March 3, 2008
Do You Want a
Flexible Schedule in the Workplace Without Having to Pay
Overtime?
Send
a letter to support AB 2127, the Small Business Family
Scheduling Option of 2008, which would allow employees and
employers flexibility in work schedules to help accommodate
employees' diverse family obligations, personal pursuits,
commuting issues and environmental concerns by allowing a small
business to agree to provide scheduling options requested by an
employee.
Click here to
take action.
January 14, 2007
February 2008
Ballot Propositions
The Fresno Chamber
Government Affairs Council recommends the following positions on
the February 5, 2008 statewide ballot propositions:
No on
Proposition 92
Funding Community Colleges
Summary
Proposition 92 would
lock in a specific funding requirement for the Community College
Districts in the state of California by replacing the single
education funding requirement, enforced by Proposition 98, with
two requirements: funding for K-12 education and funding for
community colleges.
Proposition 92 would
not negatively impact the funding of K-12. The measure would not
change the existing requirements that roughly 40 percent of
General Fund revenues be spent on K-14 education. This measure
would reduce student fees to $15 per unit beginning in fall
2008.
Why Vote NO?
- Proposition 92
would amend California’s constitution to lock in a huge new
state funding mandate for community colleges. This could lead to
politicians to raise income or sales tax or cut funding to other
government funded entities.
- It is estimated
the increased spending created by Proposition 92 will reach
nearly a billion dollars in the first three years.
- The governing
board for Proposition 92 does not provide direct oversight to
determine how Proposition 92 funds will be spent.
Please click here for full
analysis of proposition 92
No on
Proposition 93
Term Limits
Summary
Under Proposition 93
an individual could serve a total of 12 years in the
Legislature. Unlike the current system, these years could be
served without regard to whether they were in the Assembly or
Senate. In other words, an individual could serve six two-year
terms in the Assembly, three four-year terms in the Senate, or
some combination of terms in both houses.
Under this measure,
existing Members of the Legislature could serve up to a total of
12 years in their current legislative house (regardless of how
many years were already served in the other house). This could
result in some current Members serving longer than 14 years in
the Legislature.
Why Vote NO?
- Term limits reform
without redistricting reform is not the comprehensive political
reform California needs.
- This measure has
the ability to keep the current leadership in office for another
14 years. And, if redistricting does not pass, that will likely
be the case.
- By passing this
measure, the voters would only give the leadership exactly what
they want without demanding accountability at any level.
Please click here for full
analysis of Proposition 93
Yes on
Proposition 94-97
Indian Gaming
Agreements
Summary
The compact amendment allows the specific tribes to operate
up to 7,500 Nevada-style slot machines at its casinos, up from
2,000 under the 1999 compact. In turn, annual payment to the
General Fund would total at least $42.5 million under the
compact amendment. In addition to this minimum payment, the
tribe would pay to the General Fund an annual amount equal to 15
percent of the net revenues of the next 3,000 slot machines it
adds to its casinos after the compact amendment takes effect.
The agreements also
must provide for local governments to receive “reasonable
compensation” for increased public service costs due to the
casino, such as costs of public safety and gambling addiction
programs. Under these agreements significant environmental
impacts outside of the reservation must be reduced or avoided
where feasible.
Why Vote YES?
- For the first time
the tribe would make payments to the General Fund the state’s
main operating account. The estimated revenues will add up to
25% in additional funding in to the state General Fund.
- The new compact
agreements require the tribes to coordinate with local police
and fire agencies to compensate local governments for any local
services that are needed. The new compact agreements preserve
the right of Indian casino employees to be represented by unions
through secret ballot.
Please click here for
full analysis of Propositions 94-97
December 26, 2007
Fresno Chamber Keeps Employers
Informed on New Laws for 2008
In 2007, the California Legislature passed a number of laws that
will affect the way we do business in California. The Fresno
Chamber is urging employers to be aware of these new laws that
are now in effect or will take effect in 2008.
Click here for more.
November 27, 2007
2007 Vote
Record: Fresno Chamber Continues to Hold State Officials
Accountable to Business Community
The
2007 Vote Record: Over 50 Potential Laws Tracked by the Fresno
Chamber and How Senators Dave Cogdill and Dean Florez and
Assembly Members Tom Berryhill, Michael Villines, Nicole Parra
and Juan Arambula Voted
The Fresno Chamber's Government Affairs Committee (GAC) voted in
early 2007 to track over 50 potential laws (bills) that might
impact Fresno businesses.
Each month, the GAC members reviewed and discussed the status of
all 50 plus bills. The local Fresno legislators, which consisted
of Senators Dave Cogdill and Dean Florez and Assembly Members
Tom Berryhill, Michael Villines, Nicole Parra and Juan Arambula,
received letters communicating the Chamber's positions on all
bills.
The Fresno Chamber lobbied during the 2007 legislative session
for our legislators to OPPOSE 15 final bills and SUPPORT 3 final
bills. The Chamber is only holding the local legislators
accountable for bills that made it to the Governor's desk. 2007
saw 18 of the over 50 potential laws make it to the Governor's
desk.
Click here for more.
November 27, 2007
2007 Vote Record: Fresno Chamber Holds City Council Accountable
The Chamber works closely with local elected officials as
part of our commitment to advocate on behalf of our members,
business and to promote the economic vitality of our community.
We monitor their positions on issues ranging from fee
