One of the more controversial laws enacted in California last year was S.B. 2, the Health Insurance Act of 2003. The law requires many California businesses to either provide health coverage to part- and full-time employees or pay a fee into a state health coverage fund. The law is scheduled to be phased in beginning in 2006 for businesses with 200 or more employees, and in 2007 for businesses with 50 to 199 employees. The financial impact on California businesses is estimated at between $1.3 and $7 billion.
Join us this fall in San Francisco for the California Employment Law Update conference, a 3-day event that will teach you everything you need to know about new laws and regulations, and your compliance obligations, for the year ahead—it’s one-stop shopping at its best.
Measure on November Ballot
Right now, the fate of S.B. 2 rests in the hands of California voters, who will decide Proposition 72 on the November ballot. A “yes” vote on Prop. 72 would approve S.B. 2, while a “no” vote would repeal it.
A Field Poll conducted in August showed that 48 percent of likely voters would support Prop. 72, 31 percent would vote no, and 21 percent were undecided. The poll only measured voter intent at the time of the survey, and voter opinions could shift before November, especially as awareness of Prop. 72 increases.