Rialto Chamber of Commerce — Weekly Business Update

Week of October 19, 2026

Rounds up news and developments from the past week, as of October 19, 2026. A free resource for Rialto Chamber members.

A quick editor's note: hyperlocal, day-to-day Rialto city news was thin this particular week (the City Council had no meetings), so this issue leans more heavily on state-level compliance news that affects every small business's bottom line, plus what's genuinely on the calendar locally. If you've got a tip for next week's issue — a new business opening, a permit fight, a council vote — send it our way.

Legislative & Regulatory Watch

California's 2027 minimum wage jumps to $17.40/hour. The state Department of Finance certified the increase on July 31, 2026; it takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies to every employer regardless of size. The minimum annual salary to classify an employee as exempt also rises, from $70,304 to $72,384/year ($6,032/month). Why it matters: if you run payroll, now is the time to start budgeting for the increase and to double-check which of your salaried staff still clear the new exempt threshold — meeting the salary number alone doesn't make someone exempt; the duties test still applies. Remember that fast-food and healthcare workers already have separate, higher minimum wage schedules under state law. Rialto itself has no local minimum-wage ordinance, so the statewide rate is what applies here — unlike some cities elsewhere in California. (HRCalifornia)

A wave of new employment laws hits January 1, 2027 — a few are worth planning around now. CalChamber's HR Watchdog published its 2027 roundup this month. The ones most likely to touch a small business:

• AB 1697 ("stay-or-pay" agreements), signed September 30, 2026, restricts contracts that require employees to repay training or sign-on costs if they leave early. It applies to agreements signed on or after January 1, 2027, with carve-outs for certain tuition reimbursement and retention bonuses. Violations can cost $5,000 per worker. If you use any kind of repayment agreement for training, certifications, or relocation costs, have it reviewed before year-end.

• SB 1149 (bereavement leave) expands required unpaid bereavement leave (up to 5 days) to cover the death of a "designated person" with a family-like relationship, not just blood relatives — update your handbook.

• AB 2495 (immigration-related protections) bars employers from demanding extra verification documents or threatening to report workers to immigration authorities — now extended to cover job applicants and former employees too.

• AB 2155 (arbitration agreements) — arbitration clauses that wouldn't be enforced under federal law can no longer fall back on California's arbitration statute as a backstop. If your employee agreements include arbitration clauses, have counsel take a look.

• Most other 2027 changes (automated-decision-system layoff notices, workplace surveillance limits, pay-data penalty increases) mainly target larger employers, but worth a skim if you're growing. (CDF Labor Law, CalChamber HRWatchdog)

Payroll tax deadline just passed, penalty date is coming. California's EDD quarterly payroll tax returns and deposits for Q3 2026 (DE 9, DE 9C, DE 3D, DE 3BHW, and the quarterly DE 88 deposit) were due October 1, 2026, and become delinquent if not filed by November 2, 2026. If you haven't filed yet, you still have a short runway before penalties kick in. (EDD Payroll Tax Due Dates)

Sales and use tax return deadline: October 31, 2026. If you collect sales tax, your Q3 2026 (July–September) California sales and use tax return and payment is due by the end of this month. File through CDTFA's online services. (CDTFA Important Dates)

Local & State News

Rialto City Council had no meetings this month — Planning Commission is still active. Both the October 13 and October 27 City Council meetings were cancelled. If you've got a project, permit, or zoning matter in the pipeline, the City Council isn't the body to watch right now — the Planning Commission is: it met October 7 and meets again Tuesday, October 21, 6:00 p.m., at City Council Chambers, 150 S. Palm Ave. (Rialto Legistar Calendar)

A countywide sales-tax renewal — not a new tax — is on the November 3 ballot. San Bernardino County's Measure I would extend the existing half-cent (0.5%) transactions and use tax that's funded transportation projects since 1989, currently set to expire in 2040. The continuation keeps the rate unchanged (SBCTA is explicit that this is a renewal, not an increase) and is projected to raise roughly $7.5 billion over 30 years for road, freeway, and transit projects countywide, including in the San Bernardino Valley subarea that covers Rialto. Why it matters to you: this is the tax rate baked into every retail transaction in the county, so it's worth knowing it's up for renewal, not expansion, when customers or staff ask. There's no Rialto-specific measure on this ballot. (Redlands Community News, SB County Elections — Nov. 3, 2026 Measures)

San Bernardino County held its annual "State of the County" business showcase on October 8 at the Ontario Convention Center, themed around Route 66's 100th anniversary and aimed at promoting the county to investors and employers. If your business works with county economic development programs or is considering expansion, SelectSBCounty.com is the county's ongoing portal for that outreach. (SB County news release)

Rialto's "Renaissance" retail redevelopment is still recruiting tenants. The roughly 15-acre site on the west side of Riverside Avenue, between the former Walmart building and Rialto Marketplace in south Rialto, is being developed by NewMark Merrill, which has said it's actively courting new retailers and sit-down restaurants. If you're a retailer or restaurant operator weighing expansion or relocation within Rialto, this corridor is one to watch — and a reminder that resident interest (voiced at an earlier community workshop) skewed toward larger anchor tenants like Target, Costco, and Trader Joe's, which could shape what else gets built around them. (ConnectCRE)

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• Rialto Planning Commission meeting — Tuesday, October 21, 6:00 p.m., City Council Chambers, 150 S. Palm Ave., Rialto. Relevant if you have a zoning, permit, or development item under review. (Agenda via Legistar)

• San Bernardino County general election — Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Measure I (countywide transportation sales-tax renewal, see above) is on the ballot alongside several city-specific tax measures in neighboring communities (Highland, Ontario, Chino Hills, Twentynine Palms, Grand Terrace, and Adelanto all have their own transactions-and-use tax measures). If you operate in more than one Inland Empire city, it's worth checking which measures apply to your locations. (SB County Elections)

• Free one-on-one business advising — Inland Empire Small Business Development Center. The Inland Empire SBDC (hosted through CSUSB) offers no-cost consulting on business plans, financing, and growth strategy, plus periodic workshops. Good first stop if you're seeking capital, trying to professionalize your books, or planning an expansion. (CalOSBA partner profile)

• SCORE Inland Empire mentoring and workshops. Free mentoring from retired/working executives and a regular workshop calendar (marketing, finance, start-up basics) — a solid complement to the SBDC above. (SCORE Inland Empire)

• San Bernardino County America's Job Centers — hiring help for employers. If you're trying to fill positions, the county's Workforce Development Board runs recruitment support and can help connect you with job seekers at no cost; check their events calendar periodically for the next employer hiring event. (SB County Workforce Development)

Have local business news, an event, or a correction for next week's issue? Reply to let us know.