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Inside CSEA's Plans for Legislative Session
Inside CSEA's Plans for Legislative Session
By Matt Murphy
While the halls of state government in Sacramento can seem far away to many, the decisions made there have a tremendous impact on each of us.
Many of the actions districts and administrators take are determined by choices made at the state level.
This is why every legislative session, CSEA sponsors bills to be introduced into the State Senate and Assembly aimed at supporting classified school employees.
In January, lawmakers returned to Sacramento to begin work on legislative proposals – including two new bills and one returning bill, all sponsored by CSEA. In line with CSEA’s mission to improve the lives of members, students, and communities, this year’s legislative proposals aim to expand protections and opportunities for classified school employees throughout California.
CSEA continues to collaborate with longtime champions Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) and Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) and is forming new partnerships with emerging legislative leaders. The bill proposals this year will garner support from sister education labor unions for the significant benefits they extend to classified workers across the state.
Both of CSEA’s new proposals have been introduced, and now the process of shepherding them through the legislative process begins. With the support of the CSEA Legislative Committee, labor partners, classified-friendly legislators, and our Government Relations team, CSEA aims to build on the momentum generated last year and get these bills signed into law.
Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, District 06
AB 2088 (McCarty): Classified Employee Right of First Refusal
AB 2088 would require all public TK-14 education providers to give existing classified employees a right of first refusal for part- and full-time job postings. This bill would allow more classified employees to work full-time and receive benefits such as healthcare and pensions.
“Classified employees are the backbone of our educational institutions, and it is our moral obligation to guarantee their access to essential healthcare and retirement benefits, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the workforce and improving the quality of education,” said Assemblymember Kevin McCarty. “These employees could easily make more money and receive better benefits working down the street at their local fast-food restaurants. AB 2088 will improve the lives of employees, fortify our educational institutions, and propel communities towards a prosperous and equitable future.”
History: Last year, CSEA sponsored a similar proposal, AB 1699 (McCarty), which was vetoed by Governor Newsom. AB 2088 responds to the concerns raised in Governor Newsom’s veto message to increase our chances of success.
Status: Introduced on February 12. Awaiting amendments and referral to committee.
Assemblymember Mike Fong, District 49
AB 2328 (Fong, M.): Merit District Disciplinary Protections Parity
AB 2328 would provide parity for merit school and community college district employees with their counterparts in non-merit districts by prohibiting merit districts from disciplining permanent classified school employees for conduct that occurred while employees were on probation or that occurred more than two years ago.
This bill would extend the same disciplinary protections that already exist in non-merit districts to employees in merit districts.
Status: Introduced on February 12. Awaiting referral to committee.
Senator Anthony Portantino, District 25
SB 98 (Portantino): Enrollment-Based Funding
It would change California’s school funding formula to enrollment-based by changing the state’s current student-count policy from average daily attendance to average daily membership. This bill provides additional funding to local education agencies, which includes school districts and county offices of education, based on Average Daily Membership (enrollment-based funding), which is the most equitable method to fund schools.
SB 98 is a two-year bill, meaning it was first introduced in 2023. This year, it may be amended to address budgetary limitations and continue moving through the legislative process.
Status: Introduced January 18, 2023. Passed the Senate and is in Assembly Education Committee.
