Proposed VDT Ordinance

I read with interest your story regarding Yaroslavsky’s proposed ordinance regulating health and safety standards for video display operators. Much of the story concerned an opinion issued by the city attorney’s office that local governments are preempted by the state.

As chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, and as a lawyer, my view is that state preemption of local ordinances in this area is very much open to legal question. In fact, the same city attorney’s opinion cited in your story concedes that there is “confusion” over the question of preemption, and notes “Section 6313 of the Labor Code states that county and city governments retain power of jurisdiction over or relative to any place of employment.”

I have written a bill, AB 2110, that would establish statewide regulation regarding safety for VDT operations. The bill, which is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Labor Committee in mid-January, specifically prohibits preemption of local ordinances. I agree with business community representatives that one uniform standard for all of California would be preferable to numerous local standards. To date, however, we do not have the statewide standard, in part because of the lobbying efforts of the same business community. Therefore, I believe local measures such as the one introduced by Yaroslavsky are vital to the health of our work force.

TERRY FRIEDMAN, Assembly, D-Los Angeles