May 23, 2025

The Chamber joined two new statewide coalitions this month: Calibrate and the Protect our Health Care Coalition. Calibrate is a coalition of business, labor, consumer, and civil rights organizations calling for a practical, balanced approach to California’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. The coalition supports California’s clean transportation leadership but believes the transition must align with consumer demand, infrastructure readiness, and market realities, not arbitrary government deadlines, which is in line with the Chamber’s support of environmental and climate focus policies that take into great consideration the economic realities of our region. The Chamber also joined the Protect our Health Care Coalition, an advocacy group focused on the successful implementation of Prop 35, which the Chamber was a strong supporter of last year. The coalition formerly operated as the Coalition to Protect Access to Care during the Prop 35 campaign, which the Chamber was also a member of throughout 2024.   

The IPA team had the opportunity to fly to Sacramento to advocate for member and regional priorities. Justine Murray, Executive Director, stood next to AT&T in support of AB 470, a bill looking to ensure all Californians have access to fast, affordable communications. Myriam Mendoza, International Business Affairs Coordinator, joined Hispana’s Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Latina Action Day to advance budget bills on continuous coverage for children under the age of six, and funding for the Social Entrepreneurs for Economic Development initiative which aims to support immigrant entrepreneurs. She also just graduated from HOPE’s inaugural Regional Institute Leadership program. 

The Chamber team also met with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to elaborate on collaborative efforts to sustain trade growth in the state. This included a briefing on the Chamber’s recent delegation to D.C. and meetings with the Department of State and Department of Commerce. Likewise, GO-Biz shared a collection of resources that can help businesses navigate tariffs, optimize operations, and remain competitive in the global market. They also highlighted the importance of remaining engaged on Section 232 investigation concerns, for which the Office of U.S. Trade Representative holds public comment on as they investigate the effects of steel imports on national security. Other topics of conversation included events to promote trade and binational partnerships with Mexico and Canada.