OPENING
ROLL CALL:
Staff:
PUBLIC COMMENT
CITY OF PASADENA
LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES
PASADENA CITY HALL
100 NORTH GARFIELD AVENUE
COUNCIL CHAMBER - ROOM S249
OCTOBER 7, 2025
The Chair called the meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee to order at 4:35 p.m.
Councilmember Steve Madison, Chair
Vice Mayor Jess Rivas
Councilmember Gene Masuda (Absent)
Alexander Hernandez, Assistant to the City Manager
Aaron Ganser, Deputy City Attorney
Nicholas G. Rodriguez, Assistant City Manager
Arnold Lee, Chief Assistant City Attorney
Betty Gao, Recording Secretary
The following individuals advocated for the City Council to adopt a resolution in support of the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act (SB 684); and to agendize the topic at a future Committee meeting:
Carlos Resales Jr., Pasadena resident and representing the Environmental Sustainability Club (Pasadena City College) Teresa Wong, President of the Environmental Sustainability Club (Pasadena City College)
Vice Mayor Rivas shared that she asked staff to agendize SB 684 at a future Committee meeting.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
OLD BUSINESS
It was moved by Vice Mayor Rivas, seconded by Councilmember Madison to approve the minutes of June 3, 2025, as submitted. (Motion unanimously approved) (Absent: Councilmember Masuda) REVISION TO "AN ORDINANCE AMENDING PASADENA
MUNICIPAL CODE TITLE 2, ARTICLES 3 AND 4 TO UPDATE
PROVISIONS REGARDING TERM LIMITS AND TRAINING OF
MEMBERS OF ADVISORY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS,
COMMITTEES AND BOARDS OF OPERATING COMPANIES
CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL"
Alexander Hernandez, Assistant to the City Manager, summarized the memorandum as part of a Powerpoint presentation on the item, and responded to questions.
Vice Mayor Rivas spoke in support of a continued service provision being applicable only for members of operating company boards and keeping the process of term limits for advisory bodies as straightforward as possible.
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INFORMATION ONLY
02 Recording Secretary Gao reported one letter of correspondence related to this item was received by the City Clerk's Office, distributed to the Committee, posted online, and made part of the record for this item.
Chair Madison stated that he received correspondence for this item that will be forwarded to the City Clerk and made part of the record.
Following discussion, it was moved by Vice Mayor Rivas, seconded by Chair Madison, to approve the staff recommendation and forward the item to the City Council for consideration. (Motion unanimously approved) (Absent: Councilmember Masuda)
REVIEW OF ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT
INCLUDING ENFORCEMENT OPTIONS AND PROVIDE
DIRECTION ON NEXT STEPS
Alexander hlernandez, Assistant to the City Manager, summarized the agenda report as part of a Powerpoint presentation on the item, and responded to questions.
Aaron Ganser, Deputy City Attorney, provided additional information on protected characteristics under State law, proposed protected characteristics under the City's draft policy; and responded to questions.
The Committee discussed options for enforcement of the Anti- Discrimination Policy, through civil or administrative actions, with penalties up to $1,000, and expressed concerns with enforcement through criminal prosecution and creating an enforcement apparatus considering there may be overlap with State law.
Following discussion, it was moved by Vice Mayor Rivas, seconded by Chair Madison, to approve the staff recommendation, to include the Committee's comments on options for enforcement, and forward the item to the City Council for consideration. (Motion unanimously approved) (Absent: Councilmember Masuda)
CONSIDERATION OF REVISED PROTOCOLS AND
PROCEDURES GOVERNING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR
RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL
On the order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the above referenced item will be continued to a future Committee meeting.
BRIEFING BY KYRA EMANUELS ROSS ON STATE
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
Kyra Emanuels Ross, State Legislative advocate for the City, provided an update on state and local legislative matters listed below and responded to questions:
10/07/2025
•
California Legislative session ended with approximately 800 bills sent to Governor Newsom to sign into law;
Governor Newsom signed Budget Bill Jr. and 10 trailer bills:
State Legislative advocates working with City staff for potential grant opportunities;
Energy and environmental package, including extension
of the Cap-and-Trade program (renamed Cap-and-
Invest);
Wildfire Fund extension, opportunity to provide stable
funding and protections for funding and payouts to Eaton Fire victims; and
Immigration package, two bills support by the City (SB
627 and SB 805), additional protections for school sites and hospitals
Polluter Pays Climate Superfund Act (SB 684 and AB 1243). 0 0
0 0
03 Following discussion, 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 legislative matters listed below and answered questions on the following topics:
Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026) began on October 1,
2025;
Congress did not finalize or enact the budget before start of FY 2026;
Partial government shutdown will begin to impact the
community in several weeks;
Termination, freezing, or pausing of federal programs; and Democratic party response and demands to the Trump
administration.
Following discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
ANNUAL REPORT - FISCAL YEAR 2024 - 2025 AND WORK
PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 - 2026 FOR:
a. Accessibility and Disability Commission
b. Arts & Culture Commission
c. Commission on the Status of Women
d. Environmental Advisory Commission
e. Human Relations Commission
f. Senior Commission
Following discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
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CITY ADVOCACY LETTERS
ADJOURNMENT
ATTEST:
v y-i^ ^
^etty 6ao
"^Recording Secretary
The Committee reviewed advocacy letters regarding SB 79 (Wiener), SB 740 (Harabedian), and SB 346 (Durazo), written by the Office of the Mayor and sent to Assemblymember Harabedian and Governor Newsom.
Following a brief 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 - September 23, 2025
b. Arts & Culture Commission - September 10, 2025
c. Code Enforcement Commission - September 9, 2025,
October 2, 2025
d. Commission on the Status of Women - September 30, 2025 e. Community Police Oversight Commission - September 11, 2025
f. Design Commission - September 23,2025
g. Historic Preservation Commission - September 16, 2025 h. Human Relations Commission - September 2, 2025
Human Services Commission - September 10,2025
j. Library Commission - September 17,2025
k. Northwest Commission - September 9,2025
I. Recreation and Parks Commission - September 9, 2025
m. Senior Commission - September 9,2025
n. Transportation Advisory Commission - September 25, 2025 o. Urban Forestry Advisory - September 10, 2025
Following a brief discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
Chair Madison requested cancelling the Legislative Policy Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025,due to coinciding with Election Day, with the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
1 (
1 On the
CoroBiittee-
T^of the Chair,
ads e
le meeting of the Legislative Policy
:48 p.m.
Cou^cj.lj^emb^r Steve Madison, Chair
Legislative Policy Committee
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