Advocacy

CalAPA members are pictured at a meeting at the Capitol with Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Beall, D-San Jose, author of Senate Bill 1 in 2017 that invested more than $50 billion over 10 years on fixing roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure in California. Said Beall recently: “I commend the persistence and dedication of CalAPA members for working closely with me and other members of the Legislature for many years to get SB1 passed, and then to defend it at the ballot box. Accountability is a key feature of SB1 and CalAPA has always advocated for working collaboratively with state and local agencies to deliver high-quality road improvements that are sustainable and a good value for the taxpayer. SB1 was a backlog catch-up measure with over $20 billion of highway resurfacing work and at least the same amount on local roads. We had to support this or it would get much worse and expensive.”

 The California Asphalt Pavement Association is the only trade association that focuses exclusively on the interests of asphalt industry in California. CalAPA's Legislative Committee and Political Action Committee (PAC) are an integral part of the association’s overall strategy to raise awareness with elected officials, regulators and other policy-shapers of the need to preserve and enhance the state’s vital road transportation infrastructure, and the essential role the industry plays in that effort. Alone and in partnership with others, CalAPA has carved out a prominent role in Sacramento as a staunch advocate for prudent investments in the state’s pavement assets, and helping policymakers understand the critical link between good roads and the state’s economy and quality of life. Further, CalAPA's PAC's supports efforts to educate lawmakers about the industry, its commitment to local communities and sustainability, and the difficulties posed by onerous and ill-conceived regulations, largely through plant tours and other informational events. A special issue of CalAPA's magazine, California Asphalt, that highlights CalAPA's legislative engagement is HERE.

CalAPA is represented at the Capitol by the advocacy firm of Carpenter Garcia Sievers, LLC. The team that specializes in asphalt-related issues is led by Jeff Sievers. The firm was recently named by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the Top 25 lobbying firms at the Capitol. Their website is HERE.

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