MORRELL
Sends Disaster Victim Relief Bill to Governor
Senate Bill 601- allows the State to waive fees for replacing occupational
licenses.
September 6, 2019, Sacramento,
California____ The State Legislature has given its final approval to (Senate
Bill) SB
601, by Senator Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga), which would grant the
state authority to waive or reduce government licensing fees for businesses
recovering after a disaster.
“As
communities rebuild following major disasters, key to full recovery is getting
local economies back up and running,” said Morrell. “For those businesses or
entrepreneurs needing state licensure, the state should do all it can to
streamline the process for replacing documents, including waiving fees. I am
proud to author this legislation and appreciate my colleagues’ support in
getting it to the Governor.”
Californians
have experienced several damaging and costly natural disasters in recent years.
The 2017 Tubbs Fire, Southern California mudslides, and 2018 Camp Fire combined
have claimed over 100 lives, destroyed more than 25,000 structures, and
impacted an estimated 381,784 businesses.
In
the aftermath, expenses can pile up as victims must replace important documents
and possessions, including licensing documents. Many lose everything and
struggle during this process.
The
California Chamber of Commerce named SB 601 a “Job Creator” and one of its top
priorities for 2019.
Morrell
has pushed for licensing reform throughout his tenure in the legislature. In
2019, he authored SB 999 to repeal certain
licensing requirements in the fields of barbering and cosmetology and in 2017,
he authored SB 1155 to waive initial
licensing fees for Veterans entering the civilian workforce.
“We're thrilled that the
legislature passed Senator Morrell's SB 601,” said Steven Greenhut, western
region director for the R Street Institute, sponsor of the legislation. “By
giving a fee break to disaster-hit business owners and workers, the state is
sending the right message -- that it cares about helping its hard-pressed
residents get back on their feet and about creating the right business
climate.”
SB
601 unanimously passed both the Senate and Assembly. The governor has until
October 13 to sign the Bill into law.
Senator Mike Morrell represents the 23rd Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles counties. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.