Undecided About Prop 50?

Proposition 50 would require California to use new congressional district maps through 2030. Use of independent Citizens Redistricting Commission maps would resume in 2031.

Governor Newsom and Democrats in the legislature argue that the “Election Rigging Response Act” is a temporary, emergency proposal to counter mid-decade partisan gerrymanders underway in Texas and other red states that are designed to benefit President Trump and the Republican Party. Republicans counter that California should not return to partisan redistricting in which the party in power controls the maps.

Proponents from each campaign will present their arguments in a debate moderated by Rich Ehisen of Capitol Weekly and Juliet Williams of CalMatters. Rusty Hicks, Chair of the California Democratic Party, will represent the Yes side. Patricia Sinay of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will represent the No side. California Votes: Proposition 50 will be held from Noon – 1:30 PM, Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the UC Student and Policy Center in Sacramento – or, attend via ZOOM from anywhere.

There is no cost to attend this event, but registration is required.

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Schweikert Launches Campaign for Arizona Governor

Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) launched his campaign for governor of Arizona last week, giving up his battleground House seat to seek higher office. “I've grown to believe Washington ... is unsavable,” Schweikert told Axios Phoenix. “I do believe Arizona is savable.”

There is already a crowded Republican primary field to challenge Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Rep. Andy Biggs and Karrin Taylor Robson, who came in second to Kari Lake in the 2022 gubernatorial primary, have both been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Schweikert, who has represented his suburban Phoenix seat since 2011, told Axios he has a more battle-tested record.

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One and Done

First-term California State Assemblyman Stan Ellis (R-Bakersfield) announced he would not seek re-election to his Bakersfield-centric seat. Now, Kern County Supervisor David Couch, who was vying to replace State Sen. Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield), announced his bid for Ellis’ 32nd Assembly District. Story

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Keeling Confirmed to Head OSHA, Palmer at MSHA

• The Senate confirmed David Keeling as the new leader of OSHA last Friday. Trump nominated him on February 12, 2025.
• Most recently, he served as Director of Global Road and Transportation Safety at Amazon from July 2021 to May 2023.
• During his confirmation hearing, Keeling outlined his goals for OSHA, including modernizing regulatory oversight and rulemaking, increasing OSHA’s cooperation and collaboration efforts, and utilizing data to enhance onsite safety efforts through predictive analytics.
• The chamber also confirmed Wayne Palmer as Assistant Secretary for the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
• READ MORE

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Captive Audience Meetings: Prohibitions Remain on Hold

Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 399, codified as California Labor Code section 1137, into law. This statute bans employers from holding captive audience meetings, which are mandatory employer-sponsored meetings that discuss religious or political matters, including unionization. California is one of at least 12 states that have passed captive audience laws at the urging of labor unions.

On September 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction in California Chamber of Commerce et al. v. Bonta et al., temporarily blocking enforcement of SB 399. Plaintiffs in the case argued that SB 399 is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and infringes upon employers’ rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Defendants, meanwhile, asserted that SB 399 is an anti-retaliation statute targeting protected employee autonomy, and not a restriction on employer speech. They contended that SB 399 merely prohibits punishing employees who refrain from attending certain meetings. More

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Are Utilities Trying to Kill Rooftop Solar?

As state lawmakers propose to expand solar power, one solar energy advocacy group is accusing California’s two largest utility companies of dragging their feet when it comes to hooking up solar panels to the electric grid, writes CalMatters’ Malena Carollo.

State regulators are currently reviewing a complaint lodged by the California Solar & Storage Association that says that Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison routinely miss state-mandated deadlines for connecting solar panels and face no punishment. The delays cause panel owners to lose significant amounts of money and slow California’s transition to renewable energy, the solar group alleges.

Utilities, for example, are given 10 business days to acknowledge someone’s request for “interconnection” — a complex process led by utilities to make sure solar arrays are correctly installed. PG&E’s median time to acknowledge a request was 20 days, and the longest it took was 245 days, according to the association.

PG&E and SoCal Edison say they are working with regulators to address the claims. But advocates say that with the way things stand now, there is little incentive for utilities to follow the rules.

