GCVCC Voice of Business Winter 2020 by Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce

Winter 2020

HEALTHY LIVING IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY GCCVCC.ORG | 1

The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all of our 2019/2020 sponsors for supporting your chamber.

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Thank you to our 2019/2020 Board of Directors

Toni Merrihew Board Chair Chandi Group USA

Ernesto Rosales, Immediate Past Chair Ronald McDonald House Charities Southern California â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Loma Linda

Jeff Levine Chair Elect Asher & Asher Consulting

Jay Chesterton, Treasurer Vice Chair Fantasy Springs Resort Casino â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cabazon Band of Mission Indians

Carmen Contreras Treasurer Carmen Contreras State Farm

Rich Ramhoff Secretary Desert Regional Medical Center

David Nola Alpha Media

Valerie Ward Burrtec Waste & Recycling Services

Julie Frazier Frazier Pest Control

Deirdre Callanan North American Title

Herman Sebastian Garcia Rabobank

Lesa Bodnar Coachella Valley Economic Partnership

Victoria Llort Mission Springs Water District

Cindy Burreson Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa

Debbie Wales JFK Memorial Hospital

Austin Beneteau Modern Woodmen of America

Julio Figueroa AT&T

Mickey Jumapao Envoy Mortgage

Ramiro Jimenez FirstBank

Mike Williams Capitis Real Estate

Mike Etheridge Western Water Works

Tatiana Yturralde-Morales West Coast Cannabis Club

Jeff Fishbein Coldwell Banker

Vicky Franco Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries

Gary Levingston Cathedral City Chamber of Commerce

Aurora Saldivar Coachella Chamber of Commerce

Heather Ramirez Indio Chamber of Commerce

Ray Dominguez La Quinta Chamber of Commerce

David Conover Andrea Desert Hot Springs De Francisco Shek Chamber of Commerce Desert Advertising Federation

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content Greetings Business Community Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce Recognized for Excellence GCVCC Kitchen Table Talk Healthy Living Cities 2019 State Legislative Position Summary Eye on Sacramento Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia Talks Health Care 2020 Policy Platform * CBD, THC, and YOU An Introduction * Meet Coachella Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier Protective Security Company White Rhino Group Inc. * When to use DESERT Urgent Care * Denotes sponsored content

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Greetings Business Community W

e are excited to share with you our second edition of the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce Voice of Business advocacy magazine. In this edition, we take a look at our local health care industry - one of the highest paying sectors of our local job market. The industry is experiencing tremendous transition as it works to serve a diverse community, from Desert Hot Springs to Coachella. On the governance side, we sought insight from Sacramento to our local city councils on what is working and what changes we may see in the near future. We also examined some unique ways local communities are helping their residents with healthy lifestyle options.

The Chamber would like to thank our advertisers, community partners, sponsors, and local elected leaders for their continued support of our business community. Most importantly, we want to thank our members who we undertake the vital work of advocacy for. Our valley continues to grow and your chamber is working hard on behalf of those moving it forward, honoring our commitment to our core principles. Champion for Business Interest

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Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce Recognized for Excellence

reater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce (GCVCC) President and CEO Joshua Bonner has been named the Executive of the Year by the Western Association of Chamber Executives (WACE). The award was bestowed at the WACE Annual Conference held in Portland, OR, February 5th through the 7th. With over 870 members, W.A.C.E. is the largest state or regional association of chamber of commerce executives in the United States. Each year the Association considers executives from across their membership for the honor, which is granted to only one executive for the year. The award is based on their overall achievement within their chamber, their impact on their local community, and their contribution to the chamber industry. Candidates are judged in five areas of expertise including finance, communications, legislative action, and membership services performed by the chamber. There are currently only seven active chamber of commerce executives across the country that have won the distinction. In awarding the honor, Brian Starr, the President and CEO of the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce and 2018 Award Winner noted Bonner’s achievements in 2019, from establishing new partnerships to open east valley business incubators and shared workspaces, to the chamber’s advocacy work in Sacramento. “It’s an honor,” says Bonner about the award. “WACE is a huge organization, basically your work is being distinguished among 800+ of your fellow chamber executives

