One Issue Sacramento Won’t Skirt

Among the many worthy bills the Legislature, in its infinite wisdom, summarily rejected this year were proposals to tighten gun ownership, correct defects in the “three strikes and you’re out” law and allow voters to decide whether to streamline the state’s huge trial court system. But lest anyone think this august body has no appetite for the vexing issues of our day, consider AB 3672. Introduced by Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (D-Monterey Park), this bill would make it illegal for most employers to prohibit female workers from wearing slacks to work; the bill wouldn’t affect uniforms or any other dress code shown to have “good cause.” The bill has cleared the Assembly and will be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee when the Legislature reconvenes next month.

We suspect this bill has widespread support, at least among voters for whom “suiting up” still means high heels, panty hose, straight skirts and other late-20th-Century instruments of torture.

Rigid dress codes once prevailed at most places of employment. Mercifully, these have, in the main, gone the way of Nehru jackets. But, amazingly, not everywhere. Martinez’s bill would end the tyranny of the pencil skirt and the spike heel once and for all.

Should we be surprised that our representatives may marshal a majority for this measure but not for those others of only marginally greater import? Probably not. Do we object? Only those touched by the July heat, no doubt made worse by a clammy polyester suit or sweaty pantyhose, would be so foolish.