By / Gina Medel, SMACNA SoCal President

It’s exciting to begin the summer months coming out of some great events and with some important momentum for the education committee. 

As some of you may recall, forming an education committee was a key objective for the board of directors when I began my tenure as SMACNA SoCal president. As my term winds down in October of this year, I am pleased the education committee is growing and will undoubtedly offer a strong roster of education and training offerings for our members moving forward. 

Members can sign up for a contracts and AI seminar scheduled on September 9 in Anaheim, which looks at how to responsibly and effectively use AI to make, revise, and understand contracts, and to avoid pitfalls when working with them. There is a lot AI can do and it is an important business tool, particularly if we learn its functionality and limitations and apply them in our professional settings.

We have been working hard to expand the education committee’s reach and to increase participation, and we look forward to seeing our members out at this training session. 

In June, I attended the Council of Chapter Representatives meeting in Quebec City, Canada. It was a wonderful experience to connect with other presidents and chapter executives and gain valuable insights into emerging industry trends and challenges, including AI, workforce development, and construction industry trends. 

Once my terms ends, I will have a short break before taking on the CAL SMACNA presidency. There, I look forward to serving our members and doing my part to make our industry stronger than ever. I look forward to helping strengthen the chapter and to making sure the association remains responsive to evolving issues and delivers value to our members for long-term success. 

Have a wonderful summer!

View and download and PDF of this issue

CAL SMACNA’s 2026 Day at the Capitol: Small but Mighty

Chamber Clears Up Tariff Refunds and More at SMACNA Conference

Columns:

• President’s Report: Looking Ahead
• Executive Director’s Report: SMACNA SOCAL Update: Summer is Here
• Legislative Update: Legislative Action from SMACNA Government Affairs

By / Kristine Hammond, SMACNA SoCal Executive Director

Hello and happy summertime!

SMACNA SoCal has a few new items for your attention:

The third seminar in our three-part series on SMACNA Standards: Exterior Components, Casings, Large Duct, and Type I Kitchen Grease Ducts was held on June 24. It, along with Seminars #1 and #2, can be seen at SMACNA-SoCal.org> Events > Webinar Recordings. 

Save the date: An in-person education program on Contracts and Artificial Intelligence is scheduled for September 9 from 8–11:30 am at the Anaheim Westin. Lunch will be included. Check the SMACNA-SoCal.org website for details and registration. 

Join the SMACNA SoCal Community: Our website is now integrated with SMACNA National, providing members with easier access to resources, programs, and networking opportunities. If you already have a SMACNA.org login, visit SMACNA Connect and join the SoCal Community. Members can connect with fellow SoCal contractors and employees, take part in discussions, and receive notifications about upcoming programs and events.

If you do not yet have a log-in and are an employee of a SMACNA SoCal contractor, creating one gives you access to SMACNA’s technical standards, business resources, educational programs, and other valuable member benefits. Instructions for creating a login and profile can be found in the downloadable presentation titled “Accessing SMACNA Resources” found on the Standards Seminar #2 webinar recording page at SMACNA-SoCal.org > Events > Webinar Recordings. Account approval is not immediate since employer verification is required using your work email address, so please allow a couple business days for the process to be completed.

Past Events

The CAL SMACNA 2026 Convention held April 8–11 on Kauai, Hawaii, was especially exciting for SMACNA SoCal. Chapter board member Mike Hilgert of Superior Duct Fabrication completed his term as CAL SMACNA president; our current chapter president, Gina Medel of Penn Air, was installed as the 2026-2027 CAL SMACNA President-Elect; and our current chapter vice president, Michael Dean of AireMasters Air Conditioning, was installed as the CAL SMACNA Secretary. Thank you all for your commitment to the industry and congratulations to Mike for a very successful year! 

April 22 was the 2026 Semi-Annual Luncheon at the San Antonio Winery where 118 chapter members heard an update on state legislation effecting the industry from CAL SMACNA Executive Vice President, Chris Walker, and candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Josh Newman, who spoke about initiatives to connect high school students directly with the trades and apprenticeship programs. 

May 2 was our Angel Game Pre-Party where over 300 Local 105 sheet metal workers and their families joined SMACNA SoCal members for buffet lunch and beverages prior to the Angels victory or the New York Mets. A huge thank you to all that donated the fantastic raffle prizes! The event would not be the same without your generous contributions:

AirFlow Mechanical, AireMasters Air Conditioning, Applied, Air Conditioning, Certified Air Balance, Flat Out Rides, PennAir Control, Precision Air Balance, R&R Ductwork, SMART Local 105, Superior Duct Fabrication, and Thermalair.

Gina Medel and I attended the Council of Chapter Representatives May 31–June 2 in Quebec City. Among the many insights shared during the conference, I gained a better understanding of how project labor agreements are strategically structured, how artificial intelligence is being applied to both jobsites and workforce development, and the key construction industry trends expected to shape market demand. It was also great to connect with other chapter execs and learn about their recent successes. 

June 15 was our Friends of the Industry Golf tournament. In typical fashion, this event sold out quickly. One-hundred forty-four golfers came out to enjoy excellent golf and camaraderie in the sunshine of a spectacular day! Congratulations to the winners:

1st Place: Precision Air Balance (Karen Fox, Steven Miller, Danny Maley, and Mike Wood)

2nd Place: LMCT (David Barberio, Don Gallagher, Alex Wong, and Donny Sappington)

3rd Place: AireMasters A/C (Bruce Middleton, Phillip Demman, Paul Irvig, and Matt Crowley)

 Thank you to our generous sponsors for their support:

ACCO Engineered Systems, ACH Mechanical, AireMasters Air Conditioning, Air Treatment, Allison Mechanical

American Business Bank, Applied Air Conditioning, Bay Insulation of L.A., Certified Air Balance Co., Circulating Air, Inc., Climatec, Critchfield Mechanical, Dawson Company, Desert Mechanical, DMG Corporation, EMCOR Services, Mesa Energy, Farwest Insulation Contracting, Graycon, Inc., HW LLP Certified Accountants, Johns Manville, Key Air Conditioning Contractors, Inc., Murray Company, MW Sausse, Next Level, Norman S. Wright/Airelink Mechanical Equipment, Owens Corning, Pan-Pacific Mechanical, P&E Insulation, Penn Air Control, Precision Air Balance, RBC Wealth Management, SMART Local Union #105, Southern California Sheet Metal Industry LMCT, Southern California Sheet Metal JATC, Southland Industries, Superior Air Fabrication, Toro Aire, Total Environmental Management, Inc., University Mechanical & Engineering Contractors, Vibrex, Western Allied Corporation, and Xcel Mechanical.

All past 2026 local event photos can be viewed and downloaded at SMACNA-SoCal.org  Events > SoCal Event Photos. 

Stay cool!

By / Stan Kolbe, Executive Director of Legislative and Political Affairs, SMACNA National

SMACNA Government Affairs was extremely active from January through June 2026. Just a few of its major legislative actions include Davis-Bacon defense in the Senate and expansion of prevailing wage requirements through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA); continued advancement of the Small Business Payment for Performance Act in both chambers, including a full slate of federal regulatory comments and monitoring; coalition coordination on prevailing wage and multiemployer pension issues, and significant executive branch action on energy infrastructure, federal contracting, and trade policy with direct implications for SMACNA signatory contractors.

Davis-Bacon Defense and Expansion

The primary legislative threat this period is S. 4477, the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act, pending before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. SMACNA opposes this bill because prevailing wage repeal would create a race to the bottom on federal construction projects, undercut local wage standards, and put responsible signatory contractors at a structural disadvantage against those competing on exploited labor. 

SMACNA on Offense:  The Hill staff has been advocating for a draft NDAA amendment expected from Rep. Don Norcross (D-NJ) to the Defense Community Infrastructure Program statute. Because DCIP distributes federal money as grants to state and local governments rather than through direct federal construction contracts, Davis-Bacon does not attach, leaving workers in 18 states with no federal prevailing wage protection on DCIP-funded projects. The amendment would close that gap by adding standard prevailing wage language as a condition of every DCIP grant award. 

Small Business Payment for Performance Act (H.R. 4615)

SMACNA is advancing H.R. 4615, the Small Business Payment for Performance Act, introduced by Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN), which would require the federal government to equitably adjust contracts when directed changes increase a contractor’s costs. The bill has passed the House as a NDAA amendment multiple times and has been stripped in Senate conference each time. 

This cycle, Government Affairs is pursuing both a Senate introduction to establish standing in the upper chamber and inclusion in the House-passed FY2027 NDAA. To build the member relationships needed for both outcomes, Government Affairs has conducted direct outreach to approximately 50 congressional offices, focusing on members serving on committees with jurisdiction over the NDAA and federal contracting and those representing districts with significant federal construction activity.

Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act, FY2027 (H.R. 8469)

SMACNA engaged on H.R. 8469 as it moved to the House floor, submitting vote recommendations on two amendments. SMACNA recommended a YES vote on the Rep. Walkinshaw (D-VA) amendment, which would direct GAO review of indoor air quality, ventilation, and HVAC performance standards in military construction and VA-funded buildings, creating a direct policy hook for the kind of work SMACNA contractors perform in federal facilities. 

SMACNA recommended a NO vote on the Rep. Ogles (R-GA) amendment, which would prohibit architectural, engineering, and construction design services for administrative facilities falling outside specified DOD property categories, unnecessarily restricting federal construction design and build activity. SMACNA also expressed support for the bill’s overall $157 billion discretionary funding level and urged Congress to fully fund VA construction at the President’s requested level of approximately $3.9 billion, which sustains critical veterans’ healthcare infrastructure projects built by SMACNA contractors under Davis-Bacon prevailing wage standards.

Other Legislative Priorities

SMACNA supports H.R. 7460, the Airborne Act of 2026, introduced by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) which creates a tax credit for indoor air quality assessments and HVAC upgrades at commercial and public properties with apprenticeship utilization requirements that directly benefit SMACNA-SMART contractors, and H.R. 5123, the Indoor Air Quality and Healthy Schools Act, bipartisan bill introduced by Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) which drives ventilation and filtration work in schools and childcare facilities. 

SMACNA supports H.R. 5862, the American Energy Independence and Affordability Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and 128 cosponsors. This bill will be a featured energy efficiency tax incentive bill late this year or early next year if the House flips to Democrats in November, as is widely expected. The Capitol Hill office is also tracking H.R. 4105, the Veterans Energy Transition Act, which provides employer-side reimbursements for hiring veterans in the energy sector and maps to the SMACNA-SMART joint apprenticeship pipeline. 

In April 2026, GOP Representatives Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Lawler (R-NY), Max Miller (R-OH), and Carey (R-OH) introduced SMACNA-endorsed H.R. 8477, the American Energy Dominance Act, also backed by North America’s Building Trades Unions, to restore energy tax credits accelerated for phase-out under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including the 179D commercial buildings deduction without expiration, the 45L home credit through 2032, and the 45Y and 48E clean electricity credits that drive energy infrastructure construction. SMACNA supports the bill given its direct relationship to commercial HVAC upgrade and energy construction work. SMACNA maintains firm opposition to any legislation repealing or weakening Davis-Bacon, restricting project labor agreements on federal construction, or undermining the Registered Apprenticeship system in any form.

On May 13, 2026, CAL SMACNA kicked off its 2026 Day at the Capitol (DAC) event. The annual event brings CAL SMACNA members together to visit and talk with legislative members to share their concerns, collaborate, and explain the day-to-day impact that political decisions have on contractors and their businesses. In total, 27 CAL SMACNA representatives (contractors and chapter staff) traveled to Sacramento with their families to meet their Legislators and discuss issues of importance to the industry. 

The event was smaller than usual but packed a big punch. CAL SMACNA members attended in-person meetings with 44 different legislative offices. It was terrific to hear members remark how meaningful they felt the meetings actually were and that they were listened to by the legislators and their staff.

The Four Goals for this Day at the Capitol were:

1. Create, Build, and Maintain Relationships

2. Hit Pause — Educate Your Legislator on the Real-World Difficulty of Being an Employer in California

3. Oppose New Litigation Costs in California — AB 1898 (Schultz) Workplace AI Tools & New Litigation

4. Support SB 33 (Cortese) — Change Order Reform 

AB 1898 (Schultz) was held (killed) in the Appropriations committee. This is a big win for the sheet metal industry. 

Day at the Capitol attendees also heard from guest speakers Ashley Zavala and Dan Walters during a panel discussion titled, California Politics in 2026: Power, Policy, and Pitfalls. The goal of the panel discussion was to have a candid conversation about how California’s politics reflect taxpayers’ and residents’ needs, or doesn’t, and what is driving lawmakers and voters in the upcoming election cycle.

Visit calsmacna.smugmug.com/CAL-SMACNA-Day-at-the-Capitol to view photos from the Day at the Capitol event. 

Thank you to the CAL SMACNA Legislative Committee and to every attendee for taking the time to meet with Legislative members! We hope to see you in Sacramento in 2027!