[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6626430,"mediaKeyId","2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58","parentId",2753549,"title","Small-business owners, SBDCs and regional training centers tell Assembly about boots-on-the-ground supports","audioSeconds",1117,"startMs",8175181,"endMs",9293001,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58&start=8175&end=9293","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58/thumbnail_8175181.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6626430/California/Small-business-owners-SBDCs-and-regional-training-centers-tell-Assembly-about-boots-on-the-ground-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626430-44fed7f4f4c27196a767a69a16b8a078/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178051&Signature=L0XftHi0GBB61lFfbLcl2xD5mdP-QCS-IC9~8XLk5F64-3FoomYE9RATK0fIxLnNZvBk8DM9ei1XEz11WWLUnCy5WMkbqUD0JfuRwVq3AKEWyQOOnNnibayTWrTq7Y2VH4OaEZmh1dfwiXCp9~FbpUaUsFt0jNBet1o5tyqx24X07AeO-mq4gVWGrBINL9B2Q1g6S197xw4UlqWtUUdd5Wg5f5NX1nbZht5DRY3CYzSfcc0w~0hVglBt24jVej3GqjDXUCOS0xXfgGsbGAJiS6yK8l7UH7qh2ReBto7w1cCVr4GnNQ3s2M5A54JtBMFg~GLNhsuqClBtvxyUU~uxUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","Small-business development centers (SBDCs), local workforce programs and a regional training institute described a mix of direct assistance, capital access and mobile training that they said is producing measurable results for entrepreneurs and jobseekers.

Juliana Ramirez, owner of JR Bookkeeping and an SBDC client and mentor, told the committee her firm grew from a living-room startup in 2012 into a multi-employee firm after technical assistance programs, workforce training and loan programs helped her secure capital and staff. \"These organizations provide the mentorship, funding, and workforce support necessary for businesses not only to survive, but to thrive,\" Ramirez said.

Danny (David) Fitzgerald, who represents California's five SBDC networks, gave statewide program data: about 4.2 million California small businesses meet the SBA definition of fewer than 500 employees, and roughly 3.4 million have no employees. He said the SBDC networks provided more than 500,000 hours of advising to more than 20,000 clients from 2022–2024, helped clients access roughly $4.6 billion in capital and supported more than 57,000 jobs in that period. Fitzgerald urged additional outreach and funding to reach self-employed operators who are hard to identify and serve.

Dave White, CEO of Opportunity Stanislaus, described the Volt Institute, a regional industry-led training center that offers modular and mobile manufacturing training. Volt's on-site and \"Volt to Go\" mobile programs have placed a high share of trainees into jobs; White said Volt's overall placement rate is about 91 percent and noted recent U.S. Department of Labor and Economic Development Administration grants that funded mobile training equipment and expanded instrumentation and controls curricula.

Witnesses identified continuing needs: more outreach funding to reach sole proprietors and home-based businesses, stronger data on self-employed workers in labor statistics, and pathways to align short modular credentials with community-college credit. Committee members and panelists suggested pursuing prior-learning credit and other ways to link fast-track workforce credentials to college credentials to expand upward mobility.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact (1)","oneSentenceSummary","Small-business support organizations and regional training programs described technical assistance, outreach gaps and successful workforce training that moves participants into higher-wage manufacturing and services jobs.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6626436,"GO-Biz presents California Jobs First economic blueprint to guide regional investments",659,5789451,6449361,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58&start=5789&end=6449","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58/thumbnail_5789451.jpg","/articles/6626436/California/GO-Biz-presents-California-Jobs-First-economic-blueprint-to-guide-regional-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626436-2bfd87e437805b3966e7d52118bcd4ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178051&Signature=BzfAytJcMIDS5nK-18ki7nzdbMkDZIJcBJizCImnVrdkmkwdkA89dXZQj88lgoqzEDCa4~azIAJe1dj9gTD2mqXyWUJJsDb13TdHRdHXndcgkc5JowYc9MaLt~S5kOA5E3seIZAretvbVjyda-8mFL~PmCtzbb-I~oocKgDkQOwuhKG16yNPWxz12fraZnHTmw~Lr-eNVvhnf30jm9vLTsrY8lS5r2M-5M-k2REcGeyNIyzVSyCe6XOBsLM3ea-~S7AbL1lQKbyvBOYCw~APdu-ySPgRrft2g0K8RwPpuBM9OW31pG4YDfQ8f4VcD8sy~dM5UnmT88mmCxFz5JTUng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The governor's office of business and economic development (GO-Biz) presented a statewide economic blueprint to the Assembly Committee, describing a 10-year, data-driven strategy intended to knit regional plans into statewide initiatives.

