Legislative Policy Committee
February 3, 2026

AGENDA

LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE

MEETING NOTICE
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
PUBLIC MEETING 5:00 P.M.

MEMBERS
Steve Madison, Chair, District 6
Gene Masuda, District 4
Jess Rivas, District 5
STAFF
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager
Arnold Lee, Chief Assistant City Attorney
Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary

MISSION STATEMENT
The City of Pasadena is dedicated to delivering exemplary municipal services, responsive to our entire community and consistent
with our history, culture and unique character.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Assistive Listening Devices are available from the City Clerk’s Office with a 24-hour advance notice.

Please call (626) 744-4124 to request use of a listening device.

Language translation services are available for this meeting by calling (626) 744-4124 at least 24 hours in advance.

Habrá servicio de interpretación disponible para éstas juntas llamando al (626) 744-4124 por lo menos con 24 horas de anticipación.

Items on the agenda may not be called in order listed.

Agendas and supporting documents are available on the Internet at http://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/city-council-legislative-policy-committee/ Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Legislative Policy Committee after distribution of the agenda packet will be posted online and listed as: “Supplemental Agenda Material Received after the Posting of the agenda”

PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 3, 2026, AT 5:00 P.M. WILL BE ACCEPTED IN-PERSON AND BY VIDEOCONFERENCE/TELECONFERENCE.

Link to City Meeting Policy:
cityofpasadena.net/CityCouncilMeetingPolicy
TO VIEW A LIVE STREAM OF THE MEETING:
http://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=9 AND
WWW.PASADENAMEDIA.ORG
In order to facilitate public participation at meetings the City will accept public comment in the following manner:

1. Whether participating in-person or virtually at the meeting, members of the public may provide public comment by submitting a speaker card prior to the start of public comment on that item, at the following webpage:
www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/public-comment/
If a public comment speaker wishes to speak on more than one agenda item, please indicate which items on the online form (multiple item speakers will be handled according to the process posted on the agenda and as specified in the City meeting policy). Public comments are limited to 3 minutes each, and the Chair and Committee may limit this time if reasonable under the circumstances.

2. In-person Meeting Participation: Complete an online speaker card at the following website: www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/public-comment/ After submitting a public speaker card, members of the public may attend the meeting in-person by coming to the Pasadena City Council Chamber, Room S249 at City Hall at the date and start-time of the posted meeting.

Virtual Meeting Participation: For virtual participants, you may attend by connecting to the meeting using a computer, other electronic device, or by telephone. Please review the agenda to identify the published start time for the meeting and connect to the meeting just prior to, or at the start of the meeting.

To participate in public comment for an item and to be recognized to speak, it is required that the speaker login to the meeting using the same name or telephone number used on the Speaker Card form. This will allow City staff to locate and promote the speaker into the meeting when it is time for their public comment.

Participants’ phone calls to the Committee meeting will be recorded as part of the Committee meeting. By staying on the line and making public comment during the Committee meeting by phone, you are agreeing to have your phone call recorded. Following is the connectivity information for virtual participation:

Computer or electronic devices, join the meeting at: cityofpasadena.net/cczoom Telephone only dial-in: 1-669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 161 482 446

3. Speaker Card Help Line: If a public comment speaker needs assistance in completing a speaker card, please call the City Clerk’s Office at: (626) 744-4124.

Help line will open 30 minutes prior to the posted start time of the meeting.

4. Members of the public may submit correspondence of any length prior to the start of the meeting, at the following email address:

[email protected]

Written correspondence will be forwarded to the Legislative Policy Committee prior to the start of the meeting, posted online, and made part of the legislative record for the item.

LIVESTREAM WITH CAPTIONING IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.PASADENAMEDIA.ORG, AND ALSO AT WWW.CITYOFPASADENA.NET/COMMISSIONS/AGENDAS,

IF YOU NEED A REASONABLE MODIFICATION OR ACCOMMODATION PURSUANT

TO THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

BECAUSE YOU ARE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE ELECTRONICALLY AS SET FORTH ABOVE, CONTACT THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT (626) 744-4124 OR
[email protected].

CITY OF PASADENA

NOTICE OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE

LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
PUBLIC MEETING 5:00 P.M.

PASADENA CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBER
100 NORTH GARFIELD AVENUE, ROOM 5249
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the regular meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee, will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber to discuss matters on the attached agenda.

STEVE MADISON, Chair
Legislative Policy Committee
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this agenda in its entirety, was posted on the Internet at https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/city-council-legislative-policy-committee/ and on the Council Chamber Bulletin Board, Room S249, and the Bulletin Board in the rotunda area; City Hall, 100 North Garfield Avenue, this 30th day of January 2026 by 6:30 p.m. and that copies hereof were emailed or delivered to each member of the City Council and to each local newspaper of general circulation, radio or television station requesting notice in writing, all of which recipients are identified on the distribution herein below.

RUBEN MARTINEZ
City Manager's Office
DISTRIBUTION:

Steve Madison, Councilmember
Gene Masuda, Councilmember
Jess Rivas, Vice Mayor
Miguel Marquez, City Manager
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager
Mark Jomsky, City Clerk
Michele Bagneris, City Attorney
Jana Stewart, Management Analyst Ill to Mayor/Council
Chris Giglio, Legislative Advocate
Kyra Ross, Legislative Advocate
Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary
Pasadena Hastings Library
City Hall Information Kiosk
Pasadena Hastings Library
Adam Schiff, U.S. Senator
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator
Judy Chu, U.S. Congresswoman
Laura Friedman, U.S. Congresswoman
Sasha Renee Perez, State Senator
John Harabedian, State Assembly
Kathryn Barger, Board of Supervisors
Colorado Boulevard.net
Conversation Live
La Opinion
Los Angeles Times
Pasadena Independent
Pasadena NOW
Pasadena Star-News
Pasadena Weekly

REGULAR MEETING
AGENDA

LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 3, 2026
Public Meeting: 5:00 P.M.

Council Chamber, Pasadena City Hall
100 North Garfield Avenue, Room S249

The Committee may take action within its authority on any item listed on this agenda as it deems appropriate following consideration and discussion of the matter.

PUBLIC MEETING - 5:00 P.M.

ROLL CALL

PUBLIC COMMENT – Public comment will be limited to a total of 20 minutes at the beginning of the meeting and will continue at the conclusion of the meeting, if necessary. Please limit comments to 3 minutes each.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

December 18. 2025 – Special Meeting*

OLD BUSINESS

1. CONSIDERATION OF REVISED PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES

GOVERNING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE

FULL CITY COUNCIL

NEW BUSINESS

2. APPROVAL OF THE FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026*

INFORMATION ONLY
Information only items contain no staff recommendations. The committee may, however, take action within its authority relating to informational items on the agenda as it deems appropriate following consideration and discussion of the matter.

