Career Highlight as a Sacramento lobbyist

Tort reform: “Napkin deal” in 1987

In the wake of a successful business sponsored initiative in 1986 (Prop 51 relating to joint and several liability), a coalition of business interests, including insurance, manufacturers, medical care and small business, came together to promote a legislative package of civil justice reform.

Naylor, on behalf of manufacturing interests, was one of the chief negotiators and became a signatory to the “napkin deal” (concluded at Frank Fat’s two weeks before the end of the legislative session between the coalition and the California Trial Lawyers Association). Senator Bill Lockyer, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Speaker Willie L. Brown, Jr. helped broker the deal and Lockyer wrote the terms on a napkin, later reproduced in the form of a poster that still hangs in the entrance to Frank Fat’s.

Defeat of Legislation Banning Secret Settlement Agreements

Representing pharmaceutical interests when Gray Davis was Governor and joining a coalition of other high tech companies, Naylor was one of the lead advocates in successful floor fights against trial bar sponsored legislation. This legislation threatened disclosure of trade secrets and other proprietary information.

Addressing Assembly Democratic Retreat on Legislative Reform

Side by side with former Assembly Member Phil Eisenberg (D-Sacramento), and despite his background as Assembly Republican Leader, Naylor was invited in February 2010 by Speaker John Perez to discuss in front of a Democratic caucus retreat his ideas for internal legislative reform. Earlier he was invited to address, with Treasurer Bill Lockyer, a joint hearing on government reform.

Legislation Authorizing Proposition R (1/2 cent sales tax measure for transportation) Voted in by Los Angeles County in 2008

Naylor helped achieve a bipartisan vote of the Legislature allowing Los Angeles County to tax itself to the tune of nearly $40 billion over 30 years to support a broad range of transit and highway projects. Measure R received 67.9 per cent of the vote.

Single Sales Factor Legislation

For several years, Naylor was the lead lobbyist for a coalition of Silicon Valley companies seeking relief from the three-factor formula for corporate income apportionment. While this was ultimately enacted as part of a budget deal in 2009, Naylor and his firm helped lay the groundwork to create support for the policy among moderate Democrats and Republicans.

Clean Fuel Regulations Adopted by the Air Resources Board

Representing a major California based oil company in response to pressure for a methanol mandate, Naylor was the lead advocate for the adoption of fuel-neutral regulations for reducing toxic emissions from gasoline-fueled vehicles through new fuel formulations. This required extensive dealing with ARB staff and advocacy to individual ARB board members and the Governor’s office.