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U.S. Supreme Court Holds USERRA Damages Claims Viable Against Arms of the State in Federal Court

Earlier this year, in Torres v. Texas Department of Public Safety (June 29, 2022) __ U.S. __ [142 S.Ct. 2455], the United States Supreme Court held that claims for damages under the federally enacted Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Right Act (USERRA) are permissible in federal court against states and arms of the state, such as California universities, community college districts, a

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Senate Bill 1439 Expands Certain Prohibitions of Accepting Campaign Contributions from Persons or Entities with Business Before a Public Agency

The Political Reform Act of 1974 (PRA) prohibits government officials from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions of more than $250 from persons with a proceeding for a license, permit, or other entitlement pending before the agency, if the officer knows or has reason to know that the donor has a financial interest in the proceeding.

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New Legislation Expands Employee Leave Rights

Assembly Bill (AB) 152 went into effect immediately and extended the requirement to provide eligible employees with supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) through December 31, 2022.

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Discrimination Prohibited for Cannabis Use While Away from Employment

Governor Newsom recently signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 2188, which prohibits employers from discriminating against job applicants and current employees for cannabis use off the job and away from the workplace beginning January 1, 2024.

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New Options for Local Legislative Bodies to Access Public Meetings Remotely

State lawmakers have given members of local legislative bodies a new option for remote participation in public agency meetings.

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Senate Bill 1100 Addresses Disruptive Public Conduct at Public Meetings

On August 21, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1100, which authorizes the presiding member of a legislative body to remove disruptive individuals during a public meeting.

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Ninth Circuit Backs Fellowship of Christian Athletes Over Non-Discrimination Policy

In a recently decided case, Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District Board of Education (9th Cir. Aug. 29, 2022, No. 22-15827), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a federal district court and determined that the San Jose Unified School District’s use of its non-discrimination policy against the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) likely violat

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California Supreme Court Affirms Public School Districts Cannot be Sued Under Unruh Civil Rights Act for Disability Discrimination

The California Supreme Court recently upheld a lower court ruling that a public school district is not a “business establishment” and therefore cannot be liable for disability discrimination under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act (Unruh Act or Act).

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New Law Mandates Schools to Annually Inform Parents of Safe Storage of Firearms and Expands Reporting of Middle School and High School Threats to Law Enforcement

On July 21, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 906, creating new obligations for local educational agencies (LEAs) designed to prevent firearm-related incidents at schools and addressing threats made by students in middle schools and high schools.

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