3. CITY INVESTMENTS*

4. ZONE ZERO UPDATE

5. BRIEFING BY CHRIS GIGLIO ON FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE MATTERS

6. BRIEFING BY KYRA EMANUELS ROSS ON STATE LEGISLATIVE MATTERS

7. PAST AGENDAS FOR CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS*

a. Accessibility and Disability Commission – January 27, 2026 b. Arts & Culture Commission – January 14, 2026
c. Code Enforcement Commission – January 22, 2026
d. Commission on the Status of Women – January 7, 2026
e. Community Police Oversight Commission – January 8, 2026 f. Design Commission – January 27, 2026
g. Environmental Advisory Commission – January 13, 2026 h. Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee – January 27, 2026 i. Human Relations Commission – January 6, 2026
j. Human Services Commission – January 14, 2026
k. Library Commission – January 21, 2026
l. Northwest Commission – January 13, 2026
m. Old Pasadena Parking Meter Zone Advisory – January 15, 2026 n. Pasadena Rental Housing Board – January 15, 2026
o. Planning Commission – January 14, 2026
p. Recreation and Parks Commission – January 6, 2026
q. Senior Commission – January 13, 2026
r. Transportation Advisory Commission – January 22, 2026

ADJOURN

* INDICATES ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

December 18, 2025 – Special Meeting*

01 12/18/2025

CITY OF PASADENA

LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES

PASADENA CITY HALL
100 NORTH GARFIELD AVENUE
COUNCIL CHAMBER – ROOM S249
DECEMBER 18, 2025

OPENING The Chair called the special meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee to order at 5:46 p.m.

ROLL CALL:

Staff:

Councilmember Steve Madison, Chair
Vice Mayor Jess Rivas
Councilmember Gene Masuda (via teleconference)

Mark Jomsky, City Clerk
Matthew Hawkesworth, Assistant City Manager
Nicholas G. Rodriguez, Assistant City Manager
Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager
Dion O’Connell, Assistant City Attorney
Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary

Councilmember Ma suda, reported that he will be participating via teleconference, per the “just cause” exception pursuant to Government Code Section 59453(f)(2)(A)(i); and stated that no one over 18 years of age is in the room with him.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

It was moved by Vice Mayor Rivas , seconded by C ouncilmember Masuda to approve the minutes of July 1, 2025 , August 5, 2025 (Cancelled meeting) , September 2, 2025 , October 7, 2025 , November 4, 2025 (Cancelled meeting) , and December 2, 2025 (Cancelled meeting), as submitted:

AYES: Councilmembers Masuda, Vice Mayor Rivas, Chair
Madison
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None

OLD BUSINESS

REQUEST BY CHAIR MADISON TO CONSIDER REVISIONS TO
THE CITY’S FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES AGREEMENT

RELATED TO CAMPAIGN MATERIALS, THE TIMING OF

NOTIFICATIONS TO OPPONENTS FOR CAMPAIGN

MESSAGING, AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS

Mark Jomsky, City Clerk , summarized the agenda report as part of a PowerPoint presentation on the item, and responded to questions.

Vice Mayor Rivas advocated for the Pasadena Fair Campaign Practices Agreement i nclude videos as a method of campaign messaging; and spoke in support of the recommendation made by the Commission on the Status of Women requiring candidates to 02 12/18/2025
obtain residents’ consent to use their names a s supporters in campaign messaging.

Chair Madison advocated for the agreement to include all types of media that may be used in campaign messaging, adding a numeric threshold for email messaging, including the City Clerk as a recipient to the written notice if withdrawing from the agreement , and a clear statement of facts for the withdraw with a three -day timeframe to address alleged violations.

Following discussion, the Committee directed staff to revise the Pasadena Fair Campaign Practices A greement to reflect the comments made during the meeting, as detailed above and present an updated agreement for discussion before the start of the next election cycle.

CONSIDERATION OF REVISED PROTOCOLS AND

PROCEDURES GOVERNING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR

RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL

Chair Madison provided introductory comments and opened a discussion on City Council protocols and standards for more efficient meetings.

Mark Jomsky, City Clerk, reported that a clock will be installed in the Council Chamber dais for better time management of
Councilmember comments , and that the Committee will receiv e a presentation on provisions for a lobbyist registration program in Spring 2026; and responded to questions.

Chair Madison spoke in support of exploring the appropriateness of Councilmember comments during meetings when no t addressing the topic of discussion and inaccurately characterizing viewpoints , which use additional time and resources to correct.

Following a brief discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.

INFORMATION ONLY

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:

• Legislative session begins on Monday, January 5, 2026; • Governor Newsom’s proposed State budget d eadline to
Legislature is Saturday, January 10, 2026;
• State Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) projects $18 billion budget deficit that is expected to grow to $35 billion in 2027; • Proposal to eliminate development impact fees or provide a 30-50 year loan for 100% affordable housing projects;
03 12/18/2025
• Proposal to add members to the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority ( LA Metro) Board of Directors;
• Senator Wiener will gut and amend SB 677 into an SB 79 cleanup bill , and is expected to be heard in the Senate Housing Committee on Tuesday, January 6, 2026; and
• Legislators will be working on new bill introductions with a deadline of Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

In response to Vice Mayor Rivas ’ inquiry on SB 79 and historic districts, Ms. Ross stated that she is working with the offices of Senator Pérez and Assemblymember Harabedian to receive the correct language on historic districts that will be cleanup bill.

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 government 43-day shutdown ended on
Wednesday, November 12, 2025;
• Stopgap measure will extend Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funding levels until Friday, January 30, 2026;
• President Trump signed an executive order to create a national policy framework for artificial intelligence (AI); • Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2026; and
• Safer Skies Act , which allows local law enforcement to mitigate unfriendly drone incursions over stadiums and other large events.

Following discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.

NEW BUSINESS REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF SB 684 (MENJIVAR) POLLUTERS PAY CLIMATE SUPERFUND ACT OF 2025

Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager, provided an oral report on the item, and reported that the two bills in question (SB 684, AB 1243) did not get out of their house of origin and will not be reintroduced in 2026, and responded to questions.

The following individuals spoke in support of the Make Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act and environmental protection:

04 12/18/2025
Emily Fernandez, representing the Pasadena City College (PCC) Environmental Sustainability Club (ESC)
Kristen Pang, representing PCC ESC
Teresa Wong, representing PCC ESC
Bert Newton, Pasadena resident
Humaira Afzal, Pasadena resident

Vice Mayor Rivas spoke in support of continuing to monitor SB 684 and consideration for a future discussion on adding support of the bill to the State Legislative Platform in 2026.

Following discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.

INVESTMENT POLICY DISCUSSION REGARDING ETHICAL,

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE

CONSIDERATIONS

Matthew Hawkesworth, Assistant City Manager , summarized the agenda report as part of a PowerPoint presentation on the item, and responded to questions.

Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary, reported that the City Clerk’s Office received approximately 2,500 letters of correspondence in opposition to adopting a stronger ethical investment resolution, and approximately 250 -300 letters of correspondence in support of a stronger ethical investment policy, in which the correspondence was distributed to the Committee, posted online, and made part of the public record.

