Camarillo City Council
Camarillo Sanitary District
AGENDA REPORT
Date: February 12, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Carmen Nichols, Assistant City Manager
Subject: City of Camarillo Legislative Platform
BACKGROUND
Per City Council Policy 2.02, Legislation and Legislative Matters, the Policy Committee is tasked with review of the City’s Legislative Platform and must provide a recommendation to the City Council. The platform guides Council and staff when determining appropriate action on legislative and regulatory proposals introduced at the federal and state levels.
On January 23, 2025, the Policy Committee reviewed the proposed amendments and forwarded the item for City Council’s review and adoption.
DISCUSSION
The legislative program includes: advocacy consistent with the Legislative Platform; the pursuit of both federal and state funding for City interests; continued administration and implementation of federal and state-funded programs; and any additional special legislative interest that arises throughout the year.
Legislative Platform
The Legislative Platform serves as guidance for monitoring and advocating for federal and state legislation. To support ongoing legislative efforts, the Legislative Platform reflects norms of advocating for local control and local funding. To develop the platform, all City departments and consultants reviewed the prior year's version and provided recommendations.
Below are the proposed recommendations added for the 2025 legislative session:
City of Camarillo Legislative Platform
February 12, 2025
2 3
1 0
1. Introduction
Existing practice is to present legislation that does not fit the platform to the Mayor for review of staff’s recommendation. This process streamlines the responses to the State Legislature or U.S. Congress rather than waiting until the next scheduled Policy Committee meeting.
Staff recommends removing the following sentence to match existing practice: If the City Manager or designee cannot easily discern the City's position after consulting the Platform, the legislative proposal will be referred to the Policy Committee for review and recommendation to the City Council.
2. Section I(A)(3) & I(A)(6)
In June 2024 the League of Cities City Manager Sales Tax Working Group formed a consensus around a prospective proposal that would split the Bradley Burns sales and use tax e-commerce transactions equitably between origin/fulfillment and destination cities, with each receiving 50 percent of the revenues. The League of California Cities may seek to introduce legislation addressing this subject during the 2025-26 legislative session.
Staff recommend clarifying the current language in the Platform to best match the terminology being used to discuss the subject. Staff recommends adding the following language: Support legislation that creates an equitable e-commerce sales tax distribution system between origin/fulfillment and destination cities.
Additionally, staff recommend deleting Section I(A)(6) to eliminate duplicative language.
3. Section II(D)(2)
The Legislative Platform aims to guide advocacy at all levels of government.
Currently, Section II(D)(2) only addresses State agencies and commissions.
Staff recommend amending the language to expand this position: Oppose legislative efforts that restrict the City from representing itself, including using contract representation, on issues of importance before legislative and regulatory bodies.
4. Section III(A)(8)
In October 2024 staff presented to the Public Safety and Emergency Committee regarding electronic bikes and legislation recently introduced or chaptered addressing this topic. The legislature will continue regulating this mode of transportation over the next several legislative sessions and it is recommended to include a position targeting this issue area.
Staff recommend adding the following language: Support legislation that grants City of Camarillo Legislative Platform
February 12, 2025
2 3
1 0
local governments greater flexibility when regulating electric bikes in public right of way.
City of Camarillo Legislative Platform
February 12, 2025
2 3
1 0
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact as a result of this action.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
Not applicable
RECOMMENDATION
Review and adopt the City of Camarillo Legislative Platform.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Legislative Platform (redline)
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None.
Through the City’s contracted federal and state advocates, professional organizations, and departmental staff, the City Manager’s Office will keep a close eye on legislation, as well as administrative and regulatory proposals, and as warranted, prepare position letters consistent with the Legislative Platform.