The Executive Board of the California Automotive Business Coalition ratified its goals, which are:

• Production of a statewide trade show
  
  
• Taking on CARB’s proposed 12 year / 120,000 mile warranty
  
  
• Our on-going campaign to restore Career Technical Education (CTE) to California’s high schools
  
  
• Participation in the state’s air quality improvement programs
  
  
• Working with stakeholders, including government agencies, on opportunities to improve the aftermarket for consumers.
  

• CalABC worked hard to re-elect Governor Schwarzenegger, who won his race with 57% of the vote. He is now in a position to work with CalABC and businesses large and small to continue to make California an economic powerhouse.

• CalABC and its allies in the Career Technical Education (CTE) Coalition achieved major goals in the legislative session. The CTE budget for high schools was increased 500%; the school bonds passed by the voters include $500,000,000 for new laboratory facilities; and students can now use qualified CTE courses as part of their college admission credits

• CalABC reorganized itself to better serve its members and we are planning the first statewide trade show in California for 2008.

• CalABC is a leader in reforming Smog Check. We have lobbied the administration and the legislature for common sense reforms in the state’s vehicular emission control program, advocating a performance based approach that promotes maintenance as the key to not only reducing smog-causing pollutants, but to fuel efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as well. We are well positioned to see our recommendations implemented over the course of the next twelve months.

• CalABC has created a political action committee, CalABC-PAC. This permits our members to play an even more powerful role in working with the government to ensure that our points of view are fully considered when decisions regarding the aftermarket are being made.

• CalABC works with other business organizations to bring about common sense reforms in regulatory matters like lunch breaks. Regulatory boards like the Labor Commission and Cal-OSHA are constantly considering matters that have significant impacts on the way our members conduct their businesses and serve their customers. CALABC not only monitors these government agencies but works to ensure that the impact of their decisions does not unduly harm our members’ businesses.

• CalABC continues to monitor the reforms of the workers compensation system. We work with the state Chamber of Commerce, the California Small Business Association, and other interests to monitor the improvements to the system that were finally enacted by the Legislature last year. We are seeing significant savings to our members’ premiums, but Democrats and labor interests contend that there have been decreases in the quality of care to our employees. They have announced their intention to solve this problem. We will work to ensure that any new “reforms” do not increase costs to employers.

• CalABC’s leadership role has led to expansion of its membership. Key companies and organizations have joined the Coalition in the past twelve months, convinced that real reform is possible only with united action. Every new member strengthens the aftermarket’s ability to secure legislative support for the reforms necessary to improve customer service and to reduce our exposure to frivolous government and private attorney harassment.

• CalABC has created alliances with other sectors of California business to strengthen our ability to deal with key issues of concern to us all. In particular, CALABC has continued working with the state Chamber of Commerce’s Employers Coalition, which addresses issues like workers’ compensation reform, and has joined the California Small Business Alliance (CSBA). Nikki Ayers CalABC’s Vice President, now sits on the CSBA Board of Directors on behalf of the Coalition. We are already preparing for major battles on employer mandated health care and other significant issues for next year.

• CalABC has built and continues to build strong relationships with key legislators and political leaders. Politicians and executive branch leaders have hundreds of people trying to get their attention. We cannot expect them to know
our issues without our taking the time to educate them. This we continue to do with the help of an expanding grass roots approach.

• CalABC provides an important forum for improved communication between industry and educators. Unlike our state government, we are fully cognizant of the critical role training plays in an aftermarket that has earned its customers’ trust. Our work includes promoting the dialogue of shops and technicians with automotive educators and trainers to ensure that the needs of the industry and the programs of educators are mutually understood and supported.

• CalABC champions the recognition of industry repair standards by regulators. For years BAR has resisted recognizing key repair standards such as the MAP guidelines, even though they are required to do so by statute. Recent indications are that the Bureau may be finally re-examining its stance on this matter.