In the final week of Committee hearings before California lawmakers adjourn July 3 for their annual summer recess, bills mandating labeling on GMO foods and a measure to further increase the state minimum wage were defeated in Assembly policy committees.

While there is a possibility that either issue could resurface when lawmakers return in August for their final month of the 2013-14 session, it would be an uphill battle.

Earlier this week, after seeing her SB 1381 defeated on the Senate Floor in late May, Sen. Noreen Evans (D–Santa Rosa) inserted an identical GMO labeling mandate into SB 1040, which had already passed the Senate.

As with the initial effort, the new legislation exempted on-line retailers, farmers markets, and farm and food stands from the mandate along with restaurants. CGA worked hard to help ensure the bill was referred to the Assembly Agriculture Committee where its chances were far from certain.

By June 25, the author opted to pull the bill from consideration at its scheduled June 26 hearing after only one lawmaker would reportedly commit to supporting the measure.

Also going down to defeat was a bill by Sen. Mark Leno (D–San Francisco) to further increase California’s minimum wage. Senate Bill 935 would have modified the wage increase approved last year to instead set the minimum at $11 beginning Jan. 1, 2015, $12 beginning Jan. 1, 2016, and $13 beginning Jan. 1, 2017. The minimum would have been increased annually thereafter based on the CPI.

Two Democrats on the Assembly Labor Committee, Assemblymen Luis Alejo (Salinas) and Chris Holden (Pasadena) refused to support the bill, characterizing it as a betrayal of commitments made last year in connection with passage of AB 10. Ultimately, the bill fell one vote short of passage, though reconsideration was granted. Today’s vote comes less than a week before the first step of AB 10’s wage increase takes effect on July 1.

Additional efforts on each issue could surface in August, when lawmakers return to Sacramento for a frenzied month-long finale to the current Legislative Session.

Reprinted from the Glendale News-Press (6/17/2014)

By Jim Cragg

When it comes to honoring the men and women who serve in America’s military, actions speak louder than words. California lawmakers now have a chance to express true appreciation by passing the state ban on single-use plastic bags, SB 270, and creating more jobs for veterans here who make reusable bags.

Veterans are leading Californians’ shift away from throwaway plastic bags, which worsen pollution, to reusable bags, which greatly discourage dumping and support a sustainable workforce.
The company I founded has hired more than 20 former service members to piece and stitch reusable bags. Our workforce has grown as more than 100 municipalities around the state, including Glendale and Los Angeles County and city, have banned single-use plastic bags. Passage of the statewide ban will mean we can hire several more veterans to fulfill the expected increase in demand.

For several of the veterans on my staff, stable hours making bags provide them much more than a wage. They have a mission, with a tangible stack of accomplishment at the end of a shift and a deep sense of connection to customers, whom they sometimes spot on the street carrying their product.

Our business is part of an encouraging trend. America is making progress in reintegrating veterans into society. The unemployment rate among vets who have served since 2001 is at 9%, down from 10% just a year ago, but still above the national average of 6.3%.

Homelessness among veterans is also down, by 24% over the past three years, thanks in large part to deliberate efforts by the president and policy-makers to provide the former warriors living on our streets with housing and healthcare services.

Still, the ongoing scandal involving service delays in the federal Veterans Administration eats away at our faith in government to treat veterans with the dignity we deserve. Restoring integrity to healthcare access and quality treatment through the VA is crucial. Yet our national and state responsibility to returning veterans does not end with delivery of care.

For disabled vets like myself, the struggle to find our place in community is especially hard. This challenge is one reason our business making reusable bags holds value and potential. Disabled vets are some of our most productive workers. Getting hired and being equal members of a team provide them immense pride, and a lesson to other employers about the worth of an often neglected source of talent.

SB 270, which passed one Assembly committee and is now facing a hearing in the Appropriations Committee chaired by Glendale-area lawmaker Mike Gatto, represents a rare chance for lawmakers to strengthen a growing “green” industry here in California. Increased jobs and tax revenue from several sustainable companies making reusable bags stands in contrast to the $500 million of state taxpayers’ dollars, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, spent by localities catching and collecting plastic bags and other trash headed into our waterways.

