California State Victories
The following NFIB victories will make a real difference for your business.
Recent NFIB/California victories:
Defeated a state-run mandated health insurance program
NFIB took the offensive in collecting signatures in 2004 to get Proposition 72 on the November ballot. Our grassroots support was instrumental in helping defeat the measure and thus killing the legislation that would have established a government-run health-care system.
Passed significant workers' compensation reform
NFIB/California helped collect over a million signatures to pressure the legislature to pass a bill that significantly reformed the workers' comp system. Rate increases have virtually stopped, competition is returning to the insurance market, and premiums are starting to drop.
Passed lawsuit abuse protection
NFIB/California worked aggressively to pass Proposition 64 in 2004 to close a loophole in state law that allowed greedy attorneys to file shake-down lawsuits.
Helped pass a state budget without tax increases on small business
NFIB met with key lawmakers and the governor to impress on them the importance of fiscal discipline when passing the budget last year. The final bill did not include any new taxes on small business.
2004
Ballot Initiatives
In March, NFIB scored a series of ballot victories with the defeat of Proposition 56 and the passage of Propositions 57 and 58 that will help right California's financial ship absent the anchor of tax increases.
In November, NFIB kept the victory ball rolling with the strong passage of Proposition 64, putting an end to frivolous business competition lawsuits, and the defeat of Proposition 72 that mandated health-care liability on employers.
Minimum Wage
NFIB led the effort in the legislature to defeat a proposed $1 minimum wage increase contained in AB 2832. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed this horrid bill noting the impact on small business and job creation.
Health-Care Mandates
NFIB took a major role in the health-care fight knowing the importance of this issue to NFIB members. NFIB stopped three of the five major benefit mandates in the legislature and one more at the governor's desk. Supporters of the one successful benefit mandate had to water it down significantly to get it through.
Workers' Compensation
NFIB contributed greatly to the years-long battle for workers' compensation reform that culminated in April with the governor's signature of SB 899. The significant changes to workers' compensation will bring more objectivity to system. NFIB is confident of the savings that will come in the next year as the new rules go into effect and more insurance companies come back to the California market.
Employer Liability
NFIB helped bring the Gov. Schwarzenegger's attention to a law signed former Governor Gray Davis that allowed employees to sue their employer for "alleged" violations of the labor code. Gov. Schwarzenegger signed legislation repealing much of that law and protecting small business from more frivolous lawsuits.
2003
Minimum Wage
NFIB played a major role in the defeat of a minimum wage increase that would have mandated annual increases based on the consumer price index.
Single-Payer Health-Care System
NFIB put an end to legislation that would have saddled with a single-payer, government-run health-care system.
2002
NFIB successfully lobbied for the amendment of the paid family leave legislation to omit an employer mandate. The bill signed into law does not have any employer contribution, saving small-business owners at least $100/month per employee.
Small business will face great challenges in California in 2003: with the current economic uncertainty, NFIB will be pushing for tax reduction and elimination of unnecessary regulations -- we urgently need to change the business climate in California.
2001
NFIB helped ensure the passage of a bill which expands the net loss carryforward to 60 percent for a 10-year period. California is one of only five states that does not allow 100 percent deduction for net operating losses. NFIB will continue to lobby for further increasing the limit.
NFIB helped defeat a union-backed attempt to expand the state's family leave law. Current federal law mandates employers with 50 or more employees to provide Family Medical Leave; however, the bill would have reduced the exemption to include employers with 20 or more employees. NFIB will continue to oppose these efforts, citing the burdens for employers competing with states that conform to the federal standards.
NFIB helped defeat several bills mandating employers to provide health coverage. One bill would have required any employer doing business with the state to provide health care to their employees if they employ more than two people. Another bill called for mandating employers of more than five employees to provide at least six days of sick leave for any full-time employee making less than twice the minimum wage.
NFIB supported the passage of several bills that make government agencies more accountable for their actions and reduce paperwork and processing times. The Small Business Regulatory Act of 2000 requires government to create better systems to trace the multitude of new regulatory laws, update web site access to regulations and ensure each regulatory agency has an effective small-business ombudsman program.
2000
NFIB was successful in convincing the governor to veto one of the state's most expensive workers' compensation premium increase packages. NFIB also successfully supported legislation that increased the net operating loss carryforward assisting businesses in low-producing years.
1999
NFIB stopped trial lawyer efforts to prohibit the use of arbitration agreements in employment contracts. This provided relief to the state's already clogged courts. NFIB also gutted a bill that would have established a single-payer, government-run health-care system.
1998
NFIB effectively reduced the minimum franchise tax by eliminating the payment for the first two years of a new company. NFIB also blocked labor efforts to expand family leave benefits to non-family members.
1997
NFIB successfully blocked bills pushed by trial lawyers that would have removed punitive damage caps in health care suits. NFIB also defeated labor efforts to increase unemployment insurance taxes.
1996
NFIB worked for a decrease in business taxes and successfully supported a bill that reduced the business tax rate by 5 percent. NFIB was also successful in supporting a bill that created a lead agency in the permitting process.
