I just found out that Senator Alquist has introduced legislation to create a Health Insurance Exchange. This would be housed in the California Health and Human Services Agency. The Exchange will be governed by a board with gubernatorial and legislative appointments and would meet at least once every two months. We are tracking this legislation closely.
It is critical that small business have representatives on this board. Small Business California will be pushing hard to make this happen.
The bill number is SB 900 and you can get more information by going to www.leginfo.ca.gov
We are getting close to the Governor's Conference for small business. Please see below information. If you have not done so already please register for this event.
There has been added a session on the new health bill from Washington. I will be speaking at this event on this issue.
Assemblyman Tony Mendoza has introduced AB 1771 which would allow small businesses to bid on goods and services for state agencies currently provided by prisoners. The sale of prison goods and services is a $230 million dollar industry.
Small Business California has been quoted in numerous media outlets supporting this legislation.
Even though the Prison Industry Authority has considerable advantages such as lower labor cost and lower overhead we are only asking that small businesses be given the opportunity to bid on these contracts and the low bidder should be awarded the contract.
In these difficult economic times where small businesses are struggling to survive this does not seem unreasonable. Also the state may be able to save some money.
It is interesting to note that 30% of the prisoners or about 2000 are lifers.
What do you think?
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188
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