To:         CALSAGA members

From:      Roy Rahn, CALSAGA President

               Jeff Flint, CALSAGA Association Manager         

Re:         CALSAGA’s Legislative and Political Action “Days at the Capitol” May 6-7

Date:      April 9, 2009

Mark your calendars for May 6 and May 7.  We need as many CALSAGA members as possible to travel to Sacramento these days to participate in a series of events designed to enhance our industry’s political clout and advocate for our legislative priorities.  Click here to download the agenda.

The significance of these two days cannot be overstated.  Special interests that oppose our efforts to make California a more friendly place to operate a contract private security firm have their lobby days, fund their political action committees, and participate aggressively in the political and public policy process.  We are challenging CALSAGA members to do the same.

We understand that we are asking you give of your time and money.  We know that times are tough, and that time away from your business and contributions to political actions are difficult.  But we would not ask if we did not believe this investment in our industry’s political clout would have a long term benefit to us all.

The combination of events over the two days include a legislative day, where you meet with elected officials to advocate for CALSAGA policy priorities.  They also include fundraisers for our CALSAGA-sponsored political action committees and for two of the most supportive legislators for our industry, Senator Abel Maldonado and Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi.  In fact, Senator Maldonado was our Legislator of the Year for 2007 and Assemblywoman Hayashi was just named recipient of this honor for 2008. 

Why is this so important?

CALSAGA is in the midst of one of our most aggressive legislative sessions to date.  We have our best chance to achieve meal period reform, bringing legal clarity to on-duty meal periods for security officers.  This would eliminate or greatly reduce class action, meal-period based lawsuits against our companies.  We are also joining with the Department of Consumer Affairs and BSIS in an effort to pass legislation which would bring employers of proprietary security under BSIS regulation, leveling the playing field between our companies and in-house security operations. These are without question two immense undertakings that require significant time, resources and determination.  While we believe we are well positioned, the simple fact is that we can’t do it without your support.

If you can attend the legislative days at the Capitol, we will help schedule you to meet your legislators, and provide you talking points and materials.

We’ve also included RSVP forms for three political events that we need your support of.  By contributing to our CALSAGA PACs and the two legislators who have been strong supporters of our industry, you help build CALSAGA’s political clout and help us show support for legislators who understand the importance of our industry. 

If you have any questions, please contact either of us or Deputy Association Manager William Hodges at (916) 930-0552 or via email at whodges@calsaga.org.  We look forward to seeing you at our Legislative Days and at one, two, or preferably all the events.  It should be a memorable week for CALSAGA and further solidify our mark in Sacramento.