Program & Agenda

California water providers must deliver safe, reliable, affordable service amid recurring floods and droughts. This discussion explores how smarter planning, approval, and construction of water projects can capture more water in wet years, reduce flooding, and lessen shortages and rate spikes in dry years.

California's transportation funding conversation is no longer just about where the money comes from – it's also about how the state balances infrastructure needs, public opinion, environmental policy, and long-term fiscal sustainability. In this moderated discussion, panelists will touch on the current mix of federal, state, and local transportation funding, while also examining the broader policy questions shaping the future of transportation investment. The conversation will include alternative funding proposals, voter attitudes toward transportation investment and user-fee funding concepts, and policy issues such as CEQA, VMT, and the challenges of delivering projects in a changing fiscal and regulatory environment.

The Caltrans Construction Mentor Protégé Program helps small, disadvantaged, and veteran-owned firms build Caltrans fluency and technical capacity to compete for and deliver Caltrans projects. It pairs eligible protégés (licensed contractors in business at least one year) with experienced mentors through workshops and mentoring sessions.

In California, Caltrans and LA Metro offer opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and veteran-owned businesses through SBE programs, providing mentoring, workshops, and support to help small firms secure contracts for major infrastructure projects.

This session covers how to comply with and exceed Cal/OSHA requirements by building a proactive safety system that prevents injuries and protects workers. We will discuss the California Safety Orders and how they differ and often exceed federal OSHA requirements, and how the 1973 Cal/OSHA Act supports enforcement, training, and education.