CRA Member Newsletter
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June 08, 2022 | CRA Newsletter: Primary Election Results and Other Key Updates
Message from the President
Wow! What an election night! While voter turnout for the California primary was low, there were still some surprises and some outcomes CRA was hoping for. Obviously, CRA was closely watching the recall election in San Francisco of the District Attorney. I was very active on the media, both nationally and locally, with the message that retail theft was out of control in The City and it was putting retail employees and our customers at risk. While CRA was not actively involved in the recall campaign, I do believe the fact that I was willing to take the retail message to the media had an impact on last night’s outcome. Now we wait for the election to be certified, then the board of supervisors will approve it and finally, Mayor London Breed will appoint a successor. We will be reaching out to the mayor with the ask that whomever she appoints has a priority to work with CRA and our members on curtailing retail theft.

With the recall of the SF DA, all eyes turn to Los Angeles. Crime was certainly a major issue in the race for Mayor and has set up a showdown between Congresswoman Karen Bass and Businessman Rick Caruso. Given what we saw last night, crime will play a significant role. Adding to the LA drama (it is home to Hollywood) is the potential recall of the Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. The recall campaign needs about 570,000 signatures by July 6th to qualify. As of last week, before the recall in SF, the campaign hit the 500,000 mark and all indications are it will qualify. That means we are looking at a recall election in January or February of 2023 – this will certainly be a cloud hanging over the LA’s mayor’s race. CRA is keeping a close eye on these developments. To that end, the LA City Attorney, Mike Feuer, has reached out and we are working with his office on a LA-focused Retail Theft Summit. More information to follow, but it certainly gives CRA another opportunity to represent our members on issues related to retail theft.

I am pleased to announce that Attorney General Rob Bonta will join CRA at the Cal-ORCA (California Organized Retail Crime Association) conference in October. CRA recently took over management of the association and we are thrilled with the planning of the 2022 IN PERSON conference. As a reminder, your membership in CRA includes membership in Cal-ORCA so I hope you will engage with Cal-ORCA. More information on the conference, including partner investment opportunities, will be sent next week.

In a bit of good news, we are cautiously optimistic that our advocacy to the Governor will pay off and our request for additional funding for ORC will be included in the approved state budget that will be voted on by the full legislature next week. As a reminder, this agreement includes $300 million over the next three years for ORC; two new ORC Taskforces bringing the state total to five; permanent funding for the taskforces; and dedicated ORC prosecutors. We will update members when the budget bill passes, but CRA is already in conversations with the CHP and the CA Department of Justice on implementation.

Finally, I will be joining two CRA member companies later this week at NRF Protect for a robust panel conversation on ORC and what we have done in California to move the needle on this issue. If you or your AP teams will be there, let me know. I would love to connect.

Crime is not the only issue on which CRA is focusing. The goods movement and supply chain challenges are also top of mind. Last week, I joined other goods movement stakeholders in the Inland Empire to talk about the challenges we are facing when it comes to the supply chain and the list is endless. One of the biggest take aways was the issue of educating policy makers and regulators on how the supply chain operates. CRA is working on a new coalition to increase the retail voice statewide on issues related to and influence the supply chain. Much like we did with ORC/Retail theft, I believe there is an opportunity to move the needle and work collaboratively with stakeholders on finding solutions to the complex issue. If you are interested or would like additional information on the proposed new coalition, please reach out to me directly HERE.

The CRA is still very much engaged on a long list of issues that impact retailers in California. We are still focused on packaging, labor issues, Covid (yes mask mandates are back), predictive scheduling and many more (which you can read about below).

As we enter the final few weeks of the legislative session, I encourage you to engage with CRA on the many committees and list serves that are available to our members. We welcome your input and look forward to engaging with you.

Rachel
Legislative, Budget & Political Updates
CRA President and CEO Rachel Michelin Responds to San Francisco District Attorney Recall Election

"The recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin makes clear what Californians’ attitude has been for months — if district attorneys in California won’t provide consequences to those who repeatedly violate the law, then voters will provide consequences for district attorneys. The California Retailers Association is hopeful that the recall of San Francisco’s District Attorney will mark a turning point so retail customers and employees need not fear becoming the victims of crime. We continue to stand ready to work with stakeholders across California on tangible solutions that make our neighborhoods, stores, and communities safer."

What Happens Next?

