NTCA Advocates for North Lake Tahoe Interests With State Legislators

By Tony Karwowski, NTCA president & CEO

Last month, I participated in advocacy efforts to protect and advance the interests of California’s travel industry with state legislators. As part of the annual advocacy day facilitated by the California Travel Association (CalTravel), I had the opportunity to elevate North Lake Tahoe’s priorities during in-person meetings with Senator Dahle, Assemblymember Hadwick, and staff of Assemblymember Gallagher.

In particular, the delegation representing CalTravel voiced support for Senate Bill 690 (SB 690), and opposition for Assembly Bill 1869 (AB 1869). SB 690 would reform an outdated wiretapping law, the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), which is being used against businesses using standard website tools such as cookies or web analytics. By exempting commercial business purposes already governed by the California Consumer Privacy Act from CIPA liability, SB 690 would stop predatory lawsuits and protect businesses, while preserving strong consumer protections.

AB 1869 proposes amendments to California’s Revenue and Taxation Code addressing how income from lodging facilities is characterized for Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) tax purposes. If passed, AB 1869 would have changed ownership models, increased costs, and disincentivized development of and investments in all hotels. Following our meetings, the bill died in suspense. It will not advance.

Advocacy efforts like this, plus representation at the federal level with legislators in Washington, D.C. as part of the “Team Tahoe” delegation earlier this spring, give our community an opportunity to have our collective voice heard by our elected officials. These meetings are one way we advocate for funding and legislation that benefits all of us, and provide a chance to demonstrate how our region is successfully addressing challenges and how continued support will allow us to do even more.