California AB 596: County employees' retirement: safety members: physicians.

Bill Text

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 
 Bill Text - AB-596 Elections: ballot disclosures.

• 

• skip to content

• home

• accessibility

• FAQ

• feedback

• sitemap

• login

• x

 Quick Search:

 Bill Number
 Bill Keyword

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• Home

• Bill Information

• California Law

• Publications

• Other Resources

• My Subscriptions

• My Favorites

• Bill Information
 >>

• Bill Search
 >>

• Text

 Bill Text

 PDF2
 Bill PDF

 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 09/09/25 - Amended Senate
 06/12/25 - Amended Senate
 03/10/25 - Amended Assembly
 02/13/25 - Introduced

 AB-596 Elections: ballot disclosures.(2025-2026)

 Text

 >>

 Votes

 >>

 History
 >>

 Bill Analysis
 >>

 Today's Law As Amended
 >>

 Compare Versions
 >>

 Status
 >>

 Comments To Author

 >>

 Track Bill
 >>

 Add To My Favorites
 >>

 SHARE THIS:

 Date Published: 09/09/2025 04:45 PM

AB596:v96#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 September 09, 2025

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 June 12, 2025

 Amended
 IN 
 Assembly
 March 10, 2025

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Assembly Bill

No. 596

Introduced by Assembly Member McKinnor Ortega

February 13, 2025

An act to add Section 6403.7 to the Labor Code, relating to occupational safety. amend Section 9051 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 596, as amended, McKinnor Ortega.
 Occupational safety: face coverings. Elections: ballot disclosures.

Under existing law, the ballot label for a statewide measure contains a condensed version of the ballot title and summary prepared by the Attorney General, including a fiscal impact summary prepared by the Legislative Analyst, followed by a listing of the names of the measure’s supporters and opponents. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to create an internet website or to use other available technology to consolidate information about each state ballot measure, including a list of the top 10 contributors supporting or opposing a measure, if compiled by the Fair Political Practices Commission.

This bill would require the 3 largest contributors of $100,000 or more to all committees that paid for the circulation of a statewide initiative or statewide
 referendum measure to also be printed on the ballot immediately following the names of the measure’s supporters and opponents. The Secretary of State would be required to make a copy of the top contributors available for public examination prior to printing that information on ballots, and voters would be authorized to seek a writ of mandate requiring the identified contributors to be amended or deleted. The bill would specify words and phrases that may be left out of a top contributor’s name in order to shorten the name when printed on the ballot.

The bill would apply its provisions only to proposed statewide initiative or statewide referendum measures for which the Attorney General delivers a circulating title and summary to the proponents on or after January 1, 2026. To the extent the bill would increase the duties of county elections officials relative to examining initiative and referendum petitions and printing ballots, it would impose a state-mandated local
 program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Existing law established and requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations to enforce all occupational safety and health standards, as specified. Existing law establishes the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board within the department to promulgate and enforce occupational safety and health standards for the state. A violation of these standards and regulations under specific circumstances is a crime.

Until February 3, 2025, existing regulations promulgated by the board, in all areas of employment except as specified, prohibit an employer from preventing any employee from wearing a face covering, including a respirator, as specified, unless it would create a safety hazard. Existing regulations define various terms for purposes of this prohibition.

This bill would prohibit an employer from preventing any employee from wearing a face covering, including a respirator, unless it would create a safety hazard. Notwithstanding that provision, the bill would authorize an employer, for identification purposes, to ask any person on the worksite to momentarily remove their face covering, as provided. Consistent with the above-referenced regulations, the bill would define terms for purposes of these provisions.

Because a violation of the above-described prohibition consti