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AB 129

Labor.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Directs a study and planning process to move In-Home Supportive Services to statewide collective bargaining, with reports 2027–2029 and transition no earlier than 2030.

Re-referred to Com. on B. & F. R.
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Bill Summary · AB 129

AB 129 (Committee on Budget) — Summary (Introduced Jan 8, 2025; re‑referred to Com. on B. & F. R. 7/2/2025)

Main purpose

AB 129 contains several labor‑related measures and a General Fund appropriation tied to state employee pension liabilities. Its primary policy elements: (1) direct a study and planning process to evaluate shifting In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) to a statewide collective bargaining model; (2) extend certain nonindustrial disability benefit coverage to employees in career executive assignments; and (3) provide a one‑time $584 million General Fund supplemental payment to the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund (PERS) allocated to specified member categories. The bill also makes technical/conforming changes to workers’ compensation fraud assessment provisions.

Key provisions

  • IHSS statewide bargaining study and planning

    • Requires the Department of Human Resources (DHR), in collaboration with the State Department of Social Services (DSS), to appoint a statewide bargaining advisory committee to review the “full cost of care” under a statewide collective bargaining model for IHSS.
    • Advisory committee must submit completed analyses and reports to the Legislature between January 1, 2027 and January 1, 2029 addressing key issues associated with any transition to statewide bargaining.
    • DSS must deliver, by July 1, 2027, a report to the advisory committee on approaches for cost containment under a statewide bargaining model.
    • DHR may contract as necessary. The Legislature expresses intent that any transition process may begin only after the completed analyses are submitted and no earlier than January 1, 2030.

  • Nonindustrial disability benefits — career executive assignments

    • Effective October 1, 2025 (for disability benefit periods beginning on or after July 1, 2025), expands the statutory definition of “employee” eligible for certain nonindustrial disability benefits to include state officers/employees appointed to career executive assignments.
    • Requires affected employees filing for benefits for a specified disability period to submit a completed claim within 41 days after the provision’s effective date.

  • PERS supplemental appropriation

    • Appropriates $584,000,000 from the General Fund to supplement the state’s appropriation to the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund (per constitutional/Budget Stabilization Account directions and related Budget Act 2025 references).
    • Requires Department of Finance to provide the Controller with a transfer schedule.
    • Apportionment caps (not to exceed):
    • State miscellaneous: $273,983,000
    • State industrial: $16,164,000
    • State safety: $32,150,000
    • State peace officer/firefighter: $261,703,000
    • Funds to be applied to unfunded liabilities in excess of 2025–26 base amounts for those member categories.

  • Workers’ compensation fraud assessment / APA technical changes

    • Makes technical and conforming amendments to assessment collection rules and related Administrative Procedure Act references (details in truncated text).

Who is affected

  • IHSS recipients and IHSS providers (paid caregivers), county IHSS administrations, state DSS and DHR, and public employee labor organizations (potentially impacted by any future statewide bargaining model).
  • State employees appointed to career executive assignments (expanded eligibility for certain disability benefits).
  • PERS members across the specified state employee member categories and the PERS fund (receipt and apportionment of the $584M supplemental payment).
  • Department of Industrial Relations and employers impacted by workers’ compensation fraud assessment rule changes.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Reports due: advisory committee reports between 1/1/2027 and 1/1/2029; DSS cost‑containment report by 7/1/2027.
  • Disability‑benefit expansion effective 10/1/2025 (for benefit periods commencing on/after 7/1/2025); affected claimants must file within 41 days of the effective date.
  • Any transition of IHSS to statewide bargaining cannot begin earlier than 1/1/2030 and would follow the advisory committee’s submissions.
  • Bill status (selected): passed Assembly 3/20/2025 (Ayes 53, Noes 17); in Senate referred to committees; re‑referred to Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review 7/2/2025.

If you want, I can extract statutory section references, list potential fiscal effects in more detail, or pull legislative debate/analyses associated with committee reports.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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