Department of Industrial Relations: advisory committee: occupational safety and health.

Budget Education Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: McKinnor
Last action: 2025-08-29
Official status: In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effectiveness depends on legislative funding, which is not guaranteed.

Department of Industrial Relations: Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health

This legislation requires the Department of Industrial Relations to contract with two university programs for a study about understaffing in occupational safety roles, and sets up an advisory committee to guide this process.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Industrial Relations to contract with the University of California, Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program and the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program to conduct a study on understaffing within the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
Establishes an advisory committee made up of various groups to help plan the study's focus and review its findings.
Specifies that the advisory committee must meet at least once after the contract is signed.
Requires the department to post a completed report on their website and send it to relevant parties, including the Governor and legislative leaders.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Industrial Relations
University programs from UC Berkeley and UCLA
State agencies involved in worker safety
Worker advocacy organizations

Terms To Know

Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO): A person responsible for enforcing occupational safety laws.
Advisory Committee: A group of people who give advice or recommendations on a specific topic.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill will only take effect if the Legislature provides funding.
It does not specify how much money will be given for this study.

Bill History

2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-07-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-07-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on ED.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on L., P.E. & R. and ED.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 1. Page 1846.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-03 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HIGHER ED. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-10 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and HIGHER ED.
2025-02-15 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 694, as amended, McKinnor.
Department of Industrial Relations: advisory committee: occupational safety and health.
Existing law establishes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the Department of Industrial Relations, and charges the division with the enforcement of various laws affecting safe working conditions, including the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973. Existing law requires the Director of Industrial Relations to prepare and submit to the Legislature an annual report on the activities of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, as specified.
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as one of the segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires the Department of Industrial Relations to contract with the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Center, to conduct a study evaluating opportunities to
improve worker safety and safeguard employment rights, as specified, and to convene an advisory committee to make recommendations regarding the scope of the study, as described.
This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to contract with the University of California, Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program and the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program to conduct a study to evaluate the understaffing and vacancies within the division and make recommendations to the department, the Department of Human Resources, and the Legislature on policies the state shall use to inform the consideration and establishment of career pathways to the Compliance Safety and Health Officer classification. The bill would authorize the University of California to subcontract the responsibility for conducting the study to other specified entities. The bill would require the University of California and its
subcontractors, if any, to issue a report that includes certain information about the understaffing and vacancies of Compliance Safety and Health Officers within the division. The bill would further require the University of California to convene an advisory committee consisting of members from specified state agencies, worker advocacy organizations,
and
other academic institutions,
and other entities,
as specified, to make recommendations regarding the scope of the above-described study, and provide specified findings and recommendations to the division, as prescribed. The bill would require the advisory committee, within 60 days of entering into the contract the University of California, to hold at least one meeting, and the department, 18 months after entering into the contract with the University of California, to
post the completed report on the division’s
internet
website and to forward the completed report to the members of the advisory committee, the Governor, and specified legislative committee chairs. The bill would define terms for these purposes, and include finding and declaration relating to these provisions.

Current Bill Text

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