YEAH. OKAY. GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO THE ASSEMBLY. LABOR
AND EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE
HEARING. WE WILL START AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE AS WE WAIT FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE MEMBERS TO
ARRIVE, REMINDER TO OUR
WITNESSES, WE WILL TAKE TWO
PRIMARY WITNESSES IN SUPPORT AND
TWO PRIMARY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION. EACH PRIMARY WITNESS
WILL GET UP TO TWO MINUTES EACH
FOR ADDITIONAL WITNESSES. WE ASK
THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME,
AFFILIATION, AND POSITION ON THE
BILL, SENATOR DURAZZO, YOU MAY
OPEN WITH YOUR BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I AM
HERE TO PRESENT SB 828, WHICH IS
AN AN URGENCY MEASURE THAT MOVES
THE START DATE OF THE HEALTH
CARE MINIMUM WAGE BY ONE MONTH
TO JULY 1ST, 2024. FOR SB 5 TO 5
PROVIDED A HISTORIC WAGE
INCREASE TO MORE THAN 450,000
HEALTH CARE WORKERS, MAINLY
WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. WE
WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE
DIVERSITY. IN ONE ER ROOM, THERE
WERE 62 ETHNIC GROUPS
REPRESENTED, AND THEY TAKE CARE
OF US AND TOOK CARE OF US DURING
THE PANDEMIC. THEY KEEP OUR
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FUNCTIONING.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THESE MEN AND
WOMEN AND WORKERS NEED THIS HELP
, NEED THIS TO HELP SUPPORT
THEIR FAMILIES. I ALSO
APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE
HEALTH CARE EMPLOYERS THAT
RECOGNIZE THIS, AND HAVE ALREADY
BEGUN TO PLAN THEIR INCREASES,
SB 8 TO 8 REAFFIRMS THE GOALS OF
SB 5 TO 5 WHILE ALIGNING SB 5 TO
5 WITH THE BUDGET YEAR. THANK
YOU. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
AYE VOTE AND HAVE MATT LEGGETT
HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SEIU,
GOOD MORNING, MATT, ON BEHALF OF
SEIU CALIFORNIA, HERE IN SUPPORT
OF SB 828, WE WERE THE SPONSORS
OF SB 525, AND WE'RE REALLY
PROUD OF THAT WORK AND THE DEAL
THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO, TO
ALLOW THAT BILL TO GET
IMPLEMENTED AND APPRECIATE THE
VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THAT BILL
TO MAKE IT EASIER TO IMPLEMENT
ON EMPLOYERS AS WELL, WE
SPONSORED SB 525 BECAUSE AS WE
ARE IN A HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE
CRISIS, WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF
500,000 HEALTH CARE WORKERS.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND AFTER
THE PANDEMIC, WITH ALL THE
TRAUMA THAT WORKERS WENT
THROUGH, MORE AND MORE HEALTH
CARE WORKERS ARE LEAVING THE
PROFESSION. THE NUMBER ONE THING
YOU CAN DO TO HELP RETAIN AND
ATTRACT HEALTH CARE WORKERS IS
TO PROVIDE WAGE INCREASES. SB
525, ALLOWS THAT THIS BILL DOES
ALIGN SB 525 AND IMPLEMENTATION
DATES WITH THE STATE'S FISCAL
YEAR. SO WE THINK THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT STEP, TO CONTINUE TO
WORK ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS BILL OF THE LAW, AS SENATOR
GRASSO MENTIONED, IT'S AROUND
MORE THAN 70% WOMEN AND 70%
WORKERS OF COLOR WHO WILL BE
RECEIVING THE WAGE INCREASE. SO
REALLY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE
INEQUITY OF OUR STATE, SO I JUST
WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE THE
TIME. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT
GOING ON TODAY. SO I'LL CLOSE BY
SAYING, YOU KNOW, REALLY
APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE
THIS MORNING AND APPRECIATE THE
COMMITTEE WILLING TO HEAR THIS,
AND ASK THAT YOU, RESPECTFULLY
VOTE AYE ON THIS BILL. THANK
YOU, NOW WE WILL MOVE TO
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES IN SUPPORT.
