New legislation recently introduced by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia sought to increase protections for outdoor workers. Focused particularly on heat and air quality, this bill was informed and influenced by students participating in the UCLA School of Law California Environmental Legislation and Policy Clinic. Another cohort of students, from the UCLA Food Law and Policy Clinic, supported the ongoing campaign through stakeholder engagement and the creation of an awareness-raising strategy which highlighted environmental harms to outdoor workers. 

UCLA Law Students studied existing state and federal laws, as well as conducted interviews with community groups representing agricultural workers in Coachella Valley. From their findings, students then proposed several policy options for Garcia’s office to pursue. 

Based in part upon student suggestions, Garcia’s bill proposed various policy changes to protect workers from growing risks related to extreme heat and air pollution. For example, the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety would be required to develop a new “ultrahigh” heat standard and strengthen air quality protections. Associated with these changes would be numerous on-the-ground mandatory measures including work breaks, increased monitoring for heat sickness and a lowering of the air quality threshold at which employers are required to distribute respiratory protective equipment to workers. 

Learn more about the proposed bill and student contributions at UCLA Newsroom. 

Image Source: Bob Nichols/U.S. Department of Agriculture