Christy Smith votes to uphold AB 5

Christy Smith just voted to uphold California’s Assembly Bill 5 despite saying she has issues with the bill. 

Assembly Bill 5 is a newly implemented and extremely unpopular California law that heavily restricts the amount of freelance work independent contractors can perform.

Why would Smith vote to uphold the legislation? I can think of $72,500 reasons why! 

PS: All California’s freshman House Democrats also just voted for a bill similar to Assembly Bill 5 at the federal level. Not great.

Here are just a few quotes from freelancers opposing Assembly Bill 5.

• Los Angeles Times: Vox Media cuts hundreds of freelance journalists as AB 5 changes loom

• CBS 8: “I have been a freelance artist for over 30 years, and I feel that my dignity has been violated. Suddenly, I am being punished,” said Elizabeth Tobias.

• Christian Lanz on Twitter: @AsmChristySmith I’m a union Voice Actor, father of two & SCV resident since 2010. Since the disastrous #AB5 renders working actors’ loan-out corps unusable, we’ll be forced to uproot our families & leave California to continue earning a living. PLEASE approve #AB1928  #RepealAB5

• San Jose Inside: “It’s been a struggle,” says Lisa Mallette, executive director of City Lights Theater Company—a small black-box theater in downtown San Jose. “We’re doing our best. We’re trying to do the right thing.”