AB 722, AB 525, AB 1347

Small Business California has been busy at the Capitol this week.

AB 722 Perea.  Yesterday, our crowd funding bill came up before the Assembly Judiciary committee.  It passed 7 to 0.  Lori and I testified in support.  We are hoping to get the remaining 3 Assembly members to support and will know in the next couple days.

We did have to take some amendments including a prohibition of direct solicitation and a 72 hour cooling off period after someone has purchased securities.

We don’t see these amendments causing any problems, and we were surprised that there was a  concern that people would be solicited door to door or in nursing homes.
Jeremy Smith from the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California [Union] testified in support.  Jose Mejia from the Laborers Council [Union] could not make the hearing, but we have their support also.
It now goes to Judiciary.

AB 525 Holden/Atkins.  This is the bill that levels the playing field for Franchisees.  It passed 11 to 0 with two abstentions in Assembly Business and Professions.  We are working with the SEIU [Union] on this bill.  It now will go to Assembly Floor.

AB 1347 Chiu.  This is the state prompt payment bill.  It will be coming up today, and we expect passage.  Lori will be testifying at Assembly Accountability and Review Committee. We are working in partnership with the Laborers Council.  I believe this will go to Appropriation.

These three bills are a good example of Small Business California working with labor.

Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

WCIRB Policyholder Ombudsman/AB 722

Robin McGuire is our contact at the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (see below).  She is a great resource for your workers compensation questions.  I will be meeting with Robin on April 29.  Do you have any questions?

Please note that she is available to answer your questions on workers compensation classifications as well as other concerns you may have.

Good afternoon Mr. Hauge,

I’m Robin McGuire, the Policyholder Ombudsman at the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau. As the Ombudsman, my job is to assist policyholders in obtaining and evaluating information regarding workers’ compensation insurance. 

I explain California insurance regulations and provide information on the policyholder’s right to appeal a decision or action by the insurance company or the WCIRB. I also act as a facilitator between the policyholder and the insurance company or between the policyholder and the WCIRB and I can help policyholders navigate and understand the dispute resolution process.

I would like to set up a meeting with you to introduce myself and have a conversation regarding:

• Issues of concern to your members
• Ways in which the Policyholder Ombudsman can address those concerns and be of service to employers and your organization
• Products and services available for employers
• Any ideas, suggestions, and/or feedback that you want to share 

Kind regards,
Robin M. McGuire
Policyholder Ombudsman
WCIRB California
1221 Broadway, Suite 900
Oakland, CA 94612
Office: 415.778.7159
Fax: 415.371.5288
Website: www.wcirb.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wcirb | Twitter: @wcirb


On Tuesday Mark Hiraide, Lori Kammerer and I testified on AB 722.  This is Small Business California’s crowd funding bill.  It passed 9 to 2.  Next week on the 28^th  we will be back in Sacramento testifying before the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

Our very own San Francisco Business Portal is up for a Webby Award!

I have a favor to ask of all of you.  Please see below email from Regina who is the ED of the SF Small Business Commission.  The SF business portal has been nominated for the Webby award.  San Francisco needs your help in obtaining this award.  Please cast your vote for our SF portal.
Also, don't forget to check out the SF portal HERE.  It is terrific.  Small Business California is working with the state in developing a similar portal for California businesses.
Thank you Regina, Jane Gong, and all the people who have made this possible.

Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

_____________________________________________________________________
Dear Business Community
In case you have not heard, we have received exciting news that our very own san francisco business portal  has been nominated for a webby award for “best city & urban innovation".   The businessportal is up against the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Transportation for London (TfL) Website, Make Something Edmonton and Human Cities websites.

The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet.  The New York Times called it “the Internet’s highest honor” and it is often considered the Oscars for the Internet.  We need your help! The portal is trailing on the people’s voice nomination and need to get more votes (10 days left to vote).  Please vote and please spread the word and encourage others to vote.   

1. click here and sign up to vote
2. look for an email from the webby awards and verify your account (check your spam folders!)
3. login and search for nominee San Francisco Business Portal and cast your vote

It would be terrific to receive recognition of the vision and hard work that has gone into the creation and development of the Portal.

Kindly,
Regina Dick-Endrizzi | Executive Director | Office of Small Business
Jane Gong | Creator of the San Francisco Business Portal

Family Leave/ California Franchise Relations Act

SB 406 has been introduced by Senator Jackson to change family leave in California. Currently, employees of businesses with 50 or more employees can take 12 weeks of unpaid leave every 12 months for

• Bonding with a child 

• Care for parent, spouse or sick child

• Employee’s own health issues

This bill would expand these rights to employees of businesses with 5 or more employees. It would also redefine family members to include

• Child of domestic partner

• Grandparent, grandchild or sibling 

• Parents-in-law

What do you think?

Small Business California has sent a support letter for AB 525, the CA Franchise Relations Act. Introduced by Assembly member Holden and Speaker Atkins, this bill would amend the California Franchise Relations Act to protect the investment and well-being of franchisees against unfair practices by franchisors. In effect, this is leveling the playing field in the relationship between franchisors and franchisees. This bill was vetoed by the Governor last year. Our partners in this effort is SEIU.

For the full text of these bills go to www.leginfo.ca.gov.

Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

AB1245/SB 608/ GO Biz Seminars

It has been a busy week in Sacramento.  Two bills that Small Business California has been actively involved in have come up this week.

AB 1245.  This came up before the Assembly Insurance Committee.  This bill will phase in a requirement that businesses file their quarterly data and taxes with EDD on line.  Small Business California is the sponsor of this bill along with EDD.  We sponsored this because we believe it is more efficient and accurate for small business and EDD has estimated it will save $8.4 million.  Lori Kammerer, our Governmental Affairs person, and I testified at the Committee hearing.  It passed 11 to 1 and will go on to Assembly Appropriations.