With the recall approved by voters, the vacancy in the DA’s office will occur 10 days after the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors declares the election results. After each election for local offices or measures, the director of elections certifies the results and then provides the certified results to the clerk of the board. The clerk’s office will then include an item for the board to declare the results on the next meeting agenda. The election results are expected to be certified and sent to the board to declare during their June 28th meeting.

The earliest SF Mayor London Breed can appoint an interim DA to fill the vacancy is 10 days after the board declares the results. An election to fill the DA position will appear on the November ballot, which Boudin could run for again. Whoever wins the November 2022 election would serve the remainder of the current term, which ends in January 2024, and then have to run again for the regularly scheduled election for the next DA term in November 2023. We will keep our members updated as this political situation develops. Read more.
Ban on Propane Cylinders 

CRA sent a letter in opposition to SB 1256 (Wieckowski), which would ban the sale of 1 lb. disposable propane cylinders by January 1, 2028.

Read the letter here, also available on CRA's member portal.
To-Go Cocktails Bill Approved by Senate

The California Senate approved SB 846 (Dodd) to boost previous relief for struggling restaurants and bars by expanding provisions of his 2021 law allowing the sale and delivery of to-go cocktails.
 
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Sen. Dodd’s Senate Bill 389, which allowed the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages as part of take-out restaurant food orders. It came as restaurants nationwide recovered from hundreds of billions of dollars in losses sustained because of lockdowns and social distancing requirements to stop the spread of coronavirus. 
 
This year’s bill expands the previous legislation in important ways, removing the meal requirement to increase options for consumers and business owners. It also extends the carry-out cocktail provision to bars, which also have been hard-hit by the pandemic. In addition, it allows for the delivery of to-go cocktails from both types of businesses. Finally, the bill increases oversight of alcohol delivery by Alcohol Beverage Control to prevent underage drinking. 
 
It was approved by the Senate on a bipartisan 32-0 vote.

CRA supports this legislation.
Lead-Acid Battery Fee 

CRA sent a letter of support for AB 1 (Garcia), which would revise the mandated consumer notice for the California Battery Fee to avoid consumer confusion. 

Read the letter here also available on CRA's member portal.
Counter-Service Restaurants

CRA sent a letter in opposition to AB 257 (Holden), which would single out the restaurant industry for the creation of a sectoral council that will raise the cost to operate a counter service restaurant in California.

Read the letter here, also available on CRA's member portal.
Fabric Recycling  

CRA sent a letter of support for SB 1187 (Stern), which would establish a pilot project of up to three years in Los Angeles and Ventura counties in partnership with garment manufacturers to study the feasibility of recycling fabric. 

View the letter here, also available on CRA's member portal.
Excessive Swipe Fees and Barriers to Competition in the Credit and
Debit Card Systems

The US Senate Judiciary Committee hosted a hearing on Excessive Swipe Fees and Barriers to Competition in the Credit and Debit Card Systems. This is the first time a hearing has been held on this issue in more than a decade and provided an important opportunity to secure meaningful change on swipe fees.
 
CRA supported the National Retail Federation's efforts to make an impact on Capitol Hill by participating in a social media campaign.
Potential Legislative Compromise for Packaging Initiative

A last-ditch Legislative effort to convince the sponsors of the Recology packaging initiative to remove their measure from the November ballot is still underway approximately three weeks from the deadline for removal (June 30). A small group of environmental NGO’s and industry have been meeting for weeks with Senator Allen to try and hammer out a compromise measure that would be placed in Allen’s SB 54. 

View an outline of key elements of the proposal here and the new draft here.

Any proposal would have to be approved by the Legislature in an expedited fashion and with a supermajority 2/3 vote- both high hills to climb, which would require active Support from interested parties – not just simple acquiescence or neutrality. Both the industry side and the NGO side are reaching out to determine the level of support for this proposal in their respective camps. 

The outlined proposal appears to be a substantial improvement over the initiative and perhaps even the prior versions of SB 54 from past sessions. Specifics were provided to the CRA Packaging Committee. Please reach out to Steve with questions.
Suspense File Updates

The Assembly Appropriations Committee reviewed its suspense calendar and took action on hundreds of bills. Through our lobbying efforts, CRA secured a number of wins on legislation impacting our members.

