"I believe that housing construction could be a very important part of the State's recovery. We could create good jobs and more affordable housing."
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- State Senator Maria Elena Durazo at VICA's Land Use Committee Meeting.
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VICA Brings Business Concerns to Elected Officials in Virtual Advocacy Day
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| VICA delegation speaks with State Treasurer Fiona Ma |
On Wednesday, VICA members had the opportunity to discuss California's most pressing issues with elected officials in another successful Virtual Sacramento Advocacy Day. The VICA delegation met and spoke with California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Assemblymembers Laura Friedman and Tom Lackey. VICA also spoke with Senator Scott Wiener, and staff of Senators Toni Atkins, Ben Allen, Connie Leyva, and Jim Nielsen; and staff of Assemblymembers Phillip Chen, Kansen Chu and Luz Rivas.
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VICA meets with Senator Scott Wiener |
VICA discussed a variety of topics with elected officials with a focus on balancing the COVID-19 response and efforts to safely reopen California for business. Topics included addressing the housing shortage by streamlining approval of high density projects and supporting a centralized Governor's Office to End Homelessness. VICA also spoke on the need for flexible work schedules for employees during this emergency period and relief for freelance workers affected by both recent independent contractor legislation and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thank you to all State Elected Officials, Assemblymembers, Senators and Staffers for discussing these topics with VICA and for listening to the concerns of the business community.
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THURSDAY, JUNE 18
10 to 11:15 a.m.
via Zoom Video Conference
COVID-19 Legal Developments
VICA invites you to join Civil Justice Association of California and VICA as we co-host this legal update for employers on new COVID-19 California and federal workplace laws.
Approved for 1.25 hours of MCLE credit by the State Bar of California.
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VICA Holds Newsmaker Connection Event with Congressman Brad Sherman
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On Tuesday, VICA held a Newsmaker Connection event with guest speaker U.S. Representative Brad Sherman. Congressman Sherman began by reflecting on current events and issues. "If you ever needed to see a stress test on the strength of our society," Sherman said, "now is that time." Despite the impact of all current crises, he expressed the need for Congress to continue its work in addressing all issues.
On the Paycheck Protection Program, Sherman celebrated the approval of much-needed expansions to the program to provide relief to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Congressman Sherman was glad to say that "it is now easier to turn a PPP loan into a grant" due to new requirements and greater benefits for struggling businesses. He spoke briefly on negotiations over a second CARES Act, although the fate of that bill is currently uncertain.
Although the country is going through challenging times, Congressman Sherman ended with a reassuring note. Sherman said that despite Congress being "at its most deadlocked, we also passed our biggest legislation," referring to the CARES Act.
Thank you to State Farm for sponsoring this Newsmaker Connection event.
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FRIDAY, JUNE 19
9 to 10 a.m.
Bring Your Own Coffee
Meet new leaders and business community members for virtual small group breakout sessions with no set program. You will have the opportunity to exchange information, catch up and network with other professionals.
NO POLITICS | NO SET PROGRAM | JUST NETWORKING
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Countywide Fee Caps for Food Delivery Apps Would Impact Restaurants and Their Customers
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 On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors moved forward with considering a countywide ordinance which would place a cap on commission and delivery fees that third-party food delivery companies can charge. VICA provided comments during the Board of Supervisors meeting, raising concerns that placing a cap on fees would increase consumer prices and harm both restaurants and customers at a time when they can least afford it. VICA urged the Board of Supervisors that if they plan to move forward with drafting an ordinance, it should follow the similar City of Los Angeles' ordinance in order to avoid confusion for restaurants operating in different jurisdictions. VICA will work closely with the Board of Supervisors to ensure restaurants are given the flexibility of opting-in to the fee caps.
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Support Legislation to Make Water Board Decisions More Transparent
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VICA supports Assembly Bill
2560
(
Quirk
),
which would
require the State Water Resources Board to
publicly distribute information when it is creating or revising
notification or r
esponse
levels.
Recently, when the notification and response levels for drinking water contaminated with the chemicals PFOA and PFOS, several water agencies in Orange County had no choice but to shut down their wells and invest heavily on treating their wellheads.
Making technical information and scientific findings from the State Water Resources Board more publicly available makes the Board's decision-making process more transparent and helps stakeholders understand the reasoning behind new notification or
re
sponse
levels. Advanced notification would also
help municipal water districts prepare a reliable back-up water supply and ensure future
shut-offs
wi
ll not negatively impact residents' access to safe drinking water.
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Land Use (6/9)
Sponsored by
The Garland
- Committee members discussed the impact of City and County restrictions on project developments, business and operations.
- Senator Maria Elena Durazo provided updates on the California State Senate's Housing Package.
- The Committee recommended to support SB 995 (Atkins): Environmental Leadership: Housing Projects.
- The Committee recommended to support SB 1085 (Skinner): Density Bonus Law: Moderate-Income Housing.
- The Committee recommended to support the concept of SB 1120 (Atkins): Subdivisions: Tentative Maps, and to work with the author on clarifying details.
- The Committee recommended to support SB 1410 (Caballero): COVID-19 Emergency Rent Assistance Program.
Healthcare (6/11)
Sponsored by
Mission Community Hospital
- Philip Tagari (Amgen) presented on the biotech industry's progress in developing vaccines and medicine for COVID-19.
- Dr. Marc Hoffman, Physician at Kaiser Permanente, presented on the preparedness of their hospitals to meet the possibility of a second COVID-19 surge.
- Committee members discussed the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three-year plan for fiscal years 2020-21 and 2022-23.
- The Committee recommended to oppose SB 2537 (F. Rodriguez): Personal Protective Equipment: Healthcare Employees.
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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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