WE ASK THAT YOU JUST STATE YOUR
NAME, AFFILIATION AND POSITION
ON THE BILL. GOOD MORNING. SCOTT
GOOD MORNING, KAT SCOTT SENIOR
VICE PRESIDENT, STATE RELATIONS
AND ADVOCACY AT THE CALIFORNIA
HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, IN SUPPORT
. HI, MY NAME IS FAGBEMI SANDS.
KAISER EMERGENCY ROOM DEPARTMENT
EDTECH TWO. THANK YOU. I SUPPORT
OF THE 8 TO 8 BILL. THANK YOU.
HI, I'M TANYA CANAVAN AND I'M AN
LVN AT SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL IN
SAN FRANCISCO. AND AS A HEALTH
CARE WORKER, I DO SUPPORT, THE
SB 828. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY
NAME IS JULIA. I'M AN RN CASE
MANAGER FOR ALAMEDA COUNTY
HIGHLAND HOSPITAL. AS A HEALTH
CARE WORKER AND MEMBER OF SEIU
10 TO 1, I SUPPORT THE SB 828.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MELISSA
CALLENDER. AS A COURTROOM CLERK,
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA,
COUNTY OF ALAMEDA. HAYWARD HALL
OF JUSTICE AS A GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEE AND LOCAL MEMBER OF
SEIU 1021. I SUPPORT SB 828.
HELLO, MY NAME IS RYAN WILLIAMS.
I WORK WITH SEIU 10 TO 1 FROM
SONOMA COUNTY. I'M HERE TODAY TO
SUPPORT SB 828. MY NAME IS APRIL
WHITE AND I AM A RECEPTIONIST AT
KAISER AND TRACY, CALIFORNIA.
AND AS A HEALTH CARE WORKER AND
A UAW MEMBER, I SUPPORT SB 828.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
MARQUETTA WILLINGHAM. I AM A
SENIOR SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIST
WITH KAISER SOUTH SACRAMENTO, HÌ
I AM WITH LOCAL OR SEIU. AND I
SUPPORT SB 828. HI. YES, MY NAME
IS TIERRA AND I'M A TELESERVICE
REPRESENTATIVE AT KAISER
SACRAMENTO. AND AS A UAW MEMBER
AND HEALTH CARE WORKER, I AM IN
SUPPORT OF A TWO.A. HI, I'M
ROBIN, I'M A MEDICAL ASSISTANT
AT DIGNITY HEALTH IN REDDING.
AND AS A, MEMBER, I, MEMBER, I
SUPPORT 8 TO 8. HI. MY NAME IS
DENISE OAN. I'M A CERTIFIED
SURGICAL TECH UP IN RED BLUFF
FOR DIGNITY. AS A UAW MEMBER, I
SUPPORT SB 828. HI, MY NAME IS
IDELLA GREEN. I'M AN ANESTHESIA
TECH FOR DIGNITY HEALTH AT
WOODLAND, AND I SUPPORT SB FIVE.
SORRY, 828. LITTLE SHORT HERE,
HI. MY NAME IS WAYMON FEATHERY
AND I WORK IN THE, WILLOWBROOK
SECTION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
AND I, MY LOCAL IS, SEIU, US,
WW, AND I SUPPORT, SB 828. THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT. MY NAME IS
DARREN ARCHER. I'M AN EVS TECH
AT, LOS ANGELES GENERAL MEDICAL
CENTER IN LA, AS A HEALTH CARE
WORKER AND MEMBER OF THE S¼ W
WEST, I SUPPORT. SB 828. THANK
YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION?
MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, THEO PAYOS,
REPRESENTING TENET HOSPITALS.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT IN
OPPOSITION. WE ARE MERELY
CONCERNED. TODAY WANTED TO FLAG
WHAT WE BELIEVE IS AN IMPORTANT
ISSUE FOR THE COMMITTEE. TENET
HOSPITALS CURRENTLY HAS SEVEN
HOSPITALS IN THE STATE. LAST
TIME I TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE, WE HAD 13. JUST THIS
YEAR, WE SOLD OFF SIX OF OUR
HOSPITALS TO THE UC SYSTEM, WE
ARE A HUGE PROVIDER OF THE
MEDI-CAL PROGRAM IN ALL OF THE
MARKETS THAT WE SERVE. WE ARE
THE PRIMARY MEDI-CAL, PROVIDER.
EVEN THOSE MARKETS WHERE THERE
ARE NONPROFIT OPERATORS, WE ARE
ORGANIZED ACROSS OUR ENTIRE
FLEET OF HOSPITALS AND HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN AND VERY MUCH VALUE
THE PARTNER WE HAVE PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE, WITH LABOR, HOWEVER,
THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE BILL
, THAT WE UNDERSTAND WE COULDN'T
CHANGE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE
TIMING REQUIRED TO GET THIS IN
EFFECT BY THE DEADLINE, BUT
HOPEFULLY FOR CONSIDERATION AND
A FOLLOW UP BILL AND THAT IS THE
FOLLOWING. THE BILL SAYS S THE
WAGE RATE FOR HOSPITALS BASED ON
TYPE OF HOSPITAL AND SIZE OF
HOSPITAL. USING 22 DATA. AND OF
COURSE, WHEN THEY NEGOTIATED THE
DEAL, THEY HAD TO PICK A DATE
AND TIME AND IT COULD NOT
ACCOMMODATE FOR SMALL
FLUCTUATIONS IN EMPLOYMENT.
CORRECT. BUT BUT IN THIS CASE,
WE HAVE SOLD NEARLY HALF OUR
FLEET. WE HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT
OVER HALF THE BEDS WE HAD JUST A
FEW MONTHS AGO. SO THE RATE THAT
WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY UNDER
THE CURRENT TEXT IN THIS BILL IS
FOR A HOSPITAL. WE ARE NOT
ANYMORE. AND THE PROBLEM WITH
THAT IS, IS THAT WE COMPETE IN
SOME MARKETS WITH SOME VERY THIN
MARGINS. AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE,
THE MEDI-CAL MARKET IS A VERY
TIGHT MARKET. WE ARE PROUD OF
WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH
IT AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO SERVE, BUT THAT IS
A DIFFICULT MARKET TO WORK IN.
AND SO WE WOULD JUST WANT TO
FLAG THIS ISSUE HOPEFULLY FOR
CONSIDERATION. A FOLLOW UP BILL,
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU, DO WE HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION SEEING NONE, I WOULD
LIKE TO ESTABLISH QUORUM,
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? ORTEGA I HERE, FLORA.
HERE. ALANIZ. HERE. WENDY.
CARILLO HERE. LEE WARD HERE.
ZUBER. OKAY. I SEE NO OTHER
WITNESSES. WE'VE ESTABLISHED
QUORUM, SENATOR, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO CLOSE? OH. OH, SORRY.
MEMBERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK
QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. I'M HAPPY TO MOVE THIS
BILL. AND I WANT TO THANK THE
AUTHOR FOR HER CONTINUED
LEADERSHIP AND FORTITUDE, ON
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR HEALTH
CARE WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN AT
THE FOREFRONT OF SO MANY CRISES
LATELY AND DEFINITELY DESERVE,
TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF SUPPORT,
FOR, FOR THEIR FUTURES HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND I DID WANT TO
JUST OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE BECAUSE I HAD HEARD, IN
REVIEWING THIS, THE OPPOSITION,
I GUESS IMPLEMENTATION POINTS
AND THAT IF THE CONDITIONS DO
CHANGE, WITH REGARD TO THE TYPE
OF HOSPITAL OR THE SIZE OF A
SERVICE, THE NUMBER OF
ENROLLEES, KNOWING THAT THERE'S
NO FLEXIBILITY HERE, HOW TO HOW
TO HOW SHOULD THEY BE ABLE TO
RESPOND, I GUESS IN DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES THAT THAT MIGHT APPLY
HERE, IF THEIR CONDITIONS CHANGE
GOING FORWARD, IF THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT BE
LOOKING AT, FOR, FOR FUTURE
CONSIDERATION, I THINK FOR
FUTURE CONSIDERATION FOR NOW, WE
WANT TO GET THIS DONE UNDER THE
CONDITIONS THAT SB 525 WAS, WAS
PASSED, SO THAT'S I WANT TO WE
WANT TO GET THIS DONE AND THEN
WE CAN THINK ABOUT THAT'S FAIR.
IT'S JUST IT IT IS KIND OF A
REASONABLE IMPLEMENTATION
QUESTION THAT SAYS LIKE, YOU
KNOW, OKAY, WELL, IF I SHOULD BE
IN THIS BUCKET, YOU KNOW, WHICH
WAS DESIGNED USING 2022 DATA,
BUT MY CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED
SUCH THAT I ACTUALLY SHOULD BE
OVER IN THAT BUCKET, WE JUST
WANT TO BE FAIR TO ALL PARTIES.
I THINK AS, AS TIME MOVES
FORWARD. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
THIS BILL. AND, YOU KNOW,
EXCITED TO SEE ITS UPDATE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I
WAS, WILL SAVE SOME TIME AND MY
QUESTIONS OR MY COMMENTS WITH,
MY COLLEAGUE HERE, AS A MEMBER
THAT REPRESENTS A FACILITY, YOU
KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU
CAN'T, YOU KNOW, COUPLE 100
EMPLOYEES HERE AND THERE, THAT'S
NOT DOABLE. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE
6000 EMPLOYEES AND YOU'RE DOWN
TO 3000, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE
A MECHANISM THAT THEY CAN KIND
OF READJUST, LIKE HOW WE, YOU
KNOW, IMPLEMENT THIS AS WELL. SO
I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS AND I'M
HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT TODAY. THANK
YOU. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. OKAY.
WELL THANK YOU, SENATOR, FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL TO US TODAY
AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW,
THE RAISES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE
STATE'S BUDGET AND, YOU KNOW,
GIVES THE PARTIES A LITTLE EXTRA
TIME, TO MAKE ANY OTHER
NECESSARY CHANGES OR, YOU KNOW,
CONVERSATIONS HAPPENS, WE'RE ALL
COMMITTED, AS YOU'VE HEARD, TO
MAKING SURE THAT OUR ESSENTIAL
HEALTH CARE WORKERS GET THE
RAISES THAT THEY DESERVE. AND
YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE SACRIFICES
FOR US. EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND,
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE
LEAST THINGS WE CAN DO. SO I
APPRECIATE YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD TODAY. AND WITH THAT, DO
WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE NEED A
SECOND SECOND SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. THE MOTION IS
DUE. PASS TO THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR.
ORTEGA AYE. ORTEGA. AYE. FLORA.
FLORA AYE. ALANIS. ALANIS. AYE.
WENDY. CARILLO. WENDY CARILLO.
AYE. LEE. WARD. HI. WARD. AYE.
ZUBIR THE MEASURE IS OUT. WE
WILL LEAVE THE. DO WE WANT TO
LEAVE? WE WILL LEAVE THE ROLL
OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. MEMBERS AND
CHAIR.
THANK YOU. MEMBERS, WE HAVE THE
ROLL OPEN ON SB 828. LEE. LEE,
I, ZUBIR. ZUBIR, I. THAT MAY.
THAT MEASURE IS OUT, THIS
CONCLUDES OUR LABOR AND
EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE. THANK YOU.