CRA WINS

CRA Lobbying Helped Stop the Following Bills 
in Appropriations Committee:
  • SB 1189 (Wieckowski) Employee biometric data. OPPOSE. Imposes untenable restrictions on employers’ use and disclosure of biometric information without any exceptions such as for the use of biometric data for safety, security, or other reasonable purposes, and provided a private right of action for employees. 
  • SB 1059 (Becker) Data Brokers. OPPOSE.  Expands the definition of “data brokers” potentially to include retail business relationships involving exchanges of consumer data. Requires such entities to register with the new privacy agency and make certain disclosures.  
  • AB 2095 (Kalra) Employment data. OPPOSE. Requires large employers to report, and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to publish on the internet, specified nationwide data on worker pay, hours, and other metrics.
  • AB 2182 (Wicks) Civil rights: family responsibilities. OPPOSE. Establishes “family responsibilities” as a new protected class of worker under civil rights law, requires employers to make reasonable accommodations of family responsibilities subject to a private right of action for enforcement.

CRA lobbying helped move the following bills to the Floor:
  • AB 1613 (Irwin) Organized retail theft. SUPPORT. Allows criminal activities in multiple jurisdictions related to organized retail theft cases to be charged in a single jurisdiction.
  • SB 1104 (Gonzalez) Go-Biz Office of Freight. SUPPORT. Establishes the Office of Freight within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) as a coordinating entity to steer the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for freight and ports across the state and to promote and assess the continued economic vitality and sustainability of the freight sector.
  • SB 1338 (Umberg) CARE Court. SUPPORT.  Allows for the referral of mentally ill individuals by a family member or other specified persons to the oversight of a civil court. Requires the court to create a CARE plan and implement services for those individuals.

Assembly Appropriations:

The following bills were passed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee:
  • AB 2440 (Irwin) Battery recycling. OPPOSE. Establishes an extended producer responsibility program for single-use and rechargeable batteries as well as battery-embedded products. Requires retailers with more than five locations in the state to make all store locations available as a collection site. 

  • AB 2570 (Daly) UI Fund debt. SUPPORT. Allocates $7.25 billion to the state’s Unemployment Insurance Fund to cover a portion of the nearly $20 billion debt resulting from the pandemic.  

Senate Appropriations
  • SB 1162 (Limon) Pay data and salary range publication. OPPOSE. Requires employers to report employee pay data broken down by sex, race, and ethnicity to the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and requires DFEH to publish that information on the internet. Further requires employers to include the salary range when posting open positions.
  • SB 1044 (Durazo) Emergency conditions. OPPOSE. Prohibits an employer from taking or threatening to take adverse action against an employee for departing the workplace if the employee feels unsafe during a state of emergency or emergency condition.

View CRA's latest bill list here, also available on CRA's member portal.
Workplace Technology
Accountability Act 

CRA sent a letter in opposition to AB 1651 (Kalra), which imposes overly broad requirements on both public and private employers of all sizes, contains unworkable mandates that would invade worker privacy, chill new technologies and bury employers and employees in red tape. The bill also ignores contradictory mandates already in the law and its punitive enforcement section subjects even the most well-intentioned employer to egregious penalties for any minor, technical violations that will lead to businesses shutting down and the loss of jobs. 

Read the letter here, also available on CRA's member portal.
“Reviver” Window Legislation

CRA sent an oppose letter and floor alert in opposition to AB 2777 (Wicks), which provides a one-year “reviver” window in 2023 to sue for alleged sexual assault or other inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature that can go back in time for half a century or more. If passed, this legislation could result in an onslaught of ancient claims against which businesses of all types and sizes across every industry will have no ability to defend themselves due to records and witnesses that are no longer accessible. 

Read the letter here and floor alert here, also available on CRA's member portal.
Rail Cargo Theft Task Force Funding

CRA sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom requesting the continuation of funding for CHP involvement in the task force to ensure criminal activity/compromised containers continues to be addressed.

Read the alert here, also available on CRA's member portal.
Upcoming Key Legislative and Political Dates

  • June 15 State Budget Due
  • July 1 - Aug 1 Summer Recess
  • August 31 Adjournment
  • September 30 Last day for Governor to Sign or Veto Bills.
Ballot Measures, Candidates and Election Date Updates

Six ballot initiatives have submitted signatures and are awaiting the results of the random sample check performed by counties. The validation rates are hovering in the low- to mid-70 percent range which puts most measures on track to be eligible for the November ballot, but Los Angeles County has yet to report any random sample results as of 5/31. It all comes down to LA.

