Bipartisan Effort Supports Small Businesses

Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia Moves to Increase California Small Relief Funds for Small Businesses

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, is part of a bipartisan legislative effort to support California small businesses.

Garcia joins Sen. Andreas Borgeas, R-Fresno, and Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, on Senate Bill 74, the Keep California Working Act. This measure would invest $2.6 billion in grants towards small businesses and employees experiencing financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Borgeas and Caballero (D-Salinas) jointly introduced Senate Bill 74, otherwise known as the Keep California Working Act, which will invest $2.6 billion (10% of California’s projected surplus) in grants to help small businesses and employees that have sustained financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill includes an urgency clause so that it can take effect immediately upon approval.

“This global health crisis has devastated our small business community like never before. As the Legislature continues to prioritize pandemic response, we must significantly increase investments for small business relief,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. “Business owners and employees struggling to stay afloat across our state need our immediate support, and I am grateful to collaborate with Sens. Borgeas and Caballero to make additional small business grant funding available.”

Sen. Borgeas in a prepared statement said, “California’s businesses and employees have made tremendous sacrifices to protect the health of our communities. If the Governor is going to mandate businesses close, then they deserve a more aggressive investment in relief efforts. I am proud this measure already has broad bipartisan, bicameral support in the Legislature, and I look forward to working across the aisle with my colleagues to help local businesses.”

The bill has gained early bipartisan support, with 25 co-authors between the Senate and Assembly.

Senator Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) has joint authored the measure, and Senate co-authors include Senators Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Brian Jones (R-Santee), Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), Melissa Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore), Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), and Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita).

Assembly co-authors include Assembly Members Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals), Phillip Chen (R-Brea), Steven S. Choi (R-Irvine), Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel), Heath Flora (R-Ripon), Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), Devon Mathis (R-Visalia), Janet Nguyen (R-Garden Grove), Jim Patterson (R-Fresno), Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta), Thurston “Smitty” Smith (R-Apple Valley), Randy Voepel (R-Santee), and Marie Waldron (R-Escondido).