Existing law requires the Labor Commissioner to investigate allegations that a contractor or subcontractor violated the law regulating public works projects, including the payment of prevailing wages. Existing law requires each contractor and subcontractor on a public works project to keep accurate payroll records, showing the name, address, social security number, work classification, straight time and overtime hours worked each day and week, and the actual per diem wages paid to each journeyman, apprentice, worker, or other employee employed by the contractor or subcontractor in connection with the public work. Existing law requires certified copies of records to be available upon request by the public and sets forth a process for the public to request the records either through the awarding body or the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Existing law makes any contractor, subcontractor, agent, or representative who neglects to comply with the requirements to keep accurate payroll records guilty of a misdemeanor.
California AB 538 (20252026) — Public works: payroll records.
Existing law requires the Labor Commissioner to investigate allegations that a contractor or subcontractor violated the law regulating public works projects, including the payment of prevailing wages. Existing law requires each contractor and subcontractor on a public works project to keep accurate payroll records, showing the name, address, social security number, work classification, straight time and overtime hours worked each day and week, and the actual per diem wages paid to each journeyman, apprentice, worker, or other employee employed by the contractor or subcontractor in connection with the public work. Existing law requires certified copies of records to be available upon request by the public and sets forth a process for the public to request the records either through the awarding body or the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Existing law makes any contractor, subcontractor, agent, or representative who neglects to comply with the requirements to keep accurate payroll records guilty of a misdemeanor.
Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 4–1 (pass) · upper
AB 538 Berman Assembly Third Reading — 65–3 (pass) · lower
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 6–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass as amended. — 11–0 (pass) · lower
Do pass — 6–1 (pass) · upper
Sponsors
Berman — primary (person)
Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
2025-02-11 Read first time. To print. reading-1
2025-02-12 From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.
2025-02-24 Referred to Com. on L. & E. referral-committee
2025-03-19 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2025-04-23 In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. referral-committee
2025-05-23 From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23). amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage
2025-05-23 Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2
2025-05-27 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-1, reading-2
2025-06-03 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 65. Noes 3. Page 2006.) passage, reading-1, reading-3
2025-06-04 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. reading-1
2025-06-18 Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R. referral-committee
2025-06-25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2025-07-07 In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. referral-committee
2025-08-29 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 29). committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2025-08-29 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-1, reading-2
2025-09-10 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 2807.). passage, reading-1, reading-3
2025-09-10 In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling. committee-passage
2025-09-22 Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-10-11 Approved by the Governor. executive-signature
2025-10-11 Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 616, Statutes of 2025. became-law
Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/c62894ec-8f0d-435f-b926-46e52a4ca236. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).
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