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SENATE BILL 839 (DILLS – 1977)

CHAPTER 1159, STATUTES OF 1977

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Government Code sections 1156, 1156.1, 1156.2, 3526, 3540.1, 3541, and 18850 were amended; sections 3512, et seq., were added to the Government Code; and Government Code sections 18850.2 and 18850.3 were repealed in 1977 following legislative approval of Senate Bill 839.  (See Exhibit A, #1i)  Senate Bill 839 was introduced by Senator Ralph C. Dills on April 6, 1977 at the request of the California State Employees Association.  (See Exhibit A, #1a; #8, page 2 and #10b, page 1) This measure enacted the State Employer-Employee Relations Act. (See Exhibit A, #1i)

Senate Bill 839 was assigned to the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization where policy issues raised by the bill were considered.  (See Exhibit A, #3)  After approval by that Committee, the Senate Committee on Finance examined its fiscal ramifications.  (See Exhibit A, #2)  The Senate amended the bill on April 18, April 25 and June 15, 1977.  (See Exhibit A, #1b through #1d and #2)  Senate Bill 839 was approved by the Senate and forwarded to the Assembly on June 21, 1977.  (See Exhibit A, #2)

While in the Assembly, the Committee on Public Employees and Retirement considered the policy issues raised by the bill.  (See Exhibit A, #8)  Subsequent to approval by that Committee, the measure was assigned to the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means which examined its fiscal implications.  (See Exhibit A, #9)  Four amendments were made to Senate Bill 839 by the Assembly, on August 1, August 8, August 31 and September 6, 1977.  (See Exhibit A, #1e through #1h and #2)  The Assembly thereafter approved the bill and returned it to the Senate.  (See Exhibit A, #2)

The Senate approved the Assembly amendments and forwarded Senate Bill 839 to the Governor on September 19, 1977. Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., signed the bill on September 30, 1977, and it was recorded by the Secretary of State on that date as Chapter 1159 of the Statutes of 1977.  (See Exhibit A, #1i and #2)

The analysis of Senate Bill 839 as amended on August 1, 1977 that was produced by the Assembly Committee on Public Employees and Retirement described Senate Bill 839 stating that it “[r]epeals the George Brown Act of 1961, and enacts new law governing labor relations between state civil service employees and the state.”  (See Exhibit A, #8, page 1)

That analysis provided the following discussion regarding the background of Senate Bill 839, stating:

The bill is sponsored by the California State Employees Association, and it is patterned after the Meyers‑Milias‑Brown Act which governs local (nonschool) employer/employee relations. . . .

(See Exhibit A, #8, page 2)