Snodgrass & Micheli
government relations · sacramentoÂ
EXAMPLES OF PRIOR CLIENT WORKÂ
Real Issues. Real Results.
A sample of legislation and policy issues we have worked on with clients from tax and transportation to civil justice and public safety.Â
Taxation & Economic DevelopmentÂ
State and Local Taxation
We have represented numerous clients before the Legislature, Franchise Tax Board, Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and State Board of Equalization on a wide range of state and local tax issues. Over the past 30 years, we have been involved in most of the state legislation making significant tax law changes, and we have represented taxpayers in audit, protest, and appeal hearings. Chris has also served on Executive Director Advisory Boards at the FTB and SBE.
Legislature
Audits & Appeals
FTB
CDTFA
BOE
Timber Company
Fixing a $30 Million Tax Liability
Hired to fix an inadvertent $30 million tax liability, we drafted and negotiated language and led a coalition in support of the corrective bill. Despite opposition to the effort, including a front-page Los Angeles Times story, and in the midst of a multi-billion-dollar state budget deficit, we successfully convinced the legislature to reverse this unintended application of prior late night budget fix, which was then signed into law by the Governor.
Corrective Bill
Coalition
Signed into law
MCI WorldCom · Lockheed Martin
Protected Enterprise Zones
For MCI WorldCom, Chris was the main lobbyist on AB 46 (Washington), which added three competitively bid enterprise zones in the state. He helped negotiate AB 1550 (Arambula), a significant EZ reform package, with numerous groups. His work for Lockheed Martin and tax credit companies over a decade helped defeat numerous bills and prevented damage to the EZ Program.
AB 46 (Washington) · 2001
AB 1550 (Arambula) · 2006
Businesses & Tax Professionals
Federal Tax Conformity
Chris has played a significant role over the years in the major bills conforming California law to federal tax law changes. His lobbying on behalf of businesses and tax professionals resulted in passage of these key bills.
SB 657 (Scott) · 2002
AB 1122 (Corbett) · 2002
SB 401 (Wolk) · 2010
AB 115 (Klehs) · 2005
Los Angeles County
Extending Measure M
Our client sponsored a bill to place an extension of Measure M, the half-cent sales tax, before county voters. Despite significant opposition from major anti-tax groups, the bill won bipartisan support in both houses of the Legislature. We built a large coalition, with the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Labor Federation as lead proponents. After the bill was signed, Los Angeles County voters passed the extension.
Bipartisan Support
CalChamber & Labor Fed
CalChamber & Labor Fed
Transportation Funding
Orange County Transportation Authority
$200 Million for Orange County
Chris was instrumental in passing AB 2928 (Torlakson), which secured more than $200 million for Orange County transit and highway projects as part of Governor Davis’ historic Transportation Congestion Relief Program.
AB 2928 (Torlakson) · 2000
$200M+
LA Metro
Toll Lanes and a Transportation Sales Tax
Chris helped pass SB 1422 (Ridley-Thomas), which used $200 million in federal transit funding to establish two high-occupancy toll lanes in Los Angeles County. AB 2321 and AB 1446 (Feuer) then placed an additional half-cent sales tax for transportation and highway projects on the county ballot.
SB 1422 (Ridley-Thomas)
AB 1446 (Feuer)
AB 2321 (Feuer)
Civil Justice & Business Law
Trade Associations & Businesses
Civil Justice Reform
We have worked with trade associations and individual businesses to improve California’s civil justice system, including Prop. 64, adopted statewide by voters, and the first bill addressing abusive B&P Code Section 17200 lawsuits. Chris wrote a column for five years for The Daily Recorder, Sacramento’s legal journal, authoring more than 100 columns on civil justice reform.
Prop. 64
B&P §17200
100+ Columns
Mattel · Johnson & Johnson
Limiting Abusive Lawsuits
In 1997, Chris worked with toy manufacturers (including Mattel and the Toy Manufacturers of America), high-tech companies, and consumer products businesses such as Johnson & Johnson to amend California’s slack-fill packaging law and stop abusive Section 17200 lawsuits against these industries.
AB 1394 (Figueroa) · 1997
California Manufacturers Association
Bringing LLCs to California
Chris was a key lobbyist for the California Manufacturers Association, working extensively for enactment of the Beverly-Killea Limited Liability Act, which allowed LLCs to be formed in California.
SB 469 · 1994
Beverly-Killea Act
Mercury Insurance Company
Amending Prop. 103
After a veto the year before, Chris worked with Governor Davis as the lobbyist for SB 841 (Perata). The bill successfully amended Prop. 103, which required a super-majority vote in both houses of the Legislature, over the strenuous objections of Prop. 103’s sponsors.
SB 841 (Perata) · 2003
Super-Majority Vote
Labor & Employment
Businesses & Trade Associations
More Than a Decade in Labor and Employment
We have lobbied on labor and employment legislation and regulations for numerous businesses and trade associations for more than a decade, taking part in all of the major business and labor battles during that time. We have often led the business community’s coalitions and served as a principal spokesperson, including giving lead testimony before legislative committees.
Coalition Lead
Lead Testimony
MLB Teams in California
Resolving a Major League Baseball Dispute
We spent several months negotiating a bill to resolve a significant dispute between labor unions, the Labor Commissioner, and Major League Baseball teams in California. Governor Newsom signed it into law.
Months of Negotiation
Signed by Gov. Newsom
Public Safety & Technology
SEMI · Movie Companies
Protecting Intellectual Property
Working with then-Assemblyman Jim Cunneen, Chris lobbied for SEMI, a national high-tech trade association, on three bills fighting intellectual property crime: AB 2191 expanded the definition of trade secrets, AB 143 increased penalties for receiving stolen property in high-tech crimes, and AB 154 strengthened prosecutors’ ability to pursue high-tech crimes. Years later, he helped movie companies address piracy through AB 819 (Calderon).
AB 2191 · 1996
AB 143 · 1997
AB 154 · 1999
AB 819 (Calderon) · 2011
American Knife & Tool Institute · Buck Knives
Updating Knife Laws
After extensive negotiations with law enforcement, Chris secured amendments to California’s dirk/dagger and switchblade laws so that possessing certain knives for lawful purposes would not result in criminal convictions. He later served as an expert witness in several superior court cases explaining the changes.
AB 78 (Granlund) · 1997
SB 274 (Karnette) · 2001
SmartStart of California
Establishing a DUI Pilot Project
Chris played a key role in passing AB 91 (Feuer), which created a four-county pilot requiring ignition interlock devices on vehicles driven by first-time DUI offenders. Governor Schwarzenegger held a bill-signing ceremony with law enforcement, MADD, and other anti-drunk driving groups.
AB 91 (Feuer) · 2009
Signing Ceremony
Natural Resources
Humboldt Redwood Company
Forestry Reform Package
Chris and his client were key players in passing AB 1492, a critical budget trailer bill that was one of the most significant forestry industry bills in several decades. It required a super-majority vote in both houses of the Legislature.