from across the United States. It brings me a lot of pride being able to bring this award home to the Coachella Valley and have our business community recognized for all their hard work. I work with a tremendous board of directors and a great staff. Some of the things we have been doing for the last three plus years is visionary within our industry, and the industry has taken notice.” The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce was formed as a regional entity in 2016, a partnership between the Indio, La Quinta and Coachella Chambers of Commerce. They have since added the Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs Chambers to their local chamber group, along with the local Palm Springs American Advertising Federation Club. Their partnerships include working agreements with the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, Leadership Coachella Valley, the City of Indian Wells and more. With an annual budget that now reaches almost two million dollars, they have quickly become one of the largest and most influential chambers in California. About the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce The Chamber is a business membership organization representing the Coachella Valley. We support our members through legislative advocacy, education, networking, and other community-based opportunities. The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce is a registered 501c6 nonprofit supported through member investments. GCCVCC.ORG | 9

Local leaders discuss healthcare in the Coachella Valley Story by: GCVCC Staff The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce is privileged to have close ties with our elected leaders. Mutual conversation between lawmakers and business leaders often leads to collaborative and effective business policy. The Chamber would like to share some of those conversations with our members. Recently, we sat down with local elected leaders from across the valley to discuss a variety of topics, including the state of health care in our valley, and transportation. We thank Indian Wells Councilmember Dana Reed, La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans, Cathedral City Councilmember Ernesto Gutierrez, Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas, and Indio Councilmember Oscar Ortiz for sharing our “kitchen table” with GCVCC President, Joshua Bonner.

Health Care – The Financials of Location

ne of the issues that surfaced quickly in our conversation was access to health care as it relates to each city’s proximity to health centers and doctors. Drilling down further into that, the fact that some cities have health care while others struggle for it. “Back in 2007, Desert Hot Springs had one and a half doctors,” explains Mayor Matas. “We went and talked to the local hospitals to figure out why we could not get doctors in our city, they identified the number of uninsured as the primary challenge.” To meet the needs of that group, city officials have found a willing and capable partner in Borrego Health. “We brought in Borrego, and it has just exploded,” said Mayor Matas. “They have a health center, a women’s center, a youth center, and a dental office now. Demand is certainly not the issue, their health clinic sometimes has a wait of hours without an appointment and their urgent care is packed almost daily.” Councilmember Ortiz also lauded the work of Borrego Health in the East Valley. “We have seen improvements to access with the Borrego Health Clinic at Coachella Valley High School, which is a convenient location for parents and students to access. Borrego is also expanding into Martha’s Village and opening a small health center that will supply in-patient services with a full-time nurse for anyone who needs a place to stay after they get released from the hospital. If someone is homeless, they have somewhere to go to get additional care rather than ending up at the emergency room again.” While the group universally lauded the work low-cost providers were doing, it was also recognized that the

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economics they operate with is unique. That difference is the key reason some cities continue to struggle to attract private care doctors. Mayor Evans, a healthcare professional by trade, shared with the group some of the economic challenges for private care providers. “When you have federally qualified health plans like Borrego, it fits when much of the population in an area is uninsured or on Medi-Cal, because Federally Qualified Health Center’s (FQHC) receive a higher reimbursement amount through federal and state funding because of their obligation to provide bundled services, such as transportation, care coordination, screenings, healthcare coverage enrollment assistance, etc. Depending on the location of the FQHC, the reimbursement could be up to triple the amount a private practice doctor would be reimbursed. Based on a physician’s overall payor mix of patients, they may not yield enough to sustain a nonFQHC practice in some areas due to the costs of malpractice insurance, staffing, equipment, lease, and all other related operating expenses. That is the challenge trying to recruit doctors valley-wide. Even if an income guarantee is provided to a physician for the first year or so, they may eventually leave the area if the finances and income levels are not sustainable.”

Emergency Rooms – Fear, Education, and Congestion Emergency Room congestion also emerged as a major theme of the discussion, with challenges that go beyond a lack of insurance. Factors such as education, cultural norms, and even resident status, can impact ER traffic. “Our community is approximately 60% Hispanic and there is still a big fear of getting insurance because some of those residents are illegal immigrants,” explains Cathedral City Councilmember, Ernesto Gutierrez. “That fear and lack of insurance causes many of them to go to the ER instead of visiting a doctor, which congests the

emergency rooms. Desert Healthcare District did a survey about a year ago and came to the conclusion that we need to educate people on programs that provide free health care for individuals that are low income, uninsured, or do not have legal status. We need to help our residents overcome that fear of seeking out insurance and affordable care.”

