The call is coming from inside the House

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Apr 03, 2024 View in browser   By Lara Korte DO NOT DISTURB: Assemblymember Matt Haney’s bill to limit after-hours contact from bosses could bring some much-wanted balance back to California workplaces — including his own. In just the three days since introducing it, the San Francisco Democrat has received sweeping national attention (and criticism) for AB 2751, which would give workers the right to disconnect from non-emergency business calls and texts after hours. It’s a familiar struggle for anyone with a job and a smartphone, but rings particularly true for legislative staffers, who are all too familiar with the grating chime of a late-night email notification. While the bill has received some harsh words from detractors — including from those in hustle-heavy Silicon Valley — workers in the Capitol are cautiously optimistic that such a law may ease the pressures of a job that can, at times, feel nonstop. “This should be something that is very familiar to both legislators and staff,” Haney said. California Assembly member Matt Haney speaks at a "Just Majority" press conference to call for reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court on May 16, 2023 in Sacramento, California. Kimberly White | Getty Images for Demand Justice As any current or former Capitol staffer knows, the workload can be heavy. Hearings and floor sessions frequently creep into the late evening, and, perhaps most importantly, the bosses can be demanding. There’s been some efforts to limit after-hours labor, including a recent declaration by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas that staff would no longer have to endure the time-honored tradition of using their free time to campaign for vulnerable members, cynically referred to as “voluntolding.” Burnout and after-hours work were among the chief concerns that propelled last year’s effort to allow California legislative staff to unionize, and although that bill was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a union and a contract are still years away. Haney’s bill applies to both the private and the public sector, and would cover salaried, non-union employees. It would require employers in the state to clearly outline working and non-working hours in employment contracts, and allow the state to investigate and fine any company that habitually violates the law. It’s not that radical of an idea. Haney points out that 13 countries, including Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Greece, Mexico, Portugal, Italy and Spain, have enacted similar laws. And, he says the bill allows for significant flexibility for all California businesses and types of employment. Haney says he’s trying to practice what he preaches, and says since drafting the bill, he’s become more cognizant of his own staff’s personal time. "I may be working between 8 and 10 p.m. — and that's fine, that's my choice — but it doesn't need to mean that all my staff are," he said. In the immediate aftermath, however, the bill appears to have had the opposite effect. Haney has received so much attention that communications director Nate Albee said he’s been fielding reporter calls past 9 p.m. IT’S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to lkorte@politico.com or send a shout on X. DMs are open.   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW.     WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY JOB KILLERS — What do single-payer health care, unemployment insurance for striking workers and a constitutional climate guarantee have in common? California’s preeminent business group wants to stop all of them from becoming law. The California Chamber of Commerce today released its annual “job killers” list, a tally of targets that’s also a benchmark of the business lobby’s success. The fewer bills that advance — or are substantially scaled back — the better CalChamber’s year. In addition to wading into the recurring Medicare for All and UI fights, the Chamber is targeting measures to increase unemployment benefits, expand joint liability and the aforementioned effort to curb after-hours communications from the boss (Haney is the only member with two bills on the list). But it notably did not dub any artificial intelligence measures “job killers” despite its opposition to a sweeping AI safety bill. — Jeremy B. White ON THE BEATS Sam Liccardo. | AP Photo TOSS-UP: Assemblymember Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian are now tied in their race to be one of the two finalists for a safe House seat in Silicon Valley. Both candidates stood at exactly 30,489 votes after the latest batch of votes was counted today and election officials say there are no more ballots to count. The vote is scheduled to be certified on Thursday. Neither of the candidates has said publicly whether they would seek a recount. Whoever wins will face former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo for the seat held by Rep. Anna Eshoo, who is retiring after three decades in Congress. PARENTAL LEAVE: A proposal that would require California schools and community colleges to offer paid pregnancy leave to staff cleared its first legislative vote today in the Assembly Education Committee. The measure, a top priority this year for the California Teachers Association, would allow teachers and other employees to take off up to 14 weeks to recover from becoming pregnant, giving birth, or having a miscarriage or abortion. California teachers aren’t guaranteed paid parental leave unless they win it in local bargaining, requiring many to choose between burning sick time and vacation days or foregoing pay while they recover from having a child. A handful of other states do offer the benefit to school employees. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar bill over the cost in 2019, and the state associations of school business officials and superintendents oppose the new iteration for the same reason. They argue without additional funding — unlikely amid a state budget deficit — school district budgets would be strained. The bill hasn’t yet been referred to the Appropriations Committee but would likely need to pass there before reaching the Assembly floor. — Blake Jones   In celebration of Earth Month, the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, in collaboration with POLITICO, host “Climate Forward 2024: Climate at the Crossroads” on April 4, 2024 at USC. Top experts from politics, government, media, and academia will discuss climate change issues with a focus on finding practical policy and business solutions as well identifying ways to remove political obstacles to implementing those changes. Register to attend in person or virtually.     WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, left, walks with San Francisco Mayor London Breed to a news conference in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2024. | AP JOINING THE FRAY: San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin has told people he will announce on Saturday that he’s running for mayor. (San Francisco Standard) DISNEY’S WORLD: After a bruising campaign, Disney defeated activist investors trying to steer control of the company away from CEO Bob Iger and his allies on the board of directors. (The Wall Street Journal) GOING FOR THE GOLD: The committee organizing the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles has a conundrum — how to pay the estimated $1 billion for buses to crisscross the city during “car-free” games. (Los Angeles Times) AROUND THE STATE SAN DIEGO: In a case that prosecutors are calling the first prosecution of an “antifa” conspiracy, two men are on trial for their alleged roles in a violent confrontation with supporters of former President Donald Trump in Pacific Beach in January 2021. (The San Diego Union-Tribune) PORTOLA VALLEY: The wealthy Peninsula town of Portola Valley has become the first jurisdiction in California to have its housing plan revoked by the state, making it ineligible for some grants and enabling developers to build without the approval of the City Council and Planning Commission. 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