increases and zoning to revitalization of downtown and public
safety. And, just like we do for our State elected
officials, we track the vote records of our local leaders.
Click here for
more.
October
11, 2007
TAKE ACTION NOW!
MORE...Top Issues Ready For Governor's
Consideration
AB 1707 (Swanson)- New Employer Liability - VETO
AB 1707 would unreasonably expand employee
access to personnel records and establish new
employer liability.
Click here to take action.
SB 180 (Migden) – Damaging to Ag Business - VETO
SB 180 would hurt competitiveness of California
agriculture producers, driving businesses out of
state, killing jobs and increasing loss of farmland,
by increasing labor costs for California producers
who must compete in a global market with lower
average operating costs.
Click here to take action.
SB 549 (Corbett) – New Bereavement Leave for
Employees - VETO
SB 549 would unreasonably expand employer’s
liability for a new protected bereavement leave for
employees.
Click here to take action.
SB
622 (Padilla) - New Penalties for Independent
Contractors- VETO
SB 622 creates a new excuse to sue employers and
exposes them to excessive new penalties for "willful
misclassification" of independent contractors
without providing clear roadmap for employers to
comply. Instead of new violation provisions,
penalties and civil lawsuits, contractors, the
business community, employees and employers alike
would be better served by creating clear and
consistent application of factors that define
independent contractor.
Click here to take action.
AB 70 (Jones) - Flood Liability - VETO
AB 70 still imposes liability for damages caused
by the failure of state-operated flood control
projects.
Click here to take action.
SB 788 (Cogdill) – Audits - SIGN
SB 788 would permit the Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
to conduct audits of taxpayers with water’s-edge
elections on a discretionary rather than mandatory
basis.
Click here to take action.
AB 435 (Brownley)- Extends the Statute of
Limitations to File Wage Discrimination- VETO
AB 435 unreasonably extends the statute of
limitations to file wage discrimination claims and
requirements for maintaining paperwork, increasing
employer exposure to untimely lawsuits.
Click here to take action.
AB 338 (Coto) – Temporary Disability Benefits-
SIGN
AB 338 would resolve a problem in current law
relating to the 104 week cap on temporary disability
benefits by amending the “window” in which injured
workers are eligible for benefits. AB 338 (Coto)
represents a balanced approach to resolving a real
and tangible problem in the workers’ compensation
system.
Click here to take action.
AB 812 (Hernandez)- Combat Fraud in Worker’s
Compensation- SIGN
AB 812 would help combat premium fraud in
workers’ compensation insurance by giving insurance
companies statutory authority to impose a financial
penalty on employers who do not submit to required
payroll audits for the purposes of verifying
premium.
Click here to take action.
AB 1636 (Mendoza)- Supplemental Job Displacement
Vouchers -VETO
AB 1636 would require employers to provide some
injured workers with supplemental job displacement
vouchers (SJDV) prior to verification that the
injured worker is actually eligible for that benefit
under the law.
Click here to take action.
October
10, 2007
TAKE ACTION NOW! Top Issues Ready For Governor's
Consideration
AB 537 (Swanson) -
Expanding Protected Leave - VETO
AB 537
proposes to expand protected leave for employees that employers
must grant regardless of business necessity. Under current
requirements of the California Family Rights Act (CFRA),
employers with 50-plus employees must grant to their employees
up to 12 workweeks leave in a 12-month period, to care for their
seriously ill child, spouse, or parent. Expanding protected
leave makes doing business in California more costly.
Click here to take action.
AB 8 (Nuñez) –
Healthcare Tax - VETO
AB 8 imposes a tax on small employers who can’t afford to
provide health care coverage, to fund health care coverage for
those who don’t currently purchase it.
Click here to take action.
AB 377- Labor
Contractors - VETO
AB 377 requires farm labor contractors to print the name and
address of the person who contracts for services on the farm
labor contractor’s employee pay stubs. We are concerned that
this requirement is an attempt to impose new joint liability on
farmers for the actions of farm labor contractors.
Click here to take action.
AB 448 - (Arambula) – Expansion of Liquidated Damages - VETO
AB 448 would substantially increase penalties that can be
awarded against employers in administrative minimum wage claims
filed with the Labor Commissioner. Specifically, AB 448 would
allow liquidated damages to be awarded against employers in not
just court actions but also administrative actions.
Click here to take action.
AB 504 (Swanson)-
New Employer Liability - VETO
AB 504 would inappropriately imposes new employer liability
that
could increase the
cost of doing business in California by providing a new
definition of lockout that requires an employer to pay
restitution to employees.
Click here to take action.
AB 779 (Jones) – New Data Security Requirements - VETO
AB 779 places financial liability on businesses for the cost
of replacing credit or debit cards even if they comply with the
data security requirements of the bill.
Click here to take action.
September 4, 2007
Find Out Which City Council
Members Are Really Business Friendly
Last week the Fresno City Council voted on whether or not to
repeal the Fresno Municipal Code Section 5-302b, which states
that the retail and wholesale license fees shall escalate
automatically, without further action by the Council. The
increase shall be based on the Consumer Price Index.
The motion failed
5-2.
City Council’s position: If the City would like to raise the
business license fees in the future, it would be too difficult
given the regulations if this ordinance were to be repealed.
The Chamber’s position: Raising any fees on a specific sector in
the community should not have the ability to escalate
automatically. All fees should be publicly discussed.
More.
See How They Voted:
Councilmembers who voted YES to repeal the automatic business
tax.

