The Peace and Freedom Party has taken/will be taking positions for or against a number of bills in the 2023-2024 session of the California legislature; the party is also watching the progression of several other bills. Below run the PFP’s positions on this legislation. For the full text and more information on a bill, click on the given bill’s title.
Additionally, the PFP Legislative Committee sends letters to state senators and assemblypersons detailing the party’s support of or opposition to each bill. Each position letter may be accessed individually via the links marked [Position letter] below. Last update: September 24, 2023.
• AB 83 – The Political Reform Act of 1974 – SUPPORT
Would ban foreign-influenced businesses from making contributions or independent expenditures in California elections. [Position letter]
• AB 93 – Consensual searches – SUPPORT
Would prohibit law-enforcement officials from searches without a warrant, even with consent. [Position letter]
• AB 280 – Segregated confinement – SUPPORT
Would restrict the use of solitary confinement and calls for transparency from prison officials on its use. [Position letter]
• AB 504 – State and local employees labor relations: strikes – SUPORT
Would allow public employees the right to refuse to cross a primary strike picket line or refuse to work in a public agency during a primary strike.
• AB 881 – Pilot program for juror fees – SUPPORT
Would establish a pilot program in San Francisco and four California county Superior Courts to raise juror fees to determine if increased compensation would create more representative juries. [Position letter]
• AB 1034 – Law enforcement: Facial recognition, biometric surveillance – SUPPORT
Would prohibit law enforcement from using biometric surveillance in connection with officers’ bodycam technology. [Position letter]
• AB 1035 – Mobile home park rent – SUPORT
Would cap rises in rent at mobile home parks annually to 3% plus cost-of-living increases.
• AB 1100 – The 32-hour Workweek – SUPPORT
Would establish a pilot program to provide grants to employers who provide employees with the possibility of a 32-hour workweek. [Position letter]
• AB 1227 – Elections: Santa Clara county – SUPPORT
Would allow ranked choice voting to elect county officers in Santa Clara county. [Position letter]
• AB 1228 – Fast food restaurant franchisors and franchisees: Joint liability – SUPPORT
Would require fast food corporations to share civil legal responsibility and civil liability with franchisees for violating minimum standards in wages, working conditions and training.
• AB 1314 – Gender identification for schoolchildren – OPPOSE
Would require notification to parent or guardian by school employee(s) when a student is identifying as a gender other than that listed on official records. [Position letter]
• AB 1595 – Voting eligibility – SUPORT
Depending on the passage of ACA 4 (see below), this bill would subsequently allow state and federal prisoners to vote.
• ACA 4 – Elections: Eligibility to vote – SUPPORT
Would allow those serving a term in state or federal prison the right to vote.
• ACA 8 – Slavery – SUPPORT
Would make illegal in California all forms of slavery, including forced labor compelled by the use or threat of physical or legal coercion. [Position letter]
• ACA 9 – Election of Superintendent of Public Instructions – OPPOSE
Would eliminate elections for the position of Superintendent of Public Instructions; this official would be appointed by the state governor.
• SB 50 – Vehicles: Enforcement (formerly Criminal procedure: Arrests) – SUPPORT
Would prohibit police from stopping a driver solely on the basis of a minor infraction and would allow citations and written warnings for such an infraction. Would also authorize local authorities to enforce Vehicle Code violations through government employees other than law enforcement officers. [Position letter]
• SB 233 – Bidirectional capability of electric vehicle batteries – SUPPORT
This bill would require the state Energy Commission to convene a stakeholder workgroup prior to June 30, 2024, on the issue of electric vehicles’ bidirectional capability; would also require the state Energy Commission to submit a related report to the governor and state legislature by January 1, 2026.[Position letter]
• SB 248 – Political Reform Act of 1974 – OPPOSE
Would require electoral candidates to submit background information. [Po sition letter]
• SB 254 – Correctional facilities: Media access – SUPPORT
Would require all California county and city jails to permit representatives of news media to tour a facility or interview prisoners; would also enforce protections for prisoners who choose to participate in media interviews.
• SB 345 – Healthcare practitioner licensing – SUPPORT
Would prohibit the denial of healthcare practitioner licenses on the basis of actions in another state which violated the given state’s laws disallowing reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare.
• SB 403 – Unruh Civil Rights Act – SUPPORT
Would add caste as a protected characteristic within extant civil-rights law. [Position letter]
• SB 466 – Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act – SUPPORT
Would weaken Costa-Hawkins. [Position letter]
• SB 760 – School facilities: all-gender restrooms – SUPPORT
Would require any public school with students of any grade K-12 to provide at least one all-gender bathroom. [Position letter]
• SB 770 – Unified healthcare financing – SUPPORT
Would further the aims of the Healthy California for All Commission in pursuing a unified healthcare financing system for the state. [Position letter]
• SB 799 – Unified healthcare financing – SUPPORT
Would expand unemployment insurance eligibility for those workers who lose work due to an employer lockout. [Position letter]
• SB 831 – Immigration and Nationality Act exceptions – SUPPORT
Would authorize the state governor to negotiate with the US Attorney General, under the conditions of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, to parole certain agricultural workers into the US for reasons of urgent humanitarian efforts or significant public benefit.
• SCA 2 – Elections: Voter qualification – SUPPORT
Would submit a constitutional amendment to the voters of California which, if passed, would lower the voting age in California to 17. [Position letter]
• SCR 4 – “Victims of Communism” Day – OPPOSE
This Senate Concurrent Resolution would observe the official holiday of “Victims of Communism Day” on November 7th annually. [Position letter]
• SCR 26 – Republic of Vietnam Month – OPPOSE
Would observe October 2023 as “Republic of Vietnam Month.” [Position letter]