The following individuals spoke in support o f adopting a stronger ethical investment policy , rejecting a proposed ethical investment resolution, and provided other related comments on the matter:

Terry Tornek, Pasadena resident
Jill Davis, Pasadena resident
Sharon Washington, representing Harvest Rock Salt & Light Reformers
Andrew Schumaker, South Pasadena resident
Eli Grossman, Pasadena resident
Emily Fernandez, Los Angeles resident
Rev. Mark Chase, representing All Saints Church
Dr. Lena Al-Sarraf, Pasadena resident
Aida Ashouri, Los Angeles resident
Hedab Tarifi, representing Pasadena for Palestine
John Hyde, Pasadena resident
Vincent De Stefano, Pasadena resident
Antony Rodriguez, Tujunga resident
Mike D., residence not stated
Martha Ruffman, Pasadena resident
Gregg Mashberg, La Cañada Flintridge resident
05 12/18/2025
Curtis Hiebert, residence not stated
Charlyn Hiebert, residence not stated
Estee Chandler, Toluca Lake resident
Taylor Ermoian, representing Pasadena Mennonite Church
Jesse Duker, representing Jewish Federation
Monna Stewart, Pasadena resident
Cyd Stacy Nam, Arcadia resident
Iris Chen, Pasadena resident
Anaar Siletz, South Pasadena resident
Bert Newton, representing Pasadena for Palestine
Dylan Bannon, representing Pasadena for Palestine
Lisa Muthiah, representing Pasadena for Palestine
Jose Maria Rios Espada, representing Pasadena for Palestine Pr. Marcos Canales, representing La Fuente Ministries/Clergy Community Coalition
Rachel Darling, Pasadena resident
Edmond Manson, representing Pasadena for Palestine
Neil Kohanski, representing Pasadena for Palestine
Bailey Payne, Pasadena resident
Humaira Afzal, Pasadena resident
Elly Levy, Los Angeles resident
Chelsey, Pasadena resident
Patricia, Pasadena resident
Michael Flynn, residence not stated
Una Lee Jost, Pasadena resident
Rev. Dr. Rob Muthiah, Pasadena resident
Randall Heyn-Lamb, representing Pasadena for Palestine
Isaac Tragarz, Pasadena resident
Tammy Tosourian, residence not stated

Councilmember Masuda stated that the City Council cannot direct the Fire and Police Retirement System Board (FPRS) on
investments and does not support submitting a resolution to the City Council to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Vice Mayor Rivas spoke in support of expanding the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy and consideration for the City Council to explore a negative rule, specifically against weapons manufacturers and fossil fuel companies.

Chair Madison expressed appreciation to the community for the interest taken in this complicated topic reduced by the fact the City does not hold the types of investments being opposed; expressed concerns on any action taken being misconstrued and fuel the fire to rising levels of antisemitism; and spoke in support of continuing the discussion with the City Council.

Following discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.

06 12/18/2025

CONSIDERATION OF NEW START TIME FOR LEGISLATIVE

POLICY COMMITTEE

Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager, provided an oral report on the item, and reported that there was a request to change the regularly scheduled meeting time of the Legislative Policy Committee to a later start time, and responded to questions.

The Committee discussed reasons for moving the start time of Legislative Policy Committee meetings and agreed to a new start time of 5:00 p.m.

Mark Jomsky, City Clerk, informed the Committee that a number of City commissions are currently meeting in the Council Chamber due to renovations in the Planning Department Hearing Room, and staff will need to discuss potential impacts, including Pasadena Media broadcast ability, and responded to questions.

Following a brief discussion, on the order of the Chair and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.

INFORMATION ONLY –
cont.

CITY ADVOCACY POSITIONS
a. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Renewal
b. Senator Schiff’s Housing BOOM (Building Occupancy
Opportunities for Millions) Act

Brenda Harvey-Williams, Assistant City Manager, provided an oral report on the item, and reported that there were two requests, by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Senator Schiff , for Mayor Gordo to add the City of Pasadena as a supporter to positions that align with the City’s existing policies, and responded to questions.

Chair Madison requested that staff distribute copies of advocacy letters to the Legislative Policy Committee and City Council on the same day they are submitted; and spoke in support of the City Council being informed of all events, sponso r opportunities , and invitations to participate in various programs.

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 – October 28, 2025 b. Arts & Culture Commission – October 8, 2025
c. Code Enforcement Commission – October 29, 2025,
November 6, 2025
d. Commission on the Status of Women – November 5, 2025, December 3, 2025
e. Community Police Oversight Commission – October 9, 2025, November 13, 2025, December 11, 2025
07 12/18/2025
f. Design Commission – October 14, 2025, October 28, 2025, November 25, 2025
g. Environmental Advisory Commission – December 9, 2025 h. Historic Preservation Commission – December 2, 2025
i. Human Relations Commission – November 4, 2025 ,
December 2, 2025
j. Human Services Commission – November 12, 2025 ,
December 10, 2025
k. Library Commission – November 19, 2025
l. Northwest Commission – November 13, 2025
m. Recreation and Parks Commission – December 2, 2025
n. Senior Commission – September 9, 2025
o. Transportation Advisory Commission – October 23, 2025 p. Urban Forestry Advisory – December 10, 2025

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, reported that the City Council will not be meeting on Monday, January 5, 2026, with the first meeting of the new year scheduled for Monday, January 12, 2026, and responded to questions.

ADJOURNMENT On the order of the Chair, the special meeting of the Legislative Policy Committee was adjourned at 8:19 p.m.

ATTEST:

____________________
Tamer Sabha
Recording Secretary

_________________________________
Councilmember Steve Madison, Chair
Legislative Policy Committee

NEW BUSINESS

2. APPROVAL OF THE FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE
PLATFORMS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026*

TO:

THROUGH:

FROM:

SUBJECT:

Agenda Report
February 9, 2026
Honorable Mayor and City Council
Legislative Policy Committee (February 3, 2026)
City Manager's Office

APPROVAL OF THE FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026
RECOMMENDATIONS:

It is recommended that the City Council:

1. Find that the action proposed in the agenda report is covered by the "Common Sense" exemption set forth in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3) as CEQA only applies to projects that may have a significant effect on the environment; and

2. Approve the Federal Legislative Platform and the State Legislative Platform for calendar year 2026.

BACKGROUND:

The City Manager's Office oversees Pasadena's legislative activities and works with departments, City lobbyists, as well as state and federal elected officials to respond to impactful bills.

The Federal and State Legislative 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 and staff members to discuss platform updates. The meetings include a review of the previous year's legislative activities, a discussion of potential bills for the upcoming legislative sessions, and funding priorities and opportunities. From these discussions, staff prepares MEETING OF _____ _ AGENDA ITEM NO. ____ _
2026 FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
February 9, 2026

the platform and incorporates recommended revisions for Legislative Policy Committee review and City Council adoption.

Please note: Importantly, the platforms can be amended at any time. The annual update is intended to capture the bulk of recommended updates known at the lime of preparation.

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 Mayor and City Council, City Manager, City lobbyists, and City 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 the City lobbyists lo continue day-to-day oversight of and response to legislative matters as follows:
• 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 well as all Council members through the Mayor's weekly letter to Council and the agenda packet of an upcoming Legislative Policy Committee meetin; • Occasionally, the City may choose not to send its own letter but instead include the City's 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 recommending the City join a coalition;
• Communicate matters of legislative importance to the Legislative Policy Committee and City Council through periodic updates;
• Participate in proposing and drafting bill amendments, as needed; and 2026 FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
February 9, 2026

• Participate in and attend legislative briefings and meetings to actively engage and stay apprised of trends and upcoming legislation.

