The Inland Empire Warehouse Roundtable met on Monday in San Bernardino, bringing together stakeholders to discuss the future of warehouse development in the region. CBPA staff participated on behalf of the commercial real estate industry along with our partners including NAIOP and Inland Empire Economic Partnership, among others.

The Roundtable was established as a result of two competing bills related to warehouses, both of which failed to make it through the assembly this year. AB 1000 (Reyes; D-Colton) a de facto ban on new warehouses and AB 1748 (Ramos; D-San Bernardino) a more practical alternative. 

The Roundtable meeting was productive for our industry, with many stakeholders and elected officials emphasizing the importance of warehouses to our supply chain and economy. CBPA will remain active on this issue given its impacts on our industry.

October 14^th was the deadline for the governor to sign or veto bills. Last week, CBPA provided its year-end legislative summary, covering bills signed with impact to our industry, as well as vetoed bills that are sure to be back next year.

2023 saw its fair share of legislative successes for our industry, but last-minute attacks on Proposition 13 and the Taxpayer Protection Act are sure to make 2024 a critical year for our industry and the business community as a whole. There is no more important time than now to engage on statewide issues impacting your businesses.

California Trucking Association (CTA) has filed a lawsuit against California Air Resources Board (CARB) over their soon to be enacted Advanced Clean Fleets regulations. The regulations are aimed at achieving a zero-emissions truck and bus fleet by 2045, banning the sale of all new diesel big rig trucks and buses in 2036 along with the ban of new gas-powered car sales that by 2035. The lawsuit asks the courts to bar CARB from enacting the regulations, citing federal law violations.

CTA previously filed a lawsuit over the Warehouse Indirect Source Rule (ISR) established by South Coast Air Quality Management District which aimed to reduce emissions by establishing onerous and expensive compliance obligations and reporting requirements on warehouses. CBPA will remain actively involved in this issue given its impacts on goods movement and the health of our state’s supply chain and economy.

Earlier this month, Governor Newsom signed SB 848 (Rubio; D-West Covina) establishing a new leave of absence law for reproductive-related losses. Under SB 848 it is illegal to refuse an eligible employee’s request for up to five days of leave after a reproductive loss event.

The law defines a reproductive loss event as “the day or, for a multiple-day event, the final day of a failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, stillbirth, or an unsuccessful assisted reproduction.” The law applies to employers with five or more employees and employees who have worked for the employer for at least 30 days. Employers are encouraged to update their policies and handbooks to reflect this new law.