The Oxnard Chamber Political Action Committee has endorsed three candidates for city council in the new district elections. Of the four candidates seeking election to Oxnard city council in District 1, Ken Oplinger's qualifications and positions on issues certainly rose to the top of the list. Ken has a long list of public service on planning commissions and served on the city council in Blaine, Washington. He currently chairs the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board and serves on the City of Santa Barbara Living Wage Advisory Board. He was recently appointed to the City of Santa Barbara Sales Tax Oversight Committee. Ken Oplinger currently serves as the President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Santa Barbara Region, where he has been since May 2013. He has been leading Chambers of Commerce in the Western US for over 25 years. Ken and his family live near the beach in Oxnard. Voters in District 1 can learn more about Ken Oplinger from his website, www.ken4oxnard.com. Gabriela Basua and Vianey Lopez are running in Districts 5 and 6, respectively. The Chamber PAC scrutinized their written questionnaire responses and interviewed both as well. "We believe Basua and Lopez will be excellent additions to the Oxnard city council," noted Steve Buenger, Chair of the PAC. "They both understand how local government operates and how important it is to have a healthy business community." Gabriela Basua lives in the College Estates neighborhood of Oxnard. She is the housing manager for the city of Port Hueneme. When asked what is the greatest challenge facing Oxnard, she replied that Oxnard's economic sustainability could affect public safety and infrastructure needs. She also noted that the city needs to maximize its revenue by partnering with businesses to ensure they are successful in order to maximize tax revenues. Ms. Basua is passionate about providing options for the homeless population in Oxnard. Vianey Lopez currently serves on the Hueneme Elementary School District Board of Trustees and works for Assemblymember Monique Limon. She lives in the Redwood neighborhood of south Oxnard. Public safety is one of her priorities. She is also very concerned about the city's infrastructure needs – such as the wastewater treatment plant – and the city's bond rating. Vianey believes there are grant opportunities that should be explored to help with capital projects. The California Fair Employment and Housing Council (FEHC) has been working on amendments to the state Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to address two laws that went into effect on January 1, 2018 — the New Parent Leave Act (NPLA) and the statewide ban-the-box law. The FEHC held a meeting on October 19, 2018, during which it discussed further amendments to the regulations. Answering Questions About NPLA Small businesses in California had to begin providing baby-bonding leave this year, as the NPLA requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to bond with a new child. Yet employers were left with some questions about how to comply with the NPLA, such as whether employees could use NPLA leave intermittently and if a workplace notice would be required. Those questions and others will be answered in the regulations proposed by the FEHC. The proposed regulations will amend the existing regulations for the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) to integrate the NPLA (the CFRA also provides for baby-bonding leave, but applies to employers with 50 or more employees). Under these proposed regulations, the two laws will largely track each other, although there are still differences between the two, such as how employers can require employees to use vacation or paid time off during leave. Once adopted, the proposed NPLA regulations will provide more clarity to California employers on how to comply with the NPLA as well as require an update to the current required CFRA poster. Clarity on Use of Criminal Convictions in Hiring, Employment Decisions Another significant law that went into effect this year was California’s ban-the-box law, which prohibits employers with five or more employees from asking job candidates about any criminal background before making a conditional job offer. This law came on the heels of criminal history regulations promulgated in 2017, which apply to all employment decisions, and not just hiring. The proposed regulations merge the new law with the pre-existing regulations. The proposed regulations state when an employer can receive criminal history information about a job applicant and how that information can be used in hiring decisions. These regulations also address the use of conviction history in employment decisions. What’s Next? The FEHC made additional revisions to the proposed NPLA and criminal history regulations at the October 19 meeting, and will publish the revised regulations on the FEHC website for a 15-day public comment period. Once the time for public comments and hearings on the proposed amendments is over, the amended regulations will go to the state Office of Administrative Law for approval. But Wait, There’s More! The FEHC is also working on amendments to the regulations that govern required sexual harassment training in California, as well as introducing religious accommodation and age discrimination regulations. More information about those proposed regulations can be found on the FEHC website. CalChamber members can view more information on the New Parent Leave Act and Criminal Background Checks in the HR Library. Not a member? See how CalChamber can help you. Changes to employment law require new posters at each place of business STATEWIDE - order your posters today to avoid fines The Oxnard Chamber is making