SB 469 (2025) — Department of Industrial Relations: task force: public infrastructure: employment: underrepresented communities.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

SENATE BILLNo. 469

Introduced by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas

February 19, 2025

An act to add Section 64.6 to the Labor Code, relating to employment.

Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law creates in the Labor and Workforce Development Agency the Department of Industrial Relations to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of wage earners of California, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment.

This bill would require the department to establish the California Public Infrastructure Task Force, composed of representatives of specified agencies to promote employment in public infrastructure projects for underrepresented communities and to provide compliance assistance to contractors and subcontractors in public infrastructure projects regarding their nondiscrimination obligations, as specified.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 64.6 is added to the Labor Code, to read:

64.6.

(a) The department shall establish the California Public Infrastructure Task Force, composed of representatives of all of the following:

(1) The Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

(2) The Transportation Agency.

(3) The Department of Transportation.

(4) The Department of General Services.

(5) The Civil Rights Department.

(6) The California Workforce Development Board.

(7) Local workforce development boards.

(8) Unions.

(9) Contractors and subcontractors.

(10) Nonprofit organizations.

(b) The task force shall do all of the following:

(1) Conduct regular meetings to make recommendations regarding recruiting from underrepresented communities and removing barriers to employment in public infrastructure projects for underrepresented communities.

(2) Conduct outreach and engagement activities with contractors and subcontractors to promote employment in public infrastructure projects for underrepresented communities.

(3) Provide ongoing compliance assistance at the prebid and postbid stages to contractors and subcontractors in public infrastructure projects regarding their nondiscrimination obligations.

(4) Evaluate the efforts of contractors and subcontractors to recruit and utilize talent from underrepresented communities in public infrastructure projects.