Technology and Lifestyle – Rethinking an Industry

This brings the conversation back to local access to primary care. Places like Indio have had some progress attracting more health care partners. Facilities like Loma Linda Children’s Hospital that opened in 2018 - and is already considering an expansion - is helping to share the burden. But the discrepancy in available services when measured by location still exists. “We have Desert Regional and Eisenhower that serves an area of about 250,000 residents,” points out Councilmember Ortiz. “JFK Hospital does that same approximate population alone, which leads to a lot of congestion in that hospital.”

Like much of the business community, technology is having a major impact on medical care. One of technology’s greatest contributions may ultimately be reducing the need for more hospitals. “Thanks to new technology and pharmaceuticals, less patients are hospitalized and more services are available in an outpatient care setting, which often results in less recovery time and a return to your quality of life,” says Mayor Evans. “Knee replacement recovery time used to be up to a week in the hospital; now, for some patients, they leave the same day. Due to these advancements, we will start to see more outpatient-centric, multidisciplinary medical centers that can treat patients more efficiently, eliminating the need for more hospital beds.”

The issue extends to specialty care facilities as well, which tend to center around the hospitals that serve their needs. As Indian Wells Councilmember, Dana Reed, points out, that is simply a matter of practicality. “Indian Wells has very few doctors as well. My experience is that doctors and specialists prefer to be located near a hospital. It gives them easier access to their patients and the services they require.” Rather than focus only on specific location, Councilmember Reed introduces another important variable to the conversation - transportation. “It’s important we have affordable, reliable public transportation in the Coachella Valley. While it may not be practical to get medical services close to everyone, we can certainly ensure they have the ability to reach it.”

While the group universally agreed more medical care options were needed in our valley to support a growing population, they also agreed there were several factors that might help mitigate that need in the future.

In addition to technological advancements, cities are placing more emphasis on keeping their residents out of the doctor’s office all together. From Coachella to Desert Hot Springs, city councils are investing in programs, events, and infrastructure that help support a healthier lifestyle. In Cathedral City, the Council is considering a ballot initiative to join the Desert Recreation District. “If that is successful it will allow Cathedral City to build a community center, which we do not have,” says Councilmember Gutierrez. “A lot of our population is young, so having a recreation center will help our youth get active through sports, as opposed to staying in the house and playing video games.” Valley-wide projects, like CV Link, are making healthy GCCVCC.ORG | 11

living habits easier for our community. When completed, it will allow people to jog, ride their bikes, and safely get outdoors more. Providing needed infrastructure to support a healthy lifestyle is something very much on the radar of local officials. Each of the nine cities are finding their own unique way to leverage those opportunities. In Indian Wells, the city has found a way to extend the hours for a traditional pillar of exercise in the desert – golf. “Shots in the Night” allows residents to come out and enjoy one of their favorite activities in the evening. The City of Indio enjoys both a community center and a teen center, but continues to look at new projects like a new sports complex. In La Quinta, the city council has led the charge to promote a healthy lifestyle by investing in a wellness center, an outdoor fitness court, hiking trails, bike lanes, and is currently constructing a new skate park across from their high school.

Get an Eisenhower Primary Care Physician. Locations across the valley. Call 760-773-1460 or visit EisenhowerHealth.org/pcp

The effort to promote healthy living has even found its way to the local school cafeteria. “In Desert Hot Springs, we worked with the school district about 5 years ago to change their menu,” says Mayor Matas. “It’s incredible how much the Palm Springs Unified School District has done to include healthy choices like salad, while still making it fun for the kids.”

Public-Private Partnership Works – Again “It is always a privilege to sit down with our local elected leaders and discuss the community,” says Joshua Bonner, Chamber President. “Health care is especially important to our desert. In addition to essential care for our residents, it’s one of our fastest growing industries that supports thousands of high paying jobs.” “I came away from this conversation impressed with two things: first, our business community is doing its part when it comes to health care. There are so many examples of that, from Desert Care Network recently upgrading JFK Hospital to be a primary stroke center, to the work Borrego Health is doing, to the investment in much-needed Urgent Cares in our valley like Santa Rosa Del Valle Medical Group in Coachella. The second thing that became clear is that our elected leaders deeply care about the wellbeing of our residents. Whether it is Mayor Evans leading a hike up La Quinta trails on the weekend, or the passion Councilmember Reed has for adequate transportation so our residents can access vital services, our community has willing partners in health on the dais of our Council Chambers, and that means a lot.”

