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AB 552

Relating to: funding for chronic wasting disease research and making an appropriation. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Brienne Brown and 15 co-sponsors

The bill temporarily allows the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to locate its executive office flexibly (not only in Sacramento) and operate field offices through 2027, before s

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
0
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Bill Summary · AB 552

AB 552 — Agricultural Labor Relations Board: office (Ortega) — Bill Summary

Status: Introduced Feb 11, 2025. Passed Assembly Labor & Employment Committee (Ayes 6, Noes 0) Apr 2, 2025; re‑referred to Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

Purpose

AB 552 makes a temporary administrative change to where the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) must locate its principal office and makes a minor, nonsubstantive wording change to an existing employer requirement to post social compliance audit results related to child labor. The change to the ALRB’s office location authority is limited in duration (sunsets Jan 1, 2028).

Key provisions

  1. Amendment to Labor Code Section 1142 (ALRB office)

    • Removes the existing statutory requirement that the ALRB’s principal office be located in Sacramento.
    • Instead requires the ALRB to establish an executive or principal office (language permits flexibility about location).
    • Confirms the board may establish additional offices in other cities and delegate to those offices many operational powers (e.g., determining bargaining units, investigating representation and unfair labor practice matters, directing secret‑ballot elections, certifying election results or labor organizations).
    • Provides for review by the full board of actions delegated to field offices and requires publication of the board’s findings when reviewing those actions.
    • The amended section is temporary and will be repealed January 1, 2028.

  2. Amendment to Labor Code Section 1251 (social compliance audits — child labor)

    • Makes a nonsubstantive wording change to the existing requirement that an employer who voluntarily undergoes a social compliance audit (to determine whether child labor is involved) must post a clear and conspicuous link on its website to a report of the audit findings.
    • The statute continues to require that such a posted report include:
      1. Date, time, and shift (day/night) the audit was conducted.
      2. Whether the employer engaged in or supported the use of child labor.
      3. Copies of written policies/procedures regarding child employees.
      4. Whether children were exposed to hazardous or unsafe conditions affecting physical/mental development.
      5. Whether children worked during or outside school hours or at night.
      6. A statement that the auditing firm is not a government agency and is not authorized to verify compliance with state/federal labor or safety laws.

Who is affected

  • Agricultural Labor Relations Board: gains temporary flexibility to locate its executive/principal office and to operate field offices.
  • Agricultural employers and labor organizations: potentially affected by any changes in ALRB office locations or field operations (e.g., where hearings or election administration occur).
  • Employers who voluntarily commission social compliance audits: must continue posting specified audit-report information on their websites.
  • Auditing firms: subject to required disclosures in posted reports.

Timeline & procedure

  • Bill introduced Feb 11, 2025.
  • Passed Assembly Labor & Employment Committee Apr 2, 2025 (6–0); re‑referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
  • The ALRB office-location provision sunsets (repealed) January 1, 2028.

Potential impacts

  • Administrative flexibility for the ALRB to locate or relocate an executive/principal office (short term through 2027) could reduce travel burdens or align the board’s presence with stakeholder locations, but could also affect access to the board’s Sacramento‑based functions while in effect.
  • The social compliance audit posting requirements remain substantively unchanged; the bill clarifies wording but preserves transparency obligations for employers who voluntarily audit for child labor.

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

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