it easy for businesses to comply with California’s labor laws. No matter how many employees you have in California, your business is required by law to post a current California and Federal Employment Poster centrally in every place of business. Severe fines and penalties will be assessed if a business doesn’t display a current poster. In partnership with the CalChamber, the Oxnard Chamber is currently taking pre-orders for the updated 2019 California and Federal Employment Poster. CalChamber is a trusted source for California and federal compliance products, with more than 125 years of experience helping California business do business. The 2019 all-in-one poster includes mandatory updates to the Cal/OSHA notice for January 1, 2019, plus recommended updates to the USERRA notice and the CFRA notice. Reminder: On January 1, 2019 the minimum wage increases to $11.00/hour for employers with 25 or less employees and $12.00/hour for employers with 26 or more employees. The all-in-one posting is available laminated or non-laminated and in your choice of English or Spanish. Posters must be displayed in a conspicuous place accessible to all employees. Employers must also display posters in each company location. Orders placed by December 14 will be available for pick up at the Chamber around January 1. Orders placed after mid-December may take two weeks to process depending on current inventory. Please call the Oxnard Chamber at 805-983-6118 or download the order form via our website www.oxnardchamber.org . Other labor law compliance resource materials are available as well. Need a supply of the required pamphlets and notices for new hires? We can provide those. A list of all products and pricing (discounts for members) is listed on the order form available on the Chamber's website. Learn how to get the most out of your listing on our website. See what complimentary promotional opportunities are available to both new and veteran members. Can participation on a Chamber committee help your business? It's all available tonight at the New Member Mingle. "Seasoned" members are also welcome. The Chamber's Director of Communications, Janet Pozos, will be on hand to demonstrate how easy it is to link your social media accounts to your Chamber web listing. Members can also offer discounts or coupons to fellow Chamber members or the general public. Meet some Chamber Board members, the Chamber staff, and your fellow newbies! The New Member Mingle is free to attend. It will be in the Chamber office (400 E. Esplanade Drive, Suite 302) on November 7 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. Refreshments, wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Click here to let us know you are coming! The California Chamber of Commerce has released a report of California legislators’ floor votes for the second year of the 2017-18 legislative session, focusing on priority bills for the state’s business community. View the 2018 vote record This is the 44th vote record the CalChamber has compiled in response to numerous requests by member firms and local chambers of commerce that would like a gauge by which to measure the performance of their legislators. To help readers assess legislators’ vote records, the charts group bills into 12 areas: agriculture, food and natural resources; corporate governance; education; energy; health care costs, housing and land use; immigration; industrial safety and health; labor and employment; legal reform and protection; product regulation; and telecommunications. Partial Picture No vote record can tell the entire story of a legislator’s attitude and actions on issues of importance to business. To fully evaluate your legislative representative, consult the legislative journals and examine your legislator’s votes in committee and on floor issues. You can view these via links at www.calchambervotes.com. Many anti-business bills were rejected by legislators in policy or fiscal committees, thus stopping proposals before they reached the floor for a vote. The vote record does not capture these votes. Most bills in this report cover major business issues that are of concern to both small and large companies. The CalChamber recognizes that there are many bills supported or opposed by business that are not included in this vote record and analysis. Factors Considered The CalChamber considers the following factors in selecting vote record bills: • The bills and votes reflect legislators’ attitudes toward private enterprise, fiscal responsibility and the business climate. • Each bill was a CalChamber priority in a particular field. Priority bills have appeared in the “Status Report” sections of Alert. • The bills were voted upon by either the full Senate or Assembly. This year, the vote record covers 14 votes in the Senate and 15 votes in the Assembly. • Unless otherwise noted, final floor votes are shown. Concurrence votes are considered final votes. When ‘Not Voting’ Helps Sometimes a legislator is unwilling to vote against a colleague, but is willing to support the CalChamber’s opposition to a bill. In such cases, a legislator may abstain from voting, which will hinder passage of a bill, just as a “no” vote does. To recognize that not voting can aid the CalChamber’s opposition to a bill, the vote record includes the number of times legislators did not vote “aye” on a CalChamber-opposed bill in the total for the column listing actions “in accord with” the CalChamber’s position, if the legislator was not absent for the day. Priority Bills Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources • AB 2528 (Bloom; D-Santa Monica) Land Use Restrictions. Potentially limits private land use by expanding areas protected for non-endangered species. Punishes landowners who managed their lands in a way to enhance the habitat of nearby species. Passed Assembly, May 29, 42-32. Passed Senate, August 22, 23-12. Assembly concurred in Senate amendments August 27, 44-32 (vote shown). Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed Unless Amended. Corporate Governance • SB 826 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Unconstitutional Board Mandate for Publicly Traded Corporations. Requires a publicly traded corporation to satisfy quotas regarding the number of women on its board or face significant penalties, which is likely unconstitutional, a violation of California’s Civil Rights statute, and a violation of the internal affairs doctrine for publicly held corporations. Passed Assembly, August 29, 41-26. Senate concurred in Assembly amendments, August 30, 23-9. Signed—Chapter 954. CalChamber Opposed. Education • AB 2361 (Weber; D-San Diego) Onerous Disclosure Requirements. Imposes onerous disclosure requirements on contractors of the University of California that will force public reporting of proprietary information as well as personal employee data, with the threat of barring the contractor from bidding on any contract for five years if the contractor makes a mistake or omission. Passed Assembly, May 31, 54-22. Passed Senate, August 24, 23-13. Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed. Energy • SB 64 (Wieckowski; D-Fremont) Increased Rates. Arbitrarily requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider elimination of electric-generating facilities that produce any air emissions. Threatens the reliability of the electric grid by eliminating generation needed to meet peak demand. Failed passage in Assembly, August 29, 33-37. CalChamber Opposed. • SB 100 (de León; D-Los Angeles) Increased Energy Costs. Increases the cost of energy and threatens the reliability of the grid by mandating an ambiguous zero-carbon energy by 2045 planning goal and requirements for regulatory agencies in the state. Passed Assembly, August 28, 44-33. Senate concurred in Assembly amendments, August 29, 25-13. Signed—Chapter 312. CalChamber Opposed. Health Care Costs • AB 2384 (Arambula; D-Kingsburg) Increases Health Care Premiums. Before amendments, increased health care premiums by mandating medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders and by eliminating all quality control and cost containment mechanisms. Job killer tag removed due to June 14, 2018 amendments, but CalChamber remains opposed. Passed Assembly, May 31, 58-17. Passed Senate August 28, 26-9. Assembly concurred in Senate amendments, August 29, 68-6 (vote shown). Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed/Former Job Killer 2018. Housing and Land Use • AB 2343 (Chiu; D-San Francisco) Amends Unlawful Detainer and Eviction Notice Process. Before amendments, would have driven up the cost of providing rental housing in the state by tripling the amount of notice a landlord is required to provide a tenant in order to begin a lawful eviction process, extending the due date for rent to the middle of the month, and allowing a tenant who has joined a “tenant association” to stop paying rent merely by claiming landlord retaliation. Opposition removed due to June 25, 2018 amendments. Passed Assembly, May 31, 42-27 (vote shown). Passed Senate, August 20, 25-12. Assembly concurred in Senate amendments, August 23, 46-27. Signed—Chapter 260. No Position. Immigration • AB 2732 (Gonzalez Fletcher; D-San Diego) New Labor Code Requirement Subject to Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Creates new onerous requirements for employers to provide a worker bill of rights document to all employees, have them sign it, give them a copy of the signed document, keep the original for three years, and post the document. Passed Senate, August 31, 24-8. Assembly concurred in Senate amendments, August 31, 59-13. Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed Unless Amended. Industrial Safety and Health • AB 2963 (Kalra; D-San Jose) Usurps Cal/OSHA Priorities. Requires Cal/OSHA to treat as a serious violation a rule that does not constitute any violation of Cal/OSHA rules, and redirects Cal/OSHA resources, which will undermine existing Cal/OSHA priorities. As a result of a blood lead level of employees reported to the Department of Public Health, the bill requires a workplace inspection by Cal/OSHA within three days, as if a serious violation has been reported where none exists. Passed Assembly, May 30, 41-30. Passed Senate, August 28, 23-13. Assembly concurred in Senate amendments, August 30, 43-31 (vote shown). Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed Unless Amended. Labor and Employment • AB 1870 (Reyes; D-Grand Terrace) Extension of Statute of Limitations. Unnecessarily extends the statute of limitations from one year to three years for all discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Passed Assembly, May 29, 57-4. Passed Senate, August 27, 25-10. Assembly concurred in Senate amendments, August 29, 61-9 (vote shown). Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed Unless Amended. • AB 2770 (Irwin; D-Thousand Oaks) Sexual Harassment Employer/Employee Protection. Codifies case law to ensure victims of sexual harassment and employers are not sued for defamation by the alleged harasser when a complaint of sexual harassment is made and the employer conducts its internal investigation. This bill also provides additional protections to employers by expressly allowing employers to inform potential employers about the sexual harassment investigation and findings. Reducing the cost of frivolous litigation allows an employer to utilize these financial resources to grow its workforce. Passed Assembly, May 7, 72-0. Passed Senate, June 25, 36-0. Signed—Chapter 82. CalChamber Sponsored/Job Creator 2018. • AB 2946 (Kalra; D-San Jose) Imposes New One-Sided Attorney’s Fee Recovery. Undermines the essence of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement complaint process by requiring a one-sided attorney’s fee provision that will incentivize further litigation. Failed passage in Assembly, May 31, 19-30. CalChamber Opposed. • SB 1284 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Disclosure of Company Pay Data. Requires California employers to submit pay data to state agencies that could give the false impression of pay disparity where none may exist. Agencies are prohibited from releasing company-specific information. Job killer tag removed due to August 8 amendments helping rectify public shaming aspect of the bill, but CalChamber remains opposed due to administrative burden placed on employers. Passed Senate, May 31, 24-13. Held in Assembly Appropriations Suspense File, August 16. CalChamber Opposed/Former Job Killer 2018. • SB 1300 (Jackson; D-Santa Barbara) Significant Expansion of Harassment Discrimination and Retaliation Liability. Limits the use of nondisparagement agreements and general releases and, through the codified intent language, attempts to restrict the ability to summarily adjudicate harassment claims and attempts to lower the legal standard for actionable harassment claims by providing a directive to the courts on how they should interpret the law. These provisions will significantly increase litigation against California employers and limit their ability to invest in their workforce. Job killer status removed due to August 20, 2018 amendments, but CalChamber remains opposed. Passed Senate, May 31, 22-11. Passed Assembly, August 30, 41-33. Senate concurred in Assembly amendments, August 31, 25-10 (vote shown). Signed—Chapter 955. CalChamber Opposed/Former Job Killer 2018. Legal Reform and Protection • AB 3080 (Gonzalez Fletcher; D-San Diego) Ban on Settlement Agreements and Arbitration Agreements. Significantly expands employment litigation and increases costs for employers and employees by banning settlement agreements for labor and employment claims as well as arbitration agreements made as a condition of employment, which is likely preempted under the Federal Arbitration Act and will only delay the resolution of claims. Banning such agreements benefits the trial attorneys, not the employer or employee. Passed Assembly, May 30, 47-25. Passed Senate August 22, 26-12. Vetoed. CalChamber Opposed/Job Killer 2018. Product Regulation • SB 1249 (Galgiani; D-Stockton) Risks California Jobs and Limits Consumer Options. Before amendments, jeopardized hundreds of thousands of California manufacturing, distribution and retail jobs by effectively banning for sale any cosmetic product whose ingredient was tested on animals for any purpose, by anyone, anywhere in the world. Opposition removed due to August 28, 2018 amendments. Passed Senate, May 30, 21-9 (vote shown). Passed Assembly, August 31, 80-0. Senate concurred in Assembly amendments, August 31, 39-0. Signed—Chapter 899. No Position. Telecommunications • SB 822 (Wiener; D-San Francisco) Net Neutrality. Preempted by federal law and opens the door to a patchwork of unworkable state regulations that will stymie innovation and potentially undermine the backbone of California’s internet economy. Passed Assembly, August 30, 61-18. Senate concurred in Assembly amendments, August 31, 27-12. Signed—Chapter 976. CalChamber Opposed. Print-Friendly PDF of full Vote Record CalChamber Best Business Votes 2018 Legislators are listed in descending order according to how often they voted in accord with the California Chamber of Commerce position (first number) versus how often their votes were not in accord with the CalChamber position (second number) in 2018. Total votes may not match the vote record because the tally for not voting or absent is not included in this list. Votes when a legislator was absent are not included in calculating percentages. Best Business Votes: Print-Friendly PDF 2019 Leadership opens registration Oxnard Leadership's 2019 program is accepting applications from those who desire to enhance their leadership potential, increase their knowledge of the community and are willing to commit their individual talents for future years toward the betterment of the community of Oxnard. A successful candidate should possess a passion for self-improvement with the goal of assisting others. This interactive program provides a behind-the-scenes view of the issues that impact the region’s economic prosperity and quality of life while developing and refining individual skills to better serve in leadership roles within their organization or in our community. Participants receive a comprehensive overview of the Oxnard area – its realities, opportunities and challenges. Sessions move to various locations throughout the Oxnard area and provide students with a unique opportunity to meet key business and government leaders who play integral roles in the region by way of tours, panels, and speakers. Class speakers address not only the facts, but also perspectives, challenges, and opportunities in highly interactive sessions. Oxnard Leadership extends an invitation to interested individuals who are committed to a better tomorrow and who are motivated to assume leadership roles in Oxnard today. "The Oxnard Leadership Program is one of the best experiences I have ever been apart of. It’s an all encompassing course that dives into many facets of our local community. If you would like to network with others in the community, grow personally and professionally this class if for you. I can truly say I learned something new every session and it was a delight! The planning and execution was done flawlessly by the Oxnard Chamber – thank you! It’s a must for those looking to broaden their knowledge of our local community and the businesses that operate in it." Justin Cotton, Engineering Tech, California Resources Corporation Oxnard Leadership 2017 The benefits of Oxnard Leadership are multifaceted. Your participation in the program allows you, employers, and the community as a whole to reap rewards. Whether you are new to the area, or have lived here for years, this course can open new doors of opportunity. Benefits from the program include the following just to name a few:
