Plain English Breakdown
The official text mentions expanding the crime or definition of a crime regarding perjury, which implies new legal consequences for false statements.
AB-2529: New Verification Rules for Employee Claims Against Public Agencies
This law requires employees suing public agencies to sign their claims and complaints under penalty of perjury, allows courts to reject filings that are not properly verified, and mandates reporting suspected perjury.
What This Bill Does
- Requires civil complaints or cross-complaints filed by current or former public agency employees seeking money damages for employment issues to be verified under penalty of perjury.
- Orders courts to grant a motion to strike any complaint or cross-complaint if it is not properly verified by the person filing it.
- Requires administrative claims against public entities from employees seeking monetary damages for employment acts to include a signed declaration verifying core factual allegations under penalty of perjury.
- Mandates that all claims against public entities or employees include a declaration stating, upon information and belief, that the contents are true and correct.
- Requires public agencies to report to the district attorney if they conclude there is substantial evidence that a claimant committed perjury in signing their claim.
- Authorizes the district attorney to investigate and take action on reported cases of suspected perjury.
- States that no state reimbursement will be provided to local agencies for costs related to this law.
Who It Names or Affects
- Current and former employees of public entities who file civil lawsuits or administrative claims against their employers seeking money damages.
- Public agencies, which must review claims for perjury evidence and report suspected cases to the district attorney.
- Courts that handle motions to strike unverified complaints filed by these employees.
Terms To Know
- Penalty of Perjury
- A legal warning that signing a false statement is a crime and can lead to punishment.
- Motion to Strike
- A request made by one party asking the court to remove or reject part of another party's filing because it does not follow the rules.
- Government Claims Act
- The existing state law that sets the rules for suing public entities and their employees.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill states no reimbursement is required but does not specify the exact reason in this summary.
- The bill requires reporting if there is 'substantial evidence' of perjury, but it does not define exactly what counts as substantial evidence.