Keeping Our Personal Information Safe in 2020
Starting on January 1, 2020, the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) (AB-375) and its amendments (AB1564, AB-25, AB-1355, AB-874) become law. In an effort to help keep our information safe, AB-375 protects a consumer’s Personal Identifiable Information (PII). PII is information that identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household. The verbiage is a little convoluted, but think of things like your home address, e-mail, social security number, phone number, spending habits, past purchases, location, computer IP addresses, employment information. If it’s your personal information, AB-375 protects it. What types of companies are affected? Well, if the business handles PII of 50,000 or more California consumers, households or devices; or collects consumers’ personal information, or 50% or more of its annual revenue comes from selling personal information (definition of selling is VERY broad - if you share the information with another company that counts), they fall under the category of business that AB-375 is looking to protect. It applies to all businesses that are for profit, and have an annual gross revenue >$25Million, and do business in California. The law requires businesses to respond promptly to a consumer’s request to delete personal information. Consumers may also access the data, in order to see what has been collected, or move (port) their data from the offending company. In addition, AB-1355 (amendment to AB-375) allows a consumer to institute a civil action if their information is stolen or disclosed as a result of failure to follow reasonable security practices. So all of these data breaches that have affected millions of consumers? They may result in lawsuits beginning next year. Businesses may not discriminate against consumers exercising their CCPA rights (like by providing a lesser level of service), and businesses must actively seek to minimize and protect the information they collect on California consumers. While the law goes into effect on January 1, 2020, enforcement will begin in July of 2020. As the standard-bearer for much of the country, California’s CCPA is serving as the template for privacy laws in Nevada, New York, Illinois, Maine, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, North Dakota and Texas. The Golden State keeps leading the way!
New Laws in 2020
Each year, the great State of California institutes a buffet of new laws to (theoretically) improve our quality of life, our safety, and enhance our rights. While some recently passed laws are routinely ignored (hello, headlights-on-when-windshield-wipers-are-on), the general idea is, “As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation.” Keep reading, and you’ll note two different markers on the bill titles. AB means Assembly Bill; SB stands for Senate Bill. The designation helps consumers better understand where the new laws are generated, and can better illustrate which set of lawmakers is responsible for their creation and passage. Following is a list of the new state laws that will take effect on January 1, 2020. (Data provided by ABC7.com.) PRIVACY AB 375: Online privacyWant to know what information companies like Facebook or Google are collecting about you? The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives internet users more control over their data. Among other things, the law gives users the right to know what data is collected, the right to reject the sale of your information and the right to delete your data. (See addendum article for particulars on this very important law.) WORKPLACE SB 3: Minimum wageAnother pay hike is on the way for minimum wage workers. The minimum wage in California goes up by one dollar to $12 an hour for workers at companies with 25 or fewer employees and to $13 an hour for workers at larger companies. AB 5: Independent workersWhile aimed directly at gig workers (think Uber, Lyft and DoorDash), this new law may also apply to many more contract or independent worker in California. Under AB-5, workers would be considered employees, and are entitled to minimum wage, workers‘ compensation, and other benefits. (29th District Assemblymember Mark Stone was a co-sponsor of this bill.) SB 188: HairstylesCalifornia becomes the first state to ban workplace and school discrimination based on a person's natural hairstyle or hair texture. Protected hairstyles include braids, twists and locks. Remember the high school wrestler in New Jersey who was forced by the match referee to cut off his dreadlocks? California says, “Not in this state, you don’t.” SB 142: Lactation accommodationsWhile California has had a law requiring employers to provide breaks for nursing mothers, many were forced to express breast milk in a bathroom stall or office closet. This new law requires companies to provide appropriate lactation accommodations that is close to the employee's work area, has electrical plugs and is free of intrusion. All working mothers, say it with me: It’s about damned time. AB 51: Arbitration agreementsStarting January 1, workers can't be forced into mandatory arbitration by an employer. The law bans mandatory arbitration agreements with employees. The law does not apply to arbitration agreements entered into prior to January 1, 2020. SB 1343: Sexual harassmentRequires