"I am a member of the Oxnard Leadership Academy for 2017 and it has been an honor and privilege to be a part of such a rewarding adventure to learn and enrich my knowledge with all that the academy classes have shared with me. I would highly recommend the course to all my associate colleagues that have not experienced this leadership academy! Thank you for this opportunity and for your leadership in keeping this program active throughout our communities!" Alyce D. Bosacki, Vice President, Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau-California Welcome Center Oxnard Leadership 2017 Click here for more information and the application. The California Chamber of Commerce is urging its members to register to vote for the November 6 General Election before the October 22 deadline. An online link to register is available at www.calchambervotes.com. Voter registration information is available at the website of the Secretary of State. The last day to register to vote for the November 6 election is October 22. To register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote. See CalChamber Positions on November Ballot measures Sample Ballots Persons who register between 29 and 15 days before an election may be sent a sample ballot if there is time to process these last-minute registrations. If not, such registrants will receive a postcard confirming voter registration, which will also include a notice of their polling place location. For all elections, extra sample ballots will be available at polling locations. When to Re-Register to Vote Voters need to re-register to vote when they:
Polling Places The location of a voter’s designated polling place is listed on the back of the Sample Ballot. Voters can also find their polling place on the Secretary of State website, or from their local elections official. Vote by Mail Any California voter may vote by mail. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is October 30. A registered voter may request a ballot by using the application printed on the back of the sample ballot booklet. County elections officials began mailing vote-by-mail ballots on October 9 (post offices were closed for a federal holiday). Ballots have already been mailed to military and overseas voters. Vote-by-mail voters can cast their November 6 ballots through the mail, drop them off at any polling place within the voter’s county, or vote in person at county elections offices. Once county elections officials determine the signature on the vote-by-mail ballot return envelope matches the voter’s signature on his or her voter registration application, and the voter did not vote elsewhere in the same election, the ballot is counted. All valid vote-by-mail ballots are counted in every election, regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race. In the June 5, 2018 Statewide Primary Election, 67.7% of votes were cast on vote-by-mail ballots. Ballot Drop Boxes Drop boxes opened on October 9 in Madera, Napa, Nevada, Sacramento, and San Mateo counties—the five counties that have adopted the Voter’s Choice Act for the November 6, 2018 General Election. In these five counties, every voter will automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot. Voters will have the option of returning their ballots at a dropbox, by mail, or at any vote center in their county. Dropboxes are secure locations where California voters can deliver their completed ballots from the time they receive them by mail up to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Counties implementing the Voter’s Choice Act must open a minimum of one dropbox location for every 15,000 registered voters. Voters can look-up ballot dropbox and vote center locations using the map lookup tool at VotersChoice.sos.ca.gov. Tips for Voters Who Plan to Use Dropboxes:
If individuals are not sure of their registration status, visit the Secretary of State My Voter Status tool at: VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov. Individuals can also use this tool to check the status of their ballot once it has been received by county elections officials. If voters do not receive their vote-by-mail ballot, they need to contact their county elections office. The Voter’s Choice Act (SB 450), a landmark election reform measure, was sponsored by Secretary of State Alex Padilla, signed into law by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2016, and was first implemented in the June 5, 2018 Primary Election. Sharing Information with Employees The CalChamber encourages employers to share information on the November ballot measures with their employees. Businesses are within their rights to do so — just remember, NO PAYCHECK STUFFERS, no coercion, no rewarding or punishing employees (or threatening to do so) for their political activities or beliefs. For more guidelines on political communications to employees, see the brochure at www.calchamber.com/guidelines. Note the distinction between internal communications (to employees, stockholders and their families) and communications to external audiences (such as non-stockholder retirees, outside vendors, customers, passersby). For