POLICY WATCH – August 2026
In This Issue
A Swarm of Good News
Sonoma County Airport Is Growing
Solano Maritime and Aerospace Act
PAGA: A Growing Business Challenge
Upcoming Events
Business Edge Briefing, September 22, 8:00am-9:30am, Dominican University
Marin Housing Solutions Forum, September 22, 5:00pm-7:00pm. College of Marin
Save the Date- State of the North Bay Economic Conference, October 14, 8:30am-10:00am via zoom
Members in the News
As summer winds down, we’re taking a slightly different approach to this month’s Policy Watch. There is certainly no shortage of serious news and challenges competing for our attention, but there are also reasons for optimism and important opportunities to celebrate and keep an eye on across the North Bay.
From dragonflies filling the skies to new investments in regional infrastructure and economic development, this month’s stories offer a reminder that progress is happening all around us.
We’ll also highlight a few policy issues that deserve our attention, including the growing impact of PAGA litigation on California and North Bay businesses. As always, we hope you’ll find these updates informative, useful, and perhaps even a welcome distraction from the headlines.
Best regards,
Joanne
A Swarm of Good News: The Dragonflies Have Arrived
It’s August, so we’re giving you permission to take a brief break from the headlines. Between elections, budgets, tariffs and everything else competing for our attention, sometimes a little perspective comes from looking up and noticing that California is having a dragonfly moment. Unusually large swarms of dragonflies have been appearing across the state, thanks in part to warm spring rains, and they’re doing what dragonflies do best: zipping around at up to 35 miles per hour and eating hundreds of mosquitoes a day.
So, in this month’s Policy Watch, we’re taking a brief detour from the serious stuff. Consider it our small contribution to summer: a reminder that there is still plenty of fascinating, beautiful and even slightly weird news happening in the world and not all of it requires a policy response.
Read the About Dragonflies Here
Good News: Sonoma County Airport Is Growing and Planning for the Future:
Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport is experiencing record passenger growth and planning for the future, reports Jeff Quackenbush, North Bay Business Journal. Passenger traffic through July is up 10.4% over the same period last year, with July alone up 24.2%. Southwest’s arrival in April, along with additional routes and carriers, is helping make Sonoma County increasingly accessible to businesses, visitors and residents.
The airport is responding with investments in infrastructure, including construction that will expand aircraft parking positions from four to six, while planners look ahead to improvements to parking, roadways, rental-car facilities and eventually the terminal. Importantly, the airport is also pursuing new approaches to reduce aircraft noise and strengthen its relationship with neighboring communities.
Reliable, convenient regional air service is economic infrastructure. A stronger Sonoma County Airport makes it easier for employers to attract talent, for businesses to connect with customers and partners, and for visitors to reach the North Bay. It strengthens the North Bay's competitiveness and helps connect our region to markets throughout the West.
As we work to build a more resilient and competitive North Bay economy, investments that improve connectivity, infrastructure and quality of life are worth celebrating. The challenge and the opportunity is to make sure that growth continues in a way that benefits the broader region and remains a good neighbor to the communities around the airport.
Ship Building and Aerospace: A Potential New Engine for North Bay Economic Growth:
A proposal to accelerate development of a major shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing project at Collinsville, a rural area of Solono County at the mouth of the Sacramento River, ran into a roadblock this week as reported by CBS News. The Solano County Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 to oppose moving the legislation forward during the current legislative session. County officials said they received the draft only Monday afternoon, leaving little time to review the proposal, consult with stakeholders, and address concerns around environmental review and local input.
The proposed Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act has been championed as a way to strengthen California’s maritime industrial base and advance shipbuilding for national security. The Board’s decision does not necessarily end the effort: supervisors directed staff to continue working on the proposal with the possibility of bringing it back in the next legislative session, giving local stakeholders more time to weigh in.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Assemblymember Lori Wilson and State Senator Christopher Cabaldon strongly advocated for moving the legislation forward, arguing that Solano should be positioned to compete for major shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing investments. They have been working on legislation that would create a framework to facilitate maritime and manufacturing development in Collinsville, although the bill had not yet been formally introduced as of the meeting. Wilson reported to CalMatters that the vote killed legislation for this year.
Collinsville represents a potentially significant opportunity for advanced manufacturing, good-paying jobs, and economic development in the broader North Bay. We’ll be watching this closely as the conversation continues.
PAGA: A California Business Issue Hits Close to Home
California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) was created to give workers a way to enforce workplace labor laws, but the law has also become a significant source of litigation and financial risk for employers. A recent look at PAGA cases in the Sacramento region, by Helen Harlan, from Abridged.org news, highlights how businesses from restaurants and nonprofits to large companies—have faced settlements ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. In some cases, substantial portions of those settlements go to attorneys and litigation-related costs rather than directly to employees.
This is not just a Sacramento issue. PAGA litigation is happening right here in the North Bay. The state is currently considering additional changes to PAGA regulations, including measures intended to address high-frequency filers, strengthen settlement oversight and curb what state officials describe as generic or noncompliant filings.
For NBLC, this is an important policy conversation because California needs strong labor protections while also maintaining a business environment where employers can grow, invest and create jobs. The costs and uncertainty associated with PAGA can be particularly challenging for small and mid-sized employers that don't have the resources to absorb a lengthy legal process or a six- or seven-figure settlement.
As policymakers consider further reforms, the North Bay business community should be part of the conversation. Good policy should protect workers, encourage employers to comply with the law, and ensure that California remains a place where businesses can succeed and jobs can grow.
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, September 22, 8:00am-9:30:00am, Dominican University of CA: Business Edge Briefing Register Here
Tuesday, September 22, 5:00pm-7:00pm, College of Marin:
The Marin Housing Solutions Forum. Register Here.
Save the Date: Wednesday, October 14th, 8:30am-10:00am, via zoom: State of the North Bay Economic Conference
Members in the News
Recology Artstart Student Hub TRASH Grand Reveal
TRASH is a collaboration between Recology Sonoma Marin and Artstart dedicated to igniting artistic creativity during a seven-week art program.
How Sonoma State Saved Academic Programs Slated for Closure
The university has gotten help from the state in the form of a one-time $45 million funding boost to help stabilize its finances. This spring, Sonoma State President Michael Spagna, who started in January, told the campus the university has moved on from retrenchment and is in “strategic investment” mode.
Bank of America’s Beyond the Boardroom Series Ends with a Day of Service at North Bay Children’s Center
NBLC Members enjoyed an impactful day at North Bay Children’s Center helping where we could and learning about all of the incredible work being done there. Thank you, Bank of America, for your support and partnership in making the Noth Bay a better place to live and work.
10,000 Degrees Awarded $500,000 Grant by California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
Coverage of the announcement that 10,000 Degrees was awarded a $500,000 competitive grant by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to expand local outreach and provide hands-on assistance for students filling out financial aid applications, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), by Sept. 2, 2026, to be eligible for a Cal Grant.
BioMarin to Acquire Alesta Therapeutics to Gain ALE1, a Potential First Oral Therapy for Hypophosphatasia, Adding an Important Clinical Program to BioMarin's Pipeline
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) announced that BioMarin has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Alesta Therapeutics to gain Alesta's lead clinical-stage asset, ALE1.
Who We Are
North Bay Leadership Council is the strong voice of employers who advocate for sound public policy affecting the North Bay, demonstrate and grow leadership within the region, and collectively work for a more resilient, prosperous and equitable future. For more information: Call 707.283.0028 / E-mail info@northbayleadership.org
www.northbayleadership.org