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AP20:001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 3, 2020
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation
Changes Employment Classification Rules for App-Based Transportation and Delivery Drivers. Initiative Statute.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced that the proponents of a new initiative were cleared to begin collecting petition signatures yesterday.
The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponents and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponents and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:
CHANGES EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION RULES FOR APP-BASED TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY DRIVERS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Establishes different criteria for determining whether app-based transportation (rideshare) and delivery drivers are “employees” or “independent contractors.” Independent contractors are not entitled to certain state-law protections afforded employees—including minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation. Instead, companies with independent contractor drivers will be required to provide specified alternative benefits, including: minimum compensation and healthcare subsidies based on engaged driving time, vehicle insurance, safety training, and sexual harassment policies. Restricts local regulation of app-based drivers; criminalizes impersonation of such drivers; requires background checks. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increase in state personal income tax revenue of an unknown amount. (19-0026A1.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1883 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 19-0026.
The proponents of the measure, Davis White, Brian McGuigan, and Keith Yandell, must collect signatures of 623,212 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the November 2018 general election) in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponents have 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than June 30, 2020. The proponents can be reached c/o Kurt R. Oneto of Nielsen Merksamer, LLP at (916) 446-6752. The address for Nielsen Merksamer, LLP is 1415 L Street, Suite 1200, Sacramento, CA 95814.
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