Federal Legislative Platform for 2026
With the Trump administration in its second year, staff anticipate frequent and major legislative activity across numerous federal policy issues. Staff have made substantive and technical changes to the federal platform (Attachment A) in response to many of the actions of the federal administration in its first year. Some of the substantive platform changes recommended for 2026, grouped by major category, include:

A. Disaster and Pandemic Responses
1) Expanded the prior "Pandemic Response" section to include federal aid for disaster response, including against the impacts of wildfires and other natural disasters.

B. Utilities
1) Added support for policies to expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits towards payment of residential tap water service charges.

C. Public Safety
1) Clarified opposition against efforts to condition federal funding to local cooperation and assistance with federal immigration law enforcement.

D. Transportation
1) Added support for funding and resources that promote zero-emission vehicle fueling/charging infrastructure, including hydrogen.
2) Added a new section on support for dedicated funding streams toward local streets preservation and rehabilitation.

E. Housing
1) Added support for maintaining funding and scoring applications against criteria at the time of submission for the Continuum of Care program.

F. Workforce Development
1) Consolidated the "Workforce Development" and "Municipal Assistance, Services, and Housing Division" sections.

G. Library Services
1) Added support for assistance and funding toward operational services beyond capital improvements.
2) Added support for legislation that protects digital library user data. 3) Removed duplicative language.
4) Added support for library-centered restorative justice and educational equity programs.
2026 FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
February 9, 2026

5) Added support for extending FEMA and OHS resilience funding eligibility to libraries that serve as community hubs during emergencies.

H. Economic Development (new section)
1) Added a dedicated section on support for federal legislation and funding to further key objectives of the City's Economic Development Strategic Plan, including, among other things, continued funding of the Economic Development Administration, the Small Business Administration, and the Community Development Block Grant program.

State Legislative Platform for 2026
Historically, most legislative proposals occur at the state level. Staff have made substantive and technical changes to the state platform (Attachment 8). Some of the substantive platform changes recommended for 2026, grouped by major category, include:

Legislative Priorities Section
A. Disaster and Pandemic Responses
1) Expanded the prior "Pandemic Response" section to include state aid for disaster response, including against the impacts of wildfires and other natural disasters.

B. Removed the section on "Abatement of Nuisance Liquor Stores".

C. Zone Zero Legislation (new section)
1) Added a dedicated section on the impacts of Zone Zero regulations to the City and residents, along with support for measured considerations in the development of this regulation.

D. Tort Reform (new section)
1) Added a dedicated section supporting state legislation that reduces excessive tort liabilities and preserves public resources toward providing essential services to the community.

E. Workers' and Employee Compensation
1) Added specific line items that the City believes are integral to a fair and prompt workers' compensation system.
2) Removed an outdated reference to the 2012 state bill that established PEPRA.

F. Transportation
1) Within Roadway Safety, added support for state policies that enhance road safety, including automated speed enforcement, reduction of distracted driving, mailing of parking citations for enhanced officer safety, and regulation of e­ bikes.
2026 FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
February 9, 2026

2) Within Pasadena Transit, added support for state resources toward in-state hydrogen production.

G. Copper Wire Theft (new section)
1) Added a dedicated section on support for state policies and laws that deter and prevent copper wire theft.

H. Climate Change and Sustainability Programs
1) Added support for policies and legislation that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.
2) Added support for policies and legislation that create funding streams for community hardening and adaptation from penalties assessed against generators of climate pollution.

I. Economic Development (new section)
1) Added a dedicated section on support for state legislation and funding to further key objectives of the City's Economic Development Strategic Plan, including, among other things, continued funding of the California Competes Tax Credit and California Competes Grant Program, continued funding of the Community Economic Resilience Fund and Workforce Development Boards, and continued innovation of financing tools like the Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts.

J. Public Libraries (new section)
1) Added support for the inclusion of libraries in emergency preparedness and climate adaptation plans.
2) Added support for third-party educational and library software to have transparency requirements.

Funding Priorities Section
A. Public Health
1) Added support for policies, legislation, and funding toward education on cannabis use, access to women's reproductive health services, and education and access to LGBTQ+ health services.
2) Clarified the need for direct funding opportunities toward participating in partnerships with Managed Care Plans, in accordance with state mandates and initiatives.

B. Street and Sidewalk Infrastructure (new section)
1) Added a dedicated section on supporting unique funding streams for the preservation and rehabilitation of local streets and sidewalks.

C. Public Libraries
2026 FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
February 9, 2026

1) Added support for assistance and funding toward operational services beyond capital improvements.
2) Added support for library-centered restorative justice and educational equity programs.

D. Affordable Housing
1) Added support for continued funding in the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grant program.

Sustainability, Energy, and Water Legislative Priorities Section A. Greenhouse Gas Reduction
1) Revised to reflect updated state statutes and forward-looking milestones COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:

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. If further supports all of the City Council's strategic plan goals:
• Maintain fiscal responsibility and stability'
• Improve, maintain and enhance public facilities and infrastructure; • Increase conservation and sustainability;
• Improve mobility and accessibility through the City;
• Support and promote the quality of life and local economy; and • Ensure public safety.

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:

The proposed action has been determined to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15061 (b)(3), the Common Sense Exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. 2026 FEDERAL & STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
February 9, 2026

FISCAL IMPACT:

The recommendation to approve the 2026 Federal and State Legislative Platforms will have no fiscal impact to the City, but may result in future grant opportunities and funding.

Funds for the legislative advocates and lobbyists are included in the City Council's annual operating budget.

Prepared by:

Kathleen Chen,
Management Analyst IV
Water and Power Department
Approved by:
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City Manager
Respectfully submitted,
Assistant City Manager
Attachment A - 2026 Federal Legislative Platform
Attachment B - 2026 State Legislative Platform

CITY OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
2026 Federal Legislative Platform
Guiding Principles
Attachment A

1.) Preserve and Enhance Federal Assistance to Local Governments: Declining federal funding for important domestic discretionary programs has severely limited the ability of the City to meet the needs of our most underserved residents.

Continued reductions would do little to reduce the federal deficit, but the effects on Pasadena families would be devastating.

2.) Oppose Federal Preemption of Local Authority: Pasadena opposes federal efforts to curb the ability of local governments to address matters traditionally handled on the local level such as the imposition of taxes and fees, enforcement of zoning and land use regulations, or the ability to ensure the safety of our residents.

Declaration on the Middle East
In March 2024, the City issued a declaration regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has claimed the lives of many individuals in the region and caused immeasurable suffering to countless persons. 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 all innocent civilians.

For more information about City positions on this topic please contact the City Manager's Office at (626) 744-4333.