voter registration information, see the website of the Secretary of State. The Chamber's Political Action Committee recently announced two additional city council candidate endorsements. Gabriela Basua and Vianey Lopez are running in districts 5 and 6, respectively. The PAC scrutinized their written questionnaire responses and interviewed both as well. "We believe Basua and Lopez will be excellent additions to the Oxnard city council," noted Steve Buenger, Chair of the PAC. "They both understand how local government operates and how important it is to have a healthy business community." Gabriela Basua lives in the College Estates neighborhood of Oxnard. She is the housing manager for the city of Port Hueneme. When asked what is the greatest challenge facing Oxnard, she replied that Oxnard's economic sustainability could affect public safety and infrastructure needs. She also noted that the city needs to maximize its revenue by partnering with businesses to ensure they are successful in order to maximize tax revenues. Ms. Basua is passionate about providing options for the homeless population in Oxnard. Vianey Lopez currently serves on the Hueneme Elementary School District Board of Trustees and works for Assemblymember Monique Limon. She lives in the Redwood neighborhood of south Oxnard. Public safety is one of her priorities. She is also very concerned about the city's infrastructure needs – such as the wastewater treatment plant – and the city's bond rating. Vianey believes there are grant opportunities that should be explored to help with capital projects. Gabriela and Vianey join Ken Oplinger as Chamber-endorsed city council candidates. Ken has a long list of public service on planning commissions and served on the city council in Blaine, Washington. He currently chairs the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board and serves on the City of Santa Barbara Living Wage Advisory Board. He was recently appointed to the City of Santa Barbara Sales Tax Oversight Committee. Ken Oplinger is the President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Santa Barbara Region, where he has been since May 2013. He has been leading Chambers of Commerce in the Western US for over 25 years. Ken and his family live near the beach in Oxnard. From The Earth, Ventura County’s first adult-use dispensary, opened its doors to the public on the 4th of July. Operating multiple locations throughout California, From The Earth offers a large selection of products ranging from flowers, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, accessories, vape pens and edibles. Fully city and state licensed, the dispensary owner’s and employees pride themselves on the education of quality and practical application for a myriad of medicinal and recreational usages. With the understanding that shopping for cannabis can be an intimidating experience, From The Earth provides every customer with one-on-one attention from their sales associate. This one-on-one approach ensures every customer’s shopping experience is private, comfortable, educational, and of course, fun. Whether individuals are shopping for recreational or medical purposes, whether individuals are setting out on their 1st or 500th cannabis experience, when shopping at From The Earth, every experience is catered directly to meet each individual’s unique needs. Located at 2675 N. Ventura Road in Port Hueneme, the dispensary is open for business from 9 am to 9 pm daily. A message from our CEO - Nancy Lindholm You know that pending state legislation, a proposed regulation or a ballot measure will have a huge impact on your business, either directly because it affects your company/industry, or indirectly because of its impact on the jobs climate and economy. You’d like to let your employees know about your concerns — but can you? The answer is yes — IF you keep in mind and follow some “dos and don’ts” outlined in state law or regulations. Following is a quick overview from the HR specialists at the California Chamber of Commerce, including actions to avoid. You CAN: Communicate with your employees, stockholders and their families about the company’s support of or opposition to state legislation, regulations or ballot measures. Encourage your employees, stockholders and their families to support or oppose state legislation, regulations or ballot measures. Communicate your political messages to your own employees (and their families) through such means as:
You CANNOT: Control or direct the political activities of your employees “through or by means of threat of discharge or loss of employment.” Coerce your employees to support or oppose a ballot measure. Reward or punish employees for their political activities or beliefs (or threaten to do so). Put any political messages in or on employees’ payroll envelopes. NO PAYCHECK STUFFERS. Stops All 29 Job Killer Bills The 2018 legislative session was especially busy for the California Chamber of Commerce policy advocates. CalChamber policy advocates, together with members, allied associations and local chambers of commerce, stopped many harmful proposals, won amendments to remove damaging provisions in other proposals, and helped pass bills to make future investments in our state’s economy In 2018, the Legislature introduced more than 2,600 bills; CalChamber tracked 213 California bills, stopping 115 opposed bills (including 29 job killers), and backing 27 bills that were signed into law. Job KillersStrong advocacy by the CalChamber, members, local chambers of commerce and allied employers prevented all but one job killer bill from passing the Legislature. On his final day to act on legislation, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. vetoed the last surviving