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Agenda Report
May 13, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Legislative Policy Committee (May 7,2024)
FROM: Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2024
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the action proposed herein is not a "project" subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 21065 and within the meaning of Sections 15060(c) and 15378(b); and
2. Approve the Federal Legislative Platform and the State Legislative Platform for calendar year 2024.
LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMEDATIONS:
At the May 7, 2024, meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee, the Committee approved the staff recommendations for updates to the City's Federal and State Legislative Platforms for calendar year 2024.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Each year, the City Council through the Legislative Policy Committee is asked to adopt legislative platforms for both the state and federal governments. The platforms are guiding documents that streamline the position taking process by conveying to legislators, policymakers, and the public where the City stands on important policy issues and legislative discussions. Staff prepares the document revisions in coordination with City departments and its state and federal lobbyists. The Committee reviews the platforms based on staff recommendations, which often include revised terminology, emerging MEETING OF.05/13/202AAGENDA ITEM NO.11
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024,
industry trends, and new funding priorities. Upon City Council approval, the platforms assist the City Manager's Office, Mayor, City lobbyists and staff to respond quickly to the rapidly changing nature of legislative proposals ("bills") throughout the year. A notable addition to the federal platform is a dedicated section to the City's declaration on peace in the Middle East.
BACKGROUND:
The City Manager's Office oversees Pasadena's legislative activities, and works with departments, City lobbyists as welt state and federal elected officials to respond to impactful bills.
The Federal and State Legislative Platforms ("platforms") are guiding documents that identify City positions on fundamental legislative issues critical to Pasadena, such as safeguarding local decision-making authority. The platforms streamline the position taking process by providing staff and City lobbyists with clear direction to advocate on these matters. The platforms help ensure the City's timely response to support, remain neutral or oppose legislation that might impact the City's ability to operate effectively. The platforms also convey to legislators, policymakers, and the public where the City stands on important policy issues and legislative discussions.
Every year, City lobbyists attend one-on-one meetings with department directors to discuss updates to the platforms. The meetings include a review of the previous year's legislative activities and a discussion of potential bills for the upcoming legislative sessions. From these discussions, staff prepares the platform recommended revisions for Legislative Policy Committee review and City Council adoption.
Please Note: The platforms can be amended at any time. The annual update is intended to capture the bulk of recommended updates known at that time. If unanticipated legislative issues arise, the platforms can be revised during the year to add, remove, or modify language, as needed.
Upon City Council approval, the platforms assist the City Manager's Office, Mayor, City lobbyists and staff to respond quickly to the rapidly changing nature of legislative proposals throughout the year.
Key legislative issues will continue to focus on affordable housing, public health, and climate change.
Legislative Action Process with the Platforms
Using the Council-approved platforms as a resource, the City Manager's Office works closely with City lobbyists to continue day-to-day oversight of and response to legislative matters as follows:
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024,
• Communicate City positions to Pasadena's legislators and other government offices, as needed;
Work with City departments, League of California Cities, National League of Cities, U.S Conference of Mayors, and other local government/professional associations to identify, analyze and recommend positions on impactful bills; • If a recommended position is consistent with the platforms, staff may draft a position letter for the Mayor's signature. If the Mayor is not available, staff may prepare a letter for the Vice Mayor's signature. The City Manager, Assistant City Managers and department directors may also sign position letters, as needed; • Send copies of signed position letters to bill authors, the City's state and federal elected officials, League of California Cities, City lobbyists and other stakeholders, as deemed appropriate;
Occasionally, the City may choose not to send its own letter, but instead include the City name on a coalition letter of agencies sharing a mutual position on a bill. In this instance, a signature might not be necessary, but staff must still confirm if a position is consistent with the platforms prior to joining a coalition; • Communicate matters of legislative importance to the Committee and City Council through periodic updates;
• Participate in proposing and drafting bill amendments, as needed; Participate and attend legislative briefings and meetings to actively engage and stay apprised of trends and upcoming legislation;
Federal Legislative Platform for 2024
With the Biden Administration in its fourth year, staff anticipates continued legislative activity across numerous federal policy issues. The federal platform reflects changes to address some of these issues and eliminates language no longer needed.
The following highlights, by major category, some of the new platform items and topics recommended for 2024.
A. Declaration on the Middle East (new section)
1) This is a dedicated section, regarding the City's declaration on the continuing conflict in the Middle East, which has claimed the lives of many individuals in the region, caused immeasurable suffering to countless persons, and continued risk of death is imminent if the release of hostages and a ceasefire does not take place. As part of the declaration, the City calls on leaders at the federal level to continue to work cooperatively with the global community to release all hostages, seek bilateral de-escalation and ceasefire, ensure timely delivery of aid to Gaza, and pursue peace in the Middle East to guard and protect the lives, health, and security of alt innocent civilians.
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024,
B. Utilities:
1) Added clarifying language regarding the NASA/JPL superfund site. 2) Added utility modernization (such as advanced metering infrastructure) to the description of support for increased federal investments in utility infrastructure projects.
