July Advocacy Updates

The California Outdoor Hospitality Association has a long history of success advocating for our members and pushing back against aggressive state bureaucracies. Through the support of our members, we are currently monitoring several bills and other legislative proposals with the potential to impact not only our parks and campgrounds but also businesses across the state. Here is a look at the status of these proposals, where we stand on the matters. 

California Department of Insurance
 
CalOHA President and CEO, Dyana Kelley recently spoke on behalf of the outdoor hospitality industry at a hearing called by California State Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara. The hearing was to determine the overall impact of the state of the insurance industry on California residents and business owners and if the Fair Plan is an adequate solution. 

Recommendations included but not limited to broad form peril coverage in the fair plan, expanded business interruption, and elevated service. Additionally, as the Fair Plan was designed as a temporary solution, recommendations of legislation that would prevent providers from pulling out of segments and/or the state were also discussed.
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After presenting on the hearing at the Cal Travel board meeting, CalOHA requested an additional meeting with the commissioner to allow for engagement with other segments of the travel and tourism industry. 
 
For more information on the investigatory hearing

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AB 2243 - Occupational safety and health standards: heat illness: wildfire smoke (Garcia, Edurado (D))
 
Summary: The current Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez heat illness standard provides for the prevention of heat-related illness of employees in outdoor places of employment, as prescribed. There is also an existing standard for workplace protection from wildfire smoke. This bill would require the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, before December 1, 2025, to submit to the standards board a rulemaking proposal to consider revising the heat illness standard and wildfire smoke standard to include ultra-high heat in excess of 105 degrees (current standard is 95 degrees and above) and to reduce the AQI threshold for PM2.5 at which respiratory protective equipment becomes mandatory.
 
We are opposing this bill on the basis that additional regulatory in this regard in unnecessary and that it could create potential for imposition of more stringent standards. 
 
For more information on AB 2243

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SB 869 - Housing: mobilehome parks: recreational vehicle parks: manager training. (Levya, Connie (D) /Dodd Christopher (D))

This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development, by May 1,2025 to adopt regulations to require at least one person per mobilehome park or recreational vehicle park employed or acting under contract as an onsite manager or assistant manager, or otherwise acting in an onsite or offsite managerial capacity or role, on behalf of a mobilehome park or recreational vehicle park to receive appropriate training of at least 6 hours, and no more than 8 hours, during the initial year and at least 2 hours, and no more than 4 hours, of follow up training each year thereafter on rules and regulations for the park, among other matters.
 
We are continuing to oppose unless amended to exclude RV parks, remove the penalty to suspend an operators permit to operate, allow for training by agencies other than HCD. 
 
For more information on SB 869

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SB 1044 - Employers: state of emergency or emergency condition: retaliation. (Durazo, Maria-Elena (D))
 
Summary: Would prohibit an employer, in the event of a state of emergency or an emergency condition, as defined, from taking or threatening adverse action against any employee for refusing to report to, or leaving, a workplace within the affected area because the employee feels unsafe, except as specified. The bill would also prohibit an employer from preventing any employee, including employees of public entities, as specified, from accessing the employee’s mobile device or other communications device for seeking emergency assistance, assessing the safety of the situation, or communicating with a person to confirm their safety. The bill would require an employee to notify the employer of the state of emergency or emergency condition requiring the employee to leave or refuse to report to the workplace, as specified. The bill would clarify that these provisions are not intended to apply when a declared official state of emergency remains in place but emergency conditions that pose an imminent and ongoing risk of harm to the workplace, the worker, or the worker’s home have ceased.

As written this bill would allow employees to “walk off” anytime they feel unsafe in the workplace. The feeling of being unsafe is subjective and loosely defined. We are opposed unless amended.  
 
For more information on SB 1044

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The support of our members is what allows us to continue fighting and advocating for the future of the outdoor hospitality industry. For more information or to join our association in our efforts please contact the CalOHA office today! (530) 885-1624