Current Issues

To enhance grass-roots lobbying the Alliance of North Bay Chambers, of which the San Rafael Chamber is a member, has set up a legislative alert website including sample letters to elected officials. For more information, visit the California Chamber of Commerce website.

The Chamber tracks local, state and federal issues affecting business and maintains close contact with city, county and state legislators to promote beneficial business legislation and discourage detrimental regulations. The Chamber holds monthly meetings with San Rafael's mayor and city staff, and our Governmental Affairs Committee tracks issues affecting business -- from taxation to workers' compensation and employer mandates. Our close contacts with legislators at all levels encourages beneficial business legislation and discourages detrimental ordinances. Currently our top concerns are the escalating costs of workers' comp insurance and health care premiums.

Join the California Chamber in their NEW Advocacy program

During a recent campaign for AB510 (4-day workweek), CalChamber was able to generate 12,00 support letters. An incredible number of responses! They would like to duplicate this type of action on other important legislative issues with our help. The San Rafael Chamber will be posting CalChamber's grassroots link for your participation. Log onto http://www.calchambervotes.com/ to make your voice heard. It takes only minutes, and all appropriate state elected officials will be notified.

Go to the big green box on the grassroots webpage, click on "take action now", sign-in and again click on "take action". A bill list will open. Read down the bill list to find the desired bill, click on that bill, and a sample letter will open. Edit the sample then click send.

Each Friday by noon, new bills will be posted.

The Chamber's presence is persuasively felt at city, county and state levels, and with your help our voice will be even stronger.

Advocacy Suggestions

• Learn when your issue is before committees and legislative bodies so that your letter, call, fax, or email is well timed.
• Identify yourself and your interest in the bill, sign your name, and include your postal and email addresses.
• Identify the bill by number or title if you can. (Legislators’ office staff can help you.)
• Write separate letters if addressing more than one member.
• Be brief, clear, and courteous. Discuss only one issue at a time. Quality is preferable to quantity.
• Be personal; write from your own experience and observation.
• Be constructive; offer suggestions and alternative approaches.
• If your legislator is not a member of the committee that is dealing with your issue, write to the chairman of the appropriate committee as well.
• Except for committee chairmen, it is not effective to write to legislators other than your own. Usually your letter will just be referred to the member who represents your district.
• Your representatives need to know when you agree with them. Be as quick to praise as to criticize.
• Follow up on your letter or call. Find out what the final outcome on the bill was and send a letter of comment. Show that yours is not just a passing interest.