WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

AB 332

Relating to: requiring vehicles to stop for pedestrians at certain intersections and crosswalks.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Deb Andraca and 21 co-sponsors

Expands farm-labor contractor successor liability and shortens the defense window to 1 year, while requiring updated wildfire-smoke training accessible to workers.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 332

AB 332 — Employment: agricultural workers (Alanis) — Summary

Status: Re-referred to Committee on Labor & Employment (most recent action 2025-03-17)
Introduced: January 28, 2025

Purpose / Intent

AB 332 tightens successor liability rules for farm labor contractors and clarifies employer obligations for wildfire smoke training for agricultural employees. The bill aims to strengthen protections for agricultural workers seeking unpaid wages or penalties from predecessor contractors, while updating training requirements and ensuring wildfire-smoke training materials are reviewed and posted by the Division.

Key provisions

  1. Amends Labor Code §1698.9 — successor liability for farm labor contractors

    • A farm labor contractor who is a successor to a predecessor that owed wages or penalties remains liable if the successor meets one or more criteria:
      • Uses substantially the same facilities or workforce to provide substantially the same services as the predecessor;
      • Shares ownership, management, workforce control, or interrelated business operations with the predecessor;
      • Employs in a managerial capacity any person who directly/indirectly controlled wages, hours, or working conditions of employees owed wages/penalties by the predecessor;
      • Is an “immediate family member” of an owner/partner/officer/licensee/director of, or someone with financial interest in, the predecessor.
    • The bill reduces the period required for a licensed successor to assert an affirmative defense from 3 years to 1 year. To use the defense, the licensed farm labor contractor must show:
      • They have operated with a valid license for at least the preceding year;
      • The workforce individuals were not referred/supplied by the predecessor;
      • The licensed contractor had no interest/connection to the predecessor’s operation within the preceding year;
      • The licensed contractor has not been determined to have violated any Labor Code provision within the preceding year.
    • Expands the statutory definition of “immediate family member” to explicitly include: step-parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, half-sibling, and step-grandparent (in addition to existing relations).

  2. Amends Labor Code §9110 — wildfire smoke training for agricultural employees

    • Directs the Division to review and update the content of the training prescribed in Cal/OSHA Section 5141.1 and post the updated content on its website.
    • Requires employers to provide wildfire smoke training in a language and manner readily understandable to employees, taking into account ethnic/cultural backgrounds and education levels; permits use of pictograms as necessary.

Who is affected

  • Farm labor contractors (successors and predecessors), their owners/managers, and their agricultural workforce — particularly employees pursuing unpaid wages or penalties.
  • Agricultural employers required to provide wildfire smoke training and the agricultural employees who receive that training.
  • Enforcement entities that handle wage claims and Labor Code violations.

Significant procedural / fiscal notes

  • By expanding who may be treated as successor liable (and thereby creating or expanding criminal liability tied to farm labor contractor requirements), the bill creates a state-mandated local program. However, the bill states no state reimbursement is required under Article XIII B, Section 6 of the California Constitution because additional local costs arise from creating/changing criminal law (per Government Code §17556).
  • Legislative actions: introduced 1/28/25; amended 3/13/25 (author’s amendments) and re-referred to Committee on Labor & Employment 3/17/25.

Practical impact

  • Makes it easier for workers to hold successor contractors accountable by narrowing the timeframe (to 1 year) for successors to claim an affirmative defense based on independent operation and fewer prior violations.
  • Broadens familial relationships that can trigger successor liability, potentially increasing scrutiny of successor entities with family ties to predecessors.
  • Requires updated, accessible wildfire smoke training materials to be posted and provided in culturally and linguistically appropriate formats for agricultural workers.

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

Sign in to ask a question.