Click here to see a summary of all the initiatives and their status. 
Regulatory Updates
California Privacy Protection Agency Board Meeting - Draft Regs

The California Privacy Protection Agency (CCPA) Board ("Board") is holding a public meeting today, Jun 8, 2022. Information on how to attend the meeting and the meeting agenda can be found on the California Privacy Protection Agency's site here.

As a reminder, the CCPA is tasked with implementing and enforcing the new privacy laws in California and is governed by a five-member Board.

Last month, the CRA team also testified before the CCPA. The committee assigned CRA the topic of: Consumers’ Rights to Opt-Out and we solicited feedback from our members on topics they would like included in our remarks. We were limited to 7 minutes and tried to include as many issues as possible while staying high level, as this was just the pre-rulemaking hearing and the beginning of what we anticipate will be a lengthy process.
 
Since this meeting was via ZOOM, it was difficult to gage the reaction of the members of the committee as many were not on camera. As expected, it seemed to be more of a "check the box" meeting.
 
CRA will continue to monitor what comes out of this stakeholder meeting and other actions of the committee. We will re-group with CRA privacy committee members to discuss strategy and next steps. We anticipate this will be a long process and want to make the best use of the opportunity to influence the rule making process.
 
Read CRA's testimony before the committee here.

Read the draft regulations here.

Read notes from a previous CPPA meeting here.

CRA will continue to monitor and keep members updated. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Indoor Masking Returns
Indoor masking requirements are back in Alameda County, a move triggered by an increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations. This makes Alameda likely the first major county in the state to resume its indoor mask mandate after dropping it once the Omicron-driven surge subsided.

“We cannot ignore the data, and we can’t predict when this wave may end. Putting our masks back on gives us the best opportunity to limit the impact of a prolonged wave on our communities,” Alameda County Health Officer Nicholas Moss said in a statement on Thursday.

Read the press release here.

Read the public health order here.

The CRA team will continue to monitor this issue and update members in real-time.
City of LA Scheduling Ordinance Updates

The Economic Development and Jobs Committee of the LA City Council voted 4-0 to approve the scheduling ordinance for consideration by the full Council, with the following amendments which are not yet in print:

  • Delay the implementation date to April 1, 2023 (from January 1, 2023).  
  • Add a 15-day “right to cure” similar to the language in the city’s existing Right of Recall ordinance (bottom of p.3). This would require an employee, prior to administrative action or civil action, to provide written notice to the employer of the violation and the facts supporting the claim; and 2) allow the employer 15 days to “cure” the violation.  
  • Strike “unanticipated customer need” from the exceptions to predictability pay. 
  • Allow electronic communications to serve as a written notice where it is required in the ordinance.
  • Make revisions to scope regarding franchises and “integrated employers”.  

It was made clear during the hearing that the 6-month grace period currently in the draft ordinance will remain. That means that under the current proposal no fines or penalties would be assessed for violations until October 1, 2023, though employers would still be responsible for implementation and costs of the scheduling policy by April 1.  

We expect to see final language and anticipate approval by the full Council in the next couple weeks.

Vice President Steve McCarthy testified on behalf of CRA and requested additional amendments to require that administrative options be exhausted prior to the filing of any civil claim. We will also push for the April 1, 2023, implementation date to be moved back to July 1, 2023 with the full Council.  

More on the ordinance here: 19-0229 (CFMS) (lacity.org)

Please reach out to Steve with questions.
Chain Drug Updates
Legislative

CRA has been advocating on a number of bills impacting retail pharmacy and has successfully mitigated legislation that would be harmful to chain drug stores, including:

AB 2265 (Arambula), which would have required pharmacies to dispense Schedule II controlled substances in lockable vials and placed the burden on pharmacies to front load the costs of the vials and continuously seek reimbursement from manufacturers. CRA testified in opposition in both the Assembly Business and Professions Committee and the Assembly Judiciary Committee and, after successfully lobbying the Legislature, the bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense file. AB 2265 is the third version of the bill introduced in the last three years, so although it is dead for the year, it could be reintroduced in the future. 

SB 1379 (Ochoa Bogh), which would have created permanent statutory authority for pharmacists to perform remote processing. It was sponsored by the Board of Pharmacy. CRA learned shortly after the bill was introduced that the author was planning to amend it, at the request of organized labor, to limit the bill only to hospital pharmacies. These amendments would have excluded chain pharmacies. Due to CRA’s opposition, the author agreed to table the bill for the year with a commitment to work on this issue in the fall. 

