemption
from child labor laws that allows minors to work additional
hours in agricultural packing plants during peak harvest season
in Lake County. Specifically, this bill:
1)Extends an exemption for specified agricultural packing plants
in Lake County to employ minors that are 16 or 17 years of age
to work for up to 10 hours per day, and more than 48 hours
(but not more than 60 hours) per week, during harvest season
when school is not in session to January 1, 2022.
SB 702
Page 2
2)Requires the Labor Commissioner (LC), on or before November 1,
2020, to issue a written report to the Legislature on the
general working conditions of minors employed in the
agricultural packing industry from October 1, 2016 to October
1, 2020.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor/absorbable costs to the Department of Industrial Relations
to implement the reporting requirements of this bill. Prior
legislation to extend the sunset date on this exemption has
required the Labor Commissioner to issue a similar report on the
general working conditions of minors employed in the
agricultural packing industry.
COMMENTS:
1)Background. California's child labor laws generally prohibit
any employer from employing a minor 16 or 17 years of age for
more than 8 hours in one day or more than 48 hours in one
week. However, for the past two decades California law has
contained a special exemption for agricultural packing plants
in Lake County. The exemption for minors working in
agricultural packing plants in Lake County was originally
enacted in 1996.
2)Purpose. Supporters of this bill state this sunset extension
is necessary to allow the agricultural industry in Lake County
to address labor shortage during harvest time each year in
August. The pear-packing season lasts only four to six weeks
and coincides with an increase in tourism, which is considered
the other large industry in Lake County. With both tourism
and agriculture at peak activity, supporters state the
SB 702
Page 3
available labor pool is severely limited. They state that the
packing work exemption for minors in Lake County has mitigated
this shortage and provided significant economic benefits to
teens and families. There is no registered opposition to this
bill.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081