Immigration
The City strongly believes that immigrants strengthen the community economically and culturally and welcomes their contributions to society. With regard to federal legislation aimed at reforming federal immigration laws, the City would urge Congress and the President to reaffirm that addressing unlawful immigration in a compassionate manner is the primary responsibility of tl1e federal government and that sufficient resources must be committed on the federal level for this purpose.

Per a resolution adopted by the City Council in October 2013, the City hereby supports a humane and comprehensive immigration reform proposal with the following principles:
• provides an attainable and affordable pathway to full citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States;
• family unity as a cornerstone of our immigration system; e provides due process and labor protections;
• allows access to key essential services such as health care; and • local governments should not be mandated to enforce federal immigration laws, particularly when resources necessary to enforce local laws are already stretched. 1 2026 Federal Legislative Platform 2
In 2017 the City Council adopted a Resolution declaring that the City of Pasadena will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that no City employee will use City funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law or to gather or disseminate information regarding the immigration status of individuals in the City, unless required by law. That same year, the City established a policy which sets forth the City’s commitment to the confidentiality of information gathered for municipal purposes. The policy explicitly limits collection or dissemination of information regarding a person's religion, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, and immigration status.

The City supports federal legislation that would protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program which protects children who were brought to the United States at a young age and are pursuing education and the American Dream.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the City Manager’s Office at (626) 744-4333.

Reconnecting Communities Funding
Through the City’s collaborative multi-year effort with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the California Transportation Commission approved the relinquishment of the State Route 710 Northern Stub transportation network and transferred ownership of the 50-acre area to the City in August 2022. The City is working with community stakeholders on a vision plan to identify future land uses and to define the local street network. The City supports continued federal and state funding for this project, which will include restoration efforts in line with the City’s Complete Streets Policy, provisions for local mobility, neighborhood connectivity, and opportunities for development in line with the City’s General Plan Guiding Principles. The City supports infrastructure funding for the transition of freeway facilities to local street networks, providing for the safe movement of people. The City further supports funding for the U.S.

Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities grant program and, as part of the reauthorization of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), considerations to honor existing projects and previously awarded projects.

For more information about City positions on this topic please contact the City Manager’s Office at (626) 744-4333.

Disaster and Pandemic Responses
Direct and timely fiscal aid is the only way communities like Pasadena are able to respond to natural disasters and global pandemics, such as the January 2025 Eaton Fire disaster and COVID-19 pandemic. Direct and timely aid is necessary to maintain continuity of vital services in areas like public safety, public health, utility services, and outreach to the City’s most vulnerable residents. The City is supportive of proposals to increase the federal cost share for the FEMA Public Assistance program to 100% for actions taken in relation to a pandemic. In addition, the City supports legislation and federal actions that would provide:

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 3
 Direct fiscal assistance to local governments of all population sizes to address the catastrophic loss of revenue resulting from a natural disaster, global pandemic, or other similar disasters.
 Funding towards building capabilities by local governments to respond to bioterrorism events.
 Direct fiscal assistance to local health jurisdictions to support expanded epidemiological functions such as case investigation, contact tracing, testing, medical countermeasures (such as vaccine distribution), environmental threat assessment, workforce development, and services that support family and child physical, mental health and wellness harmed by a pandemic, including access to food and housing, access to primary and preventive care services, and safety.  Direct fiscal assistance to publicly-owned utilities to credit delinquent utility bills for their affected customers.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact:
 Finance Department: (626) 744-4355
 Public Health Department: (626) 744-6000
 Housing Department: (626) 744-8300
 Water and Power Department: (626) 744-4409

Early Childhood
A comprehensive approach to early childhood must include whole child/whole family approaches that address the systemic needs of families. The City acknowledges that parents and caregivers must have adequate financial resources, stable quality housing, access to quality and culturally congruent healthcare, and proper nutrition to enable their children to flourish during the critically-developing period of 0 to 5 years of age and beyond. Improved access to high-quality early childhood education, including preschool, will help develop meaningful early learning solutions that support young children and their families. It is vital for early childhood education programs to have consistent, well- funded and diverse resources at the federal, state and local level. The City is supportive of legislation and funding to improve access to whole child/whole family approaches and early learning and care so that young children, especially those from low- and middle- income families, and their families can flourish during this critical developmental period of their lives. The City is also supportive of federal opportunities for “early learning” initiatives to assist and expand activities associated with the City’s Office of the Young Child.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact:
 City Manager’s Office – Office of the Young Child: (626) 744-4060  Housing Department: (626) 744-8300
 Library and Information Services Department: (626) 744-4066  Parks, Recreation and Community Services: (626) 744-4386  Public Health Department: Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Program: (800) 304-0015

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 4
Finance
The City is concerned that the federal government has attempted to impose itself into the area of local taxation, a matter traditionally handled on the local level. City officials are better suited than the federal government to understand community needs and should have all the tools necessary to ensure the safety and health of the public while properly maintaining the public’s largest investment, its infrastructure.

The City supports:
 Legislation to restore the tax break for advanced refunding bonds.  Protection of federal Build America Bonds rebates from budget sequestration or any other proposed cuts to previously issued direct pay bonds.

The City opposes:
 Any effort to eliminate or cap the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds (including private activity bonds), one of the few tools left for local governments to finance large capital projects.
 Legislative proposals to impose limits on governmental deferred compensation plans.  Attempts to exempt online travel companies from collecting state and local bed taxes when they resell hotel rooms to consumers shopping at their internet sites.  Federal efforts to erode local authority by prohibiting state and local taxes and fees in areas such as wireless services, video services (including, but not limited to, internet protocol (IPP) enabled, streaming, and over-the-top services), and the sale of digital goods.
 Mandatory participation in Social Security for local government employees covered by other retirement and/or pension systems.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Finance Department at (626) 744-4355.

Utilities
The City operates a municipal utility Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) and, as a result, is subject to federal programs and oversight in a number of areas. As a provider of electricity, the City has set ambitious goals with regard to the use of renewable energy. In addition, 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.

While federal resources that help achieve these goals are encouraged, unfunded federal mandates in this area may hinder efforts by forcing PWP to focus resources in ways that may not be in the best interest of PWP customers.

The City is committed to providing safe drinking water to PWP customers and supports federal efforts to impose standards that are based on sound scientific principles and protocols.

