Checklist of proposed laws affecting California business.

California businesses have been hit hard by this past legislative session. First, they have been forced to swallow a minimum wage increase and caps on industrial emissions of greenhouse gases as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger seeks to bolster his centrist stance in an election year. Now, there are dozens of other bills on the governor's desk that could impose additional costs on doing business in California, while only a handful of bills supported by business made it through. But it could have been worse. Dozens of other bills dubbed "job killers" were defeated in the closing weeks of the session. Among these: price controls on key industries in the event of a disaster; increases in fines for emission violations; monitoring of concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals in humans; and increasing taxes on multinational corporations based outside the U.S. Here's a look at some of the key bills that passed the Legislature and now await the governor's signature or veto.

Bill No (Author)       Description

AB 1550                Makes changes to state's enterprise zone
(Arambula, D-Fresno)   program, allowing for reauthorization of
                       existing zones and creation of new ones.

AB 1884/AB 2209        Would have increased payments to workers
(Chu, D-Pasadena/      unemployed during a strike; AB 1884 by
Pavley, D-Agoura       providing unemployment insurance and AB
Hills)                 2209 through direct monetary payments.

AB 2230                Requires state Small Business Advocate to
(Arambula, D-Fresno)   conduct a fiscal study of state regulations
                       to determine compliance cost to small
                       employers.

AB 2555                Would have increased damages for employers
(Oropeza, D-Long       found to be violating state gender pay
Beach)                 equity laws. Also requires employers with
                       at least 50 employees to provide written
                       statement setting forth the employee's
                       wage rate, with explanation of how those
                       wages are calculated.

Senate Bill 815        Doubles permanent disability payments for
(Perata, D-Oakland)    injured workers over three years.

SB 832                 Extends for five years existing law allowing
(Perata, D-Oakland)    the state to collect 75 percent of punitive
                       damages in civil cases.

SB 840                 Creates single-payer, state-run health care
(Kuehl, D-Santa        system, reduce consumer choice and increase
Monica)                employer costs.

SB 927                 Imposes a $60 fee on all containers processed
(Lowenthal, D-Long     through the ports of Los Angeles and Long
Beach)                 Beach; funds would be used to make
                       improvements in infrastructure and contribute
                       to diesel emission reduction programs.

SB 1414                Dubbed the "Wal-Mart" health care bill:
(Migden, D-San         requires all employers with over 10,000
Francisco)             employees in the state to spend 8 percent
                       of payroll on health, care or pay equivalent
                       amount to the state.

SB 1436                Would re-establish small business ombudsman
(Figueroa,             program to improve access to information on
D-Fremont)             proposed regulations and other state programs.

Bill No (Author)       Business Stance/Effect

AB 1550                Business groups, concerned about attempt to
(Arambula, D-Fresno)   kill the enterprise zone program, strongly
                       support this bill, saying it preserves
                       one of the state's few economic development
                       tools.

AB 1884/AB 2209        Opposed, saying companies would be forced to
(Chu, D-Pasadena/      subsidize strikes against themselves.
Pavley, D-Agoura
Hills)

AB 2230                Strongly support, saying it will alert
(Arambula, D-Fresno)   lawmakers to costs already imposed on
                       businesses.

AB 2555                Employer groups strongly opposed saying it
(Oropeza, D-Long       would prompt waves of lawsuits and increase
Beach)                 paperwork compliance costs

Senate Bill 815        Opposed to this last-minute bill, saying it
(Perata, D-Oakland)    threatens to undo reforms that have slashed
                       workers' compensation costs

SB 832                 Oppose, saying it would increase the frequency
(Perata, D-Oakland)    and size of punitive damage awards.

SB 840                 Strongly opposed, saying it would eliminate
(Kuehl, D-Santa        much of the private insurance market, reduce
Monica)                consumer choice and increase employer costs

SB 927                 Oppose, saying it increases the cost of goods
(Lowenthal, D-Long     movement for both exporters and importers.
Beach)

SB 1414                Oppose, saying it will drive large employers
(Migden, D-San         out of state or cause them to pass these costs
Francisco)             on to their customers.

SB 1436                Strongly support.
(Figueroa,
D-Fremont)

Bill No (Author)       Prognosis

AB 1550                Governor has not taken a
(Arambula, D-Fresno)   position, though many expect
                       a signature.

AB 1884/AB 2209        Governor vetoed both bills Sept. 7.
(Chu, D-Pasadena/
Pavley, D-Agoura
Hills)

AB 2230                Governor likely to sign; has
(Arambula, D-Fresno)   previously referenced cost of
                       regulations on small businesses.

AB 2555                Governor vetoed Sept 7.
(Oropeza, D-Long
Beach)

Senate Bill 815        Governor likely to veto as he
(Perata, D-Oakland)    awaits a report due out in Dec.
                       on impacts of previous reforms.

SB 832                 Governor likely to veto.
(Perata, D-Oakland)

SB 840                 Governor last week wrote op-ed
(Kuehl, D-Santa        disclosing veto plans, calling
Monica)                system "socialized medicine."

SB 927                 Governor has not taken a position
(Lowenthal, D-Long     on the bill, though he has vetoed
Beach)                 similar measures in the last two
                       years.

SB 1414                Governor likely to veto.
(Migden, D-San
Francisco)

SB 1436                Governor has not taken position,
(Figueroa,             but widely expected to sign.
D-Fremont)