Derek Kirk, senior advisor for economic policy at GO-Biz, said the California Jobs First effort has produced a first-of-its-kind, community-led statewide blueprint that organizes the state into 13 economic regions and identifies 10 strategic tradable sectors. \"This document is our representation of the first statewide data driven sector business and workforce strategy that the state of California has had in over 20 years,\" Kirk said.

Kirk said the administration and Legislature have invested roughly $286 million to support regional economic planning and pilot initiatives under Jobs First. The blueprint emphasizes connecting investments in local-serving anchor sectors — housing, child care and health care — to job creation in tradable sectors, and calls for partnerships between state agencies, regions and employers to expand access to good-paying jobs.

Kirk described the Jobs First Council as a coordination vehicle and said the strategy will be implemented through regional pilots and targeted initiatives rather than a single statewide program. He recommended continued collaboration with local jurisdictions and business and labor partners to tailor investments to regional needs.","The governor's office showcased a 10-year, regionally informed economic strategy called the California Jobs First blueprint that prioritizes tradable sectors, regional plans and anchor local-serving sectors to support job creation and equity.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6626440,"Assembly members press experts on why housing laws have not produced more homes",2635,3047831,5683481,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58&start=3047&end=5683","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58/thumbnail_3047831.jpg","/articles/6626440/California/Assembly-members-press-experts-on-why-housing-laws-have-not-produced-more-homes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626440-db9fa59dd5147796947ea6698bbd6ea7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178051&Signature=GmN4Pb5eyqv8cPYseh4XJWODNxqDvyW6Ln2NwHQhhB09e6pr1zNn~mk9B2hNGaCzYQVtPdkKEwphX3CgPeFMvDAXsoR5iea0OQ2GtJ7rHUVp3Jls0ORi6iMX~fXEM8VD-dFVjlJ~JvYQfpjSC0wLX9frdiqyrwqp-vmN9awcK9YqydfezDUhcCHUE70aj0stOYingS-ml6JaLFlEYNg7Zw00Eg07Zmga4-dRPLrPwusZnGuqGD80gdSw~DLiBaB7SIYpJJGhJntxeoVRpWKU~wOLPcKObIa~QZCA1LpuF6OhGP5P7f93nAQ-LCfhCTJNhpSyTCyw6chUbBpZ7pmyCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assembly members pressed witnesses on whether statewide housing laws are producing the housing units policymakers intended and asked what could be done to speed results.

Brian Euler of the Legislative Analyst's Office told the committee that the fundamental problem is a persistent shortage of housing driven largely by regulatory and local constraints on building. \"Home building activity still remains at about the same level it was a decade ago,\" Euler said, arguing the legislature should assess which recent laws have worked, which have not, and whether state action can reduce protracted administrative or regulatory review.

Committee members raised accessory dwelling units as a policy that has produced measurable activity but stressed limits. \"There's only so much opportunity there with ADUs,\" Euler said, noting ADUs serve a segment of the market and will not substitute for broader increases in housing supply. Assemblymember Patel and Assemblymember Stephanie asked whether the state is tracking implementation and enforcement of housing laws such as changes to density bonus rules and SB 4; experts suggested the Legislature can fund or request studies through the budget process and that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has oversight tools.

Witnesses warned that state-level streamlining can be undermined if local jurisdictions attach many conditions to receive benefits or if litigation channels persist. Examples discussed included CEQA-related streamlining efforts that did not always shorten project timelines because of extensive conditions and litigation risk.

