Calif. immigrant-friendly legislation at a glance

Highlights from immigrant-friendly bills passed in the California Legislature:

– AB60 would let immigrants who are in the country illegally obtain driver’s licenses with a special designation. Under the bill authored by Assemblyman Luis Alejo, D-Watsonville, the licenses would state that they are for driving purposes and not to be used as federal identification.

– AB1024 would enable lawyers to be licensed, regardless of their immigration status. The bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, was inspired by the case of law school graduate Sergio Garcia, who passed the state’s bar exam but has been living in the country illegally.

– Immigration attorneys and consultants wouldn’t be allowed to charge money for services related to immigration reform before an overhaul is passed by Congress. The bill, known as AB1159, was authored by Gonzalez and supported by the State Bar over concerns that fraudulent immigration services could bankrupt a client security fund.

– AB4 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, would prohibit local law enforcement from holding people in custody for deportation if they are arrested for a minor crime. The bill creates a statewide standard for how local law enforcement agencies comply with the federal Secure Communities program, which requires law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone arrested.

– Domestic workers would be guaranteed overtime payments for working more than nine hours a day or 45 hours a week. Ammiano’s bill, AB241, calls for a study of the provision’s effect on workers and their employers.