CAWG is actively working on several policy priorities this year, including three bills sponsored or co-sponsored by the association.

  • AB 1585 (Connolly, D–San Rafael; Ransom, D–Tracy)
    Co-sponsored by CAWG and Family Winemakers of California, this bill would require that wine labeled as “American” be made from 100 percent American-grown winegrapes. The measure aligns the American designation with California’s long-standing requirement that wines labeled “California” contain 100 percent California grapes, strengthening truth-in-labeling standards and supporting domestic grape growers.
  • SB 921 (Grove, R–Bakersfield; Hurtado, D–Bakersfield)
    Co-sponsored by CAWG and the California Farm Bureau, this bipartisan legislation would create a payroll tax credit to fully offset the cost of overtime wages paid by agricultural employers. The proposal aims to provide critical relief for growers facing rising labor costs while maintaining overtime protections for farmworkers.
  • SB 917 (Laird, D–Santa Cruz)
    Co-sponsored by CAWG and Family Winemakers of California, this bill would allow small, non-estate wineries that purchase local grapes to sell wine and offer tastings at certified farmers’ markets. The measure supports direct-to-consumer connections and strengthens local grape supply chains.

A significant part of CAWG’s work involves responding to legislation that could negatively impact growers and ensuring lawmakers understand the real-world consequences of those proposals.

Several bills introduced this session have raised concerns for the winegrape industry, including:

  • AB 2646 (Krell, D–Sacramento)
    This proposal would establish a minimum wage for agricultural workers of $19.75 per hour, along with an annual cost-of-living increase.
  • AB 2227 (Connolly)
    The bill would increase bond requirements for farm labor contractors by linking them to gross revenues rather than payroll and would also require similar bonding for foreign labor contractors operating as farm labor contractors.
  • AB 2336 (Macedo, R–Tulare) and AB 1550 (Sanchez, R–Rancho Santa Margarita)
    These bills would exempt overtime compensation from income tax for employees. However, the federal version of this policy excluded agricultural workers, and CAWG members have made clear that any similar proposal in California should include agricultural employees.

— By the California Association of Winegrowers