The City supports:

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 5
 A swift decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assess legal responsibility to polluters for contaminant such as perchlorate in the City’s groundwater supply, including in the Pasadena sub-area basin initiated from the current NASA/JPL superfund site.
 Increased federal investments in utility infrastructure projects such as water supply and distribution system replacement and upgrades, water reuse, water quality treatment, stormwater management, utility modernization (e.g. advanced metering infrastructure), energy storage, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, power plant emissions retrofits, smart grid implementation, replacement of inefficient generators, and construction of transmission lines to access renewable energy generation.  Federal initiatives that avoid duplicative climate policies and are designed to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while urging consideration of technical feasibility, costs to ratepayers, as well as the time that will be required for utilities to become compliant with proposed initiatives.
 Federal initiatives to reduce GHG emissions from the transportation sector through increased incentives for electric vehicles and funding for associated infrastructure.  Federal initiatives to reduce GHG emissions from commercial and residential buildings through incentives and policies that support building electrification.  Federal incentives for renewable energy, such as the Clean Renewable Energy Bond (CREB) program.
 Modifications to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) transmission rate incentive policies that account for the additional costs to ratepayers.  Hydropower reform legislation and funding to facilitate development of new hydropower projects, particularly small and in-conduit hydropower development, as well as promoting more efficient hydropower re-licensing process.  Federal efforts to encourage, but not mandate, increased energy and water-use efficiency as well as federal assistance to encourage or meet operational improvements within the City.
 Changes to the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program to provide assistance for 100% of the cost of a project. In addition, the City is supportive of the WIFIA program for local and regional water supply projects that help protect against drought related shortages or supply interruptions.  Federal resources to address severe western drought conditions, including increased funding for water reuse infrastructure and storage.
 Federal funding for City water reuse projects, which will enhance local water supply reliability and could provide approximately 10 to 25% of the City’s water demand by delivering additional water supplies for groundwater recharge, new development, landscape irrigation and other uses in the future.
 Federal funding for the Arroyo Seco Canyon Project, including repairs and upgrades to the stream intake structure and spreading basins needed for stormwater capture and groundwater recharge, which were significantly damaged in the 2009 Station Fire in

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 6
the Angeles National Forest. Ultimately, this project will restore the City’s ability to utilize its long-standing surface water rights. Replenishing local groundwater allows for increased local supply resilience and helps optimize the utilization of regional and local water resources. The project will revitalize a portion of the Arroyo Seco stream, improve ecosystem health, and enhance the experience for recreational users.  Federal engagement by the EPA to address constituents of concern for safe drinking water through reasonable protocols and sound, science-based standards.  Federal efforts to address legacy contamination issues such as Per- and Poly- fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and other chemicals, which may have been released into the environment resulting from national defense initiatives.  Federal authorization for the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Electric Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits for the payment of residential tap water service charges. Water is a basic nutritional necessity. Bottled water is a SNAP- and EBT-eligible item. Authorizing SNAP and EBT funds for municipal water payments will promote equity, reduce the financial burden on low-income households, and discourage dependence on costly and waste-generating bottled water. Extending SNAP and EBT benefits will help to promote environmental objectives alongside public health goals.
 Federal and state funding to improve California’s headwaters, which provide flow to surface and groundwater supplies, and are critical to sustain local watersheds. Funding to implement local strategies will help create more resilient forests, improve wildfire mitigation, and help provide communities with clean, reliable water.  Annual appropriations for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) at the Department of Energy at least at the FY 2022 level of $550 million.

The City has several energy efficiency initiatives that would benefit from the flexible funding that EECBG provides.

The City opposes:
 Efforts to change the cost-based rates used by the federal Power Marketing Administrations (PMA). Such changes would significantly increase costs for the City, which entered into a 50-year contract with the Western Area PMA for hydroelectric power from the Hoover Dam.
 Efforts that would allow multiple federal agencies to have regulatory authority over cybersecurity related to the power system, and mandatory compliance with “one size fits all” security regulations that circumvent local control of City assets. The public- private partnership agreement between industry and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and overseen by FERC, to implement mandatory cybersecurity standards should be preserved. Rather, the City supports bipartisan cybersecurity and information sharing legislation and a risk-based, utility-specific approach to prioritizing assets that require protection.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Water and Power Department at (626) 744-4409.

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 7
Public Safety
Federal assistance for local police, fire, and homeland security initiatives has been declining for several years, and as a result, communities like Pasadena have been left to maintain public safety services largely on their own. The City believes there is a place for federal contributions to local public safety and homeland security efforts.

The City supports:
 Increased federal resources for law enforcement recruiting efforts and training, particularly as it relates to de-escalation and proportional use of force, and maintenance of body-worn camera programs.
 Non-traditional crime prevention activities such as federal homeless assistance, mental health programs, and substance abuse initiatives.
 Increased federal resources for homeless assistance, mental health programs, and substance abuse initiatives to increase awareness, public education, and training opportunities as well as grant programs that provide direct funding to cities to implement local strategies.
 Legislation and funding to reduce and prevent gun violence, crimes, drug use, and gang violence.
 Legislation and funding to promote public outreach and intervention programs that specifically divert juveniles from the criminal justice system.  Encouraging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop clear rules and regulations governing the use of drones and other unmanned aircraft systems in communities.
 Ongoing procurement of advanced technology that helps mitigate dangerous situations, locate and arrest offenders, gather evidence, solve crimes, and protect public safety entities on the frontlines.
 Providing resources for prisoner re-integration and restorative justice programs, prevention of human trafficking, development of additional diversion programs, and programs for at-risk youth.
 Legislation, funding, and resources to reduce recidivism and help rehabilitate recidivist offenders.
 Federal programs such as SAFER (firefighter hiring), COPS (police hiring), Violence Against Women Act programs, gang intervention programs, Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, Urban Area Security Initiative, and State Homeland Security Grant Program.
 Emergency management training as well as equipment and technology purchases necessary for day-to-day operations, disaster planning, and operation of a fully capable Emergency Operations Center.
 Creating a voluntary federal patient registry to collect data on the incidence of cancer among firefighters.
 Funding for seismic upgrades and other urgent upgrades to City fire stations.

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 8
 Increased funding for early warning earthquake systems.  Increased federal reimbursement rates for ambulance services and emergency medical services (EMS).
 Additional funding for Mobile Integrated Health Programs.  Increased federal reimbursement for wildland firefighting activities.  Efforts to change current FEMA disaster assistance reimbursement formulas that penalize small communities in large population states.
 Development of a reward system for communities that implement successful pre- disaster mitigation.

The City opposes:
 Efforts to preempt local regulation of drone use in communities.  Efforts to condition federal funding to local cooperation and assistance towards enforcing federal immigration laws.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact:
 City Prosecutor’s Office: (626) 744-4141
 Finance Department: (626) 744-4355
 Fire Department: (626) 744-4655
 Police Department: (626) 744-4501

Transportation
Maintaining and improving the City’s transportation infrastructure is one of the highest priorities of Pasadena residents. The City urges federal action to craft a multi-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that includes the necessary resources to meet the urgent need of our multi-modal transportation system. Transportation projects in need of federal assistance in Pasadena that are partially or completely unfunded at this time are included below.

The City supports:
 Resources to equip Pasadena bridges with suicide prevention barriers and other deterrent measures.
 Funding for construction of transit facilities for the growing fleet of Pasadena Transit buses as well as opportunities to apply for state or federal grant funding in order to maintain the current and future expanded fleet in a state of good repair.  Resources, including tax credits, to assist in purchasing zero-emission buses and converting its existing transit fleet to hydrogen and battery electric, establishing hydrogen fueling and battery electric charging infrastructure to sustain a zero- emissions fleet, and operating these services.
 Funding and resources to assist in offsetting operations costs for the purchase of zero- emission vehicle fueling/charging infrastructure for both hydrogen fuel cell buses and battery electric buses.

