CaliforniaLaw adds a meal-rule exception for stationary engineers
The law adds an exception to the usual meal rules for certain building maintenance workers covered by an agreement that meets specific meal and pay requirements.
What it does
Building maintenance workers who meet the law’s definition of stationary engineer may follow meal periods in a qualifying labor agreement instead of the usual state rules. The agreement must provide meal periods and meet pay and other requirements.
Argument forA qualifying agreement could let stationary engineers follow meal periods suited to their work while preserving contract protections and premium overtime pay.
Argument againstWorkers could have less protection from the usual state meal rules if their agreement sets different meal periods.
More detail
The usual state meal-period rules do not apply when a qualifying labor agreement provides for meal periods. This covers building maintenance workers who operate, maintain, monitor, or repair stationary equipment and building systems in a fixed facility. Their occupation must have a state-registered apprenticeship program established on or before December 31, 1964, that includes “Stationary Engineer” in its name. The agreement must cover wages, work hours, and working conditions; provide meal periods; require final and binding arbitration of meal-period disputes; provide premium pay for all overtime hours; and set regular hourly pay at least 30 percent above the state minimum wage. The text gives no separate start date for this change.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 18Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 287, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 18Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 3Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 26Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6639.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2078 Rogers Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2078 Rogers By Laird. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 26In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Jun 25Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Jun 25From Consent Calendar.
- Jun 23Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Jun 22From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Jun 10From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.Minor
- May 14In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2078 Rogers Consent Calendar Second Day. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5054.)Passed Assembly
- May 7Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- May 6From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 22
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2Referred to Com. on L. & E.Minor
- Feb 19From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
- Feb 18Read first time. To print.Introduced
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