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HEALTHY LIVING CITIES La Quinta (cover) La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans, Councilmember Kathleen Fitzpatrick, and City Manager Jon McMillen lead a community hike up trails in the La Quinta Cove. Extensive hiking trails and bike paths are among the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many efforts to promote healthy living.

Desert Hot Springs Healthy living starts when we are kids. The City of Desert Hot Springs worked with its local school district to ensure healthy eating habits could be established early for our kids, bringing smart food choices to lunch time.

Indio An active lifestyle as a young adult can help contribute to a pattern of life time exercise. The Indio Teen Center and Community Center give teenagers and young adults a safe space to stay fit and have fun.

Coachella The City of Coachella brings the community together annually for the Run with Los Muertos event. The 5k run and block party combines art, music, culture and health in a celebration of a centuries old tradition.

Indian Wells Golf has long been a staple of retirement living, a four hour trip through the links is often a major part of our local retirement communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physical activity. The City of Indian Wells has found a fun way to extend the sports active hours into the night with Shots in the Dark. GCCVCC.ORG | 13

2019 State Legislative Position Summary The positions you see below are positions taken by the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce (GCVCC) during the 2019 California legislative session and how each of our local elected officials voted. Only bills that the GCVCC took a position on and came to a floor vote are listed below. In 2019 the GCVCC Supported a total of three (3) Legislative Bills that came to the floor for a vote. Two (2) of Three (3) were signed into law. In 2019 the GCVCC Opposed a total of twenty-three (23) Legislative Bills that came to the floor for a vote. Seventeen (17) of twenty-three (23) bills failed to become law. Key Ayes – Member voted in support of the bill. Noes – Member voted in opposition to the bill. No Vote recorded – Member abstained from voting on this bill.

GCVCC SUPPORTED BILLS AB 23 Office of Small Business Advocate: Deputy of Business and Workforce Coordination to help develop small business – Burke Aye – Garcia, Mayes, Stone AB 1083 Energy infrastructure procurement requirements: Would require thorough analysis of impact of the effects of legislation proposed to mandate procurement of energy – Burke Aye – Garcia, Mayes, Stone AB 1237 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Requires posting of how funds are being allocated – AguiarCurry Aye – Garcia, Mayes, Stone

GCVCC OPPOSED BIILS ACA 1 Undermines the protections of Proposition 13: Lowers Voter Threshold to Increase Property Taxes from 2/3rd to 55% for affordable housing and public infrastructure – Aguiar-Curry – Winters (Only voted on in Assembly) Ayes – Garcia No Vote Recorded – Mayes ACA 14 Limits Independent Contractors: A proposed amendment to the California Constitution, which would prohibit the University of California from utilizing, contracted workers – Gonzales Ayes – Garcia Noes – Stone No Vote Recorded – Mayes AB 161 Additional regulation of small business: prohibit a business from printing a paper proof of purchase if the consumer opts to not receive a proof of purchase– Ting (Only voted on in Assembly) Noes – Mayes No Vote Recorded – Garcia 14 | GCVCC.ORG

SB 44 Mandatory, costly conversion to electric truck fleets: mandatory reduction of motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions from the medium-duty and heavy-duty work vehicles – Skinner Ayes – Garcia Noes – Stone No Vote Recorded – Mayes SB 210 Additional regulation of business: Work towards creation of a Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspections and Maintenance Program – Leyva Ayes – Garcia Noes – Stone No Vote Recorded – Mayes AB 51 Limits businesses ability to protect themselves from litigation: Prohibits employers from enforcing arbitration agreements– Gonzalez Noes – Stone No Vote Recorded – Garcia, Mayes AB 403 Increases small business exposure to litigation: Increases an employee’s time to file a discrimination lawsuit from 6 months to 2 years – Kalra Noes – Stone, Mayes No Vote Recorded - Garcia AB 589 Additional regulation on small business: Employer must provide to an employee a “Worker’s Bill of Rights,” – Gonzales Ayes – Garcia Noes – Stone No Vote Recorded – Mayes AB 628 Exposes small business owners to loss of resources: Employees can take time off for harassment of family members that didn’t even occur at their workplace –Bonta (Only voted on in Assembly) No Vote Recorded – Garcia, Mayes AB 673 Additional exposure to fines for small business: An act to amend Section 210 of the Labor Code, allowing an employee to bring action to recover specified statutory penalties against employer – Carrillo Ayes – Garcia Noes – Mayes, Stone AB 1046 Increase Cost relating to vehicular air pollution: Support the deployment of 5,000,000 zeroemission vehicles – Ting (Only voted on in Assembly) Noes – Mayes No Vote Recorded – Garcia AB 1066 Unemployment insurance requirement on business: Restore eligibility for unemployment benefits after the first 3 weeks for an employee who left work because of the trade dispute– Gonzalez No Vote Recorded – Stone, Garcia, Mayes AB 1270 Increases small business exposure to litigation: Allows for-profit attorneys into tax enforcement, potential massive penalties for taxpayer and massive rewards for the litigant – M. Stone (Only voted on in Assembly) Noes – Mayes No Vote Recorded – Garcia

