THE SOUTHLANDffi

WAYNE GARDNER eiecutive vice president

S THE 1985-86 legislative session was drawing to a close in August, the members of Western Building Material Dealers Association met in Sacramento to discuss the bills that were yet to be acted on and to rejoice over some successes.

Ron Barrow and Associates in Sacramento has been doing an excellentjob following bills that would be beneficial to the lumber and building material industry as well as getting some legislation introduced that would be helpful. Of course, a major part of Ron's job is to watch and keep the members of Western informed of pending legislation that would be detrimental to the industry.

The review pointed out that some Workers Compensation bills that would have placed an onerous burden on the employer will not pass. On the other hand Workers Compensation need not be paid to any person whose injury is caused by the commission of a felonious act for which that person has been convicted, because that bill passed.

A bill establishing statewide goals for state agencies that would have required the buying of services, commodities, maintenance and supplies of at least l3% from minority owned businesses and 3 % from women owned businesses also died. Westem had taken a position to oppose this bill, which by dying helped us advance our goal of getting only good legislation.

There has been a great deal of concern by employen and labor over Califomia's Workem Compensation. The rates are the third highest in the nation and the benefits are forty-fifth. There is a commission studying these discrepancies in an effort to bring about a reform. Ron Barrow the legislative advocate for the building material industry through Westem, is on this commission. This gives us a voice through which the industry can speak. It also indicates the caliber oflegislative advocacy that the industry has statewide.

Because legislation can be so beneficial or detrimental to businesses, it's an absolute necessity to have some one who is thoroughly knowledgeable about the industry watching over proposed bills.

Western has a board of directors made up of representatives of each of the Associations which contribute to its support. This group meets on a regular basis to review all pending legislation and make recommendations.

If you are aware of some legislation that affeca the building materials industry let your association office know as well as voicing your opinion to your legislative representative in Sacramento. By letting your association know, your voice can be magnified through Western many times and heard much more plainly in the legislative halls of Sacramento.

It also puts your association to work foryou. And that's what we really are all about.