As California’s legislative session nears its three month hiatus, a local senator is celebrating some big wins. Senator Hannah Beth Jackson, whose district incorporates Santa Barbara County and a portion of Ventura, had two bills pass off the Senate floor last week and now sit on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. One hopes to close the income inequality gap between men and women in the workforce, while the other strives to strike a balance between drone technology and the right to privacy. She joined KCRW’s Larry Perel in studio to talk about them.
Senate Bill 358, the California Fair Pay Act would make it more difficult for employers to justify paying men more than women for “substantially similar” work, and prohibit employers from retaliating against women who ask about or discuss the pay of their male colleagues. The bill passed off the Senate on August 31st, 39-0.
Senate Bill 142 would restrict the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles under 350 feet above properties without the permission of those property owners or legal entities. The bill passed off the Senate on August 27th, 21-10.
Both bills are now on the desk of California Governor Jerry Brown, who has until October 11th to sign the bills.