Tomorrow marks an important policy deadline in the Capitol, as it's the final day for bills to pass through the second house and be reported prior to summer recess. CBPA has prepared an updated list of priority bills of interest to the commercial real estate industry this session. While many bills have failed, approximately 20 key bills remain in play.

Commercial real estate industry veteran Rob Cord has been elected Chair of the CBPA Board for the 2023 term. Cord has extensive board leadership experience, previously serving as the president of BOMA Sacramento, NAIOP San Francisco and BOMA California. Cord is a 20-year board member of CBPA and has been a member for more than 25 years.

Outside of his volunteer leadership roles, Cord serves as CEO of Advisors Real Estate Asset Services (AREAS) and Foothill Partners, Inc. 

CBPA was featured in a recent story expressing opposition to California's proposed driverless truck ban. The article featured in Commercial Carrier Journal centers on Assembly Bill 316 (Aguiar-Curry; D-Winters) a bill that would effectively ban autonomous trucks in the state, and in turn exacerbate gridlock across our supply chain.

AB 316 passed through the Assembly and is now awaiting a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee, which will need to approve the bill by Friday in order to keep it alive.

On July 1^st, the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act was enacted in California. The law is designed to protect threatened trees in the region while accommodating new renewable energy and housing projects. Developers will now be required to pay up to $1,000 for removal of each Joshua tree of 16 or more feet, and $2,500 for Joshua trees taken within two miles of Joshua Tree National Park.

CBPA worked with the governor’s office to ensure the new law will not be a de facto ban on new development in the region.

Assembly Bill 1228 (Holden; D-Pasadena) would dismantle the franchise business model in California by creating “joint liability” between the franchisee and franchisor. This would create a per se determination that franchisors are the joint employers of franchisees and effectively make independent owners and operators of franchise stores “middle managers” of large corporations and not the small business owners that they are.

At the request of proponents, the bill was removed from the Senate Judiciary Committee agenda yesterday. While the bill is dead for now, proponents are seeking a waiver to have the bill reconsidered following summer recess.

In CNBC’s 2023 ranking of America’s top states for business, California came in 25^th overall due to its leadership in technology and innovation. In the category of “cost of doing business” California ranks 45^th and in the category of “business friendliness” the state is ranked at 47^th.    

California Business Roundtable’s recent news release highlights how the state’s ongoing cost of living crisis, high taxes, and unfriendly business policies have eroded California’s economic competitiveness.