Seven years into the push to ban single-use plastic bags, it would be a shame to lose this golden opportunity to achieve the bill’s passage. The message it would send to my staff of veterans is similarly unpalatable, reinforcing cynicism about the state of the democracy we fought to preserve.

Like most bills taking aim at pollution, SB 270 requires standing up to powerful opponents who see their profits at stake. I am not deterred by that challenge. Veterans look to state lawmakers not for lofty rhetoric or applause for our sacrifice. We look for leadership. We need this bill, which will expand our veteran workforce in California, to become law. Creating sustainable jobs is the most patriotic gesture of all.

JIM CRAGG is an Afghan war veteran who served as an Army Reserve major and is director of Green Vets L.A., a nonprofit that employs veterans to sew canvas bags.

By Dan Walter

Months ago, without saying it publicly, Democrats gave up hopes of regaining control of the House of Representatives and began concentrating resources on saving their command of the U.S. Senate.

That shift of emphasis, coupled with the natural dynamics of non-presidential elections and the prospect of a very low-turnout November election, has raised Republicans’ hopes of recouping their 2012 congressional losses in California.

As many as eight Democratic members, especially four first elected in 2012, could be at risk this year.

This year’s campaigns began with what appeared to be a certain Democratic gain in San Bernardino County’s 31st Congressional District.

Two years ago, thanks to multiple Democrats on the top-two ballot, two Republicans made it to the November runoff despite lopsided Democratic registration.

The GOP winner, Gary Miller, didn’t even bother to run for re-election this year; nevertheless, history almost repeated itself when one Republican finished first in last week’s primary and another came within a whisker of finishing second.

Democrat Pete Aguilar apparently eked out second place and is now favored to win the seat.

Beyond the 31st CD, however, things look a bit dicey for Democrats, in part because their incumbents and candidates fared poorly in the low-turnout primary.

Based on voting history and last week’s outcomes, the authoritative Cook’s Political Report sees eight Democratic members at risk in California, with the most endangered being first-termers Ami Bera of Elk Grove, Julia Brownley of Thousand Oaks and Scott Peters of San Diego.

All three face well-known, well-financed and moderate Republican challengers – former Rep. Doug Ose, Assemblyman Jeff Gorell and former City Councilman Carl DeMaio – in districts with conservative, even Republican voting histories.

Cook’s sees another first-termer, Palm Springs’ Raul Ruiz, as only slightly less vulnerable vis-a-vis GOP Assemblyman Brian Nestande, another well-known moderate.

Meanwhile, just two Republican incumbents, Turlock’s Jeff Denham and Hanford’s David Valadao, have even a theoretical vulnerability due to voter registration, but both clobbered Democratic opponents in the primary and neither looks truly endangered.

Democrats contend that last week’s primary, with a record-low voter turnout, is not indicative of what will happen in November.

Turnout in the fall will be higher – but lower than in the 2012 presidential election and perhaps, in relative terms, as low as the primary, lacking burning statewide contests or ballot measures to lure voters.

A reasonable guess would be that Democrats lose a seat or two in the state this year – but most importantly don’t make the big California gains they’d need to retake the House.

Reprinted from The Sacramento Bee (6/10/2014)

Late Friday afternoon (May 30), the CA WIC agency released Vendor Alert 2014-08 outlining the first phase of a lifting of the vendor authorization moratorium.

According to the alert, beginning Sunday, June 1, California will now accept and process applications for additions to current master agreements for locations under identical ownership structure.

The alert notes that vendors may apply through the WIC web site. If you feel your company meets the criteria outlined in Vendor Alert 2014-08, please review carefully all information on the WIC web site when it is available beginning June 1 and follow the instructions provided.

CGA will continue to monitor activity during this first phase and work to obtain additional information on future phases of the lift. If you experience difficulties with the process, contact Keri Askew Bailey, CGA at [email protected] and we will attempt to assist in resolving them.