businesses with at least five employees to provide sexual harassment training to its employees within six months of being hired, and every two years after that. (Is anyone else surprised that this is JUST NOW a thing?) SB 83: Paid family leaveNew parents will have more time to care for their child. Benefits under Paid Family Leave will increase from six weeks to eight weeks starting on July 1, 2020. HOUSING AB 1482: Rent controlCommunities without their own rent control laws will now be covered by statewide rent control protections. The law limits rent increases to 5 percent each year plus inflation, but never above 10 percent total. The law does not apply to housing built in the 15 years prior. The limit is a rolling number so the date housing is excluded changes every year. AB 652: Religious displaysYou have more protections to display religious items like menorahs or crosses outside your home. The law prohibits landlords and homeowner associations from banning the display of religious items on entry doors or door frames. The items cannot be larger than 26 by 12 inches. SB 222: Housing discriminationThis law expands existing law to protect veterans and military personnel against housing discrimination. MARRIAGE SB 30: Domestic partnersWhat's good for same-sex couples is good for heterosexual couples. This law allows heterosexual couples to register as domestic partners instead of getting married. Currently, only heterosexual couples age 62 or older were allowed to register as domestic partners because of social security benefits. The new law could help couples with combined higher incomes avoid the federal marriage tax penalty. EDUCATION SB 419: School suspensionsStudents in elementary school can't be so easily suspended for causing trouble at school. The law bans schools from suspending students in grades 4-8 for disrupting school activities or defying teachers and administrators. Students in grades K-3 already have this protection. High school students must wait until 2025 for the same benefit. HEALTHCARE SB 104: Healthcare for undocumented immigrantsCalifornia becomes the first state in the nation to offer government-subsidized health benefits to young adults living in the country illegally. The law expands the Medicaid program to include low-income adults age 25 or younger regardless of their immigration status. AB 2119: Transgender youthTransgender youth in the foster care system will get appropriate health care. The law is the first in the country to include access to gender-affirming medical services, mental health counseling, hormone therapy and surgery. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SB 439: Juvenile hallThis law changes the age that a minor can be sent to juvenile hall. Minors under 12 who commit non-violent crimes would be released to his or her parent or legal guardian instead of being sent to juvenile hall. The law does not apply to minors who commit murder, rape, or great bodily harm. SB 970: Human traffickingOperators of motels and hotels in California must provide training to teach its staff how to identify victims of human trafficking. ANIMALS SB 1249: Animal testingProhibits the sale of cosmetic products with ingredients that were tested on animals after January 1, 2020. The law does not affect products sold globally where animal testing is required by law. AB 1762: Dog areasThe California Department of Parks and Recreation has until July 1, 2020 to establish a comprehensive list of state parks that allow dogs, including the specific areas that allow dogs and the total miles of trails that are open to dogs. WILDFIRES SB 167: Public safety power shutoffsRequires utilities like PG&E to devise plans on reducing the negative impact of planned power shutoffs to first responders and people with disabilities. AB 247: Tree trimmingGives the California Public Utilities Commission more oversight over tree trimming efforts by utilities. Power companies would have to submit timely reports on their brush and tree trimming work. San Lorenzo Valley residents may have helped to drive this legislation forward based on their responses to the 2019 spate of tree trimming. SB 209: Wildfire warning centerEstablishes a wildfire warning center to broaden the state's ability to predict and prepare for wildfire. The center would rely on a statewide network of automated weather stations and fire detection cameras. Want additional information on these new laws? Visit www.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
Kicking Down Barriers and Picking Up Debris: Downtown Streets Team
I witnessed a public outcry during the November 14th Santa Cruz County Syringe Services listening session at the Emeline Health Clinic. Many community members were upset about the secondary exchange service and the amount of syringe litter in the county. As I left the session, I couldn’t help but wonder, who picks up the syringe litter throughout Santa Cruz County? After a little digging, I sat down with Brooke Newman at the nonprofit Downtown Streets Team. We chatted about their efforts to pick up debris, especially syringes, throughout Santa Cruz County since 2017.
Felton’s Library Dreams About to Become Reality
Planning has begun for a festive community celebration to mark the opening in just a few short months of the new Felton Branch Library and Felton Discovery Park.
