Jan 15, 2016

California senator hopes to extend pear harvest bill

Senator Mike McGuire has introduced SB702, the Lake County Teen Employment and Training Act, which would extend state legislation allowing 16 and 17 year olds in Lake County, California to work at local pear packing plants. Senator McGuire represents Lake County, California, where 40 percent of California pears come from.

Officials from Lake County Schools, the California Farm Bureau and California Fresh Fruit Association have spoken in favor of the harvest bill.

Here’s more from the Record-Bee:

SB 702, the Lake County Teen Employment and Training Act, would simply extend the exemption for Lake County until January 2027 and maintain all the existing stringent requirements for employers to receive the exemption. To ensure adequate oversight, SB 702 requires an additional report from the Labor Commissioner to be submitted to the legislature. All employers will still be subject to annual audits to ensure compliance with state laws and to protect all Lake County workers.

SB 702, co-authored by Lake County’s Assemblymember Bill Dodd, was introduced last week and was approved today in its first hearing by the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee. The committee voted unanimously, approving the legislation and sending it to the Senate Appropriations committee.