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California Fast Food Franchise Owners Say Proposed Law Would Kill Their Businesses

VOICE & VIEWPOINT — In 2020, Nathan Carter became the owner of a McDonald’s location in Southeast Los Angeles. Currently, he owns three restaurants, while his father owns four. Together, the Carters employ at least 650 people at their McDonald’s restaurants, all located in Los Angeles County.
The post California Fast Food Franchise Owners Say Proposed Law Would Kill Their Businesses first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

May 15, 2023

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By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media

Nathan Carter wore numerous hats while working at McDonald’s restaurants. Eventually, he became the owner of several locations of the fast-food business in Los Angeles.

As a teenager, the Pasadena native prepared food, mopped floors, operated the register, repaired ice cream machines, and cleaned the playpens at McDonald’s locations owned by his father, Norman, a McDonald’s franchisee of 32 years.

The younger Carter enjoyed manning the drive-thru window.

“I loved having a complete shift without any errors in the drive-thru,” he recalled. “I learned and embraced it all.”

Carter worked in finance after graduating from college, but eventually returned to the golden arches business. It wasn’t McDonald’s mouth-watering sweet tea or tasty French fries that caused him to leave his cubicle though, says Carter. Instead, he missed interacting with people.

“I loved the fast pace, the comradery, and the getting to know — not just the people you are working with — but customers as well,” he stated. “I wanted to work alongside my father.”

In 2020, Carter became the owner of a McDonald’s location in Southeast Los Angeles. Currently, he owns three restaurants, while his father owns four. Together, the Carters employ at least 650 people at their McDonald’s restaurants, all located in Los Angeles County.

Carter, the son, is in the locations he owns daily.

“The environment is great,” he said. “We have great relationships and great pride in our employees. If they have any issues, they can come talk to me or my father.”

However, Carter and other owners of Golden State fast food locations like Arby’s, Chick-fil-A, Jack in the Box, and Subway have expressed concern that their hard work and the benefits of running their own profitable businesses could be impacted if Assembly Bill 1228 is passed by the California Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom signs it into law.

The bill, also known as the Fast Food Franchisor Responsibility Act, was authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena). If passed, AB 1228 would require major fast-food businesses and franchisees to share all legal responsibility and liability for the franchisee’s workplace health and safety violations of California Labor Law.

“The bill would authorize enforcement of those provisions against a franchisor, including administratively or by civil action, to the same extent that they may be enforced against the franchisee,” AB 1228’s text reads. “The bill would require that a franchisor has the opportunity to cure a violation after written notice, as prescribed, before civil action may be commenced. The bill would provide that a waiver of the bill’s provisions, or any agreement by a franchisee to indemnify its franchisor for liability, is contrary to public policy and is void and unenforceable.”

Currently, franchisees have control over operating decisions such as benefits, employee wages, hiring, scheduling, and workplace standards at their restaurants. Holden’s act would force national fast-food corporations to take control over these decisions at franchised locations, according to Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants, a coalition of 115 social justice advocates, restaurant owners, small business owners, and restaurant brands opposed to AB 1228.

Carter, a coalition member, called the bill an attack on franchisees’ rights.

“It takes away the ability to run our business,” he said. “This bill is a detriment to our relationship with our employees, the things we do in our

community. If a bill like this passes, we won’t be able to do some of the things we love and are passionate about.”

Rick Callender, the President of the California Hawaii NAACP Conference, has noted that more than 30% of franchised businesses are run by people of color. AB 1228, Callender explained, would rob many Black franchisees, like the Carters, of their livelihoods.

“Legislators should reject this very bad bill,” he stated. “The NAACP won’t allow one of the strongholds for Black business ownership to be attacked in this fashion. AB 1228 will essentially take away Black people and other people of color’s right to operate their local restaurants independently and erasing much of the progress they’ve made to build economic equity and generational opportunity for their families and communities.”

When AB 1228 passed the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee on April 12, Holden, a former franchise owner, said the legislation makes it simpler for franchisees to pay, support, and protect their employees.

“We have the ability to do more for fast food employees by focusing on the relationship between franchisors and their franchisees,” he noted. “I believe many franchisees want to do right by the people that work for them but may not see it as possible under their franchisor’s terms and conditions. This can help to provide some relief while protecting employees and businesses.”

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), an AB 1228 supporter, currently said parent fast food businesses are protected from having to pay damages for violations of employment law.

Holden introduced AB 1228 in February around the same time another bill he penned, AB 257, was successfully opposed by Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants and its supporters.

The provisions in AB 1228 were originally stripped out of AB 257 before Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law last September.

That bill was set to establish sector-wide minimum standards on wages, working hours, and other working conditions. Opponents said the law would increase food costs and cause job losses in the fast-food industry. They gathered enough signatures to overturn the law and have a referendum on it placed to voters on the November 2024 ballot.

AB 1228 is scheduled to be reviewed during the Assembly’s Committee on Appropriations May 18 hearing. Holden is the committee’s chair.

Fast food corporations supply franchisees with food and equipment. Carter said that should be the extent of their relationship.

“The bill is something we all feel is not necessary,” he said. “We do things for our employees; we do things for our communities; and ultimately, we feel this bill is not needed.”

This article originally appeared in San Diego Voice and Viewpoint.

The post California Fast Food Franchise Owners Say Proposed Law Would Kill Their Businesses first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 day ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.