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AB 1478 Increases small business exposure to litigation: Allows employee to bring a private civil action against employer without pursuing any other remedy prior to bringing that action – Carrillo Ayes – Garcia Noes – Mayes, Stone SB 1 Additional regulation for business: Would give broad and sweeping discretion to state agencies to adopt rules and regulations they determine are more stringent than federal regulations – Atkins Noes – Mayes, Stone No Vote Recorded - Garcia SB 54 Additional regulation on business: set impractical recycling rates and deadlines, particularly due to a lack of sufficient infrastructure – Allen Ayes – Garcia Noes – Mayes, Stone SB 142 Exposes businesses to expenses and litigation: Additional lactation standards imposed could cost employers an estimated $30,000 to $105,000 for an existing building to comply – Wiener Ayes – Garcia Noes – Mayes, Stone SB 171 Additional regulation on business: Would require employer to submit a pay data report to the Department of Fair Employment and Housing that contains specified wage information – Jackson (Only voted on in Senate) Noes – Stone SB 307 Restriction on Local Control of Resources: Prohibit use of water conveyance facility with unused capacity to transfer groundwater basin underlying desert land – Roth Noes – Mayes, Stone No Vote Recorded – Garcia SB 347 Increase business exposure to litigation and fines: Mandated state-only labeling requirement for sugar-sweetened drinks – Monning (Only voted on in Senate) Noes – Stone AB 731 Increase Employer Health Care Premiums: Amendments to Insurance Code, impose additional rate filing requirements on large group contracts and policies. – Karla Ayes – Garcia Noes – Mayes, Stone AB 345 – Increased cost and job killer: banning additional in-state natural gas and oil production resulting in increased oil and gas imports and loss of high paying energy jobs – Muratsuchi (Only voted on in Assembly) Ayes – Garcia Noes – Mayes SB 43 – increase costs and place regulatory burdens on businesses: Effort to have additional taxes based on assessing the carbon intensity of all retail products subject to the Sales and Use Tax Law– Allen (Only voted on in Senate) Noes - Stone

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Tahquitz Creek Golf Club NOT A GOLFER? HACKER? NOT A PROBLEM! Never hit a golf ball, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to miss out on the fun? There are plenty of ways to get involvedâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;no golf skills required. Held each spring, The Chamber Invitational brings together local business leaders to enjoy fresh air and friendly competition on the greens. Golfers will make new business connections during this un-FORE-gettable afternoon that features special contests, goody bags stocked with gifts, great food and drinks! Sponsorship foursomes and individual golfers are welcome to participate. The Chamber Invitational is a fun way to engage in one of the area's largest networking events, while having a fun day of golf.

Eye on Sacramento Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia Talks Health Care Story by: GCVCC Staff Much of the health care policy that impacts the Coachella Valley is deliberated in Sacramento. Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia who represents the 56th Assembly District, which includes cities and unincorporated communities in eastern Riverside County and Imperial County, was kind enough to discuss the state of health care in our region with GCVCC staff.

hen it comes to healthcare, where are some of the areas the Coachella Valley is doing well in?

“Our community excels in our unique ability to leverage regional partnerships with organizations such as Loma Linda University, the University of California-Riverside, Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers, as well as with our local school districts to provide resources and services. We have seen these relationships strengthen over the years and result in the groundbreaking of new health facilities and the opening of clinics. In particular, we have seen recent gains in pediatric care.” “We also have some local youth programs such as the HOSA-Future Health Professionals, Future Physician Leaders, and Health Career Connections that are helping to build out a pipeline of local young health professionals who can come back home to serve our community.”