Other bills CRA continues to have concerns with include:

AB 1341 (C. Garcia), which would ban the sale of dietary supplements to minors and require retailers to restrict access (or “cage”) these products. CRA is opposed to this bill, however, recent amendments including the complete removal of the caging requirement and a narrowing of the scope will switch CRA to a neutral position. It is set to be heard in Senate Health Committee on June 15. Click here to view the amendments. Please let Lindsay Gullahorn at lgullahorn@capitoladvocacy.com know by COB tomorrow, June 9 if you have any comments or concerns.

AB 852 (Wood), which would make several changes to address address implementation issues associated with AB 2789 (Wood, Ch. 438, Statutes of 2018). CRA supported AB 2789, which mandated that all prescriptions in California be capable of being transmitted electronically effective January 1, 2022. Although AB 852 includes several provisions to clarify existing law to make e-prescribing workable (e.g.clarifying provisions with respect to the transfer of controlled substances), CRA is concerned that the April 18, 2022 amendments would require pharmacies to accept an electronic prescription even though it may not be compliant with a pharmacy’s compliance and contracting policies. This will force pharmacies to possibly contract with all electronic prescription platforms, even if those platforms are not compatible with a pharmacy’s systems thus not serving the patient effectively. 

CRA appreciates the authorization in AB 852 for pharmacies to decline electronic prescriptions from electronic prescription providers that do not meet industry standards and privacy requirements. Unfortunately, because the bill will cause pharmacies that do not contract with every electronic prescription vendor to be in violation of the law, CRA is opposing AB 852 unless it is amended to clarify that pharmacies are not required to accept electronic prescriptions from any and all electronic prescription vendors.

Budget Related

Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) has submitted a budget request to forgive the Medi-Cal Pharmacy rate recoupment currently assumed in the Governor’s proposed budget. CRA is appreciative of Assembly Member Wood and is strongly supporting his request. The request is for $100M in 2022-23 and $110M in 2023-24 to forgive the retroactive recoupment of pharmacy reimbursements due to changes in federal reimbursement methodology requirements (NADAC) in 2017. Medi-Cal pharmacy providers are now reimbursed for covered prescription drugs using a cost-based reimbursement methodology of National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), which is based on a nationwide survey of pharmacy invoices, plus a professional dispensing fee based on the findings of a cost of dispensing study. Altogether, this reimbursement is meant to cover the costs incurred by pharmacy providers when acquiring and dispensing medications to beneficiaries.

Although this rate methodology change occurred in 2017, DHCS did not implement it until 2019 - and did so retroactively to 2017. Pharmacies now owe tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to the state, and the current 2022-23 proposed budget assumes that DHCS will retroactively recoup these dollars. CRA is advocating in support of Asm. Wood’s budget request given the significant economic impact the recoupment will have on chain pharmacies.

Board of Pharmacy 

The Board of Pharmacy held a Pharmacy Technician Summit on April 19 after holding several listening sessions in February, March and April soliciting feedback from both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians on potential expansions of tech duties and the pharmacist to pharmacy technician ratio. CRA testified at the summit in support of expanding the ratio and allowing techs to perform additional duties. Board of Pharmacy members agreed that a change in the ratio is warranted, but did not agree to any specifics and did not seem to support a blanket/across the board ratio expansion. The Board’s licensing committee will continue to discuss this issue at future meetings. 

Several new members have been appointed to the Board of Pharmacy, replacing members who have fulfilled their terms and vacated the board. The new members are Jessica Crowley (labor licensee member), Indira Cameron-Banks (public member) and Kula Koenig (public member). 
CRA In The News
In Case You Missed It...

California Retailers Association President and CEO Rachel Michelin was featured above the fold in this morning's CalMatters e-newsletter leading story on the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. CalMatters, a top tier news outlet, is read by thousands of viewers daily across California and nationwide. Michelin spoke last night with other leading news organizations looking for reaction to the recall and has several more interviews lined up throughout today. Be on the look out for more news to come out of last night's Primary results, which were closely watched across the country. Highlights from the CalMatters e-news are below:

  • That Boudin’s fate could have little to no bearing on Bonta was implicit in a statement from Rachel Michelin, president and CEO of the California Retailers Association. That organization and other industry groups have been increasingly vocal about the need for state and local lawmakers to address what they perceive as rising crime and theft. 
  • Michelin: The Boudin recall “makes clear what Californians’ attitude has been for months — if district attorneys in California won’t provide consequences to those who repeatedly violate the law, then voters will provide consequences for district attorneys.” 
  • Emphasis on district attorneys — and not on attorneys general. 
  • That could be a coded warning for progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who is fending off a potential recall of his own. “If LA County voters sign and return their recall petitions, Gascón will be walking the same plank (as Boudin) in the very near future,” the campaign working to recall Gascón said Tuesday night.

