Thursday, March 28, 2024

Election Analysis Based on Unofficial Results. Results will be certified by April 12, 2024

Prop 1 Won by a Thread

It is passing by just 27,218 votes out of over 7.3 million cast. But the fallout is interesting. While Gavin Newsom called the win “huge,” two Orange County cities – Newport Beach and Huntington Beach – have severed ties with the California League of Cities over the League's support of Prop 1. Proposition 1 allows for a by right, streamlined approval process for developments funded by the bond. Developments that fall under the category of behavioral health treatment residential settings and drug addiction treatment facilities are included. If projects meet criteria and receive funding through the bond, cities can apply objective design standards to these projects. Still, they will otherwise be limited in slowing down or stopping a project from being constructed.

You can see the Secretary of State election reporting here.

Close Races

In CD-16 (San Mateo), former mayor Sam Licardo holds the top slot for the November run-off. Assembly Member Evan Low and Supervisor (and former Assembly Member, former State Senator) Joe Simitian are dueling for number two. As of March 26, only two votes separate the two in what will be a D-on-D race later this year. Both sides have said they’d expect a re-count. This is a D+37 district, so Licardo is probably disappointed that two Republicans were on the March ballot, splitting the R vote.

In CD-45 (Fountain Valley), Michelle Steel (R) is in first place, and two Democrats are fighting to run against her in November. About 200 votes separate Kim Bernice Nguyen-Penaloza and Derek Tran in this D+5.2 district. Steel defeated Democrat Jay Chen by under 5% in 2022, and the DCCC placed CD45 on its 2024 target list.

In AD-2, Republican Michael Greer came out on top with 27% of the vote. But in this D+28 district consisting of Trinity, Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties and portions of Sonoma County, he doesn’t stand a chance against likely second-place finisher, Santa Rosa Councilmember Chris Rogers.

In AD-6 (Sacramento), Maggy Krell will defeat the likely second-place finisher in this D+30 Assembly seat being vacated by Kevin McCarty, who, for some reason, wants to return to the Sacramento City Council he left to run for Assembly in 2014. McCarty came in second in his race for mayor and will face novice politician Dr. Flojaune Cofer. Flo promises to “solve our homelessness and housing crisis, make our streets safer, and create thousands of quality jobs while protecting our climate.” That may be tough in a city facing a $60 million deficit in a strong economy.

In AD-8 (Fresno), two Republicans, former Representative George Radanovich and David Tangipa, will face off in November. The big question is where the Democrats who supported Caleb Helsel will go. Will they stay home?

In AD-58 (San Bernardino and Riverside Counties), which Democrat will face Republican Leticia Castillo in November? About 200 votes separate Ronaldo Fierro and Clarissa Cervantes in this D+18 district. Cervantes is the Riverside Council sister of incumbent Sabrina Cervantes, who decided to move up to the “bigs,” thus giving her sister a shot at moving to Sacramento. Sis may have hurt her chance with two DUIs, but maybe voters in the district are willing to forgive and forget – kind of like Dave Min in CD-47. Ok, Dave only has one DUI.

In AD-75, former Republican San Diego Councilmember (there were Republicans on the San Diego City Council?) Carl DeMaio ended up with 43% of the vote and will face either Republican Andrew Hayes or Democrat Kevin Juza. Only 600 votes separate those two in the R+11 district. Hayes had a lock on the seat until DeMaio entered the race.

___

2024 OFCCP Certification Cycle Announced

In 2022, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) began requiring that federal contractors and subcontractors subject to the affirmative action requirements of Executive Order 11246 annually certify that they are meeting their requirement to develop and maintain annual affirmative plans (AAPs). On March 25, 2024, OFCCP announced its third annual certification cycle. Beginning on April 1, 2024, OFCCP will accept certifications by federal contractors and subcontractors that they have developed and maintained compliant affirmative action programs for each establishment. Learn more

___

California Releases Workplace Violence Prevention Guidance

California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) recently published guidance to assist employers in complying with Senate Bill 553 ahead of the law’s employer compliance date of July 1, 2024. SB 553 requires virtually all employers to develop, implement, and maintain an “effective” written workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP), train employees, and create and maintain extensive records regarding workplace violence.