Are their policy victories relative to healthcare you are proud of during your term in the Assembly? “The expansion of the Desert Healthcare District to cover our entire Coachella Valley area was a tremendous victory that is already helping to bring about greater healthcare parity to our most medically underserved areas and will allow us to implement a strategic vision for our region’s current and future healthcare needs. While it was my privilege to author AB 2414, the legislation that authorized the boundary expansion, this feat was a culmination of many years of advocacy, a vast coalition of partners, and ultimately resident approval.” “Over the years, we have worked hand-in-hand with both Riverside and Imperial County healthcare agencies to address our severe physician and Medi-Cal provider shortages. As part of these efforts, we consistently solicit for state funds to expand the UC graduate medical education program. We like that this program allows flexibility to establish residency slots for specialists as well as to initiate new programs in low-income areas like ours that have been encountering extreme difficulties attracting physicians. In the 2018-2019 state budget, we successfully allocated $40 million for this program and we are hopeful to see additional increases this year.” “Additionally, we have passed legislation so that Medi-Cal recipients can be reimbursed for transportation to and from the doctor, allowing students with binational health plans to access their asthma medication while at school, as well as established funding mechanisms to combat air pollution exposure at schools and to help ensure safe drinking water for schools lacking infrastructure.”

What are some of the other significant challenges you see in your district related to healthcare and access? “Half of Californians live in a community where they do not have adequate access to necessary healthcare services. This issue disproportionately affects lowincome and rural areas like those in my district. We are facing shortfalls of primary care in general and access for Medi-Cal members and for the uninsured is even more challenging. The reality is that it is hard to attract doctors to set up shop in the areas I represent; we need to create more training opportunities with hospitals and clinics to incentivize and retain doctors. We are continuing to pursue these opportunities.” The importance of preventative care is getting more attention, whether its kids school lunches, or generally promoting exercise and healthy eating habits in the community. Have you seen gains in this area across the valley? “While healthcare and overall wellness continues to be one of our most pressing issues, we cannot deny the significant strides to advance health and promote healthier lifestyles, especially on our school campuses. Our state has been able to make smarter investments for our children at schools with grants to help make more fresh fruits and vegetables accessible as well as promote water over other sugary drinks by installing new water fountains and rolling out ‘rethink your drink’ and other similar public health initiatives. We have been incredibly supportive of these programs and have also been working to address environmental issues such as air and water quality for schools.” Crossing over to the environment, from the Salton Sea to fires, the east valley has had to deal with some on-going health threats relative to air quality. I know this is an important topic for you, your thoughts on where we need to do better? “We do have a crisis on our hands, as it relates to the immediate public health, air quality impacts for our communities along the receding Salton Sea

shoreline - not to mention the ecological and economic repercussions if we fail to act with urgency. With the $200 million in Prop 68 funds we secured for the Salton Sea Management Plan, our efforts in Sacramento have been gaining momentum and our attention is fully focused on implementation. The Governor’s administration is engaged with us and has committed to see how we can best expedite action on the mitigation plan. California is moving and we are poised to see increased state investments.” “We have some important news for the Eastern Coachella Valley on this front. In December, my colleagues on the California Air Resources Board designated the Eastern Coachella Valley as eligible for the AB 617, Community Air Protection Program; legislation I joint-authored in 2017 as part a climate action duo. Our Eastern Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley families have long suffered poor air quality, a severe health and environmental justice issue that has been intensified by factors such as the receding Salton Sea and emissions caused by border proximity. These imminent public health threats disproportionately impact underserved communities like ours, and thanks to this new grant program we created, our residents will be empowered not only with the means to combat pollution but to take a leading role in these decisions. I encourage our residents, and businesses to participate in the development of these emission reduction plans – a healthy region is a prosperous one.” What are some significant developments you think we will see in the State of California when it comes to healthcare over the next decade? “We need to expand primary care coverage to uninsured populations, as well as increase access to Medi-Cal providers with targeted investments into medically underserved areas like ours.” “This might require us to lean on existing partnerships and get creative in order to fill immediate coverage gaps such as looking at how we utilize telehealth technologies.” “I am proud that our policies have been moving to offer a more comprehensive approach to health and a huge part of that means bringing behavioral health and mental wellness services to the forefront of these conversations.” Anything else he would like to add healthcare related… “Our combined work with Prop 68 and our climate action measures we have opened up funds for our cities and counties to expand parks and other outdoor recreational opportunities. Investments in state and local parks spark infinite public health benefits for our families. ” 19

2020 POLICY PLATFORM LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM The Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to share our Legislative Platform. This document is designed to allow chamber staff to respond in a timely manner to legislative action when it pertains to business.