SLVWD positive changes coming in 2020
Nearly every seat in the gallery was taken. On a small table, there were handouts, agendas and cookies. At the big, u-shaped table, members of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District staff and board sat side-by-side for the December 5th meeting to address a number of important issues, including the revision of the Strategic Plan for the District and updating the Mission Statement.For an agency that has seen its fair share of contentious meetings and divided loyalties, this latest gathering was refreshingly drama-free, and the board sent the clear signal that they were ready to truly hear from their constituents.In an effort to modulate the temperature of the room during monthly board meetings, district staff, ratepayers and board members alike had landed on the idea of approving a Conflict Resolution training. Coastal Watershed Management Consultant Greg Larson had been cited as the optimal candidate for this event, and given that he already submitted a proposal to assist the District, the feeling amongst all in the room was that an investment in Larson would be a worthy one. Director Rick Moran furthered the idea that transparency is of the utmost importance, and District Manager Rick Rogers determined that the topic would be on the January agenda for a vote.Meeting attendees were heartened to hear that Director Lew Farris had read all 12 emails that had been submitted to the board prior to the December meeting, and in response, he had created a criteria chart which graphed the priorities outlined in those submissions. Of all correspondence received, Farris said, the most common suggestion was to use Greg Larson as a consultant for de-escalation training. “Thank you,” Farris said. “I heard you, and I’m going to do something with the information.” President Lois Henry acknowledged that it was time to slow things down. “First, we’ll do the conflict management training, and then we’ll work on the revised Strategic Plan. It doesn’t mean we can’t have different opinions—it’s about how we express them,” she said.While Farris’ words were generally well-received, there was still a bit of pushback from customers in the gallery. “The public doesn’t want to be heard, we want to participate,” said Felton’s Larry Ford. “That will be one of the lessons learned in conflict resolution. But I completely support the District’s priorities, including fiscal responsibility and building new headquarters. We also need urgent progress on the fire management program,” Ford continued as the audience nodded.Marc Shargel from Felton chimed in as well. “Director Farris demonstrated a terrific example of paying attention and listening. It was an example of an inclusive and deliberative process to undertake long range planning,” Shargel said. “But I’m concerned about the rhetoric that has emerged in these meetings. Personal attacks are not acceptable. If you point at someone and accuse them of polarizing rhetoric,” said Shargel, “you are engaging in polarizing rhetoric yourself.”Boulder Creek’s Nancy Macy summed up the impression of the District from past meetings. “Everyone is feeling this horrible conflict. It was like changing boats in the middle of the stream—jumping into one that was slightly smaller.” In reference to the Mission Statement, Macy stated, “The current Mission Statement is beautifully written, and assures the community you want to protect things for the future, like working to maintain infrastructure and our watershed,” she said, “and allowing groundwater to be restored. I know we can work together, and make progress as a community—and I love the conflict resolution process idea.”The last point of business was the election of a new president and vice president of the SLVWD Board of Directors. Steve Swan was elected president, and Lois Henry was voted in as vice president.To further the idea of directors, staff and ratepayers working together, SLVWD is putting together a Public Advisory Committee, comprised of 5-7 members of the public. Staff solicited applications to serve, and five total applications were received. After some discussion, the board decided to hold the positions open in an effort to gather more interested community members. According to District Manager Rogers, the commitment would include two hours per month of physical meetings, plus homework. Applications may be found online at www.slvwd.com on the homepage under “What’s New,” or you may pick one up in person at the District Office, located at 13060 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek. The new deadline for interested parties to throw their proverbial hat in the ring is January 29, 2020 at 3pm. The District is planning to seat the committee at the February 6, 2020 Board meeting.
Homelessness and Syringe Use in Santa Cruz County
These past couple of months have ignited quite the discussion throughout Santa Cruz County. Between colder weather, the spontaneous reopening and closing of Ross Camp, the Harm Reduction Coalition’s proposals for new syringe exchanges, and the Santa Cruz County Syringe Services listening sessions, most dinner tables in our community are abuzz with this difficult topic. How can we best help, while limiting, the homeless population, syringe litter, and high rate of drug addiction in our county? How do we provide shelters and services for healthier injections, but not enable a surge without progress?
