AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 26, 2017
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 6, 2017
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
95
CHAPTER 160
Statutes of 2017
[ Approved by Governor July 31, 2017. Filed with Secretary of State July 31, 2017. ]
Introduced by Committee on Judiciary (Assembly Members Mark Stone (Chair), Chau, Chiu, Cristina Garcia, Holden, Kalra, Reyes, and Ting)
February 27, 2017
An act to amend Section 3339 of the Civil Code, to amend Section 7285 of the Government Code, to amend Section 24000 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 1171.5 of the Labor Code, relating to personal rights.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: no Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law makes a legislative finding and declaration that all protections, rights, and remedies available under state law, except as prohibited by federal law, are available to individuals regardless of immigration status who have applied for employment, or who are or who have been employed, in this state pursuant to provisions in the Civil Code, the Government Code, the Health and Safety Code, and the Labor Code. Existing law, in addition, finds and declares that for the purposes of enforcing state labor, employment, civil rights, and employee housing laws, a person’s immigration status is irrelevant to the issue of liability, and no inquiry shall be permitted into a person’s immigration status, except when necessary to comply with federal immigration law.
This bill instead would find and declare that for the purposes of enforcing state labor, employment, civil rights, consumer protection, and housing laws, a person’s immigration status is irrelevant to the issue of liability, and that no inquiry shall be permitted into a person’s immigration status, unless it is necessary in order to comply with federal immigration law.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 3339 of the Civil Code is amended to read:
3339.
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) All protections, rights, and remedies available under state law, except any reinstatement remedy prohibited by federal law, are available to all individuals regardless of immigration status who have applied for employment, or who are or who have been employed, in this state.
(b) For purposes of enforcing state labor, employment, civil rights, consumer protection, and housing laws, a person’s immigration status is irrelevant to the issue of liability, and in proceedings or discovery undertaken to enforce those state laws no inquiry shall be permitted into a person’s immigration status unless the person seeking to make this inquiry has shown by clear and convincing evidence that this inquiry is necessary in order to comply with federal immigration law.
(c) The provisions of this section are declaratory of existing law.
(d) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
SEC. 2.
Section 7285 of the Government Code is amended to read:
7285.
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) All protections, rights, and remedies available under state law, except any reinstatement remedy prohibited by federal law, are available to all individuals regardless of immigration status who have applied for employment, or who are or who have been employed, in this state.
(b) For purposes of enforcing state labor, employment, civil rights, consumer protection, and housing laws, a person’s immigration status is irrelevant to the issue of liability, and in proceedings or discovery undertaken to enforce those state laws no inquiry shall be permitted into a person’s immigration status unless the person seeking to make the inquiry has shown by clear and convincing evidence that the inquiry is necessary in order to comply with federal immigration law.
(c) The provisions of this section are declaratory of existing law.
(d) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
SEC. 3.
Section 24000 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
24000.
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) All protections, rights, and remedies available under state law, except any reinstatement remedy prohibited by federal law, are available to all individuals regardless of immigration status who have applied for employment, or who are or who have been employed, in this state.
(b) For purposes of enforcing state labor, employment, civil rights, consumer protection, and housing laws, a person’s immigration status is irrelevant to the issue of liability, and in proceedings or discovery undertaken to enforce those state laws no inquiry shall be permitted into a person’s immigration status unless the person seeking to make this inquiry has shown by clear and convincing evidence that the inquiry is necessary in order to comply with federal immigration law.
(c) The provisions of this section are declaratory of existing law.
(d) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
SEC. 4.
Section 1171.5 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
1171.5.
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) All protections, rights, and remedies available under state law, except any reinstatement remedy prohibited by federal law, are available to all individuals regardless of immigration status who have applied for employment, or who are or who have been employed, in this state.
(b) For purposes of enforcing state labor, employment, civil rights, consumer protection, and housing laws, a person’s immigration status is irrelevant to the issue of liability, and in proceedings or discovery undertaken to enforce those state laws no inquiry shall be permitted into a person’s immigration status unless the person seeking to make this inquiry has shown by clear and convincing evidence that the inquiry is necessary in order to comply with federal immigration law.
(c) The provisions of this section are declaratory of existing law.
(d) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.