With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
CA Freelancers May Get A Break After Tough AB 5 Limits
(Stock photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash)
()
The California legislator behind the state’s new gig worker law now says she plans to eliminate the bill’s controversial submissions cap for freelance writers and photographers.
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez authored AB 5, a law passed last year that codified a 2018 California Supreme Court ruling making it harder for companies to classify their workers as independent contractors, rather than employees.
Under one of the law's provisions, freelance writers and photographers can only deliver 35 submissions each year to any media outlet before that outlet has to hire them as an employee.
Freelancers in California have lost work as a result, and they’ve been lobbying Gonzalez to change the law.
Support for LAist comes from
On Thursday, Gonzalez said on Twitter that she plans to introduce a number of legislative changes to AB 5 in coming weeks, including a replacement for the freelancer submission cap.
Based on dozens of meetings with freelance journalists & photographers, we have submitted language to legislative counsel that we hope to have available next week to put into AB1850 which will cut out the 35 submission cap & instead more clearly define freelancer journalism 2/
— Lorena Gonzalez (@LorenaSGonzalez) February 6, 2020
San Diego-based freelancer Randy Dotinga, a board member with the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), said, “We’re glad to hear that Gonzalez is willing to revise the bill to protect freelance journalists from the devastation we’ve suffered this year. We look forward to seeing the exact bill language.”
The ASJA has filed a lawsuit against the state over AB 5, arguing it violates freelancers’ constitutional right to freedom of the press. A federal court hearing is scheduled for March 9.
GO DEEPER:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist