My 2010 legislative package contains a number of measures aimed at lifting the unneeded and burdensome regulations that have made California the most expensive place in the nation for businesses to survive (let alone make a profit).
California’s current unemployment rate stands at 12.5 percent; the rate in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties continues to hover around 14 percent. California’s economics woes are certainly the result of a global economic downturn that has been made much worse by this state’s anti-jobs business climate.
California and the rest of the country will eventually pull out of this recession, but how fast we recover is up to the Legislature. My legislative package aims to help businesses of all sizes by getting government out of the way.
My pro-jobs legislation would:
Purge needless regulations: SB 942 would require the State Auditor to review all regulations to determine which ones are effective and which ones need to be repealed and amended. This measure would also require all needless regulations to sunset after 10 years.
Provide greater oversight: SB 960 would require the non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office to review regulations adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to ensure they are cost effective and technologically feasible.
Prevent risky plans: SB 1120 would limit CARB’s ability to establish a cap and trade program. Under the bills a state program would only be implemented if a national program is already in place or in alliance with the Western Climate Initiative Partners.
Protect worker paychecks: SB 1180 would protect employees by giving them the right to decide to join or support a union.
Properly analyze proposed taxes: SB 1160 would require a dynamic fiscal analysis of proposed taxes and regulations so that California policymakers and the public know the true economic impact of new laws and regulations.
Put penalties in writing: SB 1402 would require CARB to provide all businesses that receive a fine with an explanation of how the penalty was calculated. The bill would require all penalties and fines to be paid to the state’s general fund, not to CARB.
I will keep you up-to-date on the progress of these and the other pieces of legislation I’ve introduced or co-authored. Many people have talked about the importance of jobs, but many, especially majority Democrats believe the solution to California’s problems is through the creation of more government programs rather than private sector jobs.
Remember, it takes 25 private sector jobs to support just one government job.
True job creation measures will lift the regulatory burdens that limit the ability of private sector businesses to grow and prosper. My legislative package aims to do just that.