AB 1459 Summary

• Restructures prevailing wage monitoring for public works projects by requiring contractors to register with the Department of Industrial Relations, pay registration fees ($300 initial, annual renewal), and meet eligibility requirements rather than having awarding bodies reimburse the state for monitoring costs; applies to bids submitted March 1, 2015 and contracts entered after April 1, 2015.

• Abolishes the California Housing Trust Fund and School Facilities Fee Assistance Fund, transferring remaining balances to the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Fund effective July 1, 2014, and allows the Department of Housing and Community Development to use up to $11 million to reconstruct and rehabilitate migrant centers.

• Implements a three-year pilot program (2014-15 to 2016-17) called the State-County Assessors' Partnership Agreement Program providing grants to select county assessors' offices with dollar-for-dollar county matching requirements to improve property tax administration.

• Increases unemployment insurance penalties and late fees on employers: increases failure-to-pay penalty from 10% to 15%, failure-to-file penalty from 10% to 15%, and per-item wage reporting penalties from $10 to $20, effective July 1, 2014.

• Makes miscellaneous administrative changes including extending the 21st Century Project (human resources system) authorization to June 30, 2015, modifying provisions for State Archives administration, establishing the FISCal system governance structure, and providing salary increase provisions for state supervisors and managers in Bargaining Units 9 and 10.