The guidance includes a model WVPP for general industry (non-healthcare settings), and fact sheets for employers and employees. Employers must customize the model WVPP for their specific workforce. Under the law, only certain healthcare facilities, employees teleworking from locations of their choice and not under the control of their employers, and places of employment with fewer than ten employees and not accessible to the public are exempt from the law’s requirements. Although Cal/OSHA is not required to adopt workplace violence standards until December 31, 2026, it may begin enforcing the law on July 1, 2024. Thus, employers must now take steps to draft, implement, and train employees on their WVPPs. Story

___

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction scheduled for May

• OSHA is gearing up for its 11th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, scheduled for May 6-10, 2024.
• OSHA describes its Safety Stand-Down as a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety.
• The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction focuses on fall hazards and was created to reinforce the importance of fall prevention.
• To help employers prepare for this year’s event, OSHA has developed a page that answers frequently asked questions about how to conduct a Safety Stand-Down, who can participate, how to receive a certificate of participation, and other information.

Read more

___

NorCal Lost its Only BOI Investigator

Cal/OSHA's Bureau of Investigations (BOI) will have no personnel in Northern California following the resignation of Julio Alfaro, a senior investigator who was the lone BOI representative in the north state. Alfaro accepted a position outside of state government effective immediately. BOI, mandated by the California Labor Code, is responsible for criminal investigations involving workplace fatalities and serious injuries. It also refers cases to local prosecuting authorities. Alfaro's resignation follows last year’s resignation of Chris Kuhns, a 14-year veteran who left, he says, after being denied an opportunity to become a compliance safety and health officer at the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

The BOI's vacancy rate is now 85%, with one investigator left for the entire State of California. The Bureau has no investigators in Northern California, one in Southern California, and a supervisor based in the South. The resignation adds to the Department of Industrial Relations staff shortage. DIR is actively recruiting and interviewing to fill its open positions. [Cal-OSHA Reporter]

___

The Fletcher Lawsuit Mess

Grecia Figueroa’s lawsuit against former San Diego supervisor Nathan Fletcher keeps hitting snags. Figueroa is now parting ways with a second attorney in the case. She also failed to appear at a hearing Wednesday “where Fletcher’s lawyers were set to demand access to Figueroa’s phone and the phone of a witness, a friend of Figueroa’s,” as Voice of San Diego’s Scott Lewis reports. Figueroa is suing Fletcher and the Metropolitan Transit System, her former employer, for what she alleges were sexual harassment and assault by Fletcher. Fletcher, as part of his role as supervisor, was serving as chair of the MTS board at that time. Fletcher has reportedly reunited with his wife, Labor Fed CEO Lorena Gonzalez. More

___

Despite Opposition, Phoenix Passes New Heat Regulations

Several construction firms say they already meet the new heat requirements established by the city of Phoenix, while others say the new requirements raise questions that could negatively impact schedules and budgets.

------------------------------



Dave Everett (left), WECA's new Southern California Government Relations Representative, is shown giving a tour of WECA's Riverside Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Center to San Bernardino City Councilman Damon Alexander (center) last Fall.

New Face at WECA

WECA is happy to announce an official addition to our Government Relations team! Dave Everett was hired earlier this month to serve as our Southern California Government Relations Representative. Dave has been working closely with our Government Relations team in a related capacity for the past few years, and will now focus on our San Diego and Riverside facilities while advocating for the merit shop philosophy and your ability as a WECA member to work in the greater area.

Dave’s hiring aligns directly with the Board’s Government Relations plan. By entrenching ourselves in the regions surrounding our campuses, we can more effectively impact grassroots and grass tops activities.

Dave’s background includes serving as a Political Consultant for Southern California Congress, Assembly, and County Supervisor candidates, the Government Affairs Director for the Associated Builders and Contractors Southern California Chapter (ABC SoCal), Executive Director for the Republican Party of Orange County, and District Director for former California State Assemblyman Van Tran. In each position, Dave worked closely with many top elected officials, organizations, and media outlets throughout Southern California.

Starting his political career by getting his political science degree from the University of California, Riverside, Dave then worked for Congressman Ken Calvert on Capitol Hill as a Congressional Liaison. The time in D.C. allowed him to learn a lot about the legislative process and even the opportunity to help pass several bills on the House floor. After returning to Southern California, Everett worked for Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, O’Reilly Public Relations, and served as Executive Director of the Riverside County GOP before taking the position with Assemblyman Tran in early 2006.

Dave’s passions are free enterprise, investing in infrastructure, reducing overburdensome regulations on California’s job creators, and anything involving the Los Angeles Angels baseball team or Los Angeles Lakers. He is happily married to his high school sweetheart Nicole and resides in Costa Mesa, California, with their two daughters, Hailey and Summer.

Welcome, Dave!

___

Baskin-Robbins Opening New Fresno Location

Thirty-one people can win free ice cream for a year if they win a Baskin-Robbins contest at their new Fresno location. It’s all happening at the Saturday grand opening of the newest Baskin-Robbins at 8959 N. Cedar Ave., near Shepherd Avenue in the same shopping center as Vons. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I think we know where Rex Hime will be on Saturday morning. Read more here.