Fire & Emergency
Healthcare
Retirement
Education
Workers' Compensation
Labor & Employment
Consumer Privacy
Environment
Energy
Taxation
Political Reform
Fire Service and Emergency Medical Services
With California facing a “new normal” of catastrophic wildfires and other climate-related disasters, firefighting and fire-related issues have taken a spotlight in California politics. Capitol Connection has been at the forefront of these issues for more than two decades, successfully implementing fire safety measures and protecting firefighters and emergency medical services personnel.
Our firm has had the pleasure of representing the California Professional Firefighters, who represent over 30,000 firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, for over 20 years. Having advocated before both state lawmakers and regulatory agencies on bills and budget requests spanning multiple industries across various jurisdictions, we have a deep understanding of the complex web of emergency response systems that keep Californians safe every day.
In 2019, we advocated for the successful passage of SB 542 (Stern), a groundbreaking post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) presumption law for firefighters and peace officers which recognizes the prevalence of PTSI in first responders and helps facilitate timely treatment for those affected. This is just one of the dozens of bills we have advocated for on behalf of the Firefighters over the years.
Healthcare
Healthcare is a multi-faceted industry that occupies a large space in California’s public policy sphere. Changes in technology, insurance, resources, and differing perspectives on how healthcare is defined are just a few drivers of new laws and budgetary needs. Capitol Connection understands the dynamic nature of California’s complex healthcare system and is prepared to help navigate discussions regarding universal healthcare, drug pricing programs, Medi-Cal, healthcare workforce, and more.
Through our representation of California Health+ Advocates, the advocacy affiliate of the California Primary Care Association representing more than 1,300 community health centers in California, we annually engage in the budget process to work to secure funding for key health center priorities. In 2017, we successfully worked with our client and their members to secure a new grant program to support community health centers who may have been adversely impacted financially by reductions in federal government funding support. Our firm has also worked with several other clients to secure funding for grant programs, education programs, operational costs, and equipment costs within the state budget.
Retirement
Retirement security is of paramount importance to Californians. Ensuring that public retirement systems and retirement law protects workers, and their retirement has been at the core of the work Capitol Connection has done over several decades. Capitol Connection has extensive experience working on laws to amend or refine retirement law in California. This includes working on measures that impact the California Public Employees Retirement System, the California State Teacher Retirement System and retirement systems organized under the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937. Whether it be advocating for a statute change in the legislature or engaging the retirement system directly, Capitol Connection has a proven track record of working to protect and strengthen retirement security for working Californians.
Education
Tomorrow’s future relies upon today’s education system and Capitol Connection stands ready to help employees and students thrive at educational institutions of all levels. Our firm has represented a wide variety of clients in education, including the California Federation of Teachers, Arizona State University, the CSU Employees Union, and the California School Employees Association. We have engaged on education-related legislation involving affordable housing, hiring practices, grants, holidays, salary reform, and more, as well as working to secure funding in the state budget.
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation is a critical workforce protection, as it prevents the burden of a work-related injury from being carried by the employee alone. With years of experience working closely with clients and legislators to improve the efficiency and operations of the system, Capitol Connection has the expertise to advocate for reforms on your behalf.
In 2020, on behalf of the California Professional Firefighters, Capitol Connection engaged with the author and stakeholders of SB 1159 (Hill), a landmark bill that aimed to enshrine in law the temporary workers’ comp protections for COVID-19 exposure put into place by Governor Newsom for front-line workers in the pandemic.
Additionally, Meagan Subers was appointed in 2022 by Governor Newsom to the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC), which is charged with examining the health and safety and workers’ compensation systems in California and recommending administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation. Mrs. Subers’ placement on the commission is a testament to her expansive knowledge of California’s workers’ comp system and provides her with unique insight into the issues faced by workers and the systems in place to assist them.
Labor and Employment
Working people are the backbone of the American economy and, as the fifth-largest economy in the world, California is no different. Capitol Connection has a profound respect for Californian workers and, due to our long history of fighting for workers’ rights and representing labor unions, we have a comprehensive understanding of labor and employment issues. Our firm has represented various clients in pursuits to improve general labor relations, workers’ compensation, retirement, occupational safety, and collective bargaining.
Capitol Connection has advocated in support of many labor relations and collective bargaining bills over the years on behalf of many different clients, including measures to reduce workplace discrimination, including sexual harassment, provide confidentiality between union agents and represented workers, and increase access to unionizing materials.
Consumer Privacy
While personal technology and the internet have created a globalized world of incredible opportunity, they have also inevitably increased the risks of exploitation and privacy breaches. Lawmakers around the world have raced to keep up with ever-growing threats to data stored online, including medical, financial, and identity information. As both business and personal interactions are increasingly conducted online, protecting the privacy of consumers is more important than ever.
Working for Californians for Consumer Privacy, a leading consumer privacy organization in California, our team engaged with stakeholders on measures to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) after its adoption in 2018. Since then, Capitol Connection has worked on a series of issues related to consumer privacy.
Environmental Protection
California has led the nation in protecting natural resources. Our firm has worked with clients across multiple industries on environmental protection measures involving climate change, wildfires, water, toxic pollution, and green energy, among others.
In 2020, on behalf of the California Professional Firefighters, our team advocated for and successfully passed SB 1044 (Allen), which will phase out the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS in California. PFAS have been shown to have adverse health effects in firefighters, contaminate drinking water, and have other environmental impacts. We worked with stakeholders, including local governments and water agencies, throughout our advocacy for the measure.
Energy
As California’s energy system continues to evolve, it is crucial that policy is built to last. The state continues to grapple with energy-related issues such as transitioning to renewable resources energies, infrastructure scaling, storage, and accessibility while ensuring that Californians have the energy they need every day.
With more than a decade of experience in energy policy, Capitol Connection is well-poised to guide you through continuously evolving energy policies and advocate for your interests with state lawmakers and regulators.
Taxation
Californians enjoy and benefit from the many public resources that are funded by taxes. These include public education, parks, public transit, public safety services such as the 911 emergency system, road maintenance, and more. Given that taxes touch every part of our lives, it is crucial to understand how changes may affect the way business is conducted. Having maneuvered the tax policy space for decades, our firm is adept at interpreting changes in tax code and pursuing changes on your behalf.
Political Reform Act Issues
The Political Reform Act regulates campaign finance, lobbying activity, and conflicts of interest. Our firm keeps a close eye on any proposed changes to the Act, as they could have major impacts on how public policy business is conducted, and we are prepared to keep you apprised of these changes and analyze how they may affect your operations as well.