Assembly OKs Bill Allowing Job Leave for Care at Home

The Assembly narrowly passed and sent to the Senate a bill to let employees take up to four months’ unpaid leave to care for newborn or sick children or elderly family members without fear of losing their jobs.

The legislation (AB 77), sponsored by Assemblyman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles), passed on a 44-26 vote, three more than the simple majority required for approval. Former Gov. George Deukmejian vetoed a similar bill last year.

“Workers are being forced to choose between caring for a child or a family member and losing a job,” Moore told her colleagues.

Opponents charged that the measure would be detrimental to businesses because it would require more money to be spent on hiring and training temporary workers.

“This is one more bill to drive business out of California that we don’t need,” said Assemblywoman Paula L. Boland (R-Granada Hills).

The next stop for the legislation is a hearing before the Senate Industrial Relations Committee.

GOVERNOR

* Will conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the University of Southern California’s new hospital in Los Angeles on Thursday.

ASSEMBLY

Floor Action

* Personnel Files: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 44-25 vote a bill (AB 1150) by Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Carson) to give employees the right to request and receive a complete copy of their personnel file for a reasonable fee upon a 10-day notice to employers.

* More Personnel Files: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 45-30 vote a bill (AB 452) by Assemblyman Bob Epple (D-Norwalk) to require the removal of disputed actions from personnel records when employers and employees agree that they are erroneous.

* Compulsive Gamblers: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 61-4 vote a bill (AB 163) by Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Carson) to require the state lottery to earmark not more than one-half of 1% of total revenues to establish a telephone hot line and other programs to counsel compulsive gamblers.

* Vietnam Veterans: Passed and sent to the Senate on a 43-27 vote a bill (AB 848) by Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Carson) to increase the number of members of the California Veterans Boards from seven to nine and require one board member to be a Vietnam War veteran.

Committee Action

* Taxes: The Revenue and Taxation Committee approved a bill (AB 1246) by Assemblyman Willard H. Murray Jr. (D-Paramount) to increase taxes on beer, wine and hard liquor to raise an additional $750 million a year. A 6-3 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee.

SENATE

Committee Action

* Homeless Veterans: The Appropriations Committee approved a bill (SB 591) by Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier) to create homeless veterans aid programs in all 58 counties to be financed by state income tax refund checkoffs. A 7-1 vote sent the bill to the Senate floor.

* Ballot Measures: The Appropriations Committee rejected a bill (SB 321) by Sen. Quentin L. Kopp (I-San Francisco) to require the state voter information pamphlet to include a brief summary statement of the true meaning of yes and no votes cast on ballot propositions. A 6-5 vote was cast on the bill, but seven yes votes were needed for approval.

Capital Fact

* Gov. Pete Wilson’s favorite flavor of ice cream is German chocolate cake.