BILL NUMBER:  AB 1133
  VETOED	DATE: 10/14/2003




To Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1133 without my signature.

This bill provides that if a judgment for unpaid wages or penalties
remains unsatisfied for 6 months after the judgment becomes final, a
penalty equal to the amount of the judgment is applied. This penalty
is then applied every 6 months the judgment remains unsatisfied, up
to a maximum of 4 times.

This bill is intended to encourage employers to promptly satisfy
judgments entered against them by the Labor Commissioners Office.
However, existing law already provides that interest on judgments
accrues at a rate of 10 percent per annum on the principal amount of
a judgment, which remains unsatisfied.

I applaud the author for his efforts to ensure prompt payment of
unpaid wages and any associated penalties.  While the current 10
percent per annum rate on a judgment may not be a sufficient penalty,
potentially doubling a judgment 240 percent in a two-year period is
excessive.  I encourage the Legislature to find a more appropriate
penalty scheme.

For these reasons, I am unable to sign this bill.

Sincerely,



GRAY DAVIS