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 9
 Resources for the construction and operations of a network of hydrogen production sites in the region, especially green hydrogen production infrastructure.  Funding for the safe movement of spectators to and from large-scale special events, including the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
 Efforts of the Southern San Fernando Valley Airport Noise Task Force to urge the FAA to consider changes to recent alternations to aircraft flight paths at Burbank and Van Nuys Airports that have had adverse noise impacts on several neighborhoods in the region.
 Efforts of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority to secure FAA funds for terminal replacement.
 Funding for technology towards the City’s Intelligent Transportation System program.  Funding for completion of the Foothill Extension of the Metro A Line Light Rail System from Pomona to Montclair.
 Funding for Pasadena Transit, which is one of the largest (1.6 million annual trips pre- COVID-19) locally funded fixed route transit systems in Los Angeles County, and the City’s mobility goal of being a city where people can circulate without a car. As a locally funded transit agency in Los Angeles County, Pasadena is precluded by state statute from directly receiving most state and federal transit funds., Access to City- eligible state and federal funding, either formula- or grant- based, is extremely limited and the few funding opportunities that are available are met with significant competition.
 Funding opportunities to transition former highway corridors to neighborhood boulevards.
 Reauthorization of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and all of its grant programs that promote safer streets, including the Safe Streets and Roads for All program.  Use of the “Safe System Approach” – including through support of technologies, strategies, policies, and enhanced motor vehicle safety standards that advance local road safety – to reduce vehicle collisions resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.

This approach provides a holistic view of the road system that helps anticipate human mistakes and minimizes the harm caused to those involved when crashes occur. The City believes speed limits should be established at the local level based on knowledge of roadway segments, local context, goals, engineering judgment, and the Safe System Approach principles.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Transportation Department at (626) 744-7664.

Local Streets, Sidewalks, and Pavement Preservation
The City maintains more than 350 miles of streets and 500 miles of sidewalks that serve as the foundation of its transportation network. Sustaining this infrastructure requires consistent reinvestment to ensure safety, accessibility, and fiscal responsibility. The City supports federal programs that directly fund local roadway preservation, rehabilitation,

2026 Federal Legislative Platform 10
and accessibility improvements and that are separate from transit or intercity mobility funding streams.

The City supports:
 Creation and expansion of federal programs focused specifically on local street resurfacing, reconstruction, and ADA-compliant sidewalk upgrades.  Federal-state collaboration to modernize transportation revenue sources through vehicle-miles-traveled fees, road-usage charges, or equitable EV contributions, recognizing that the traditional gas-tax base is flat or declining.  Integration of storm drainage, curb ramp, and sidewalk repair elements within federally eligible street rehabilitation projects to improve long-term system performance.
 Support for data-driven asset management practices that extend pavement life and reduce lifecycle costs.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Public Works Department at (626) 744-7311.

Housing
Federal and state assistance to the City for the production of new affordable housing has vacillated significantly over the past decade, presenting difficult challenges as the City looks for ways to serve almost 7,500 very low-income households on its Section 8 voucher waiting list. In addition, limited funding in programs such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) have hindered the City’s ability to provide services to low-income neighborhoods and residents who are experiencing homelessness.

The City urges policymakers to recognize that programs such as these have already suffered debilitating cuts and further cuts, through the annual appropriations process or budget sequestration, are likely to result in the denial of Section 8 renewals, the closing of trusted community non-profit service providers, and other important pieces of the social safety net in the community.

The City supports:
 Expansion of federal assistance to address the many issues related to homelessness in communities across the country.
 Increased funding for HUD programs such as Section 8 assisted housing (including both tenant-based and project-based vouchers), CDBG, Section 108 loan program, and HOME.
 Protection of the federal Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  Programs that provide supportive services and housing services to seniors and residents with disabilities.
 Enhancement of tax incentives that will promote affordable housing construction, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and New Markets Tax Credit.

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 Retention of funding for Tier 1 in the Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) at 90% of the CoC’s Annual Renewal Demand (ARD).

The City opposes:
 Cuts to caps on use of HUD funds for administrative fees and proposals to reduce administrative fees for housing assistance to non-income earning clients (this especially hurts programs for seniors and people with disabilities).  Proposals to prohibit the repayment of HUD Section 108 loans with future CDBG allocations.

A permanent housing cap or any changes to scoring that would punish applications submitted in accordance to HUD’s then-stated priorities for the CoC NOFO.For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Housing Department at (626) 744-8300.

Public Health
The City recognizes that many factors affect the health of the community, including changing population demographics, the built environment, access to healthcare services, and social determinants of health. As a result, the City utilizes a cross-departmental approach to address and improve community health: one that promotes interdisciplinary programs such as youth violence prevention programs; outreach and linkage to services for people experiencing homelessness; affordable housing programs that also address mental health and substance use; and transportation improvements that support walkability and healthy food access. The nationally accredited Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) provides core public health services and functions and also serves as a foundation for the collective impact approach to improve the health of populations within the City and across the region.

The City seeks federal assistance to support a collaborative interdisciplinary public health model with PPHD providing backbone support as a health strategy catalyst.

The City supports:
 Increased funding for federal programs that support public health such as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act programs, community health centers, bioterrorism response, communicable disease investigation capabilities, home visitation programs, immunizations, Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, chronic disease prevention programs, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) nutrition program.  Increased funding for tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment programs to identify and treat the increase in TB cases and to make progress toward the goal of TB elimination.
 Efforts to increase access to affordable health care coverage, and to increase the number of insured people.

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 Continued funding for U.S. Centers for Disease Control programs for population health and related public health infrastructure, including workforce retention, workforce development, and information technology.
 Increased funding to address the dramatic rise in STD rates and protect funding for family planning programs that prevent the spread of HIV and STDs.  Resources for mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment.  Legislation and funding for support of improved health outcomes, support of improved health equity, and protection of the rights of diverse populations, the LGBTQ+ community, and of women (including reproductive rights).  Legislation supporting studies to identify and resolve the effects of institutional racism that drive health inequities in the population to address social determinants of health.  Violence prevention research and intervention programs, including reducing the risk of gun violence in our community.
 Federal funding to local health department jurisdictions in support of preparedness, response, and recovery activities in the event of an infectious disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic, or natural and manmade disasters.  Local, City-based collective impact initiatives to improve outcomes for child health, wellness, and education. Specifically, funding to prevent or mitigate the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), reduce racial disparities in infant mortality and maternal perinatal outcomes, and improve the rates of kindergarten readiness among pre-school age children.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Public Health Department at (626) 744-6000.

Technology
The City supports legislative initiatives and funding to promote the use of data and technology to create efficiencies, promote economic development, enhance public safety, improve transportation and mobility, improve sustainability, enhance municipal quality of life factors, and help solve other civic challenges.

