DATE:
February 25, 2025
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
City Manager’s Office
TITLE: Adoption of Legislative Platform for 2025
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Legislative Platform to guide the City’s regional, state, and federal legislative advocacy efforts for 2025.
BACKGROUND
On February 11, 2025, the City Council held a Study Session to provide input on the proposed Legislative Platform to guide the City’s legislative advocacy during the 2025 legislative session.
The Study Session memo is included as Attachment 1 to the Council report.
The 2025 Regional and State Legislative Platform is based on the framework of the adopted 2024 Platform and feedback received from each City department regarding the major issues they are focused on. The platform consists of 11 issue areas with 134 policy statements, reflecting the most important legislative issues discussed during these meetings (Attachment 2).
The 2025 Federal Legislative Platform consist s of four issue areas with 49 policy statements reflecting the most important legislative priorities and issues identified by each City department (Attachment 4).
ANALYSIS
2025 Legislative Platform
At the Study Session on February 11, Council supported the following:
• Remove the Support only if the City Council determines this is feasible within the Tenant Displacement Response Strategy asterisk from C.7. (Regional and State Legislative Platform)
Adoption of Legislative Platform for 2025
February 25, 2025
• Add a policy statement that requires regional bodies to provide transparency and accountability to the public regarding how City Councilmember appointments are made to those regional bodies. (Regional and State Legislative Platform)
• Provide alternative language in policy statements that begin with “oppose regulatory…” to distinguish between good-faith efforts versus bad-faith efforts as it relates to local control. (Federal Legislative Platform)
• Add a policy statement that supports train noise reduction and quiet zones for VTA Light Rail and Caltrain. (Federal and State Legislative Platform)
• Add a policy statement that supports reforms to state law that require contractor licenses for public art installations. (Regional and State Legislative Platform)
• Add a policy statement that supports efforts to improve the builder ’s remedy process . (Regional and State Legislative Platform)
• Add a policy statement that supports amending federal law to enable local governments to pursue reach codes. (Federal Legislative Platform)
Staff has incorporated the legislative platform policy statement changes summarized above in Attachment 2 (redline version), Attachment 3, Attachment 4 (redline version), and Attachment 5.
In addition, Council requested the following statement as part of the legislative platform.
However, staff and the state legislative advocate requires additional time to review and develop proposed language to be included in the Regional and State Legislative Platform.
• The addition of a policy statement that supports requiring cities to report on Homelessness response in housing elements. (Regional and State Legislative Platform)
Once the language for this statement is developed staff will incorporate the language in line with the City Council’s intent and send the updated platform to Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the Legislative Platform for 2025.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or Adoption of Legislative Platform for 2025
February 25, 2025
agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to- play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
☒ General policy and legislative actions
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not adopt the Legislative Platform for 2025.
2. Modify the Legislative Platform for 2025.
3. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING
Agenda posting with copies to State Senator Josh D. Becker (District 13), State Assemblymember Marc Berman (District 24), Congressman Sam Liccardo (District 16), United States Senator Alex Padilla, and United States Senator Adam Schiff.
Prepared by:
Christina Gilmore
Intergovernmental Relations Manager
Approved by:
Arn Andrews
Assistant City Manager
CG/4/CAM/608-02-25-25CR
204710
Attachments: 1. February 11, 2025 Study Session Memo
2. Regional and State Legislative Platform for 2025 (Redline)
3. Regional and State Legislative Platform for 2025
4. Federal Legislative Platform for 2025 (Redline)
5. Federal Legislative Platform for 2025
6. Council Policy A-16, Positions on Ballot Measures and Legislative Advocacy