CalChamber-opposed job killer bill. AB 3080(Gonzalez Fletcher; D-San Diego) would have banned arbitration agreements beneficial to employees, employers and the courts. Besides interfering with and essentially eliminating settlement agreements for labor and employment claims, AB 3080 exposed employers to criminal liability regarding arbitration agreements and essentially prohibited arbitration of labor and employment claims as a condition of employment. CalChamber’s analysis of the bill also found that it was likely preempted under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) and would only have delayed the resolution of claims. Finally, given where AB 3080 provisions were placed in the Labor Code, any violation would have been a misdemeanor. Accordingly, an employer would have faced not only civil liability for any violation of the various provisions of AB 3080, but could have faced criminal charges as well. In his September 30 veto message, the Governor stated: “Since this bill plainly violates federal law, I cannot sign this measure.” Session Highlights Following are highlights from the entire legislative session. For a list of all CalChamber priority bills send to the Governor this year, see the Final Status Report on Major Business Bills, embedded below. Labor and Employment As usual, labor matters were among the hardest fought issues on the CalChamber agenda. The 2019 new laws will include: Lactation Accommodation (AB 1976; Limón; D-Goleta): Under current state law an employer must provide a location other than a toilet stall for an employee to express breast milk. The location must also be private and in close proximity to the employee’s work area. This CalChamber supported law requires that the employer provide a location other than a “bathroom,” rather than a “toilet stall.” AB 1976 contains a hardship exemption and clarifying language about what temporary spaces are appropriate as lactation accommodations. Defamation Protection (AB 2770; Irwin; D-Thousand Oaks): Under this CalChamber-sponsored job creator bill, employers and victims of sexual harassment will be protected from liability for defamation lawsuits for injury to an alleged harasser’s reputation after a complaint of sexual harassment has been made. An employee who makes credible reports of harassment will be shielded from liability, as will an employer who communicates with interested parties such as victims and witnesses. When contacted for a job reference about a current or former employee, an employer will now be permitted to reveal whether the individual is not eligible for rehire because the employer determined that he/she engaged in sexual harassment. Confidentiality Clauses in Settlement Agreements (SB 820; Leyva; D-Chino): This CalChamber opposed new law expands the types of cases in which so-called “secret settlements” are restricted. It prohibits any settlement agreement in a case where sexual harassment, assault or discrimination has been alleged from including a confidentiality provision that prohibits disclosure of factual information regarding the claim, except with regard to the claimant’s identity. Sexual Harassment (SB 1300; Jackson; D-Santa Barbara): In this sweeping new law, the Legislature declared its intent to create a much lower bar for employees to bring harassment lawsuits, and limited the ability of employers to obtain summary judgment in such cases and also prohibits the use of non disclosure agreements. CalChamber secured amendments to remove the more onerous job killer provisions, but remained opposed to the bill. For expanded information on employment-related laws, an HRCalifornia Extra newsletter and White Paper will be published soon. CEQA Reform/Land UseThe Governor signed two CalChamber-supported bills that will help expedite home building: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reform (AB 1804; Berman; D-Palo Alto): Expedites infill development of affordable housing by expanding the existing CEQA exemption for infill projects to unincorporated areas already surrounded by urbanized land uses and populations. Land Use Improvements (AB 2913; Wood; D-Healdsburg) The bill promotes fairness in housing construction by providing that a permit would remain valid if the work on the site authorized by that permit is begun within 3 years after its issuance, or if the work authorized on the site by the permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of up to 3 years after the time the work has begun. Health Care Costs The Governor vetoed two CalChamber-opposed bills that would have increased health care premiums if signed into law:
Governor Brown signed a CalChamber-supported bill related to food and consumer product packaging: CalChamber supports AB 2632 (Santiago; D-Los Angeles) because it protects consumer product and food manufacturers from lawsuits by clarifying package labeling requirements regarding the amount of product and packaging. Final Status Report on Major Bills The following list summarizes the final status of priority bills for the CalChamber that were sent to the Governor this year. Within each subject area, the CalChamber list presents bills in order of priority, with the highest priorities at the top. The CalChamber will publish a record of legislators’ votes on key bills affecting the California business climate on October 19. Generally, the bills selected for the vote record have appeared in one of the status reports. Bills signed by the Governor will become law on January 1, 2019 unless otherwise stated. Urgency, budget-related and tax levy measures go into effect immediately upon being signed, so the date the bill was signed is noted. Download PDF Version of Report Governor Vetoes Last CalChamber Identified Job Killer Bill of 2017-2018 Legislative Session10/2/2018