Jerry Duncan |
|
|

Henry Perea
|
Councilmembers who
voted NO to repeal the automatic business tax.
|

Blong Xiong |

Cynthia Sterling |

Mike Dages
|
| |
|
|

Larry Westerlund |

Brian Calhoun
|
|
September 4, 2007
Special Thanks to Congressman Radanovich, Congressman Costa and
Congressman Nunes
Last week the
Chamber was pleased to host Congressman Radanovich, Costa and
Nunes at the Copper River Country Club to present to them the
Spirit of Enterprise Award. The Spirit of Enterprise Award is
awarded to those members of Congress who vote at least 70% in
line with the U.S. Chamber’s priority.
More
August 28, 2007
Help Save
Competitiveness of Fresno and California Agriculture Producers
SB 180
would hurt competitiveness of California agriculture producers.
This bill takes away a workers right to a private ballot when
deciding whether or not to join a union by replacing the private
ballot with a scheme called card check which allows a union to
organize if a majority of workers simply sign a card.
Click here to
TAKE ACTION!
August 24, 2007
Stop Automatic Increases in City Business Taxes
Did you know the
City of Fresno is currently allowed to raise the business tax
automatically, without further action or oversight by the
Council?
Click here to
TAKE ACTION!
In 1990 the City Council passed a resolution that states that
the retail and wholesale license fees shall escalate on November
1, 1990 and shall escalate annually on July 1 of each year
thereafter automatically, without further action or oversight by
the Council. Although the City has never acted on this
resolution, it is still on their books, and the City still has
the overriding authority to use this policy.
On August 28th the City Council will vote whether or not this
resolution should be appealed. In an effort to get this
resolution appealed, the Fresno Chamber urges you to send a
letter to your City Council members.
August 13,
2007
Force
Legislators To Act On Redistricting Reform
The stall on
redistricting reform has gone on too long in this state; the
current gerrymandered system has failed to create substantial
change in our state. It’s time we start giving the voice back to
the voters and allow them to choose the candidates, not the
district lines. The Fresno Chamber is leading the effort through
a letter writing campaign to get redistricting reform on the
ballot in 2008.
Click here to
submit your letter today!
July 25,
2007
Fresno
Chamber Actively Reviews County Budget

Since
the beginning of March a task force made up of
Chamber members has been carefully analyzing the
Fresno Counties budget. Over this four month period
the Chamber has met with the CAO, the Sheriff, the
Board of Supervisors and the Personnel Department in
order to better understand how our tax dollars are
spent and determine what the County can do to make
government services more cost effective.
More
June 21, 2007
Fresno Chamber
Issues Statement Regarding the City Budget

