Assembly Bill 5 officially went into effect on January 1 and has swept through the state of California with disastrous consequences. The livelihoods of many independent contractors including journalists, translators, and rideshare drivers have all been harmed by legislation that shortsightedly redefines the role of independent contractors in California.
But these victims have not been sitting idly by while Sacramento Democrats casually destroy their lives. They have been out in force, protesting across the state ever since this bill was authored and they are still out there protesting. On Tuesday, these workers will protest on the steps of the State Capitol at a rally organized by Assemblyman Kevin Kiley and Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez.
While the people take to the streets, companies that have been damaged by AB 5 like Uber, Lyft, and Postmates have sponsored a new $110 million ballot initiative that would grant them an exemption to the law. California truckers have already been granted an exemption by the California courts. A bill should be applied equally or not at all. Granting exemptions to certain parties is poor practice and a blatant show of political favoritism. If this bill is so damaging that it requires certain industries to seek an exemption, then surely it’s better that this law is completely repealed.
To that end, Assemblyman Kiley has sponsored a new bill that would fully repeal AB 5. This bill is called AB 1928 and it seeks to undo the damage that Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and her fellow Democrats have done. AB 1928 has been sponsored by four assemblymen and two senators, all of whom are Republicans. The lack of Democratic support is concerning because it implies that they will stand by AB 5 even as it brings immense harm to their constituents—and this is especially true for Lorena Gonzalez.
San Diego has the third-largest population of self-employed workers in the nation, making her bill a blatant attack on her own constituents. But rather than admit failure, she clings to AB 5 and supports minor alterations instead of a necessary repeal. The longer this bill stays in effect, the more damage it will do to hardworking Californians.
The fact that Gonzalez would author a bill like AB 5, which directly and negatively affects so many of her constituents, tells Californians that she’s more interested in her own political career than actually serving San Diegans. Now that the elections are almost upon us, it’s time for the people of the 80th Assembly district to ask themselves if Lorena Gonzalez is the person they want representing them in the State Assembly.
Or maybe they would prefer a candidate who cares more about his city than state politics. John Vogel has made it his mission to repeal AB 5 and undo the damage that Gonzalez has done. He’s a man of the people, who works for the people. We need representatives who care more about their constituents than political gain. So when the elections roll around, the people of the 80th district should do some soul searching because Lorena Gonzalez is clearly not looking out for their best interests.
To learn more about John Vogel, visit Vogel4Assembly.com and connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.
