California Gov. Jerry Brown signs bills to help immigrants

Continuing his push for change on immigration issues, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a trio of measures Monday, including one removing the word "alien" from California’s labor code because it is seen as a derogatory description of those not born in the U.S. or who are not fully naturalized citizens.
State Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) wrote the bill eliminating the word “alien,” saying the measure is necessary to modernize the labor code.

“Alien is now commonly considered a derogatory term for a foreign-born person and has very negative connotations,” Mendoza said. “The word 'alien,' and any law prescribing an order for the issuance of employment to 'aliens,' have no place in the laws of our state and more importantly, should never be the basis for any employment hiring.”
The new measure amends a law enacted in 1937 that said “aliens” should be hired on public works contracts only after citizens of the United States. Part of that law creating an order of hiring was repealed in 1970, but the term “alien” remains in the labor code.
Brown also approved a new law allowing high school students who are legal permanent residents to serve as poll workers in California elections to help with the growing language issue of a more diverse voting population.

And he signed a bill barring the consideration of a child's immigration status in civil actions involving liability. That measure, AB 560 by Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles), is in response to a lawsuit by more than 80 elementary school children against the Los Angeles Unified School District over alleged sexual misconduct by a former teacher at Miramonte Elementary School.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs filed motions to preclude inquiry into the immigration status of the plaintiffs in the case, but the district argued against it, saying the status is relevant to the determination of the plaintiffs' potential for earning money in the future.
Existing law specifies situations in which immigration status is not to be considered, but it does not address protections for minor children or personal injury matters. The bill signed by the governor clarifies that the immigration status of a minor child, under any applicable law, is irrelevant to the issues of liability or remedy.
“An undocumented child deserves the same protections as any other child in our state,” Gomez said. “My bill closes an unintended loophole in existing law to ensure fairness for all minors and the prevention of devaluing any child, when they are the victims of crime, regardless of their immigration status.”
In all, the governor signed 15 bills on Monday. Another, by Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), allows children 13 and younger who are witnesses in violent crimes to testify by remote video.