20th Annual Environmental Town Hall
Felton Community Hall plays host to a variety of events each week. From Jazzercise classes to wedding receptions, the venue in downtown Felton has a history of bringing people together. And so it was that on Saturday, November 23rd, environmental organizations from around the county convened at the Hall for the 20th Annual Environmental Town Hall. Headed by the Valley Women’s Club and featuring guest speaker State Assemblymember Mark Stone, the symposium highlighted over 25 agencies dedicated to the betterment of our county’s environment. Groups like Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, the Resource Conservation District and the Tobacco Education Coalition lined the interior of the building, providing handouts, graphs, charts and a reason to get involved, while nearly 200 attendees roamed amongst the tables, asking questions, networking, and getting to know the representatives of these organizations.After a brief introduction by Valley Women’s Club’s Nancy Macy, Assemblymember Stone took center stage, and spent an hour addressing the crowd on everything from the collapse of our recycling programs to the catastrophic failures of PG&E to serve its customers to the health and safety of our watershed.Stone’s remarks began by acknowledging that the San Lorenzo Valley has always been his political home base, and characterized his constituents as a source of support and grief as he acknowledged the vocality for which our residents are known. “I never lack for hearing from folks in the San Lorenzo Valley,” Stone said. “If only my colleagues in the Assembly would hear from the constituents the way I hear from you, then we would make better progress.”The two major topics covered in Stone’s address were the recycling issue and the PG&E debacle. In regards to recycling, Stone acknowledged that the recycling program had imploded, and was collapsing on itself. For years, China had taken the world’s trash, and was processing it into recycled materials like cell phone covers, shoes and electronics. Eventually, the overrun of materials being shipped to China was too much, and the country ceased accepting the millions of tons of plastic it had promised to take each year. With that shift, America was now forced to keep millions of recycled bottles and cans right here, and with no one being willing to purchase the materials, the redemption program came to a screeching halt. Despite the upset of consumers who now had no way to recycle their CRV (California Redemption Value) items, insult was added to injury with the continuation of the CRV fee being assessed upon every purchase of a qualifying item.“Where is the CRV money going if consumers aren’t getting it back?” asked one attendee. Stone said that Cal-Recycle was amassing the funds for now, and there was no immediate plan for how to siphon that money back into the end-users’ pockets. Mention was made of possibly suspending the CRV charge by the state, given that consumers were being forced to pay a fee that they had no way to recoup. Stone acknowledged that while the idea made sense, it would be impossible to institute under Cal-Recycle’s authority. He promised that the legislature is well aware of the issue, and is working hard to come up with a solution that would benefit consumers. “We are out of session until January,” Stone said, “but when we return, the recycling issue will be top of mind.”Following the recycling issue, Stone opened up the topic of PG&E to a round of hisses emanating from attendees. In covering the utility’s responsibilities and reviewing its failures, Stone pointed out the multiple ways in which PG&E was causing harm to its customers: Shutting off power when the weather didn’t warrant it; hiding reporting on the consistency and necessity of powering down ridge top lines unnecessarily; paying millions to its top brass and shareholders in bonuses while ratepayers suffered under antiquated infrastructure and lack of proactivity by the giant company, and continued plans to make weather-induced power outages a method of reducing the company’s liability while they remain in bankruptcy. Stone indicated that there were a few ways to bring the utility to task, including dissolving the giant corporation into geographically-centered agencies. Despite the positive response from the audience at the concept of breaking up the monopoly, Stone implored the audience to “be careful what you wish for.” Small communities like the San Lorenzo Valley have their rates tied in to larger metropolitan areas like San Jose and San Francisco. “If the Valley was to become its own customer without the subsidies provided by urban blocks, rates would skyrocket,” said Stone. He once again reminded the symposium’s attendees that upon return to work in January, Stone and his fellow legislators were planning to focus on this issue.A spirited Q&A followed Stone’s note-free presentation, and after an hour of hearing Stone address the crowd, incentivized attendees left with a little more information about the guardianship of our community.Christina Wise is a writer, reporter, and community advocate who resides in Felton. She writes for the Press Banner on housing, education, arts and culture. Contact her at [email protected].
Newly Certified Green Businesses in our Valleys
On November 19th, the County of Santa Cruz presented 69 businesses with a Green Business Certificate. 10 of those businesses are in our area, including Brunetti’s Interiors, the City of Scotts Valley, Faust Salon and Spa, San Lorenzo Water District, Santa Cruz County Bank, Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce, Scotts Valley Water District, Suki’s Boho Boutique, Wild Roots Market, and Satellite Telework Network. I interviewed several of these businesses to understand how and why they use green practices.
The Terrace- Building in the Neighborhood You Live
If you’ve spent any time driving through Scotts Valley these past couple of months, you’ve probably noticed a few new developments around town. A notable housing development behind the Shell Station on the intersection of Mount Hermon Road and Scotts Valley Drive, the Terrace, plans on opening quickly after the new year. The Terrace has been under construction since last May and will ultimately be made up of 19 homes. Each will have 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, in blocks of five.
A Few Things to do in Santa Cruz County
On November 13th, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Leslie Chavez and Sara Clevenger, two of authors of 100 Things to do in Santa Cruz Before You Die. We met up at Coffee Cat, their favorite cafe in Scotts Valley. Both Leslie and Sara were quite charming and excited to chat about their new book, which is part of a national series and available in Bookshop Santa Cruz and on Amazon.
News Briefs | Published Sept. 26, 2025
Music at Skypark wraps up 16th season this Sunday
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