Over the past few
weeks the Fresno Chamber’s City Budget Task Force has been
working with city staff to analyze and make recommendations for
the 2007-2008 budget. Although the Chamber does not have a few
pending issues with the current budget, the Chamber is pleased
to see the financial management of the overall budget.
More
June 21, 2007
Fresno Chamber
Issues Statement Regarding the City Budget

Over the past few
weeks the Fresno Chamber’s City Budget Task Force has been
working with city staff to analyze and make recommendations for
the 2007-2008 budget. Although the Chamber does not have a few
pending issues with the current budget, the Chamber is pleased
to see the financial management of the overall budget.
More
June 21, 2007
Fresno Chamber
Urges Council to Consider Economic Impacts on Housing

On Wednesday, June
13, 2007 the Fresno Chamber reviewed the temporary encampment
housing issue at the request of member businesses located next
to or near the proposed site. The Chamber reviewed the logistics
of the issue and heard the concerns from both the surrounding
business owners and Councilmember Jerry Duncan.
More

June 1, 2007
Fresno
Chamber’s Government Affairs Program Recognized as
‘Advocacy Partner of the Year’

At the annual Business Legislative Summit hosted by the
California Chamber of Commerce the Fresno Chamber was
awarded the Advocacy Partner of the Year for its
outstanding leadership efforts in being an avid advocate
for the business community.
More

May 11, 2007
Fresno Chamber
Gives a Different Meaning to, “We Mean Business”

