For the legislative and political week March 13-17
Welcome to the March 13-17 edition of the NFIB California Main Street Minute from your NFIB small-business-advocacy team in Sacramento.
NFIB Joins Coalition Against Lawsuit-Lending Abuse
- A new coalition has been formed for the purpose of supporting Senate Bill 581, which aims to rein in lawsuit-lending abuse. “Because the industry is completely unregulated, lenders – often backed by deep-pocketed hedge funds or foreign investors – are able to charge ruinous interest rates as high as 100% or more,” according to the California Consumers for Fair Legal Funding website.
- “Lawsuit lenders can provide a valuable service and life-saving financial support to those in need. CFLF-CA is NOT trying to shut down the industry, but rather to put much-needed guardrails in place to prevent unscrupulous lenders from taking advantage of Californians in need.”
- In a news release announcing its launch, NFIB California State Director John Kabateck is quoted. “Class action lawsuits against U.S. companies have more than tripled over the last 10 years, hurting family-owned, independent businesses,” said Kabateck, “Unregulated lawsuit lending has increased frivolous lawsuits, which in turn drive up settlements, disproportionately hurting main street businesses that operate on slim margins and can’t afford these types of unexpected costs.”
NFIB Members Speaking Out
- NFIB California Leadership Council Chairman Sunder Ramani puts his finger on the pulse of what is ailing Main Street in our latest NFIB California Podcast, Can the State Ever Again be a Place Where Small Businesses Thrive?
- Fellow leadership council member and former chairman of it, Darrell Feil, penned a guest editorial in The Bakersfield Californian, Dishonest Medical Billing Hurts Small Business.
CARB Clarification
- When the inevitably of the California Air Resources Board’s historic scoping plan was set to become law, rather than walk away dejected as other associations did, NFIB opted instead to start building relationships with CARB staff so small businesses’ concerns would be heard and questions answered.
- One such working relationship State Director John Kabateck established was with CARB’s small business ombudsman, Judy Nottoli, who last week answered a concern one NFIB member had, the response to which was transmitted to Grassroots Manager Taylor Criddle.
- “Just a clarification … Under the Advanced Clean Cars II regulation, by 2035 all new passenger cars, light duty trucks and SUVs SOLD in California will be zero emission vehicles (this includes hybrids). This regulation is focused on vehicle MANUFACTURERS who sell in CA. People can operate their gasoline powered vehicles through their useful life – they are not going away anytime soon! There is a BIG misconception out there.
- “Heavy duty vehicles such as big rigs fall under a different regulation and timeline for transitioning to electric.”
National
Highlights from NFIB Legislative Program Manager Caitlin Lanzara’s weekly report
- On March 8, NFIB launched the latest Federal Member Ballot with questions about repealing lower IRS reporting thresholds, revising regulations, reining in healthcare consolidation and anti-competitive practices, reforming the federal permitting process, and increasing overtime eligibility.
–NFIB members drive our policy position through voting the Member Ballot, which can be accessed here: NFIB.com/VoteMyBallot.
- On March 9, NFIB issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal:
— “The small business economy is still recovering, and business outlook is near historic lows. The expanding list of tax increases included in the FY 2024 proposed budget would crush Main Street’s ability to grow and create jobs,” said Brad Close, NFIB President. “Certain tax increases are being wrongly characterized as a closing of a ‘loophole’ and would compound with other rate hikes. The combination would directly hit small businesses as they manage ongoing economic headwinds. Congress and the administration should instead focus on policies that will provide certainty and promote economic growth to allow small businesses to create jobs and raise wages.” Press release here.
WOTUS
- On March 8, NFIB submitted a statement for the record to the House Small Business Committee for a hearing titled, “Small Business Perspectives on the Impacts of the Biden Administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule.”
- On March 9, NFIB Key Voted in support of H.J.Res. 27, the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval for the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) final rule. The bill passed 227-198. H.J.Res. 27 is the second House NFIB Key Vote for 118th Congress. The Senate will consider the bill later next week.
Next Main Street Minute March 20.
