Policy Over Pints: Eric Garcetti Talks L.A.’s Challenges and Opportunities
On Tuesday evening, the Chamber welcomed the Hon. Eric Garcetti, former U.S. Ambassador to India and 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles, for a casual conversation on policy and politics in our region. Over a pint at Audio Graph Beer Co. in Downtown L.A., he reflected on his years in public service and shared observations on housing, transportation, and other pressing challenges.
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Chamber Hosts LA28 Session on Olympic Procurement
Erikk Aldridge, Vice President of Impact at LA28, joined the Chamber to provide updates on procurement opportunities and strategies for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With the Games less than three years away, Erikk highlighted key milestones in identifying procurement opportunities for small businesses. Watch the full session here.
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Pancakes & Politics: A Fireside Chat with Assemblymember John Harabedian
This month’s Pancakes & Politics, sponsored by Accenture at the City Club Los Angeles, featured Assemblymember John Harabedian in a fireside chat with Chamber Chief Policy Officer Carlos Singer. Assemblymember Harabedian discussed a number of topics, including legislative priorities for the 41st District, with ongoing wildfire recovery efforts in Altadena and surrounding communities.
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Chamber Participates in 2025 CUBE Conference on Urban Education
The Chamber delivered opening remarks at the 2025 Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) Annual Conference, the nation’s premier gathering of school board members, district leaders, and equity-focused advocates serving urban communities. LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho also attended the event, where participants exchanged strategies to address the evolving educational challenges facing our nation’s urban centers.
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City Council to Decide Future of L.A. Convention Center
Today, the Los Angeles City Council will decide the future of the Convention Center. The Chamber joined a broad coalition urging the Council to support the expansion. Earlier this week, the Chamber voiced its support for the L.A. Convention Center Expansion Project during the City’s Budget and Finance Committee meeting. The Committee voted 3–2 to advance a new motion for a less costly package of upgrades to the full City Council, alongside the motion for the full expansion.
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California Legislature Concludes 2025 Session: Key Bills Passed
The California Legislature concluded the 2025 legislative session on Saturday, September 13, one day later than scheduled. Governor Gavin Newsom now has an extra day to review bills sent to his desk, with a deadline of midnight on October 13, to sign or veto. Key highlights from the session include the passage of SB 545 (Cortese), allocating $1 billion annually from the state’s cap-and-trade program to the High-Speed Rail Project through 2045; SB 79 (Weiner), reforming zoning to boost housing production near transit stops; and a major climate and energy package. For updates on the Chamber’s priority bills, view our tracker here.
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Chamber Engages South Africa on Business and Sustainability
The L.A. Area Chamber participated in a meeting with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, MP. Hosted by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, the discussion focused on strengthening collaboration between South Africa and Los Angeles in areas such as environmental sustainability, energy, water management, and other sectors. The Chamber also highlighted the impact of current tariff uncertainties and shared insights on how local businesses are being affected.
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Get in the Game: Procurement Fair – November 6
Mark your calendars! Join us on November 6, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at the Proud Bird for Get in the Game: Procurement Fair. Connect with buyers and suppliers, explore contracting opportunities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and LA28 Games, and join panel discussions. Supplier matchmaking requires one mandatory Zoom training (Sept. 29–Oct. 27). Register here.
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RECAP: SCALE: State Small Business Credit Initiative and Workshop
Thank you to everyone who joined our Small Business Financing: What You Need to Know to SCALE session! Special thanks to Brett Dickstein for sharing his expertise and practical insights. We discussed how the SCALE: Success Capital Access, Leadership for Entrepreneurs program helps diverse and underserved small businesses access capital through coaching, loan application support, and financing guidance. If you missed it or want to review the key takeaways, watch the full recording here. Passcode: !3FUFK*K
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Helping Small Businesses Navigate Los Angeles County’s Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles County’s Fair Chance Ordinance is now in effect. Businesses with five or more employees must follow updated rules on if and when they can consider criminal history during hiring. Learn your responsibilities, avoid penalties, and access free compliance resources here.
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Get Notified: 2028 Olympics Tickets Available for Early Access
Mayor Karen Bass is encouraging all Angelenos to sign up at la28.org for a chance to secure tickets to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of an extraordinary event showcasing the best of Los Angeles. Olympic Games tickets will go on sale in January 2026, starting at just $28, with early access for residents near venue cities. Sign up to be notified here.
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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
The Chamber is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing the contributions of Hispanic leaders who enrich our communities and nation. This week, we feature Martha Saucedo, Chief External Affairs Officer at Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (AEG). She leads AEG’s external affairs division, overseeing corporate communications, public and community affairs, government relations, sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, as well as philanthropic and social impact initiatives. Martha has also served on the L.A. Area Chamber Board of Governors since 2020.
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COUNCIL MEETINGS & EVENTS
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Joint Meeting: Innovation & Technology and Land Use, Construction & Housing Policy Councils
Tuesday, September 30, 10:00 a.m.
MEMBER-ONLY EVENT
Join the ITC and LUCH Policy Councils for a hybrid meeting to hear from Andrew Pennington, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Business and Economic Development, Office of Mayor Karen Bass, and Dr. Benjamin Correy, Founder and CEO of Archistar.ai, on the City’s partnership to help expedite permitting for rebuilding.
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Women in Leadership
Wednesday, October 1, 9:00 a.m.
Join the Chamber for our next Women in Leadership session, featuring a special presentation from McKinsey & Company on the Women in the Workplace: The 10th-Anniversary Report.
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ACCESS L.A.
Thursday, October 9, 11:30 a.m.
Join the Chamber and engage with policymakers to champion policies that drive economic success. Make meaningful connections with business and civic leaders at the ACCESS L.A. luncheon, featuring welcome remarks by Mayor Karen Bass.
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