3) Replaced the specific term, "non-potable water" with the more general term, "water reuse" and updated the accompanying description. 4) Updated the description for the Arroyo Seco Canyon Project.
C. Transportation:
1) Updated language regarding resources for a zero-emissions fleet and related infrastructure.
D. Housing:
1) Added tenant-based and project-based vouchers to the description of funding needs for HDD programs such as Section 8 assisted housing.
E. Public Health:
1) Revised the section to include funding priorities for communicable disease investigation capabilities and increased funding to identify and treat tuberculosis.
F. Technology:
1) Added support for policies, legislation and funding that promotes responsible Artificial Intelligence (Al) use in government services, ensuring Al is developed and deployed transparently, with clear accountability, and without bias.
G. Environmental Stewardship:
1) Added language noting that the City Council declared a climate emergency on January 30, 2023, and set a goal to source 100% of Pasadena's electricity from carbon free sources by 2030.
2) Please Note: Last year, this identical language was added to the "Utilities" section introduction. This year, staff recommends also adding the language the "Environmental Stewardship" section as part of Pasadena's overarching commitment to city-wide sustainability.
H. Solid Waste Resource Management:
1) Revised the section to include organic food waste recycling compliance and associated funding needs.
The Federal Legislative Platform (Attachment A) incorporates alt the above recommendations.
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024,
State Legislative Platform 2024
Historically, most legislative proposals occur at the state level. As a result, staff from previous years restructured the state platform into four sections: Guiding Principles, Legislative Priorities, Funding Priorities, and Water and Power Legislative Priorities.
The following highlights, by major category, new platform items as well as some updated narrative for 2024.
Legislative Priorities Section:
A. Technology
1) Added support for policies, legislation and funding that promotes responsible Artificial Intelligence (Al) use in government services, ensuring Al is developed and deployed transparently, with clear accountability, and without bias.
B. Roadway Safety:
1) Added support for policies that support pedestrian and bicycle facilities to reduce the potential of crashes resulting in death and serious injuries.
C. Mental Health and Behavioral Health:
1) Updated the section to clarify that although the City is not a provider of comprehensive direct mental health and behavioral health services, the City supports legislation that enhances and improves mental and behavioral health services.
D. Sales and Use Tax:
1) Removed outdated language regarding statewide uncollected sales and use taxes on remote sales.
E. Solid Waste Resource Management:
1) Revised the section to include organic food waste recycling compliance and associated funding needs.
Funding Priorities Section:
A. State Route 710 Northern Stub
1) Updated the headline to replace "Relinquishment" with "Reconnecting Communities."
B. Pasadena Transit:
1) Updated language regarding resources for a zero-emissions fleet and related infrastructure.
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024,
C. Utility:
1) Added reservoir replacement, water reuse and utility modernization (such as advanced metering infrastructure) to the description of utility funding priorities. 2) Updated the descriptions for the Sunset Complex improvements, water reuse and Arroyo Seco Canyon Project.
D. Public Health Services:
1) Added support for funding for Community Health Workers (CHWs), or promotores, to reach the most vulnerable individuals in the community.
E. Parks, Recreation and Community Services:
1) Added support for resources to help maintain sports fields and courts.
Enerov and Water Legislative Priorities:
A. Electricity Markets:
1) Removed language referencing coal and natural gas resources.
B. Environmental Stewardship:
1) Added language noting that the City Council declared a climate emergency on January 30, 2023, and set a goal to source 100% of Pasadena's electricity from carbon free sources by 2030.
2) Please Note: Last year, this identical language was added to the "Greenhouse Gas Reduction" section introduction. This year, staff recommends also adding the language the "Environmental Stewardship" section as part of Pasadena's overarching commitment to city-wide sustainability.
C. Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS):
1) Removed language referencing natural gas fired generation.
D. Water Resources
1) Replaced the specific term, "non-potable water" with the more general term, "water reuse," and updated the accompanying description.
The State Legislative Platform (Attachment B) incorporates all the above changes.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024,
Approval of the subject recommendation represents a continuation of the annual policy/practice of establishing federal and state legislative platforms as the advocacy strategies for regional, legislative, and funding request priorities supported by the City of Pasadena.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is an administrative action (general policy making) that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Therefore, the proposed action is not a "project" subject to CEQA, as defined in State CEQA Guidelines Section 21065 Section 15378. Since the action is not a project subject to CEQA, no environmental document is required.
2024 Federal & State Legislative Platforms
Legislative Policy Committee: May 7, 2024, Page 8 of 8
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommendations to approve the 2024 Federal and State Legislative Platforms will have no fiscal impact to the City. Funds for the legislative advocates/lobbyists are included in the City Council's annual operating budget.
Respectfully submitted,
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BRENDA E. HARVEY^.WrCLIAMS
Assistant City Martagei-
Prepared by:
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JENNIFER GUESS MAYO
Assistant General Manager, External Affairs
Water and Power Department
Approved by:
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MIGUST^IARQUEZ
City Manager
Attachments:
Attachment A - Federal Legislative Platform (with revisions) Attachment B - State Legislative Platform (with revisions)