SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield), announced the introduction of Assembly Bill 1842 (AB 1842), also known as the California Works and Recovery Act, with a group of pro-job Democrats including Assemblymember’s Joaquin Arambula, Jim Cooper, Jim Frazier, Eduardo Garcia, Mike Gipson, Timothy Grayson, Jose Medina, Cottie Petrie-Norris, James Ramos, Freddie Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sharon Quirk-Silva and Senator Cathleen Galgiani. This legislation provides historic relief and economic assistance to workers, families, and small businesses, while expanding job opportunities to help those affected by the pandemic-induced recession.
A record number of people have filed for unemployment – 4.3 million individuals in California alone have filed for unemployment claims since March 12, a number that continues to grow. The Department of Finance projected that the 2020 unemployment rate will be 18 percent, a much higher level than during the Great Recession.
“Working families are facing an unprecedented economic crisis due to COVID-19 and the government needs to step up to the plate to get people and our economy back to work,” said Assemblymember Salas. “To meet this moment, we need to expand job opportunities, help small businesses, and support our workers and local cities. AB 1842 provides the support we need to revitalize the economy and create a stronger California for all.”
The California Works and Recovery Act will do the following to help workers and small businesses:
- Funds infrastructure projects for immediate job creation.
- Recovery grants for local housing, transportation & community development "shovel ready" projects.
- Increases healthcare workforce in high shortage areas.
- Invests in hospitals for seismic retrofits.
- Funds additional wildfire mitigation efforts & jobs.
- Expands CA Competes Tax Credit for businesses hit by COVID-19.
- Provides assistance for food banks.
“AB 1842 will help us tackle the economic and medical challenges that so many of our families are suffering through right now, while also helping alleviate the strain on our health care providers,” said Assemblymember Arambula. “I know there is nothing more that our communities would like to see than being healthy and getting back to work, getting our students back in the classroom, and getting our businesses back online.”
“While we work to support our brave health care professionals fighting this pandemic in our hospitals, we must also take action to help hardworking families and small business owners who are facing an unprecedented economic crisis,” said Assemblymember Tim Grayson. “AB 1842 will allow us to take immediate action to revitalize our economy, create job opportunities, and provide needed relief for businesses most impacted by COVID-19.”
AB 1842 will ensure immediate action and substantive steps are taken to help workers and small businesses to facilitate economic recovery and ensure the well-being of working families everywhere.
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