ACCESS SACRAMENTO: MAKE CALIFORNIA WORK AGAIN
More than 100 business and civic leaders—including more than 40 Southern California Leadership Network fellows —spent Wednesday advocating for pro-jobs legislation in Sacramento. The annual ACCESS Sacramento trip focused on vital issues including education, homelessness, transportation and California's business climate. The delegation held more than 70 meetings with state lawmakers and senior officials from Gov. Jerry Brown's office. Assembly Speaker John Pérez and California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer also met with the delegation. Above, Pérez addresses the delegation Tuesday night. View photo gallery. 

Delegation has candid conversation on state budget
With the state budget top of mind, the Chamber heard from a panel of budget experts Wednesday at ACCESS Sacramento. The panel—State Finance Director Ana Matosantos, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, former State Senate Republican leader Jim Brulte and Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters—agreed that a $26 billion "cuts only" budget would decimate California's education system. Walters pointed out that Gov. Brown is facing a Legislature far different than what he worked with during his first governorship, especially due to the impact of term limits. Matosantos and Taylor both warned that failure to balance the budget by this fall will jeopardize the State's bond rating and lead to another round of state-issued IOUs. Contact Samuel Garrison, 213.580.7568.

Homelessness team advocates for permanent supportive housing
The Homelessness team, which consisted of the Business Leaders Task Force on Homelessness—a joint initiative with the United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the L.A. Area Chamber—testified Wednesday on the group's work at the joint hearing of Housing and Community Development and Veteran's Affairs Committees on California's plan to house veterans. The group also met with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office to advocate for a State Interagency on Homeless modeled after our federal partners in Washington, D.C. Assemblymember Gil Cedillo told the team he would sign in support of Home For Good and Assemblymember Toni Atkins, chair of the Select Committee on Homelessness, will bring her committee to Los Angeles in July to hear what Los Angeles is doing to combat chronic and veteran homelessness. Sen. Alex Padilla will convene the California legislative delegation for a briefing on Home For Good. Contact Beverly Kenworthy, 213.580.7531.

CEQA Improvement teams meet with legislators on environment
Two teams of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) experts met with legislators to discuss specific ideas for restoring CEQA to its original intent to protect our environment and ensure smart development. The teams met with Nancy McFadden, executive secretary to Gov. Brown (left) and several key legislators including Senators Bob Dutton, Tom Harman and Tom Berryhill; and committee chairs Senators Fran Pavley, Joe Simitian, Alex Padilla and Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal. Legislators were committed to continuing to work with the Chamber on CEQA. Contact Jessica Duboff, 213.580.7558.

Business Climate and Budget Reform teams advocate for California's recovery
The delegates on three business climate and budget reform teams discussed a number of pressing issues to help California recover from the recession, with a focus on regulatory and pension reform. Teams met with Assemblymember Warren Furutani , chair of the Public Employees, Retirement & Social Security Committee (right), and Senate Minority Leader Bob Dutton's Chief of Staff, on specific aspects of pension reform and how the Chamber could help. Other issues on the advocacy agenda included performance-based and multi-year budgeting and bills to enact e-fairness rules for e-commerce, one of which was in committee yesterday. Many members thanked the Chamber for its work on advocating for a special election and a budget composed of both spending cuts and tax extensions. Contact Jessica Duboff, 213.580.7558.

Education team focuses on importance of an educated workforce
The Education team stressed the importance of making smart cuts to early education, K-12 and higher education. In meetings with legislators, the team discussed the importance of making smart cuts that will allow room to recover when the economic climate improves in California. The team met with several legislators including Assemblymember Julia Brownley, chair of the Assembly Education Committee (left); Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes, chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee; Sen. Carol Liu and newly elected Assemblymember Ricardo Lara. Contact Sonia Campos-Rivera, 213.580.7538.

Leadership Southern California has conversation on leadership and policy
Leadership Southern California 2011 Fellows and alumni learned more about state government and leadership at the state level by meeting with Rich Callahan, USC State Capital Center on leadership practices and challenges; and discussing moving California forward with Secretary of Service and Volunteering Karen Baker (LSC '91) and Assemblymember Ricardo Lara (LLA '07) (left). "Leaders who take organizations to the highest levels are determined, but more importantly, humble," Callahan said. Contact Alexander Pampalone, 213.580.7547.