June 4, 2010 - On Thursday, the California State Senate voted 23-12 to end an exemption for agriculture employers from overtime wage laws. In a strictly party-line vote, all Democrats voted to give farmworkers the right to overtime pay, while all Republicans voted to maintain the 69-year-old exemption. The opposition - a wide range of agriculture industry associations and the Chamber of Commerce - gave 80% more money to the Senators that voted in their interest than to Senators who voted to end the exemption.
Over the last four years, the 12 Senate Republicans voting No on SB 1121 received an average of $9,632 in campaign contributions from the opposition, 80% more than the average $5,339 received by the 23 Senate Dems voting Yes.
| Opposing organization | Contributions |
| CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | $73,597 |
| WESTERN UNITED DAIRYMEN | $57,650 |
| CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF WINEGRAPE GROWERS | $29,538 |
| CALIFORNIA GRAIN & FEED ASSOCIATION | $20,954 |
| AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA | $19,350 |
| CALIFORNIA SEED ASSOCIATION | $17,750 |
| CALIFORNIA CITRUS MUTUAL | $16,600 |
| CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF NURSERIES & GARDEN CENTERS | $10,750 |
| CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION | $9,100 |
| FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA | $3,441 |
| VENTURA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION | $2,500 |
| ALLIED GRAPE GROWERS | $1,730 |
| CALIFORNIA STATE FLORAL ASSOCIATION | $500 |
