GSBE Business Update 07/13/2020
Senate and Assembly delay return to Capitol to July 27th
Neither the state Assembly or Senate will return next week to the Capitol from their summer recess after multiple staffers and lawmakers — including Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, a Marina Del Rey Democrat, and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Palmdale Republican — who tested positive for COVID-19. Leadership has pushed the date to reconvene to July 27th and marks the second time lawmakers have put things on hold due to the pandemic. It also marks further logistical challenges for lawmakers, who have seven weeks to process 700 bills before the legislative calendar ends Aug. 31. Some committee consultants have informed us that they are tightening their rules on hearing only COVID-19 related measures in order to manage a smaller pool of bills. As the Capitol undergoes a deep cleaning, both houses are working out ways to continue conducting business remotely, though they’re still split on whether the state Constitution allows remote voting.
Newsom launches website with free resources for small businesses
Newsom unveiled Wednesday a new partnership between the state and some of the country’s largest corporations: a one-stop-shop website where businesses can learn about COVID-appropriate guidelines, source personal protective equipment and track down free resources from companies including Google, GoDaddy, Yelp, Slack, Salesforce, Uber, Square, UPS and Nextdoor. The freebies include tech company give-aways like free website hosting, discounts on business products and access to possible loans. Check them out here.
Does Your Business Want Work from CalTrans? – These Webinars will Help
CalTrans provides a complete list of virtual webinars for the month of July. The public works web series includes: Introduction to Public Works, Estimating & Bidding, and Managing Your Public Works Project. Register here.
Budget Update
The Governor signed a $202.1 billion state budget on June 29. The state avoided broader cuts initially proposed by the Governor in May.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Funds for K-12 schools and community colleges remain largely intact.
- SRBX and other business leaders successfully staved off cuts to Career Technical Education to ensure skills-based training continues to be readily available to students.
- Local governments will be allocated nearly $1.8 billion to support homeless individuals, including buying motels and hotels to convert into supportive housing.
LOWPOINTS:
- The budget currently reduces funds for the California State University and University of California systems by a combined $1 billion.
- Tax credits have been arbitrarily capped at $5 million annually and net operating loss deductions are suspended through 2022, which limit the economic competitiveness of Sacramento’s region businesses.
- Funds for housing programs are cut by $248 million.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES KEY TO ECONOMIC AND JOBS RECOVERY
- Community colleges play an essential role in OC’s COVID-19 recovery. Colleges prepare students for essential jobs, provide specialized training for workforce development, and stimulate the local economy with enrollment. Read more.
SMALL BIZ RESOURCES