California Assembly votes against farm laborers bill

(AP) The state Assembly has killed a bill that would have given overtime pay to farm laborers who work more than eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.

AB1313 would have given farmworkers the same overtime rights as other employees who are not managers. Currently, farmworkers earn overtime only after working 10 hours in day or 60 hours in a week.

The bill by Democratic Assemblyman Mike Allen of Santa Rosa passed the Senate, but fell eight votes short in the Assembly on Friday, the last day of the legislative session.

Several Republican Assembly members spoke against the bill earlier in the week. They said it would hurt laborers who need to work long hours during harvest season to make a living.