Senator Atkins Issues Legislative Update: 6 Bills Signed

October 9, 2017

On Saturday, Oct. 7, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he had signed Senate Bill 285, legislation authored by Sen. Toni Atkins that will strengthen public-employee labor rights. It became the sixth bill authored by Atkins to be signed into law.

The six bills are:

SB 2: The Building Homes and Jobs Act, SB 2, creates a permanent source of funding for affordable housing by imposing a $75 fee on the recording of certain types of real-estate documents – not including the sale of residential or commercial property. This bill will generate roughly $250 million to help thousands of struggling families every year. SB 2 was signed on Sept. 29.

SB 214: In 2015, the governor signed AB 392, Atkins’ bill to make the San Diego River Conservancy permanent. SB 214 builds on that, strengthening the conservancy’s capacity to protect and enhance historic, cultural, and natural resources within the watershed along the 52-mile San Diego River. SB 214 adds representation from the city of Santee and the Kumeyaay Diegueño Land Conservancy to the conservancy’s Board of Directors and provides the conservancy with greater ability to enter into joint-powers agreements. SB 214 was signed on Sept. 26.

SB 285: Currently, public employers are barred from interfering with, intimidating, restraining, coercing or discriminating against employees while those employees are exercising their right to have union representation. SB 285 strengthens the law by making it clear that not only do public employees have the right to form a union or engage in union activities without interference – they also have the right to remain as members of a union without interference, intimidation or coercion. SB 285 was signed on Oct. 7.

SB 462: This modest but necessary bill clarifies that probation departments may access juvenile case files in order to comply with reporting requirements. It also allows courts to authorize probation departments to engage third-party researchers for limited access to juvenile case files to conduct research on juvenile-justice populations and the programs that serve them. SB 462 ensures that no personally identifying information from a juvenile case file may be released, disseminated or published. SB 462 was signed on Oct. 3.

SB 587: Unlike most other law-enforcement officers, probation officers are not permitted to display blue warning lights on their certified emergency vehicles. But probation officers are often called on to respond in emergency situations, and without blue lights, they’re not able to alert other officers and the public that they are there to assist. The bill would allow probation officers, after completing appropriate training, to display blue warning lights on their emergency vehicles. SB 587 was signed on Sept. 25.

SB 667: This bill creates the Riverine Stewardship Assistance Program (RSAP), providing technical and financial support for stream restoration, reduced flood risk and improved habitat corridors, as well as empowering communities to reconnect with and take pride in their neighborhood waterways. SB 667 was signed on Oct. 6.

Six additional bills by Atkins remain on the governor’s desk.

 

###