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I know this is an anxious time for a lot of people, but Angelenos should stay focused on preparation and protection - not panic."
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Mayor Eric Garcetti on issuing a directive to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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VICA Advocates for the Valley in Washington, D.C.
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| The VICA delegation meeting with Senator Kamala Harris. |
This week, VICA joined the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, local elected officials and other business groups for the annual Access D.C. advocacy trip. The VICA delegation met with Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, as well as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Congressmembers Nannette Barragan, Joaquin Castro, Gil Cisneros, Lou Correa, Jimmy Gomez, Alan Lowenthal, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Adam Schiff Brad Sherman and Maxine Waters. On Monday, VICA kicked off the trip with advocacy meetings and lunch with Congressmember Brad Sherman in the Members Dining Room.
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| The VICA delegation at the U.S. Capitol. |
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On Tuesday, the day began with the delegation breakfast and a fireside chat with Congressmember Adam Schiff. Access D.C. attendees then broke into teams to advocate on a variety of issues important to Los Angeles' business community. VICA members advocated for federal support on issues important to Californians such as housing, transportation and infrastructure. The agenda for the meetings included the role of trade, travel, tourism, the 2020 Census and immigration as it relates to the California economy, although discussions also focused on addressing and overcoming the current public health crisis.
On Wednesday, the delegation kicked off their day with a panel discussion on "The Changing Landscape of Transportation Through Innovation." VICA then wrapped up its trip by meeting with various U.S. Senators and Congressmembers, as well as a final lunch reception with Congressional leaders.
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Upcoming 2020 Trip Dates
Click one of the dates below to RSVP
March 17 Cancelled
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| VICA Delegation with Assemblymember Ash Kalra during the February 2020 Advocacy Trip. |
VICA's regular advocacy trips to the State Capitol are crucial to ensuring the voice of the business community is heard by legislators.
These member-only trips allow direct interaction with state elected officials and create the freedom for discussion on issues that are vital to our members. Join VICA in Sacramento for one of our monthly advocacy trips.
The cost of the trip is
$50, which includes lunch and group transportation between the airport and the Capitol. The cost of the flight is not included.
Sacramento Advocacy Trips are reserved for VICA members.
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What Businesses Should Know About COVID-19
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COVID-19 is affecting our communities, schools and businesses.
While we navigate our way through uncharted territory, we feel it is incredibly important to provide valuable and helpful resources to empower you to make the best decisions for your businesses and families.
At VICA, we are prepared to adjust our current practices to ensure that we can continue to provide value to our members, partners and the community regardless of the mode we provide information. We are here to help!
Below you will find information from our local and state leaders and the measures they are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Governor's Executive Order
At the state level, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an
executive order to enhance California's ability to respond effectively to the outbreak. The order waives the one-week waiting period for individuals who are unemployed and/or disabled due to COVID-19, delays the deadline for filing state taxes for those in certain circumstances, prepares the state to take control of temporary residences and medical facilities for quarantining and treating individuals, and allow local and state governments to hold accessible meetings via phone or video conference.
Mayor's Directive
At the local level, Mayor Eric Garcetti issued
new orders for keeping Los Angeles residents safe. These measures include temporary closure of the Los Angeles City Hall to the public, except for public meetings of the City Council; cancellation of all non-essential public community events; transitioning to accessible phone or video conference sessions; and prohibiting all non-essential travel by City employees.
Los Angeles City Council Measures
Emeritus Council President Herb Wesson announced a
package of measures in response to COVID-19. The package includes a moratorium on rental evictions, mortgage foreclosures,
Department of Water and Power shutoffs, as well as financial assistance for small businesses and temporary measures such as placing 100 hand washing stations throughout the city.
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VICA to Continue Advocacy
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VICA has been taking necessary and recommended precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by postponing events and transitioning away from in-person meetings. However, VICA will continue its advocacy in service to the San Fernando Valley and the business community.
We expect our local and state officials to continue taking action to keep Angelenos and Californians safe. We will continue monitoring these actions as they are introduced and will work with decisionmakers during these unpredictable times.
VICA continues to engage our state elected officials on issues such as independent contractors, the impact of the CCPA on small business, flexibility in employee scheduling and California's housing shortage.
At the local level, VICA will continue to express concerns to the City Council on their proposed predictive scheduling ordinance, as well as working with the City Planning Department on the new vehicle miles traveled threshold.
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Transportation Committee (3/10)
Hosted at
The Garland
- Julia Brown and Andrew Carrasco from Metro gave a presentation on the agency's Micro-Transit Program.
- Planners from the Los Angeles City Planning Department, David Olivo and Lynell Washington presented on the Orange Line Transit Neighborhood Plans.
- The committee recommended to support Metro's expansion of the U-Pass program to K-12 schools for students experiencing homelessness.
- The committee recommended to oppose, as written, the Los Angeles City Council motion to establish idling regulations for all types of vehicles.
Healthcare Committee (3/12)
Hosted at
Mission Community Hospital
- VICA Board Member James Theiring provided the committee with an overview of Mission Community Hospital.
- The committee recommended to support AB 1938 (Eggman): Mental Health Services Act - Inpatient Treatment Funding.
- The committee recommended to support AB 2007 (Salas): Federal Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics - Telehealth.
- The committee recommended to oppose AB 2118 (Kalra): Health Care Service Plan and Health Insurers - Reporting Requirements.
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Member Messages:
Get Your Message in VICA Weekly!
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VICA members can promote their business, events and news in VICA Weekly. Member messages are available for $50 per week or $175 for four weeks. Messages are text-based and may not contain more than 70 words. A logo may be added for an additional $5 per week. For more information or to schedule your member message, contact
[email protected]
or
call (818) 817-0545.
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