More

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For the Second Consecutive Year, California Expands Reasons Employees Can Use Job-Protected Paid Sick and Safe Time, Unpaid Leave

On October 1, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 406 to expand the reasons employees can take leave under California’s Healthy Workplaces Healthy Families Act (HWHFA), the statewide paid sick and safe time law, and under California Government Code section 12945.8, which provides job-protected unpaid leave for various reasons. This year’s amendments come only one year and a day after these two laws were last amended. Read More

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Senate Bill 617: California Expands CalWARN Notice Requirements

Governor Newsom has signed Senate Bill (SB) 617, which expands the information employers are required to include under the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (CalWARN). Employers are now required to state whether they plan to coordinate services for affected employees through the local workforce development board (LWDB), another entity, or not at all. Regardless of their choice, employers must provide the LWDB’s contact information and a description of its services in the notice. The new requirements under SB 617 will take effect January 1, 2026.

Story

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Senate Bill 303: California Sets Forth Protections for Bias Training

On October 1, 2025, California’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 303, which states that an employee’s assessment, testing, admission, or acknowledgment of their own personal bias, when made in good faith and solicited or required as part of a bias mitigation training, does not, by itself, constitute unlawful discrimination. This law amends the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which requires employers to prevent workplace discrimination, including providing specified harassment prevention training.

The stated purpose of the law is to encourage employers to conduct bias mitigation training and to affirm that conducting such training does not, by itself, constitute unlawful discrimination.

This law will take effect on January 1, 2026.

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Newsom Signs Law Granting State Agency Authority Over Private Sector Labor Disputes

On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 288 (AB 288), which grants a California state agency the authority to enforce federal labor law in the absence of action by the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”). With this bill, California joins the State of New York in passing legislation that allows state agencies to usurp the powers delegated to the NLRB by Congress. Story

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Will California Hamper Arbitration in PAGA Employment Lawsuits?

In Leeper v. Shipt, the California Supreme Court will revisit the ongoing question of whether, and to what extent, employees can pursue litigation in court for violation of the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), Labor Code § 2698, et seq., despite signing valid and binding arbitration agreements. Story

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PLA Laden Program Killed

The Trump administration slashed funding for California’s flagship hydrogen energy hub, a blow to the nascent industry and the state’s broader renewable energy goals.

The U.S. Department of Energy cancelled its commitment to provide up to $1.2 billion in federal funding to the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems, the Irvine-based public-private partnership set up to distribute funding to hydrogen projects across California. The cut came on the first day of the government shutdown. However, the Energy Department had already been conducting a review of more than $15 billion in awards issued under the Biden administration.

In a letter to ARCHES leadership, department officials instructed the organization to cease all activities related to the funded project after Wednesday. ARCHES may not incur new project costs and must cancel as many outstanding obligations as possible, according to the Energy Department.

The move drew swift condemnation from California leaders. “In Trump’s America, energy policy is set by the highest bidder, economics and common sense be damned,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “We’ll continue to pursue an all-of-the above clean energy strategy that powers our future and cleans the air, no matter what DC tries to dictate.”

The Energy Department grant used a reimbursable structure, and ARCHES had already started spending some of the funds. It is unclear how much money the federal government owes the organization.

The Building Trades touted the project when it was proposed: “Support among labor unions continues to grow across California for ARCHES hydrogen hub effort. Many see the hub as being beneficial to the state as it will speed up the development and deployment of clean, renewable energy projects and infrastructure in California.

“The Building Trades are proud to stand as a partner with ARCHES and are hopeful that California will be awarded an H2 hub,” said Andrew Meredith, President of the State Building & Construction Trades Council of California.

Meredith added that ARCHES’ proposal includes a number of projects that will mean new jobs for Californians.

“These projects represent the future of California, and we look forward to working together in coming months to bring this vision to life,” Meredith said.

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I’m Out of Here

The Sun reports that Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes won’t run for reelection next year. “Mendes, a dairy farmer from Riverdale, will wrap up his service at the county with a dozen years in the position once he retires. In his place, Mendes is endorsing former Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims to succeed him as the District 4 Supervisor. That sets up a three-way race for District 4, with Parlier Mayor Alma Beltran and State Center Community College District Trustee Danielle Para running against Mims.” Story

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DOT Guts DBE Program Ahead of Construction Inclusion Week

The U.S. Department of Transportation has removed sex and race as criteria for automatic certification in its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, according to an interim final rule announced Sept. 30 that went into effect on Oct. 3.

“A determination that an individual is socially and economically disadvantaged must not be based in whole or in part on race or sex,” the rule reads. “Being born in a particular country does not, standing alone, mean that a person is necessarily socially and economically disadvantaged.”

Story

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California Expands State WARN Act Obligations

California has enacted legislation that significantly expands the information that employers must include in their WARN notices and actions they must take under the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (“CalWARN”). Starting January 1, 2026, employers can no longer include the federal WARN Act notice content in their CalWARN notices.

