Rialto Small Business Update: Week of September 28, 2026
Rialto Chamber of Commerce Business Update
Covering news from roughly the past week, as of September 28, 2026.
This is a free resource for Rialto Chamber members, especially small business owners. It rounds up what happened this week at the local, county, and state level that could affect how you run your business — plus events worth putting on your calendar.
Legislative & Regulatory Watch
Two bills small business owners should watch land on the Governor's desk by September 30. The Legislature's session wrapped and Governor Newsom has until Tuesday, September 30, 2026 to sign or veto everything sent to him. Two bills matter directly to Rialto businesses:
SB 690 (CIPA lawsuit relief) — This bill would stop a wave of "shakedown" lawsuits that have hit small businesses (restaurants, plumbers, healthcare providers, and others) under California's 1967 Invasion of Privacy Act. Plaintiffs' firms have been suing over ordinary website tools like analytics and chat widgets, with demand letters often running $10,000–$25,000, even when no one was actually harmed. Over 4,000 of these suits have been filed and firms have collected more than half a billion dollars in settlements. If Newsom signs SB 690, enforcement shifts to the state Attorney General instead of private lawsuits, and the law would take effect January 1, 2027. If your business has a website with a chat widget or analytics tracking (most do), this is worth watching. Duane Morris analysis | NFIB update
AB 2646 (agricultural minimum wage) — Would raise the minimum wage for agricultural workers to $19.75/hour starting in 2027. Relevant for any business that employs farm labor or contracts with agricultural operations in the area. It passed the Legislature and now awaits the Governor's signature. NFIB California end-of-session report
Statewide minimum wage rises to $17.40/hour on January 1, 2027. Certified by the Department of Finance in July under the state's annual inflation adjustment. Worth flagging now for 2027 budgeting: the increase also raises the minimum salary for overtime-exempt employees to $72,384/year. If you have salaried employees near that threshold, check now whether they'll still qualify as exempt. CA Dept. of Industrial Relations notice
Other bills the Governor signed this week that touch small employers: SB 1149 requires bereavement leave; AB 2028 tightens regulation of "payday loan" transactions; AB 1803 adds anti-hate-speech content to mandatory harassment training; AB 1265 creates a tax credit for rehabilitating historic structures (useful if renovating an older commercial building). Sept. 27 update | Sept. 20 update
November 3 ballot: four measures with direct business implications. Ballots start mailing October 5. Of 14 statewide propositions: Prop 42 would ban new taxes on business personal property, securities, and IP; Prop 43 would raise the vote threshold for local special taxes; Prop 45 would speed up environmental review, potentially shortening permitting timelines; Prop 40, a one-time 5% wealth tax on billion-dollar estates, is being watched for its effect on California's investment climate. CalMatters 2026 voter guide
Local & State News
Rialto City Council met September 22. Agendas and video are posted through the city's Legistar/Granicus system. City Council Meetings page | Meeting agendas & video
San Bernardino County is putting business front and center at its 2026 "State of the County." The county's flagship annual gathering is explicitly framed around showcasing the county as a destination for business investment and job creation, timed to the Route 66 centennial — a signal of where county economic development attention is headed this year. County announcement
Heads up on Rialto water/wastewater rates. Council approved phased increases earlier this year (8% water year one, 3% annual wastewater) to fund infrastructure, smaller than originally proposed, with a 20% discount for qualifying senior/low-income customers still in place. City water/sewer rates page
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
San Bernardino County "State of the County" — Thursday, October 8, 2026, Ontario Convention Center. 1,300+ business, government, and community leaders expected; $50 tickets; good networking venue. Event announcement
Free SBDC trainings — October 6 & 7, 2026 (online, no cost):
Oct. 6, 8:00–9:30 AM — Contracting 101
Oct. 7, 10:00–11:30 AM — Trademark Basics
Oct. 7, 10:00–11:30 AM — Doing Business with the County of Riverside
Oct. 7, 12:00–1:00 PM — Preparing for Business Growth in 2027: Funding Strategies
Oct. 7, 12:00–1:00 PM — Beyond Borders: Export Financing
Free one-on-one consulting also available: (800) 616-7232. OCIE SBDC training calendar
Rialto Chamber events — check directly for the latest mixers/workshops. Events page | Facebook
Ballots mail October 5 for the November 3 election — 14 propositions, several with business implications (see above).
