Advocacy Alerts

In a win for employers, a California court affirmed the dismissal of a “headless” Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) case — actions that do not allege an individual PAGA claim — because the plaintiff filed the case outside the one-year statute of limitations (Williams v. Alacrity Solutions Group, LLC (B335445, April 22, 2025).

A broad business coalition had an early victory in the California State Senate on April 23, when the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee voted down SB 799 (Allen; D-Santa Monica).

A Cost Driver bill imposing retroactive liability on companies for lawful activities dating back to 1990 was not considered as scheduled this week in the Assembly Judiciary Committee and therefore is unlikely to advance this year.

This week, the author of a health care bill identified by the California Chamber of Commerce as a Cost Driver that will increase premiums for employers and employees said she will delay action until next year.

Procurement opportunities and resources in California were the focus of the second quarter meeting of the CalChamber Small Business Policy Council on April 25.

As World Trade Month begins, the California Chamber of Commerce is emphasizing its long-held support for a national free trade agenda and the significance of international trade in maintaining economic growth.

For the third consecutive year, employees’ leave of absence requests continue to increase, according to AbsenceSoft’s 2025 State of Leave and Accommodations Report, with injury and illness recovery (57%), managing mental health challenges (47%) and caring for an aging parent (37%) being the top reasons employees ask for leave. And California has numerous leave laws that frequently change, requiring employers to stay on top of the latest updates.

Legislation opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce and a large coalition as a Cost Driver that undermines a painstaking negotiation by business and labor to reach a historic agreement to reform the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) passed the Senate Judiciary Committee this week.

A bill strongly supported by the California Chamber of Commerce as a Cost Cutter that will reduce energy costs for Californians won unanimous support this week from the first Senate policy committee to consider it.

As many as 100 governments around the world have indicated an interest in negotiating tariffs with the Trump administration following the rapid series of trade policy announcements by President Donald Trump.

The deadline is approaching rapidly to submit applications for the California Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards, honoring four outstanding businesses with $5,000 grants. Applications close on April 11.

The California Chamber of Commerce joined more than 300 other organizations last week in urging the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to refrain from imposing proposed actions against China that will hurt U.S. businesses and consumers instead of deterring China’s broader maritime ambitions.