OLYMPIA – The Senate State Government will hear testimony today at 1:30 p.m. on legislation to recognize April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day.
Dolores Huerta, a feminist, civil rights activist and labor leader, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association and was instrumental in California’s adoption of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which granted farmworkers collective bargaining rights.
Senate Bill 5868 is one of two bills sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) that focus on farmworkers’ concerns. The other bill, Senate Bill 5693, addresses human trafficking and related employment violations by requiring transparency in agricultural supply chains. (Watch the hearing here.)
“Consumers in our state who want to buy products that reflect their values have a right to know whether a company they purchase from is following through on its commitment to production integrity,” Saldaña said.
SB 5693 focuses on the largest corporate sellers and end users, including those who claim to have responsible standards for their suppliers. The bill would increase transparency and accountability for retail sellers and manufacturers of agricultural products with annual gross receipts of $100 million or more.
The companies would be required to obtain reports from suppliers about violations of employment laws including human trafficking, sexual harassment, or labor violations, and to disclose the information annually and post it on their company websites.
The bill is scheduled for executive session in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee next Thursday.
