SACRAMENTO –California’s publicly held corporations have until January 1, 2020 to add at least one woman to their boards as a result of legislation authored by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara) .
SB 826, signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown last year, requires every publicly held corporation in California to have a minimum of one woman on its board of directors by the end of 2019; two or more by 2021 for boards of five; and three women by 2021 for boards of six or more. California is the first state in the nation with such a requirement.
“In just one year, Senate Bill 826 has had an enormous impact on gender equity in the boardroom. The law sparked a national conversation about the makeup of our boards, led several companies to bring more women onto their leadership teams, and opened doors for talented women across the state,” said Senator Jackson. “With numerous independent studies showing that corporations with women on their boards are more profitable, there is simply no excuse for shutting women out of the boardroom.”
Other legislation by Senator Jackson to require smart device security, prepare for an aging state, improve emergency planning, and more will also take effect on January 1, 2020:
Smart Device Security
- Senate Bill 327, signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown last year, requires manufacturers of internet connected consumer devices — such as wireless routers, televisions, and mobile phones — to equip these devices with reasonable security features, such as detecting potential hackers or the ability to change passwords. With reasonable security features, these devices will better protect sensitive consumer information – like location history and web browsing patterns – from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
California’s Aging Population
- Senate Bill 228 provides a policy framework for the Master Plan for Aging and Disabled Californians, established through executive order by Governor Newsom. SB 228 encourages collaboration among state departments and stakeholders, provides a framework of values, builds on best practices and research to provide a vision and plan for addressing the long- and short-term needs of aging and disabled Californians, and requires reporting to the Legislature on the progress of the plan.
- Senate Bill 280 strengthens home building standards to help aging and disabled adults reduce their risk of dangerous falls and allow them to age at home.
- Senate Bill 623 directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to use the most current Census data to determine the assistance allocated for the construction of low-income senior housing units. This helps ensure that housing allocations accurately reflect California’s increasing senior population.
Emergency Planning
- Senate Bill 160 will ensure that emergency planning is sensitive to our state’s significant cultural and linguistic diversity. The bill directs counties to integrate interpreters and translators in emergency communications, incorporate qualified representatives from community groups during the planning process, and use culturally appropriate resources when preparing community members for emergencies or disasters.
Oil and Gas Infrastructure
- Senate Bill 551 directs the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) to develop a process for assessing the costs of decommissioning all oil and gas infrastructure within its jurisdiction, and requires operators of an oil or gas facility to report its total liability for plugging and abandoning all wells and other facilities beginning in July 1, 2022 and at least every five years thereafter. Over the next several decades, California will face the significant challenge of infrastructure that remains from oil and gas production. While oil and gas operators are required to bear the ultimate financial responsibility for shutting down their wells, removing infrastructure, and remediating sites, in several cases they are refusing to do so, leaving California taxpayers paying the costs.
Jackson represents the 19th Senate District, which includes all of Santa Barbara County and western Ventura County.