Small Business California Successes

I am pleased to let you know that the Small Business California sponsored bill SB 869 was signed by the Governor last week. This bill will go after businesses that are not providing workers compensation for their employees thereby creating an unlevel playing field for those of you that are playing by the rules. In brief what it does is have the EDD provide to the Workers Compensation Insurance Board Rating Board [ WCIRB] a list of employers and the WCIRB cross checking the list with there list of employers with workers compensation.
Thank you to all of you that sent letters of support for this. We also owe a lot of thank to Lori Kammerer our lobbyist, Senator Mark Ridley Thomas the bills author, Luanne Murikawa the legislative assistant to Senator Ridley Thomas and Lach Taylor at the Commission on Health Safety and Workers Compensation[CHSWC] and Bill Zachary from Safeway.
The person however that really made this happen was Christine Baker the Executive Director of CHSWC. Christine worked tirelessly with us and is one of the best friends small business has in state government I would like to ask all of you to send an email of thanks to Christine. She can be reached at CBaker@dir.ca.gov. Thank you Christine for all you have done for us.
On Thursday I will be going to Washington and presenting the Small Business California Energy Hero award to Senators John Kerry and Olympia Snowe and Small Business House Committee Chair Nydia Velázquez for their legislation to help small businesses be recognized in the efforts to reduce reduce global warming. We are 50% of the economy of this country and these people have not only acknowledge this but put forth legislation to help us. The legislation is now part of the overall energy bills in the house and the Senate. Joining me will be Byron Kennard from the Center for Small Business and the Environment, Kyle Kempf from the National Small Business Association, John Arensmeyer from the Small Business Majority and Chris Lynch from the Small Business Development Center in Pennsylvania.
On Friday Small Business California will be part of a Senate hearing put together by another small business hero Byron Kennard from the Center for Small Business and the Environment.
Friday afternoon and through the weekend I will be representing Small Business California at a conference we are co sponsoring for Volunteers in Medicine. I am the Vice Chair of this great organization which develops free clinics around the country for the working uninsured. We now have 57 clinics and what we do is take retired doctors ,nurses and dentist who provide health services to these people that are making to much money to be able to get public assistance and yet cannot afford health insurance for themselves and their families. Please visit our website at www.vimi.org

Small Business California is making a difference. I hope you are proud to be a part of our organization. I would like to acknowledge Hank Ryan from the SB Cal board for all that he has done for small business in the energy area. He is in my opinion the most knowledgeable person in the country on small business energy issues and has had remarkable success in promoting On Bill Financing not only in California but around the country. Last week the CPUC endorsed On Bill Financing and said that it will take effect around California in 2009.



Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
phone: 415 680-2188