BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




          Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary

                                AB 1127  (Steinberg)

Hearing Date:9/3/99             Amended:8/25/99 and as  
proposed
                                                             
         to be amended              
Consultant: Lisa Matocq         Policy Vote:Pub Saf 4-2
____________________________________________________________ 

BILL SUMMARY:   AB 1127 makes various changes to the  
California Occupational Safety and Health Act (Cal-OSHA)  
relating to enforcement, civil and criminal penalties.  
  
                         Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
 Major Provisions        1999-2000             2000-01               2001-02         
  Fund  

DIR administration          Unknown increased costs, potentially several        
 General
and enforcement/            million annually, probably more than offset by
civil penalties and         increased fine and penalty revenue in the 
fine revenue              multimillions annually
Incarceration             Unknown increased costs, probably under $150     
General
                 annually 
Penalties against      Unknown increased costs, potentially $1,000         
General/
public entities             annually*              Local
*Some unknown, probably not substantial, portion will be Prop. 98

STAFF COMMENTS:   This bill was heard on 9/1/99 and put  
over for the purpose of reviewing the amendments.  It is up  
for VOTE ONLY today.  This bill, among other things:

 increases various civil and criminal penalties for  
  violations of Cal-OSHA standards or orders, as specified,
 except as otherwise specified for school districts,  
  school boards, and public colleges and universities,  
  eliminates the public agency exemption from OSHA  
  penalties, 
 changes the definition of serious violation, as  
  specified,
 codifies regulations establishing responsibility for a  
  violation of a safety standard in a multi-employer  










  worksite, as specified, 
 extends the statute of limitations from 30-days to six  
  months to file a complaint with the Labor Commisioner for  
  alleged retaliation for reporting an unsafe condition, or  
  for refusing to work in unsafe conditions, and
 makes related changes.

According to the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR),  
the increased costs of administration and enforcement are  
more than offset by the significant increases in civil  
penalty and fine revenues.  There are unknown increased  
costs for incarceration in state prison, but probably under  
$150,000 annually since the L.A. County District Attorney's  
Office could only identify one conviction last year for the  
existing misdemeanor offenses.  It would take 8 prison  
admissions to exceed annual incarceration costs of $150,000