A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed job killer has been amended to remove the job killer tag.

Before AB 1761 (Muratsuchi; D-Torrance) was amended on May 9, the bill denied hotel guests due process, by requiring hotels to create a blacklist of guests who have been accused, yet not proven, to have engaged in inappropriate behavior toward hotel employees, and precluded the hotel from allowing those guests on the blacklist to enter their properties for three years.

CalChamber remains opposed and has proposed amendments that would remove our opposition because the bill still creates unworkable requirements for paid leave, unlimited penalties, and allows for a patchwork of state and local rules in regards to providing protection for hotel employees working alone and the provision of panic buttons.

Even under the amended version of AB 1761, hotel employers in compliance with the provisions of the bill could be subject to ever-changing requirements for new and different equipment, as well as new and different protocols for compliance. Each local ordinance could be different from all other local ordinances. The result will be a patchwork of requirements that could have owners of multiple properties in different cities with not only potentially different panic buttons for different locations, but also different protocols, leave policies, complaint response procedures and civil penalties. This lack of conformity and predictability for businesses creates costly equipment purchase requirements and administrative burdens, which is why the state occupies this space so that employers can create consistent policies across the state. CalChamber and the coalition of industry associations and local chambers of commerce are urging the bill’s author to remove this provision.

AB 1761 is on the Assembly Floor. CalChamber is asking members to contact their Assembly representatives and urge them to vote “no” on AB 1761, unless it is amended as proposed by CalChamber and the coalition.