OPENING
ROLL CALL:
Staff:
CITY OF PASADENA
LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES
PASADENA CITY HALL
100 NORTH GARFIELD AVENUE
COUNCIL CHAMBER - ROOM S249
NOVEMBER 29, 2023
Chair Madison called the special meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee to order at 4:48 p.m.
Chair Steve Madison
Councilmember Gene Masuda
Councilmember Jess Rivas
Councilmember Jason Lyon
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager
David Reyes, Assistant City Manager
Jen Guess, Customer Relations Manager
Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary
Michele Bagneris, City Attorney/City Prosecutor
Mark Jomsky, City Clerk
Matt Hawkesworth, Director of Finance
Tony Olmos, Director of Public Works
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
NEW BUSINESS
01 It was moved by Councilmember Masuda, seconded by
Councitmember Rivas to approve the minutes of May 10, 2023,June 6, 2023, July 4, 2023 (cancellation), and August 1, 2023 as submitted. (Motion unanimously carried) (Absent: None)
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS TO SUBMIT TWO CHARTER
AMENDMENT BALLOT MEASURES TO VOTERS AT THE
MARCH 5, 2024 PRIMARY MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO: 1)
CODIFY CLERICAL CHANGES TO VARIOUS SECTIONS IN THE
CITY CHARTER AND UPDATE THE ACCOUNTING METHODS
RELATED TO THE TRANSFER FROM THE POWER FUND TO
THE GENERAL FUND; AND 2) TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES
TO ARTICLE X RELATED TO CONTRACTS, PURCHASES, AND
SETTLEMENT/CLAIMS; AND ADDITIONAL CONTRACT
SELECTION AND PROJECT DELIVERY METHODS
Matt Hawkesworth, Director of Finance, introduced the item, provided a Powerpoint presentation, and responded to questions.
Nina Chomsky, Pasadena resident, provided comments and
concerns about the alternative bidding process, specifically for public and private design build projects.
Mark Jomsky, City Clerk, provided information on the two proposed Charter amendment ballot measures that will be submitted for the March 2024 Primary Election and the Charter Study Task Force that may propose future ballot measures for the November 2024 General Election, and responded to questions.
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Michele Bagneris, City Attorney/City Prosecutor, shared the deadline for adding ballot measures to the March 2024 Primary Election will be Friday, December 8, and responded to questions.
Tony Olmos, Director of Public Works, provided information on the benefits of alternative bidding procedures and responded to questions.
Following discussion, Councilmember Lyon suggested simplifying the language of one of the proposed ballot measures to read, "Update the accounting of the existing vote r-ap proved transfer from the Power Fund to the General Fund to be consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles."
Following discussion, on the order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, staff was directed to review the language of the proposed ballot measures, revise the language for the
Power Fund to General Fund transfer, and include numbering or subheadings in Article X, Section 1014 to avoid confusion.
DRAFT LANGUAGE FOR ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Brenda hlarvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager, provided a Powerpoint presentation, and responded to questions.
Councilmember Lyon suggested moving the various ordinances in the Pasadena Municipal Code that relate to contracting with the City to one location so that discrimination can be viewed as a whole policy. He spoke in support of the City taking a restorative justice approach that will help build the community; and with staff receiving input from the Human Relations Commission on enforcement mechanism related to the City's proposed Anti-Discrimination policy.
Chair Madison spoke in support of staff's proposed Anti- Discrimination policy and reviewing the best practices of other cities to reflect the diversity in the community. He suggested adding a prefatory statement to the policy to read, "Whereas the City of Pasadena is a tolerant, progressive city which wishes to promote the diversity, equity, and inclusion of all its community..." Following discussion, the committee directed staff to:
Review and update the language for the proposed Anti-
Discrimination Policy based on feedback given by the
committee (as detailed above);
Draft a prefatory statement to the proposed policy;
Request input from the Human Relations Commission,
Commission on the Status of Women, and Accessibility and Disability Commission;
Recommend options for enforcement of the policy; and
Return to the Committee with information on existing policies and models from surrounding municipalities.
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INFORMATION ONLY
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Following further discussion, on the order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
BRIEFING BY DAVID JONES AND KYRA EMANUELS ROSS ON
STATE LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
David Jones and Kyra Emanuels Ross, State Legislative advocates for the City, provided an update on state and local legislative matters listed below and responded to questions:
State Legislators are on an interim recess until January 3, 2024;
The Supreme Court of California has agreed to review the Governor's request to pull the California Business Roundtable measure from the 2024 ballot;
Tax revenues are coming in at a lower level than expected:
Governor Newsom will release his proposed budget on
January 10,2024;
Speaker of the Assembly Rivas announced new committee
chairmanships:
Assemblymember Holden stepping down as Chair of the
Appropriations Committee on January 20, 2024, with
Assemblymember Wicks appointed as the new Chair of the
committee;
Assemblymember Gabriel will Chair the Budget
Committee;
Assemblymember Ortega will Chair the Labor and
Employment Committee;
Assemblymember Ward will Chair the hlousing and
Community Development Committee;
Assemblymember Bryan will Chair the Natural Resources
Committee; and
Assemblymember McCarty will Chair the Public Safety
Committee.
Governor Newsom will be proposing new legislation to make "tranq" (Xylazine) a scheduled controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, and to increase penalties for illicit trafficking of the drug; and
Hot topics for bills next year include housing, housing density, accessible dwelling units (ADUs), insurance reform, opioids, and climate resilience.
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Following discussion and on the order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
BRIEFING BY CHRIS GIGLIO ON FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE
MATTERS
Chris Giglio, Federal Legislative advocate for the City, provided an update on the following federal legislative matters listed below and answered questions on the following topics:
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ADJOURNMENT
Progress toward approving the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2024;and
Congresswoman Chu's work to extend the Department of
Homeland Security BioWatch Program, a bioterrorism
monitoring program, which partners with the City.
Following discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
PAST AGENDAS FOR CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
a. Accessibility and Disability Commission - November 28, 2023 b. Arts & Culture Commission - November 8, 2023
c. Design Commission - November 14,2023
d. Deferred Compensation Committee - November 7, 2023
e. Environmental Advisory Commission - November 14, 2023 f. Fire & Police Retirement System - November 15, 2023
g. Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee -
November 28, 2023
h. Human Relations Commission - November 7, 2023
Human Services Commission - November 8,2023
j. Library Commission - November 15,2023
k. Pasadena Rental Housing Board - November 15, 2023
1. Planning Commission - November 8,2023
m. Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group - November 15,2023
n. Senior Commission - November 14,2023
Following a brief discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager, announced that the Assembly Committee on Insurance will be holding a meeting in the Council Chambers on December 13, 2023, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Chair Madison asked staff to remind the City Council of the upcoming meeting and distribute the Assembly Committee meeting agenda when available.
On the order of the Chair, the regular meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee was adjourned at 6:23 p.m.
ATTEST:
,-"
v
^ Councilmember Steve Madison, Chair
Legislative Policy Committee
Tamer Sabha
Recording Secretary
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