SACRAMENTO – Late Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 319, legislation by North Coast Senator Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) to extend an exemption to state labor law which has benefited both teen workers and the pear industry in Lake County.

Specifically, SB 319 extends (until Jan. 1, 2012) an exemption enabling pear packing plants to employ minors (16-17 years of age and residing in Lake County) for up to 10 hours per day, and 60 hours per week, during peak harvest season, when school is not in session.

The extended work periods are also contingent upon the written approval of the Lake County Office of Education.

Wiggins said she introduced her bill to help deal with frequent labor shortages in Lake County's agricultural industry, especially during harvest time.

"The pear-packing season lasts only four to six weeks and coincides with the increase in tourism, the other large labor industry in Lake County," she noted. "With both tourism and agriculture at peak activity, the available labor pool is limited."

The Lake County Employment Development Department (EDD) branch office described the labor shortage in 2006 as "extreme," resulting in a loss of $2.5 million (which could have been worse had it not been for the minors working in the packing plants.

The EDD also reported that total wages for minors participating that summer were in excess of $60,000, allowing students to focus on academic, rather than economic, issues during the school year.

"I thank the governor for his support on this bill, which extends for four more years an exemption to state labor law which has clearly benefited the pear packing industry, teen workers and their families,' Wiggins said. "In light of the ongoing strong support for this worthwhile provision, it is my intent to introduce additional legislation in the near term to make this exemption permanent."

Fourteen Wiggins bills were approved by the Legislature this year, and SB 319 is the fifth one that Schwarzenegger has signed into law.

The nine remaining are among hundreds of other bills that the Governor must sign or veto in the coming days.

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