On April 18, 2007
the Chamber’s Government Affairs delegation, including Ruth
Evans, owner of the Evans HR Group, and Oran Cogdill, owner of
Best Western Garden Court Inn testified in front of the Assembly
Labor and Employment Committee in support of AB 510 (Benoit;
R-Palm Desert)the Flexible Workweek Bill.
More
August 16,
2007
TAKE ACTION NOW!
The Top Issues Impacting Fresno's Business Community
AB
8: Healthcare Tax for All Employers: Oppose
AB 8 imposes a tax on small employers who can’t
afford to provide health care coverage, to fund
health care coverage for those who don’t currently
purchase it.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab8.html
AB 338: Increasing Cap on Temporary Disability
Benefits: Oppose
AB 338 the cap on temporary disability to 156
weeks. Evidence suggests that a prompt return to
employment after an injury reduces an injured
worker’s long-term wage loss. The Division of
Workers’ Compensation recently released data showing
that there was a 5% increase in the numbers of
injured workers who are returning to work within 20
months of their injury.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab338.html
AB 377: Extra Liabilities for Farm Labor
Contractors: Oppose
AB 377 would require an FLC to disclose the name
and address of the entity or entities that secured
that contractor’s services on the pay stub of the
FLC’s employees. This bill is similar to AB 2327
which we opposed and was vetoed by Governor
Schwarzenegger.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab377.html
AB 435: Increasing Time Frame to Maintain
Employee Records: Oppose
AB 435 imposes unwarranted and unreasonable
requirements for maintaining paperwork, and
increases employer exposure to untimely lawsuits.
This bill increases the statue of limitations two
and a half times the timeframe currently allowed. We
are concerned that this more than doubling of the
timeframe exposes employers to increased liability
in penalties and results in an extended timeframe of
unpredictability for businesses’ forecasting.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab435.html
AB 512: Foreign Language Translation of Mortgage
Contracts: Oppose
AB 512 attempts to require supervised financial
organizations to provide a summary sheet of loan
terms in the language the loan was negotiated if
that loan was negotiated in one of five statutorily
identified foreign languages. This measure will be
PREEMPTED by federal law and will not be applicable
to federally chartered banks and credit unions.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab512.html
AB 537: Expanding Employees Protected Leave:
Oppose
This bill would increase the circumstances under
which an employee is entitled to protected leave to
include: eliminating the age and dependency elements
to the definition of “child,” expanding the
definition of “parent” to include parent-in-law, and
including in the definition grandparent, sibling,
grandchild, or domestic partner.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab537.html
AB 1212: Revised Schedule for Permanent
Disability: Oppose
This bill would require the administrative
director, on or before January 1, 2009, to revise
the schedule for the determination of permanent
disability to increase the ratings contained in the
schedule based on empirical studies of ratings and
wage losses, including, but not limited to, studies
produced by the Commission on Health and Safety and
Workers' Compensation.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab1212.html
AB
1403: San Joaquin Valley School District Improvement
Pilot Program: Support
AB 1403 allows County Superintendents to opt to
assume additional responsibility for ensuring the
academic success of those struggling school
districts within their jurisdiction that are both
identified for program improvement or corrective
action under the federal NCLB and have 50 percent of
more of their schools ranked in deciles 1 and 2 of
the state Academic Performance Index.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab1403.html
AB 1636: Supplemental Job Displacement Vouchers:
Oppose
AB 1636 would require employers to provide some
injured workers with supplemental job displacement
vouchers (SJDV) prior to verification that the
injured worker is actually eligible for that benefit
under the law.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab1636.html
AB 1707: Maintain Employment Records for a
Specified Time: Oppose
This bill would require employers to maintain
employment records for a specified time and to
provide inspection and copies within a specified
time to current and former employees.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab1707.html
SB 140: New Standards for Diesel Fuel: Oppose
SB 140 would require at least 2% of all diesel
fuel sold in the state to contain renewable diesel
fuel by a date specified by the state board and five
percent two years after the implementation of the 2%
standard.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb140.html
SB 549: Expand Employer’s Liability for a New
Protected Bereavement Leave: Oppose
SB 549 proposes to establish new sanctions and
rights of action against employers related to this
new protected leave. Under this bill, employers
would be subjected to civil action in court or
enforcement action through the Department of Labor
Standards Enforcement.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb549.html
SB 622: New Restrictions for Willful
Misclassification of Independent Contractors: Oppose
SB 622 creates a new excuse to sue employers and
exposes them to excessive new penalties for "willful
misclassification" of independent contractors
without providing clear compliance guidelines.
Instead of additional penalties, employees and
employers alike would be better served by creating
clear and consistent application of factors that
define independent contractor.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb622.html
SB 788: Audits with Water’s Edge Election on
Discretionary Basis: Support
SB 788 would permit the Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
to conduct audits of taxpayers with water’s-edge
elections on a discretionary rather than mandatory
basis. The “water’s-edge” election is an election by
taxpayers with worldwide income to be taxed, with
specific exceptions, only upon income from
affiliates within the water’s edge of the United
States.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb788.html
SB 840: Government Run Healthcare: Oppose
SB 840 creates a new government run,
multi-billion dollar socialized health care system
built from a yet to be specified tax increase, and
on false premises and failed attempts in other
countries.
TAKE ACTION:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb840.html
July 31, 2007
TAKE ACTION NOW ON LEGISLATION!
AB 8: Healthcare Tax for All Employers: Oppose
AB 8 imposes a tax on small employers who can’t
afford to provide health care coverage, to fund
health care coverage for those who don’t currently
purchase it.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab8.html
AB 1636: Supplemental Job Displacement Vouchers:
Oppose
AB 1636 would require employers to provide some
injured workers with supplemental job displacement
vouchers (SJDV) prior to verification that the
injured worker is actually eligible for that benefit
under the law.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab1636.html
AB 1707: Maintain Employment Records for a
Specified Time: Oppose
This bill would require employers to maintain
employment records for a specified time and to
provide inspection and copies within a specified
time to current and former employees.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/ab1707.html
SB 140: New Standards for Diesel Fuel: Oppose
SB 140 would require at least 2% of all diesel
fuel sold in the state to contain renewable diesel
fuel by a date specified by the state board and five
percent two years after the implementation of the 2%
standard.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb140.html
SB 549: Expand Employer’s Liability for a New
Protected Bereavement Leave: Oppose
SB 549 proposes to establish new sanctions and
rights of action against employers related to this
new protected leave. Under this bill, employers
would be subjected to civil action in court or
enforcement action through the Department of Labor
Standards Enforcement.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb549.html
SB 622: New Restrictions for Willful
Misclassification of Independent Contractors: Oppose
SB 622 creates a new excuse to sue employers and
exposes them to excessive new penalties for "willful
misclassification" of independent contractors
without providing clear compliance guidelines.
Instead of additional penalties, employees and
employers alike would be better served by creating
clear and consistent application of factors that
define independent contractor.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb622.html
SB 788: Audits with Water’s Edge Election on
Discretionary Basis: Support
SB 788 would permit the Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
to conduct audits of taxpayers with water’s-edge
elections on a discretionary rather than mandatory
basis. The “water’s-edge” election is an election by
taxpayers with worldwide income to be taxed, with
specific exceptions, only upon income from
affiliates within the water’s edge of the United
States.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb788.html
SB 840: Government Run Healthcare: Oppose
SB 840 creates a new government run,
multi-billion dollar socialized health care system
built from a yet to be specified tax increase, and
on false premises and failed attempts in other
countries.
Take Action:
http://www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com/2007/sb840.html