California governor signs three safety laws, vetoes one

Sacramento, CA – California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) recently signed into law three bills related to workplace safety, but vetoed one proposal.

• A.B. 633, signed Oct. 5, prevents employers from having policies prohibiting an employee from providing voluntary emergency services in a medical emergency.
• A.B. 1202, signed Oct. 9, requires the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt a standard for health care workers who handle cancer-treating drugs.
• S.B. 435, signed Oct. 10, amends a current law that requires employers to provide rest and meal periods to include “recovery periods,” defined as a “cool-down period” to prevet heat illness.

The bill Brown vetoed on Oct. 13 – A.B. 1165 – would have required employers in most situations to abate an alleged hazard found during a Division of Occupational Safety and Health inspection, even if employers appeal. Brown did not sign the law because it would have led to the creation of a separate hearing process for citations by affording employers an opportunity to request a stay of the abatement requirement.