2025 California Business Outlook Recap
This past week, the Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce had the incredible honor of being recognized as one of the top three finalists for the California Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Chamber of the Year award.
Our CEO, Patrick Ellis, along with Board of Director member Daneen Ashworth and Board Chair Jay Diallo, represented our region at the CalChamber California Business Outlook in Sacramento, where the Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber of Commerce was honored as one of the top three finalists for the inaugural Chamber of the Year award. This prestigious recognition celebrates excellence in advocacy, leadership, and impact across California’s chamber network.
During the dinner, attendees also had the opportunity to compare the views of six candidates for California Governor participating in a moderated panel discussion. The discussion offered valuable insights and helped attendees better understand where each candidate stands on the matters that impact Californians most.
While the Redlands Chamber ultimately took home the award, we’re incredibly proud to be recognized among the state’s best and remain committed to championing our business community with energy, innovation, and heart.
Advocacy in Action
While in Sacramento, Patrick, our Board, and a delegation from Southwest California Legislative Council visited the Capitol building and played an instrumental role in helping defeat SB 310—a bill that would have undone the bipartisan PAGA (Private Attorneys General Act) reforms passed in 2024.
Through these coordinated efforts, Patrick helped amplify the voice of the Inland Empire business community and ensured that lawmakers understood the real-world impact of this harmful proposal. Thanks to the collective action and persistence of chambers, associations, and employers, SB 310 was successfully stopped—preserving hard-won reforms that protect businesses while ensuring workers’ rights are upheld.
From President/CEO, Patrick Ellis
"Our recent trip to Sacramento as part of the Southwest California Legislative Council was a powerful reminder of the strength of local voices in state-level policy conversations.
Having members of the Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber Board of Directors—who are not just leaders but local business owners themselves—join us made all the difference. Their firsthand perspectives brought authenticity and urgency to our advocacy efforts on behalf of the region's business community.
When our legislators hear directly from those living the day-to-day of running a business, it brings our message home in a way that no statistic ever could."
Jay Diallo, First Community Capital
"I’ve attended several advocacy trips to Sacramento on behalf of our CDFI industry and small business owners through various community groups. However, participating in Advocacy Day in Sacramento as a Murrieta/Wildomar Chamber member during the Annual CalChamber Business Outlook event was incredibly eye-opening.
I was proud to represent and advocate for our chamber members and local business community—supporting legislation that helps small businesses and opposing harmful policies that threaten their growth. We’re excited to share that two of the bills the Chamber opposed were successfully defeated, and one bill we supported passed.
I strongly encourage our Chamber community—especially board members and ambassadors—to make an effort to attend the next Advocacy Day in Sacramento. The more voices we bring to the Capitol, the stronger our impact. Kudos to the Southwest California Legislative Council for coordinating productive and impactful meetings with our legislators."
Daneen Ashworth, Compass HR
"Participating in the legislative trip to Sacramento was an eye-opening and transformative experience for me. Engaging with lawmakers and industry leaders allowed me to voice my concerns, advocate for policies that support economic growth, and build relationships that will benefit my companies and my clients’ companies for years to come. I gained firsthand knowledge of regulatory changes, networked with key decision-makers, and positioned myself as an active participant in shaping the future of my industry.
This trip reinforced the importance of staying involved in the legislative process, and I highly recommend it to any business seeking to influence policy and stay ahead of industry trends.
The group we went with lobbied to support one bill and oppose three. Two of the bills we were opposing were defeated! That is a huge win and a honor to be part of that effort."
Adam A. Ruiz, Rincon Strategies
"We had a productive and energizing day meeting with our local legislators’ offices. Representing the business community, we advocated against legislation that would undermine the PAGA reforms passed last year, challenged proposals for overreaching AI surveillance in the workplace, and voiced opposition to a bill unfairly targeting a single healthcare provider.
On the positive side, we expressed strong support for a bill creating a CEQA exemption for first-time homebuyers in California and the vital Delta Conveyance Project.
We were proud to share that SWCLC has already taken positions on 40 bills in 2025, reflecting the priorities of our regional business leaders.
Following our visit, we were thrilled to learn that two of the bills we opposed failed within just two days—a powerful reminder that advocacy works. It was an educational, impactful, and inspiring experience that showcased the importance of civic engagement for business owners and leaders alike."
Southwest California Legislative Council
Want to become more involved? Join us for our monthly Southwest California Legislative Council meetings, held every third Monday of the month. SWCLC is a business advocacy coalition focusing on sustainable job growth for our region and the state.
Through Southwest California Legislative Council, we’ve taken positions on labor issues from sick leave to background checks, infrastructure policies that would make it harder to address regional highway needs, housing and energy issues that affect affordability, and so many more.
