California Hotel & Lodging Association Leads Grassroots Effort to Defeat AB 606.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Governor Schwarzenegger Vetoes ``The Humane Treatment of Hotel Room Attendants Act of 2004''

The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) was successful in defeating AB 606, styled by its sponsors as "The Humane Treatment of Hotel Room Attendants Act of 2004." As the only California lodging association on record as opposed to AB 606, CH&LA led the grassroots effort to unite the lodging industry against this unnecessary legislation, which was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger on Saturday.

"This is a very critical victory for all of California's hotels and inns, and a very satisfying win for this association," said Jim Abrams, President & CEO of CH&LA. "We're pleased Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed this anti-business legislation."

AB 606, which purported to provide protection for room attendants' rest breaks was a case of bad public policy in the making. There was no need for AB 606, because current law already provides these protections, and AB 606 would have just heaped more penalties on top of existing sanctions that now face lodging operators. CH&LA and their legislative advocacy firm, Public Policy Advocates, fought against this special interest legislation from start to finish, and mobilized the industry in a very successful grassroots communications effort to encourage Governor Schwarzenegger to veto this legislation. In his veto message, Governor Schwarzenegger noted that "the foundation of California labor law is strong," and that the additional penalties of AB 606 "will prove a disincentive to job creation and economic development, things California needs."

The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) is the largest state lodging industry trade association in the country. Its 1,600 member properties, which comprise close to 200,000 guest rooms, consist of hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns, guest ranches, resorts, spas, condominium rentals, timeshares, and vacation home rentals located throughout California. CH&LA's mission is to be the indispensable resource for communicating and protecting the rights and interests of the California lodging industry, for providing educational training and value programs for all segments of the industry, and for supporting strategic alliances to promote the value of California tourism and travel. Sacramento-based CH&LA has been representing California's lodging industry for more than a century. CH&LA is on the web at www.chlaonline.com.