The Unintended Harm of AB 1066 and the Path to Fix It

California’s farmworkers are facing an economic crisis caused by well-intentioned but deeply flawed policy. Since implementing AB 1066, overtime rules intended to protect farm laborers have instead resulted in pay cuts of as much as 30%, forcing families to survive on fewer hours and reduced paychecks. 

While rent, gas, and grocery bills keep rising, farmworkers are falling even further behind. The very people who provide food for our tables are now struggling to feed their own families. It’s time to recognize the harm and restore both fairness and dignity.

SB 628 provides a practical and fiscally responsible solution. Modeled after California’s successful Film and Television Tax Credit Program, this measure offers a payroll tax credit to help employers afford overtime pay—allowing farmworkers to work more hours and take home more income. 

This is not a handout; it’s an investment in economic stability for rural communities and working families. 

Oregon and New York have already put similar measures into place. California should take the lead by supporting its agricultural workforce and providing them the chance to thrive, not just survive.

Legislators must act—not out of politics, but out of principle. 

The unintended consequences of AB 1066 have gone unaddressed for far too long, and continued silence only prolongs the hardship. SB 628 restores accountability and ensures that our laws align with our values. 

Farmworkers believed in California’s promise of economic justice. Now, lawmakers have the opportunity to uphold that promise by supporting a bill that restores paychecks, hours, and dignity to those who harvest and nourish our homes.