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AB-845 • 2026

Employment: complaints: agricultural employees.

Employment: complaints: agricultural employees.

Agriculture Budget Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Arambula
Last action
2025-10-11
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 624, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact timing of when this law will start working is uncertain as it depends on legislative appropriation.

Helping Farm Workers with Complaints

This law requires different government offices to work together and share information when a farm worker files a complaint.

What This Bill Does

  • It mandates that the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, including the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, and Division of Occupational Safety and Health, collaborate on processing complaints from agricultural employees.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Farm workers who file complaints about work issues.
  • Government offices within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency that handle labor disputes.

Terms To Know

Labor and Workforce Development Agency
A government agency in California that includes departments and boards that help workers with job-related issues.
Complaint
When someone tells a government office about a problem they are having at work.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law requires appropriation by the Legislature to take effect.
  • It does not specify when exactly this will start working.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-11 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 624, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-11 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3202.).

  5. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2734.).

  7. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  9. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  10. 2025-07-07 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  11. 2025-06-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. 2025-06-18 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.

  13. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  14. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1983.)

  15. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  16. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

  17. 2025-05-07 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  18. 2025-04-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  19. 2025-04-22 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.

  20. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.

  21. 2025-04-01 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.

  22. 2025-03-28 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.

  23. 2025-03-28 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and JUD.

  24. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  25. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 845, Arambula.
Employment: complaints: agricultural employees.
Existing law establishes the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, consisting of various departments and entities, including the Agricultural Labor Relations Board and the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law requires the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to, among other things, maintain a telephone line, as specified, for the purpose of providing interested persons with information concerning their rights and responsibilities, as prescribed, or for referring persons to the appropriate agency or entity with the capacity to render advice or help in dealing with any situation arising out of agricultural labor disputes. Existing law requires the Department of Industrial Relations to, among other things, perform specified functions, including fostering, promoting, and developing the welfare of the wage earners of California, to improve their working conditions, and to
advance their opportunities for profitable employment. Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, under the direction of the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the enforcement of labor laws. Existing law also establishes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the division to enforce all occupational safety and health standards, as specified.
This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor
Standards Enforcement, or Division of Occupational Safety and Health, upon intake of a complaint from an agricultural employee by any department, division, or board within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to collaborate with each other and take all reasonable efforts to transmit the complaint to the appropriate entity for processing and investigation. The bill would prohibit the transmitting entity from disclosing the identity and personal information of the agricultural employee complainant to the extent prohibited by law
without their consent. The bill would define various terms for these purposes.

Current Bill Text

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