SACRAMENTO - The first bill authored by Assemblymember Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) to reach the Governor’s desk is a bill to help small businesses of California. If signed into law, AB 348, jointly authored by Assemblyman Juan Arambula (D-Fresno), will streamline the certification process for businesses that seek to obtain contracts from both local and state government.

Assemblymember Bass said she encouraged her legislative colleagues to vote for the bill because, “It seeks to assist small businesses in California by eliminating a cumbersome piece of red tape.”

Current law requires a small business to become certified by two separate filing procedures in order to offer goods or services. They must file one certification process to do business in a city or county and another with the Department of General Services (DGS) to do business with the state of California. DGS does not recognize a local government’s small business certification even when the certification program is substantially similar to the state’s certification.

“If both certifications are similar in scope, why are we duplicating and creating more hoops and hurdles for small businesses?” asked Bass, “This measure lowers the burden and encourages economic growth in communities that rely on small businesses and entrepreneurs who seek to participate in the market.”

AB 348 passed both the Assembly and the Senate with bi-partisan support and is now headed to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk for consideration.