CalWARN applies to all employers in California that operate a California “covered establishment,” which is defined as “any industrial or commercial facility or part thereof that employs, or has employed within the preceding 12 months, 75 or more persons.”

More

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California Approves EV Charger Reliability Rules

The California Energy Commission unanimously approved standards requiring publicly funded fast chargers built in 2024 or later to be operational at least 97 percent of the time. The rules also mandate that providers share data on charger locations, availability, and pricing with third parties at no cost, aiming to improve access for electric vehicle drivers. The new regulations come as California works to boost electric vehicle adoption, which has plateaued in recent years, even before the Trump administration revoked the state’s authority to enforce its EV sales mandate.

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Meet The Handful of Lawmakers Who Actually Vote “No”

Almost no one in the California Legislature actually votes “no” on bills. They choose an easy way out, electing to not cast a vote at all. There’s even a term for it: “laying off.” Not Anamarie Ávila Farías, a Democratic assemblymember from Concord. She’s one of three Democrats that our reporter Ryan Sabalow identified who regularly recorded “no” votes this year. Jasmeet Bains and Robert Garcia joined her.

Story

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New Arizona Laws Boosting Competitiveness Take Effect

Dozens of new laws passed during the 2025 legislative session have taken effect, including several priorities championed by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “As these laws take effect, Arizona employers can count on policies that reflect their priorities,” said Arizona Chamber President and CEO Danny Seiden. “From keeping vital economic drivers in Arizona, to passing commonsense energy reforms that will deliver long-term stability and affordability, to supporting global companies, these are the kinds of policies that keep Arizona competitive and attractive for investment.”

Story

Will Robo Bosses Be Banned?

California lawmakers have taken a significant step forward in regulating the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in the workplace by passing Senate Bill 7, a bill aptly referred to as the “No Robo Bosses” Act. If Governor Newsom signs the bill into law—a decision he must make by September 30, 2025—SB 7 would take effect on January 1, 2026. It would have an immediate impact, including prohibiting employers from relying solely on AI to make decisions regarding employee discipline or termination. Below, we highlight the most salient aspects of SB 7 and provide recommendations for employers moving forward, should Governor Newsom sign the bill into law.

SB 7 uses the term “automated decision systems” or “ADS” to define AI tools as: [A]ny computational process derived from machine learning, statistical modeling, data analytics, or artificial intelligence that issues simplified output, including a score, classification, or recommendation, that is used to assist or replace human discretionary decision-making and materially impacts natural persons. Story

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California Labor Commissioner Awards $8.55 Million in Grants to Local Prosecutors

As part of the Workers’ Rights Enforcement Grant program established in 2023, the California Labor Commissioner’s Office has awarded $8.55 million in grants to 16 local prosecutors. The purpose of these grants is to help local governments enforce labor laws, including wage payment violations and other employment practices illegal under state law.

Usage of these grants is likely to result in an increased number of investigations into alleged Labor Code violations. The grants may enable local prosecutors’ offices to establish specialized labor law enforcement units and increase prosecutions of California employers who violate the law.

Grant recipients include the following:

• Los Angeles District Attorney — $750,000
• Fresno City Attorney — $750,000
• San Mateo District Attorney — $750,000
• Orange County District Attorney — $700,000
• San Francisco City Attorney — $600,000

Employers can avoid running afoul of the law by familiarizing themselves with the jurisdiction in which they conduct business. They should also respond to investigations by local law enforcement agents, just as they would to the Labor Commissioner’s office.

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Fall Protection Tops OSHA Citation Tables for 15th Year

• Fall Protection citations topped OSHA’s tally of most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2025, the agency said last week.
• Disclosing its preliminary data at the 2025 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, OSHA stated that the list highlights persistent compliance issues and underscores the need for more substantial safety efforts across various industries.
• Fiscal year 2025 marks the 15th consecutive year that Fall Protection-General Requirements tops the list, with 5,914 violations at the latest count. The federal government’s fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.
• Another related citation, Fall Protection–Training Requirements, ranked as the eighth-most cited, with 1,907 instances.

More

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Will California Hamper Arbitration in PAGA Employment Lawsuits?

In Leeper v. Shipt, the California Supreme Court will revisit the ongoing question of whether, and to what extent, employees can pursue litigation in court for violation of the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), Labor Code § 2698, et seq., despite signing valid and binding arbitration agreements. Story