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Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) released the following statement after a federal judge from the U.S. Southern District Court recently issued a temporary ruling against enforcing Assembly Bill 5 on independent truck drivers and motor carriers. This temporary ruling is in response to a lawsuit filed by the California Trucking Association. The next hearing relating to this legal challenge is scheduled for January 13th.
“It is shameful that the Democrats picked favorites at the expense of many other Californians. Throughout 2019, Senate Republicans warned that AB 5 would have problems, and we offered viable and comprehensive solutions to help all independent contractors, but Democrats blocked our efforts. Now, the legal challenges are mounting against this job killer law.
“In 2020, Senate Republicans will continue to advocate for all independent contractors in California. Californians deserve better and we will continue to fight in the courts and in the Capitol,” said Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove.
Passed by the Democratic-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2019, Assembly Bill 5 will harm tens of thousands of independent contractors by making it difficult for them to keep their employment status. Furthermore, AB 5 offers carve-outs to some industries that employ independent contractors and excludes others.
In two separate legal challenges, freelance journalists and gig economy companies have filed their own federal lawsuits against AB 5. The Pacific Legal Foundation, representing the American Society of Professional Journalists and the National Press Photographers Association, filed a lawsuit last month citing that AB 5 restricts free speech and the media. Uber and Postmates filed their own separate lawsuit stating that AB 5 violates individuals’ constitutional rights and unfairly discriminates against technology platforms.