The County Board of Supervisors returned from recess this month and considered several items affecting Chamber member businesses:

Board Votes to End ICE and CBP Facility Contracts

Supervisors Lawson-Remer and Aguirre brought forward a board letter to end contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), previously allowing both agencies access to firearm training facilities. The Chamber has been a long proponent of comprehensive immigration reform and formally opposes aggressive enforcement practices that create fear, destabilize the workforce, and terrorize and sow division within our communities.

VP of International and Public Affairs, Kenia Zamarripa, urged the Board to maintain the contract with CBP specifically. The agency warned that losing access to training facilities nearby would drive officers away from ports of entry for longer periods, resulting in an increase in border wait times, potential closure of lanes across ports of entry and shut down PedWest, and an end of pilot programs. Any policies that result in longer wait times and impact port operations would also disrupt cross-border supply chains that support 95,000 regional jobs and add to an already devastating $2B annual economic loss caused by existing border waits.

The Chamber was joined by Cross Border Xpress, business stakeholders, and CBP Field Operations Director Sidney Aki in raising concerns about the impacts of this proposal. The Board ultimately voted 3-2 to end both contracts, with Supervisors Anderson and Desmond voting against the proposal. Following the decision, San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez released a statement announcing that ICE had been notified that the agency will no longer be permitted to use Sheriff’s facilities for training. However, in acknowledgement of stakeholders’ concerns, Sheriff Martinez stated that the community will not be well-served by eliminating CBP’s use of the facilities because of the impacts at the border such as wait times and pollution.

County Hears Presentation on Golden Pacific Powerlink Project

The County also received a presentation on the effects of the Golden Pacific Powerlink Project on the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

International & Policy Advisor Myriam Mendoza spoke in support of the project, which was identified by the California Independent System Operator as an important investment in infrastructure needed to support the state’s clean energy goals. The Chamber has also provided a letter in support of the project to the City of Temecula, as it will strengthen grid reliability during high demand periods, promote access to lower-cost renewable energy, and create economic benefits including construction-phase jobs and local investment. In addition, Chamber President and CEO Chris Cate issued a letter to the editor published by the UT highlighting how our business community depends on reliable electricity. The project must still be considered through a formal state approval process overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission, which will include environmental review, public comment periods, and formal proceedings.

Right to Cure Legislation Fails to Advance

The Board of Supervisors also considered an item brought forward by Supervisor Desmond that would have added support for right to cure legislation into the County’s Legislative Platform. Right to cure legislation allows businesses to correct ADA violations they have unknowingly committed before they are subject to litigation. Some of these violations are incredibly minute, including things like a handrail being inches higher or lower than required. Certain predatory trial attorneys make it a common practice to target businesses, especially small businesses, with frivolous ADA suits in order to get settlement money. There has not been broad California legislation establishing a right to cure, but SB 84 (Niello) would have created a 120-day right to cure period. The bill unfortunately died this year in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Chamber Director of Public Affairs Evan Strawn spoke in support of right to cure legislation and encouraged the County to broadly support it in its Legislative Platform. Unfortunately, the Board’s Democratic majority, despite voicing support for right to cure, had outstanding concerns with SB 84 and other legislation, and was unwilling to take the commonsense step of adding support for right to cure to the County’s Legislative Platform. Supervisor Desmond’s motion failed 2-3, with Supervisor Anderson also supporting. We encourage the County to prove in future legislative advocacy that it supports its small business community.