A group of California Republicans have joined forces with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 to support legislation that challenges Governor Gavin Newsom's directive for state workers to return to the office. Assembly Bill 1729, coauthored by Democratic Assemblyman Alex Lee and Republican Assemblyman Josh Hoover, passed the state Assembly with significant Republican support.
The bill, described as an urgency measure requiring a two-thirds vote for immediate enactment, introduces a requirement for state agencies to provide a detailed written justification whenever operational needs necessitate employees reporting to a physical workplace. This measure directly conflicts with Newsom's policy, which established in-person work as the default for state employees, aiming to improve collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
SEIU Local 1000, representing state workers, has actively opposed Newsom's return-to-office mandate, advocating for expanded telework options. The union cites concerns such as traffic, gas prices, vehicle wear and tear, parking costs, and childcare as reasons for employees to continue working from home. Critics argue these are challenges faced by many Californians and that the union is seeking to maintain a pandemic-era privilege.
The legislative push has drawn criticism for involving Republican lawmakers. In the Assembly, AB 1729 passed with a 67-7 vote, with 11 Republicans voting in favor. This bipartisan support for an SEIU priority has raised questions, particularly given that Democrats already possessed sufficient votes to pass the bill. Josh Hoover, who was recently elevated to Assembly minority floor leader, is listed as a coauthor of the bill.
Assembly Republicans who voted for AB 1729 include Juan Alanis, Phillip Chen, Laurie Davies, Heath Flora, Jeff Gonzalez, Heather Hadwick, Tom Lackey, Joe Patterson, David Tangipa, and Greg Wallis. The bill subsequently passed the Senate with a 31-6 vote. While Democrats provided the necessary 27 votes, four Republicans—Megan Dahle, Shannon Grove, Roger Niello, and Suzette Valladares—also voted in favor.
Critics contend that determining where employees report for work is a fundamental management decision that should rest with the chief executive, who is accountable to voters. The New York Post opinion piece that highlighted this issue questioned why Republicans would support a policy that potentially intrudes on management authority when applied to a private business, citing Senator Roger Niello's background in running automobile dealerships.
Assembly Bill 1729 now awaits Governor Newsom's signature. The governor is expected to decide whether to veto the bill or allow it to become law, which would then require him to justify his decision to the public regarding state employees' reporting requirements.