Business groups see “job killers” lurking in Sacramento.

The California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups are fighting several bills going through policy committees in the state Legislature, including several pieces of legislation the Chamber has identified as job killers.

One bill, SB 49, by Sens. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, and Henry Stern, D-Calabasas, would tie the state’s air, water quality, and endangered species standards to the federal standards in place as of January 2016. It’s an attempt to blunt the impact of any regulation rollbacks by Republicans in Washington, D.C.

But of most concern to business groups is a provision that would allow private citizens to initiate lawsuits if the federal Endangered Species Act is weakened. The bill passed through the Senate Natural Resources Committee last week.

Another bill, SB 66 by Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, would prohibit businesses from deducting from their income taxes punitive damages incurred as a result of litigation or settlements. The California Manufacturers and Technology Association said in an emailed legislative update this bill would discourage businesses from trying to settle dubious lawsuits and would invite more “fly-by” lawsuits. The bill faces its policy committee test this week.

Another bill generating opposition from business groups is SB 640 by Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, which would extend a “moderate” sales tax to some services in an effort to ensure a more stable revenue base for state government. A previous bill by Hertzberg to extend a sales tax to services failed to pass.

On the other side of the ledger, the CMTA is backing a pair of bills that would extend and boost the sales tax exemption for manufacturing and research/ development equipment purchases; the current exemption will sunset in 2022.

Business Election Wins

Local business groups had a lot to cheer about after the results from this month’s elections were tabulated.

Voters sided with the business positions on three of four significant measures on local ballots. What’s more, the vast majority of City Council candidates that business groups backed won their races.

Topping the list of victories was the narrow passage of Measure H, a Los Angeles County measure to boost the sales tax by a quarter-cent to bring in roughly $350 million a year for 10 years for homeless services. Virtually every business group in the county supported the measure. Its vote tally edged past 68 percent as absentee and mail-in ballots were being counted last week; that margin virtually ensured its passage.

Other wins were the defeat of Measure S in the city of Los Angeles and the passage of Measure P, which extended maximum lease periods on waterfront land owned by the Port of Los Angeles and was supported by most business groups.

“BizFed is thrilled with the outcome of each of these ballot measures,” Tracy Hernandez, chief executive of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, or BizFed, said in an election results roundup posted on the nonprofit’s website.

The only sour note was in Redondo Beach, where voters passed Measure C, making it harder for a waterfront redevelopment project to move forward and voted in a mayor opposed to that project. (See page 5.)

Meanwhile, 31 of 39 candidates that BizFed’s political action committee endorsed prevailed, a remarkable 80 percent success rate. All but two of Los Angeles City Council candidates that the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed won their elections; the two that did not win outright – incumbent Gil Cedillo and candidate Monica Rodriguez, appear headed for a May runoff election.

Job Training Coordination

The county Board of Supervisors recently passed a motion to streamline efforts to train workers and create jobs.

The motion by Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis directs several county departments that cumulatively receive more than $100 million a year for worker training programs to share client and statistical data.

“Through sustained leadership and coordination among our county departments, we will be able to provide training, opportunity, and job growth for those seeking a career,” Solis said in a statement.

The motion, which the board approved Feb. 28, is part of larger plan to coordinate worker training programs with similar programs in community colleges, adult schools, and labor organizations.

Staff reporter Howard Fine can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext. 227.