Agriculture Support: •

Industry accepted water conservation practices.

•

Farmer’s commitment to providing safe food that is verified through government, 3rd party, retail, and selfaudits.

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Farmer’s use of crop protectants used in accordance with Federal, State, County and Local laws and regulations in the production of agricultural commodities.

•

Control measures in the event of an exotic agricultural or environmental pest outbreak that could pose economic loss to agricultural production.

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Environmental regulations that do not exceed Federal standards for agricultural land use.

•

Research and development, public awareness, and educational programs of biotechnology agricultural commodities.

•

Labeling of food and other agricultural commodities that defines the country of origin.

Communications Support: •

Legislation and regulations that will encourage innovative utility and telecommunications infrastructure.

•

New innovative technology in the utility industry to improve the business climate in the Coachella Valley.

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Economic Development and Business Regulations Support: •

A business-friendly political and regulatory environment in the Coachella Valley, State and federal government.

•

Incentive-based programs for business available at the local, county, state and federal levels.

•

Job creation measures across all industry sectors.

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Time-critical bonds and measures, with defined sunset clauses, that add infrastructure to support and facilitate commerce.

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Reform of burdensome regulatory processes at the local, state and federal government.

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Policies that promote efficiency in government and consolidation of services.

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Tort reform to reduce businesses exposure to excessive litigation.

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CEQA reform to eliminate excessive redundancies and promote economic development.

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Market based incentives in lieu of government mandated policies.

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Reasonable government standards of business signage, ordinances and regulations applied uniformly for all businesses.

•

Privatization of government services when economically viable.

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Government functions that enhance the economic base of private enterprise in the Coachella Valley and surrounding region.

Oppose: •

Measures increasing business taxes and fees unless such fees/taxes are mandated to projects that improve the overall economic viability of the Coachella Valley business community.

•

Legislation or regulations that impose health and safety standards that are not based on sound scientific and empirical data and place our business community at a competitive disadvantage to competing community’s.

•

Unfunded government mandates.

•

Government mandates that unduly regulate or tax business.

Education and Workforce Training Support: •

Regional Plan for College and Career success.

•

Regional college and career pathways/linked learning efforts to assure local students a meaningful high-quality work experience through alignment with local workforce needs.

•

Career technical education (CTE) and academy programs in the Coachella Valley.

•

Vocational education, hands-on learning and alternate educational paths.

•

Welfare-to-work process through legislation that provides for training, tax credits and other incentives that assist local businesses.

•

Legislation that provides incentives for a well-trained and flexible workforce.

•

Retraining programs for displaced workers. GCCVCC.ORG | 21

Energy and Utilities Support: •

Continuous efforts to responsibly recharge the Coachella Valley aquifer.

•

Additional in-state reliable energy generation, infrastructure/transmission and renewable generation balanced to maintain a robust and economically viable economy.

•

Water conservation and reclamation.

•

Energy efficiency programs and conservation of natural resources.

•

Local representation on utility boards and commissions that service our member footprint.

•

Defense of free markets.

Health Care and Social Services Support: •

Efforts to preserve access to high quality healthcare while lowering the burden on employers, including reforms that encourage choice for employers, workers and others to retain health care insurance coverage.

•

Efforts to ensure and improve access to specialized healthcare services, including but not limited to trauma, behavioral and primary care in the Coachella Valley.

•

Efforts to develop a sustainable regional healthcare infrastructure that meets the needs of all Coachella Valley residents.

•

Efforts to increase the number of clinical providers available to areas, such as the Coachella Valley, which are designated as underserved -- including efforts to grow Graduate Medical Education (GME) and residency training programs.

Oppose: •

Proposals to create single-payer or government-run health care that would eliminate the choice for employers, workers and others to retain their current health care.

•

Unfunded mandates that force hospitals, physicians, groups and other providers to pass along those costs to employers and others seeking health care services.

Housing Support: •

Adequate housing for all sectors of the Coachella Valley’s workforce.

