News from: CalChamber

In the last two weeks, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed 9 California Chamber of Commerce-supported bills into law.

The bills address a wide range of issues, from pharmaceutical costs to technology infrastructure and groundwater recharge plans.

Together, these bills will help improve and support the infrastructure needed to help California’s businesses.

These bills are:

• AB 590 (Hart; D-Santa Barbara): Removes barriers to nonprofits timely receiving funds from grants and state contracts.
• AB 965 (Juan Carrillo; D-Palmdale): Streamlines deployment of broadband infrastructure and will allow for higher speed internet to be provided to more Californians.
• AB 1217 (Gabriel; D-Woodland Hills): Extends existing regulatory modifications that allow neighborhood restaurants to continue to serve the public in expanded, outdoor dining areas.
• AB 1355 (Valencia; D-Anaheim): Allows workers to request certain employment notices to be delivered electronically rather than in paper, benefiting both workers and the environment.
• AB 1373 (Garcia; D-Coachella): Streamlines processes to ensure more rapid buildout of certain energy technologies and infrastructure.
• AB 1756 (Committee on Judiciary): Extends the sunset on the Civil Rights Department small employer mediation program, which allows small employers to mediate certain employment claims under the Government Code.
• SB 434 (Min; D-Irvine): Collect and publish data on street harassment that occurs on public transit systems with the intent of improving the safety of ridership on public transit systems.
• SB 621 (Caballero; D-Salinas): Reduces pharmaceutical costs and premiums for employers by allowing plans and insurers to utilize less expensive but equally as effective biosimilar drugs prior to administering a reference biologic.
• SB 659 (Ashby; D-Sacramento): Requires state to plan for creating new groundwater recharge storage by 2028.