California Manufacturers & Technology Association

09/04/2026

California makers, we have great news!📣 Nominations for the Coolest Thing Made in California contest have been steadily rolling in, and we want to keep the momentum going. So, we've extended the deadline to Monday, September 7.

If you haven't had a chance to nominate your favorite California-made products yet, you have the long weekend ahead to submit allll the cool things.🙌 Visit CoolestThingCalifornia.com to nominate before Monday at midnight.

09/03/2026

It's been another busy month for California manufacturing:

🏗️ A $100 million factory coming to Morgan Hill
🛰️ NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers extending Voyager 2's mission
📦 Trade tensions with Canada adding pressure

And that's just the start. Read the headlines you may have missed. ⤵

Read CMTA's round-up of the latest manufacturing news in California. See noteworthy industry headlines from the past month.

09/01/2026

SB 954 is making headlines across California, and it's not hard to see why. The bill piles on new approvals, requirements, and restrictions on manufacturers, and would push jobs and investment out of the state instead of keeping them here.

It's now on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk, and CMTA is calling on him to veto SB 954 before that damage is done.

08/31/2026

Attention, California!📣 The Coolest Thing Made in California contest is in its final week of nominations, and we need YOUR help to find this year's champion.

If you know a California-made product that deserves recognition, whether it's from a big brand or a hidden local gem, NOW is the time to nominate.⏰

Go to CoolestThingCalifornia.com/nominate

Let's put the spotlight on the innovators that make California #1 in manufacturing.

08/28/2026

Governor Gavin Newsom just launched "Made in California," celebrating our state as the nation's #1 in manufacturing jobs and urging consumers to buy Californian. CMTA agrees — but consumers can only buy Californian if manufacturers can actually build in California.

SB 954 just passed the Legislature and is now headed to the Governor's desk. It would break the CEQA streamlining promise made to advanced manufacturers last year.

"Governor Newsom has made the case for California-made products, but signing SB 954 would undercut that very message," said CMTA President & CEO Lance Hastings. "We're asking him to match his words with action and veto SB 954."

Read CMTA's full statement. ⬇️

CMTA calls on Governor Newsom to match his words with action and veto SB 954, a bill that would unravel California's manufacturing progress.

08/26/2026

Responsible AI policy needs workable rules.

SB 947 and SB 951 cast too wide a net, creating new requirements for businesses of all sizes and potentially restricting even routine, lower-risk uses of automated technology.

These tools can help employers improve workplace safety, monitor performance, prevent fraud and make better decisions. Overly broad rules and significant new litigation risks could instead discourage businesses from developing and adopting them.

California can protect workers without creating unnecessary barriers to responsible innovation.

Legislators should vote NO on SB 947 and SB 951.

08/26/2026

Amid the final days of the legislative session, CMTA is also keeping a close eye on the trade and economic conditions shaping the rest of 2026 for California manufacturers.🔎

Last week, CMTA President & CEO Lance Hastings joined Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka for a virtual briefing on exactly that.

The takeaway: cargo volumes at the Port remain strong, and the outlook for the rest of the year looks solid. So much of what happens at our ports shapes the cost and reliability of doing business for California manufacturers.

📺 Watch the full briefing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34h20XeO4jU

08/25/2026

🚨 A bill moving through the California legislature could put businesses' access to state grants, loans, and tax credits at risk.

AB 2465 forces California businesses into the middle of a political dispute between state and federal authorities, and would punish companies with no involvement in the conduct it's meant to target.

As written, the bill relies on vague, undefined terms to determine whether a business could lose access to state grants, loans, and tax credits, without clear guidance on which federal agencies or contracts are even covered. Businesses are left to guess, with real consequences if they guess wrong.

California manufacturers already navigate a complex, costly business environment. Legislation this consequential needs to be precise and workable. AB 2465 is neither.

CMTA urges legislators to vote NO on AB 2465.

08/21/2026

Did you know that 89% of California manufacturers are small businesses? 💪

This year’s Coolest Thing Made in California contest has a new bracket just for small and medium–sized manufacturers. We want to shine a light on what you're making right here in California.

Comment and tag a company you want to see win this recognition and then nominate them! Nominations are due Sept. 4 at CoolestThingCalifornia.com

08/19/2026

Happy National Aviation Day! ✈️ We're celebrating not only the manufacturers behind America's aircraft, but the people who make them, too.

CMTA member Lockheed Martin, part of our Aerospace & Defense Alliance of California (ADAC), is one strong example of the talent pipeline and opportunities that California's aerospace manufacturers create.

We joined their team at the Capitol last week for an informational hearing on military readiness and veteran employment opportunities.

💡A stat worth sharing: 1 in 5 of Lockheed Martin's 123,000 employees is a veteran, reservist, or military spouse.