SB 608.  The so called "Right to Rest" bill would allow homeless to usurp the ability of local jurisdictions across the state to implement voter approved ordinances aimed at protecting and maintaining safe, secure and civil streets.  Senator Liu held the bill back recognizing she didn’t have the votes in the Transportation and Housing Committee .  She could bring this back, but it is expected that this will not be the case.  Small Business California strongly opposed this bill.

Please see GO-Biz webinars for Small Business Month below.
 _________________________________________________________________

GO-Biz to Host May Webinars for Small Business Month
In celebration of Small Business Month, you are invited to join GO-Biz’s Office of Small Business Advocate (OSBA) for a series of free webinars to educate small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs on important requirements and available resources.
Space is limited and registration is required – please register now! 

1. Connect Your Small Business to the Global Marketplace
Wednesday – May 13, 2015, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

This webinar will cover key issues businesses should consider when exporting, as well as information on export services and programs offered by the state and federal governments.  Specific topics will include required documentation, export financing, market assessment, and business matchmaking services.

Registration and Detailed Information


2. California’s Small Business Development Center Network
Wednesday – May 20, 2015, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

This webinar will describe the variety of services Small Business Development Centers provide to small businesses throughout the state.  Services from other organizations, such as SCORE and Women’s Business Centers, will also be discussed.  In addition, the webinar will provide tips to small businesses on how to obtain financing, including funding resources, requirements, and important considerations.

Registration and Detailed Information


3. Employee and Independent Contractor Definitions
Wednesday – May 27, 2015, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

This joint webinar with the Employment Development Department (EDD) will focus on understanding the differences between a common law employee and an independent contractor. You will learn the common misconceptions about independent contractors and receive information to help classify workers appropriately.

Registration and Detailed Information


GO-Biz serves as California’s office for economic development and offers a range of services to business owners. Those services include attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, important informational briefings and much more. For more details visit: www.business.ca.gov.


Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

Online EDD Filing/ Letter to Editor

On Wednesday AB1245 will be heard in the Assembly Insurance Committee. This is a bill sponsored by Small Business California requiring all business to file online their quarterly EDD reports  Small Business California was able to get the compliance dates extended to January 2017 for businesses with 10 or more employees and 2018 for businesses with less than 10 employees.

We will be working with EDD to put in place a marketing program to the 65% of employers who do not file online. There will be a hardship provision for businesses that do not have the technology in place to do this. It is estimated that EDD will save $8.4 million. We believe this will  also be more efficient for small businesses once they are made aware of how to do this. We also believe it will cut down on errors for both EDD and small businesses.
I have asked this before but do you file online?
Do you have the technology to do this in place to do this?


Last week I sent an email about Thomas Lees piece in the Chronicle March 31 saying that small business was the driving force in the signing by Governor Pence of the Religious Freedom Act.  Please see below my letter to the editor.


Editor,


    It is rare that I read in the Chronicle an article as malicious as Tom Lee’s article “Debunking Small Business” March 31, 2015.  His comment that Governor Pence signed the RFA because of small business is simply irresponsible.  Sure there may have been a few small businesses that were quoted supporting the bill but to the best of my knowledge there was no organized effort by small business organization.

    Mr. Lee cited that "mom and pop shops don’t think they should bake a cake or deliver flowers for same sex marriage because doing so would violate their faith” 

  I would like Mr. Lee to tell me who these businesses are because the reference to cakes and flowers came from the Catholic nuns and brothers.  See NY Times April 3, 2015 and religious organizations like Advance American and American Family Association who invoke the name of small business.  You should be ashamed Mr. Lee.

Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

Workers Compensation Rate Decrease/ Indiana Law

Yesterday, it was reported that the governing committee of the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau  recommended a 10.2% decrease in pure premium workers compensation rates effective July 1 2015.  The vote was 10 to 1.  This now will go to the full board and then to the Insurance Commissioner.  Insurance companies do not have to accept this reduction and can file either higher or lower rates though.

In Monday's SF Chronicle, Thomas Lee wrote a piece about small business.  He starts his piece by talking about the controversial "religious freedom" bill. 

 
"But Indiana’s bill wasn’t meant for the Apples and Sales-forces of the world.  Instead, it was created to cater to a key constituent known as small businesses — those mom-and-pop shops that don’t think they should bake a cake or deliver flowers for a same-sex marriage because doing so would violate their faith.
Why do such businesses, with so few people on the payroll, wield so much power?  Many of these companies also oppose raising the minimum wage and offering health insurance to workers.
It is time to stop treating  small businesses like saints and recognize them for what they truly are, just another special interest group and with an agenda-whether social or economic."

 
So do you agree with Indiana's law?
What do you think about his comments?

See link to full piece:
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: View "Debunking virtue of small business" article at http://tablet.olivesoftware.com/Olive/Tablet/SanFranciscoChronicle/SharedArticle.aspx?href=HSFC%2F2015%2F03%2F31&id=Ar02700
 
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188 

Chronicle Article on Crowdfunding

In this morning’s SF Chronicle, there was an article on Small Business California’s crowdfunding of bill AB 722.  This bill will be heard on April 8 at the Assembly Banking and Finance committee.  We have 25 business associations supporting the bill.
 
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Small-California-businesses-may-get-OK-for-equity-6171540.php 
 
This is just one example of how Small Business California is helping small businesses around the state.  If you are not a member, I hope you would consider joining.  The cost is $150 for businesses with less than $1 million receipts and $300 for those over $1 million.  The money we raise funds our governmental affairs person in Sacramento. You can join online or we can invoice you. Our website is  www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
We are making a difference.


Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA  94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188