(Farm Worker Shortage)…It has been a problem for some time.

Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia says he is working on some help. The local Democrat says he is getting bipartisan support for his efforts. Assemblyman Garcia says he has been joined by Assembly Democrat Anna Caballero from Salinas, Assembly Republican Devon Mathis and Republican Senator Anthony Cannella from Ceres to announce their legislative proposal to address critical labor shortages facing the state’s most vital agricultural and service industries. They have put together a California Guest Worker Permit Program. AB 1885 is officially the California Resident Worker Program and Economic Stabilization Act. Garcia says the Act would organize a working group in order to establish a model for the implementation of a resident worker permit program. The state would work with the federal government to allow unauthorized workers in agriculture and service industry to remain in California until Congress enacts an immigration reform policy. Garcia says the state cannot afford to wait on the Federal government any longer.