Could DA Boudin recall spell trouble for Attorney General Bonta?
CalMatters

Progressive D.A. Chesa Boudin Recalled by San Francisco Voters
National Review

CALIFORNIA RETAILERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND CEO RACHEL MICHELIN ISSUES STATEMENT ON SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT ATTORNEY RECALL ELECTION
The Los Angeles Post

Violence rises as some employees fight back against shoplifters, thieves
USA Today

CHP busts $715K retail theft ring; Pittsburg man arrested
CBS Bay Area News
Also appeared in:

CRA President and CEO Speaks with KNX News Radio Los Angeles on State Retailer Efforts to Combat Organized Crime
KNX News Radio Los Angeles

Southern California Record
CRA Outreach & Activities
CRA and Cal-ORCA Announce New Website and Annual Conference Featuring Keynote Speaker California State Attorney General Rob Bonta
Website and Conference are part of collaborative between Cal-ORCA and Cal Retailers formed to address the growing organized crime crisis for businesses statewide

The California Retailers and California Organized Retail Crimes Associations unveiled a new website that provides an enhanced and responsive user experience and highlights the growing partnership between retail and law enforcement in California, which was formally established last year. Read more and check out the new website here.
Cal-ORCA and CRA will be hosting a Conference focused on addressing the growing problem of Organized Retail Crime and Retail Theft on Tuesday, October 4 and Wednesday, October 5 at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, CA. The Conference will bring together policymakers, law enforcement and the business community for “Collaborating on a Safer California”.

Visit Cal-ORCA.org for details about the Conference including an agenda, sponsor opportunities and registration.

The CRA team is also attending local ORCA events throughout the state including two recent information gathering meetings in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. The Bay Area ORCA event promoted the new CRA - Cal-ORCA partnership and upcoming Conference.
Californians for Safe Stores and Neighborhoods Update

The California Retailers Association has been spearheading a highly successful legislative public affairs and issue advocacy coalition — Californians for Safe Stores and Neighborhoods (CSS+N). In just a few short weeks since this effort was launched, CRA has quickly positioned the coalition as the premier advocate for tangible and comprehensive solutions that address the growing crisis of retail theft. 

Each and every day, CRA is driving narratives in the press, galvanizing diverse communities under the CSS+N umbrella coalition and forcing our state's leadership to acknowledge the need for action. Read more.
CRA Launches New Independent Retailer and Business Partner Affiliate Program

The California Retailers Association team is excited to announce a new program designed specifically for Independent Retailers and Business Partner Affiliates that will further expand our advocacy and educational efforts. 

Working together, CRA and small, independent retailers and business partners are a solid force when it comes to advocating to state and local elected bodies and regulatory boards on issues that could not only have significant impacts on business operations, but on California’s consumers as well. By working together, this alliance can promote proposals that increase business growth in the state and proactively advocate for issues that can have a significant impact on California’s quality of life in their local communities. Read more.
CRA President and CEO Participates in Supply Chain Panel

CRA President and CEO Rachel Michelin joined key stakeholders in the goods movement, including the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, in speaking on the Inland Empire Economic Partnership's "State of the Supply Chain" panel at the Southern California E-Commerce & Logistics Summit.
Monthly Policy Calls
The following includes the remainder of the 2022 monthly policy call calendar covering this year's legislative session (dates are subject to change). For CRA members' designated contacts who are not regularly receiving these policy call reminders and calendar invites, please email cra@calretailers.com to be added moving forward. Policy calls are held on Fridays at 10:00am PT.

  • June 24
  • August 26
  • September 23
CRA Member Portal
CRA members get access to CRA's exclusive online member portal, which contains coalition letters, floor alerts, regulatory comments and testimony that California Retailers Association authored or signed on to during previous Legislative sessions as well as the latest updates on the 2021-2022 legislative session. The portal also contains newsletter, news alert archives and important association governance documents for your reference. If you have not yet received your login credentials and access instructions please email cra@calretailers.com. We are also available to answer any questions you may have regarding portal navigation.
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