Statewide advocacy groups join half the Legislature to support Keep California Working Act

The Keep California Working Act (SB74 Borgeas-Caballero) has recently attracted an even stronger coalition of support. More than 80 chambers of commerce, cities, counties and associations located throughout California are lending their support to the bill, which would invest $2.6 billion of California’s unanticipated revenue in one-time grants for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19.

Senate Bill 74, with 36 Democrat and 27 Republican sponsors, is a true bipartisan and bicameral small business relief package jointly authored by Senators Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno) and Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), and principally co-authored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach). Sixty-three out of 120 California legislators, or more than half the Legislature, have signed on to the Keep California Working Act.

And while Gov. Gavin Newsom’s additional request of $575 million to the grant relief program is a step in the right direction, more capital investment is needed to keep California’s job creators afloat. SB 74 also contains an urgency clause to go into effect immediately upon approval.

“California’s small businesses and nonprofits cannot wait any longer for relief,” said Senator Borgeas. “The fast-growing, bipartisan coalition for the Keep California Working Act demonstrates the immediacy of this need throughout the entire state. If small businesses are suffering because they are following COVID-19 protocols, then it is imperative that California provide relief to those that are struggling.”

“I am happy to see such a strong, bipartisan coalition of support continuing to grow,” said Senator Caballero. “I think this speaks to the statewide urgency of helping our small businesses and nonprofits weather the COVID-19 storm. We’ve asked them to make sacrifices for the greater good, and now it’s time for us to provide the relief that they deserve.”