AB 3080 Would Have Banned Arbitration Agreements Beneficial to Employees, Employers, Courts The last CalChamber identified Job Killer bill of the 2017-2018 Legislative Session, AB 3080 (Gonzalez Fletcher), has been vetoed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. “We are grateful to the Governor for vetoing this bill and recognizing that, had it become law, AB 3080 would have been preempted by federal law. The Governor’s veto saved California employers from significant amount of unnecessary litigation,” said Allan Zaremberg, CalChamber President and CEO. In his veto message, the Governor indicated, “since this bill plainly violates federal law, I cannot sign this measure.” “We are pleased the Governor recognized the significant flaws of AB 3080” said Jennifer Barrera, CalChamber’s Senior Vice President of Policy. “Employment arbitration agreements have proven to provide a beneficial forum to resolve disputes for both employers and employees for decades, and are even routinely utilized by unions in their collective bargaining agreements. Arbitration agreements expedite the resolution of claims in a less costly environment than sending all claims through an overburdened court system. At the end of the day, had this bill become law, the winners would have been trial lawyers, not workers.” “With the Governor’s veto of AB 3080 (Gonzalez Fletcher), CalChamber has now successfully stopped every piece of job killing legislation proposed this session from becoming law,” said Zaremberg. “We know many of these job killing proposals will return next session but Legislators need to understand that California employers have reached their limit with respect to new laws and regulations that increase costs through threat of litigation and additional burdens that stop them from making future investments in our state’s economy,” he added. Job Killer Stats 2018: 29 job killers identified, 1 sent to Governor Brown, 1 vetoed. 2017: 27 job killers identified, 3 sent to Governor Brown, 2 signed, 1 vetoed. 2016: 24 job killers identified, 5 sent to Governor Brown, 4 signed, and 1 vetoed; 2015: 19 job killer bills identified, 3 sent to Governor Brown, 1 signed, and 2 vetoed; 2014: 27 job killer bills identified, 2 sent to Governor, signs 2; 2013: 38 job killer bills identified, 1 sent to Governor, signs 1; 2012: 32 job killer bills identified, 6 sent to Governor, signs 4, 2 vetoed; 2011: 30 job killer bills identified, 5 sent to Governor, 1 signed, 4 vetoed; 2010: 43 job killer bills identified, 12 sent to Governor, 2 signed, 10 vetoed; 2009: 33 job killer bills identified, 6 sent to Governor, 6 vetoed; 2008: 39 job killer bills identified, 10 sent to Governor, 1 signed, 9 vetoed; 2007: 30 job killer bills identified, 12 sent to Governor, 12 vetoed; 2006: 40 job killer bills identified, 11 sent to Governor, 2 signed, 9 vetoed; 2005: 45 job killer bills identified, 8 sent to Governor, 1 signed, 7 vetoed; 2004: 23 job killer bills identified, 10 sent to Governor, 10 vetoed; 2003: 53 job killer bills identified, 13 sent to Governor, 11 signed, 2 vetoed; 2002: 35 job killer bills identified, 17 sent to Governor, 12 signed, 5 vetoed 2001: 12 job killer bills identified, 5 sent to Governor, 3 signed, 2 vetoed; 2000: No job killers identified. Of 4 bad bills identified at end of session, Governor Davis signs 2 and vetoes 2. 1999: 30 job killer bills identified, 9 sent to Governor, 6 signed, 3 vetoed; 1998: 64 job killer bills identified, 11 sent to Governor, 11 vetoed. 1997: 57 job killer bills identified, 9 sent to Governor, 9 vetoed. MESSAGE FROM THE OXNARD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHAIR Stacy Miller – October 2018 When you think of Oxnard, likely the beautiful beaches, well-appointed marinas, close-knit neighborhoods, excellent festivals and amazing weather come to mind. But now, Oxnard is also home to Northrop Grumman, thanks to the company’s relocation to a new manufacturing center. Northrop Grumman is one of the world's largest aerospace and defense technology companies and is utilizing their new Oxnard-based Astro Aerospace facility to design unmanned aircraft that can patrol the ground and sea. The new facility, located at 2601 Camino Del Sol in Oxnard, encompasses approximately 140,000 square feet, enabling concurrent manufacturing of large satellite reflectors, and other space hardware and deployable structures. Now in its 60th year, Astro Aerospace specializes in deployable structures with unmatched 100 percent success performance on-orbit including extendable/retractable boom and mast subsystems, deployable mesh reflectors, and other deployable planar structures, solar arrays and antennas. Further, they are developing solutions that prevent cyber threats from becoming cyber-attacks, and discovering trends to stay ahead of disease outbreaks. The company, which has tripled its workforce since 2017, is no stranger to Oxnard as they already have some presence here locally at the Naval Base Ventura County and also in Port Hueneme. Northrop Grumman’s new high-tech center brings nearly 300 employees to Oxnard, which contributes to our local economy. From the City of Oxnard’s perspective, they would love to see more of this type of industry in Oxnard. Councilmember Bryan McDonald said: “If you bring in a corporation or business and help them grow and become bigger, they create other job opportunities for suppliers and vendors. I think we are going to see a huge increase in our aerospace industry because they are going to attract other customers and other business here.” We at the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce couldn’t agree more and welcome Northrop Grumman’s Astro Aerospace facility to our beautiful community. |