Assemblymembers emphasized the need for implementation studies and better coordination between the state and local governments to ensure statutes produce housing on the ground.","Committee members asked experts why recent state housing laws have not yielded expected increases in housing supply and whether measures like accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are making a dent in affordability.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6626444,"Experts tell Assembly inflation and tariffs are squeezing California households",1855,2138751,3994701,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58&start=2138&end=3994","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753549-f7d67e38e4fc43a7d54c458f467b3e58/thumbnail_2138751.jpg","/articles/6626444/California/Experts-tell-Assembly-inflation-and-tariffs-are-squeezing-California-households","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626444-3575d2d20cef1043c7aa987be513b387/orig.mp4?Expires=1771178051&Signature=cmi1OU3-WqctTb1eRmR8-RrLbV-L4ZU7iEgCJk1Pm5L5jO4HyR6K3zB6MZqOzFxbFWJdNfNnJ2MeBDBlhBdFLNlx--jl2eWgWfkH9Leo2jhHaYFSHpgIwLiCurxMqV7C7qwCtTtII3D4J4xfAjfEQW60blRbHv9k1gCu7HgCiMH9c28OgzJDed~1xrmciDqefLP6DNisObUibKtd5lOrrI2MTfvGkJXCZFKNTzQuvkhOeEfLK6q--rr1Fy7MyAwqp6Y04t2H316Dk7D8KPAYIUO9ejUqwFrbH85B7WLkGxsKY3xRc6LoJBEu5a8YANu4fzoIhE5HQVazpZTtOT1Veg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","California households face sharply higher prices that are cutting into paychecks and household budgets, expert witnesses told the Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth and Household Impact at an informational hearing.

Sarah Bone, an economist and senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, told the committee that persistent price increases since the pandemic are the principal driver of household concern. \"Prices today in California are about 23% higher than they were in January 2020,\" Bone said, and noted that food and energy costs each have risen about 28%. She cited PPIC survey results showing 69% of Californians expected bad economic times over the next 12 months and said 30% of households reported cutting back on food purchases to cope with higher prices.

Katherine Russ, professor of economics at the University of California, Davis, said recently announced tariffs and retaliatory measures are an additional shock that will feed into consumer prices and could disrupt supply chains for industries that matter to California. \"Just the tariffs already announced on China, Canada and Mexico will cost the typical U.S. household about $1,200,\" Russ said, describing that figure as a baseline that would rise if broader or reciprocal tariffs are imposed.

Brian Euler, deputy legislative analyst for economy, taxes and labor at the Legislative Analyst's Office, outlined areas where state policy can act without large new expenditures. He and other witnesses emphasized housing as the single largest household expense and noted that construction cost increases driven by tariffs (for example, on lumber and steel) could make housing production more expensive.

Panelists urged a mix of near-term supports for vulnerable households and longer-term steps to increase earnings and reduce costs. Suggestions included targeted assistance for food programs and farmers affected by export losses, reexamining the cost-effectiveness of electricity charges funding public-purpose programs, and continued attention to workforce and housing policies that improve upward mobility without creating unsustainable budget pressures.

The witnesses referenced several research sources and monitoring tools during the hearing, and told the committee that effects from tariffs can show up quickly in border or producer prices and more gradually in jobs. They recommended close monitoring of supply-chain vulnerabilities and coordination between state programs that support households, businesses and workers.

Less-critical details: witnesses said nominal wages in California rose about 26% from January 2020 to January 2025 but that after inflation the real gain is roughly 2.9% over the period; they noted that California started from higher-than-average price levels and that regional differences in housing, energy and food exposure matter for policy design.","Panelists told the Assembly Committee on Economic Development that pandemic-era inflation, high baseline prices in California and newly announced tariffs are reducing household purchasing power; experts urged targeted aid and monitoring.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Small-business owners, SBDCs and regional training centers tell Assembly about boots-on-the-ground supports

GO-Biz presents California Jobs First economic blueprint to guide regional investments

Assembly members press experts on why housing laws have not produced more homes

Experts tell Assembly inflation and tariffs are squeezing California households