ARTICLE
For the 2015 cycle the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee (GRC) has taken positions and followed over 40 pieces of legislation. Many of the Assembly and Senate bills are out of the house of origin and being amended and voted on in the committee process. With the 2015 legislative session winding down this is an opportunity to look back at a few key pieces of legislation. AB-306 by South Bay Assemblyman David Hadley; this bill establishes an attendance alternative for children of military personnel if the parent with whom the student resides is on active military duty. Military personnel stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base or other bases in California would not be limited to the public school district that serves on-base housing. This bill would also make LAAFB more attractive to the Pentagon and military families considering deployment to LAAFB – an important goal given that our military bases are always at risk in the next base closing commission or could lose functions and jobs to other bases in lower-cost areas. AB-306 is in the Senate for a third reading and should be headed to the Governor’s desk very soon. In keeping with the importance of the Los Angeles Air Force Base the Redondo Beach Chamber GRC was an early supporter of the Assembly Joint Resolutions (AJR)-11 by South Bay Assemblywoman Autumn Burke. AJR-11 memorialized the President and Congress to recognize the unique military value of the California’s defense installations and the disproportionate sacrifices CA has endured in previous base realignment and closure (BRAC) rounds. AJR-11 was chaptered by the Secretary of State in late June 2015. As an advocate for the interest of business in the regional we lead the fight in addressing attacks on our state’s small businesses. AB-1506 by Assemblymember Hernandez would provide an employer with the right to cure a violation of failing to provide its employees with a wage statement containing the inclusive dates of the pay period and the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer. This minor infraction has been the basis of thousands of frivolous lawsuits costing our state’s small businesses millions of dollars. AB-1506 is working its way through the committee process in the Senate and will be hopefully see the Governor’s desk soon. Finally, on June 24, 2015 Governor Brown signed AB-93 the 2015 State Budget Act. The Governor and the legislature compromised on a $167.6 billion budget, reflecting $115.4 billion in general fund spending. The Governor cut $1.3 million in line-item vetoes. In addition to announcing the budget agreement, the Governor also announced that he intends to call two Special Sessions to address: (1) How California pays for roads, highways and other infrastructure; and (2) Medi-Cal Governor Brown’s proclamation will propose that the Legislature enact permanent and sustainable funding to maintain and repair the state's transportation and critical infrastructure, improve the state's key trade corridors and complement local infrastructure efforts. As legislative special session plays out the GRC will keep everyone abreast of the direction of the legislature.
For the 2015 cycle the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee (GRC) has taken positions and followed over 40 pieces of legislation. Many of the Assembly and Senate bills are out of the house of origin and being amended and voted on in the committee process. With the 2015 legislative session winding down this is an opportunity to look back at a few key pieces of legislation.
AB-306 by South Bay Assemblyman David Hadley; this bill establishes an attendance alternative for children of military personnel if the parent with whom the student resides is on active military duty. Military personnel stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base or other bases in California would not be limited to the public school district that serves on-base housing. This bill would also make LAAFB more attractive to the Pentagon and military families considering deployment to LAAFB – an important goal given that our military bases are always at risk in the next base closing commission or could lose functions and jobs to other bases in lower-cost areas. AB-306 is in the Senate for a third reading and should be headed to the Governor’s desk very soon.
In keeping with the importance of the Los Angeles Air Force Base the Redondo Beach Chamber GRC was an early supporter of the Assembly Joint Resolutions (AJR)-11 by South Bay Assemblywoman Autumn Burke. AJR-11 memorialized the President and Congress to recognize the unique military value of the California’s defense installations and the disproportionate sacrifices CA has endured in previous base realignment and closure (BRAC) rounds. AJR-11 was chaptered by the Secretary of State in late June 2015.
As an advocate for the interest of business in the regional we lead the fight in addressing attacks on our state’s small businesses. AB-1506 by Assemblymember Hernandez would provide an employer with the right to cure a violation of failing to provide its employees with a wage statement containing the inclusive dates of the pay period and the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer. This minor infraction has been the basis of thousands of frivolous lawsuits costing our state’s small businesses millions of dollars. AB-1506 is working its way through the committee process in the Senate and will be hopefully see the Governor’s desk soon.
Finally, on June 24, 2015 Governor Brown signed AB-93 the 2015 State Budget Act. The Governor and the legislature compromised on a $167.6 billion budget, reflecting $115.4 billion in general fund spending. The Governor cut $1.3 million in line-item vetoes. In addition to announcing the budget agreement, the Governor also announced that he intends to call two Special Sessions to address:
(1) How California pays for roads, highways and other infrastructure; and
(2) Medi-Cal
Governor Brown’s proclamation will propose that the Legislature enact permanent and sustainable funding to maintain and repair the state's transportation and critical infrastructure, improve the state's key trade corridors and complement local infrastructure efforts. As legislative special session plays out the GRC will keep everyone abreast of the direction of the legislature.