•

Appropriate fee structures that are conducive to fostering economic growth through the housing and construction industry.

Oppose: •

Policy that increases fee structure, adds to the permit process, and generally inhibits, complicates or increases the cost associated with local residential and commercial construction.

22 | GCVCC.ORG

Labor Support: •

Comprehensive immigration reform that ensures adequate access to needed labor for our local business community.

•

Adequate workers compensation coverage at a reasonable cost to businesses with the objective to rehabilitate and/or train the injured employee to return to the workforce.

•

Efforts to reduce workers’ compensation fraud and/or to increase system efficiencies.

•

Immigration employment laws that are reasonable and not burdensome to small business.

Oppose: •

New California labor laws or regulations that are overly burdensome to employers.

Tourism Support: •

Policies that promote and increase tourism in the Coachella Valley.

•

Organizations that promote and enhance tourism in the Coachella Valley.

•

Cost efficient infrastructure development that supports Coachella Valley tourism without unduly burdening local businesses.

Transportation Support: •

Reliable, useful, sustainable, and cost-effective transportation options for local business.

•

Sound planning transportation needs for the future growth of the Coachella Valley population.

•

Alternative methods of transportation that grant additional/easier access to Coachella Valley commerce.

•

The establishment of a customs facility at the Palm Springs Airport to enable international flights to land and clear customs.

•

Expansion and development of airport facilities and related industries in the Coachella Valley.

•

Efforts to provide enhanced year-round air service to the Coachella Valley.

•

Support for additional passenger rail service to the Coachella Valley.

•

Future efforts to connect the Coachella Valley to neighboring markets with commuter rail service.

•

Monitoring the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) and its impact on development.

•

Maintain vital public infrastructure.

GCCVCC.ORG | 23

Tribal Support: •

Tribal sovereignty.

•

Tribal economic development.

•

A Tribal owned and operated foreign trade zone.

Veterans/Military Support: •

Transition of military to the workforce and community.

•

Initiatives related to job creation and development.

Oppose: •

Base closures that affect our business community.

24 | GCVCC.ORG

Become one of our 1,400+ members today What is the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce? Champion

Working with federal, state and local government on issues that aﬀect business.

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CBD, THC, and YOU An Introduction Story by: Tatiana Yturralde-Morales - Regional Director for West Coast Cannabis Club

hese days it feels like everywhere you go, from grocery stores to gas stations, someone is trying to sell you CBD as a cure all for just about everything. At times it can be tough to tell which products are worth trying and which are not. Currently there is no FDA supervision over ingredients in CBD oils and other products, or the medical claims tied to them, so it makes sense to be skeptical. Luckily, products sold at licensed and compliant dispensaries are required to pass rigorous testing, and list ingredients and accurate CBD and THC content right on the packaging. So you know exactly what you are getting. What’s the difference between CBD and THC? Our bodies each have a set of receptors in them called the endocannabinoid system, which interacts with CBD and THC. Unlike THC, CBD is not intoxicating. Both are cannabinoids, but each have their own effect on us, and some would say work even better when together, thanks to something called “The Entourage Effect”. Typically on it’s own THC can stimulate feelings of euphoria and relaxation — and for some paranoia and/or anxiety. CBD doesn’t activate CB1 receptors in our system like THC does, so you don’t feel those associated effects when CBD is dosed accordingly and appropriately.

Where Should I Start? Everyone is different and there is no perfect formula for what to suggest to people when it comes to cannabis. Whether you are trying to help with a specific medical need, or just trying to relax after a long days work, personal preference and tolerance are important factors to consider when deciding on a product. I always recommend starting low and slow, and of course buying your product from a legal and licensed dispensary. When it comes to pain, insomnia, inflammation, anxiety, or even trying to quit smoking or taking painkillers, there is a product out there that may help. The key is to research products thoroughly and ask lots of questions. Don’t feel pressured to buy something you aren’t quite sure about. And when it comes to edibles, start with 5 mg or less and always wait at least an hour before eating more! I need more information, where should I go? At West Coast Cannabis Club we take the time to listen to you and answer your questions. We make recommendations that we feel are right for you as an individual. We pride ourselves on our customer service, friendly atmosphere, and fair prices. With three convenient locations and a Delivery Service we are ready to serve you. We hope you choose us for all of your cannabis needs here in the Coachella Valley.