The City supports:
 Legislation regarding cybersecurity and information sharing reform, as well as federal resources to assist local government in meeting the challenges of cybersecurity.  Federal efforts to encourage investment in expanding fiber optic technology to homes, and local government input in the distribution of financial incentives to meet community-specific needs.
 Federal assistance for the Interagency Communication Interoperability (ICI), a regional effort to ensure communications interoperability.  Legislative initiatives and funding to advance economic and digital inclusion and equity for all constituents, including access to computers, high-speed Internet, and

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similar technology; and to provide training in computer, cybersecurity, and technology skills.
 Policies, legislation, and funding to increase the number of households and businesses which have access to low-cost or free high-speed and reliable Internet as well as low- cost or free quality, Internet-enabled technology devices and technical support.  Policies, legislation, and grants that treat Internet access as an eligible utility for federal housing vouchers and other subsidies.
 Policies, legislation and funding that ensure transparency, accountability and nondiscrimination of data, content, and algorithms.
 Policies, legislation, and funding that promotes responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in government services, ensuring AI is developed and deployed transparently, with clear accountability, and without bias.

The City opposes:
 Legislative and regulatory efforts to curb the ability of local governments to charge telecommunication providers fairly and reasonably for the use and maintenance of public rights-of-way.
 Federal intrusion into local permitting and zoning laws with respect to siting of telecommunications facilities.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Information Technology Department at (626) 744-4220.

Workforce Development
The Foothill Workforce Investment Board provides job training and job seeking services to City residents and neighboring communities. Services are funded primarily through federal resources, but the City also provides local funding to a successful summer youth employment program. During the most recent economic downturn, local employment and training programs were stretched thin, so federal support in this area is particularly critical to the effort to maintain and enhance a skilled workforce.

The City operates a program that plays a critical role in supporting employment readiness, community reintegration, and workforce development for residents with barriers to employment. Through partnerships with local agencies and service providers, the program delivers job training, transitional employment, and supportive services designed to promote self-sufficiency, reduce recidivism, and strengthen community resilience. The City recognizes that federal investment in workforce and re-entry programs is essential to sustain and expand these efforts to ensure that every resident has equitable access to opportunity and economic stability.

The City supports:
 Implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that allows for continued flexibility and the primacy of the one-stop system as the presumed deliverer of employment and training services, as well as strong local participation and governance in the workforce investment board process.

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 Long-term federal investment in summer youth employment and WIOA reauthorization that would be linked to locally developed and supported summer jobs and internship efforts.
 Increased federal investments in apprenticeship programs.  Continued and expanded federal funding for workforce development programs that provide training, job placement, credentialing, and transitional employment opportunities for residents. Sustained investment in these areas strengthens the local economy, reduces unemployment, and promotes equitable access to stable, fully- benefited, living-wage careers with promotional opportunities for people from all backgrounds.
 Federal programs that link employment with comprehensive re-entry services, including job readiness, skill development, and supportive wrap-around resources to promote long-term success. Stable employment is one of the most effective tools for preventing recidivism and supporting the successful reintegration of justice-impacted individuals.
 Federal investment in on-the-job training programs. Public sector on-the-job training- based programs connect individuals to rewarding careers and ensure employers have access to a skilled and diverse workforce.

The City opposes:
 Federal actions that restrict municipal flexibility to design and manage workforce programs and employment initiatives tailored to community needs.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact:
 City Manager’s Office: (626) 744-4333
 Housing Department: (626) 744-8300

Parks, Recreation and Community Services
The City’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department sponsors a variety of programs for some of the City’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods and families. It also serves as the primary liaison to the Pasadena Unified School District. Working in tandem with other City departments, some important federal actions to support include increased resources for:
 After-school and childcare programs.
 Programs that improve recreational opportunities in the community, including those that recognize the impacts of strict water conservation measures on recreational facilities.
 Parks, recreation, health, and fitness programs.
 Gang-diversion initiatives and anti-bullying programs.  Capital improvements to aging parks and recreation facilities, as well as federal funding opportunities for facility operations and maintenance costs.

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 Measures that maintain and strengthen funding for workforce development initiatives that provide innovative work and school-based programs.

Additionally, maintaining and enhancing the City’s parks and recreational system is a high priority for City residents, and the City has committed significant resources to offering safe and accessible recreational opportunities. Although federal assistance in the areas of recreation, preservation, and conservation has declined sharply, the City believes there is a federal role for assisting local governments with these matters.

The City supports:
 Efforts to bring back the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) program, where the City believes the small federal commitment provided great benefits to a number of communities across the country.
 The National Park Service proposal to protect additional lands and habitats in the area by adding the “Rim of the Valley” corridor to the existing Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, with the understanding that the proposal retains existing local land use and regulatory authorities, fire prevention policies, water rights, and utility infrastructure systems.
 Federal funding and swift completion of the feasibility study for the Arroyo Seco Ecosystem Restoration Project, being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District.  Additional federal resources for local tree planting initiatives.  Federal funding to combat climate change by providing funds for shade structures within City parks to cover play equipment, bleachers, and other park amenities.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department at (626) 744-4386.

Library Services
In 2021, the City identified critical infrastructure needs in Pasadena’s historic Central Library. Given the importance of the Central Library as a community hub that supports literacy, social welfare, and civic engagement, the City is supportive of federal funding for capital improvement projects that address life/safety issues in library buildings.

The City’s Central Library and nine branch libraries provide services to more than 2,000 patrons per day, sponsoring an array of activities for both adults and children. The City encourages federal assistance to provide libraries with multi-year funding models in order to ensure continuity of library services for the public beyond capital improvements, including dedicated operational funding to support staffing, extended hours, and essential services – especially in underserved neighborhoods.

In recent years, it has been the focus of the City’s Library and Information Services Department to enhance its information and technology services to better meet the needs of City residents. Given the increasing importance of accessing the Internet for library customers without the means to do so at home, the City is supportive of any efforts to expand high speed, high-capacity broadband funding. The City is also supportive of

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legislation on protecting library user data in digital platforms and ensuring vendors comply with strict privacy standards.

The City supports:
 Full funding for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) programs at the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
 Continued IMLS funding of National Leadership grants for Library and Recruitment for Librarians for the 21st Century, and early childhood literacy programs that involve partnerships between libraries, the local school district, and other community-based agencies.
 Funding for library partnerships with justice system agencies to support re-entry services, legal aid, and restorative justice programming.  Funding for library-housed youth diversion and literacy programs to reduce recidivism and promote educational equity.
 Continued funding of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
 Increased funding for programs, scholarships, and loan forgiveness – especially for underrepresented communities – that provide or encourage training and outreach for those interested in a career in library science.
 Efforts that allow for increased flexibility with regard to copyright laws and increased access to electronic books and media.
 Efforts to maintain net neutrality, open access, and intellectual freedom.  Funding for resources to protect and preserve America’s historic libraries.  Funding for public libraries serving people experiencing homelessness and/or mental illness.
 Funding for libraries to provide programs and resources to those impacted by public health crises, such as those who have lost their jobs or are underemployed, those experiencing mental health issues, needing help with schoolwork, and those experiencing social isolation.
 Designation of libraries as eligible recipients for FEMA and DHS resilience funding to support their role as community hubs during emergencies (e.g., wildfires, heatwaves, pandemics).

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Library and Information Services Department at (626) 744-4066.

Economic Development
The City supports federal legislation and funding that enhance local capacity to foster economic opportunity, attract private investment, and create quality jobs. Federal programs are essential to advancing the City of Pasadena’s innovation economy, supporting small businesses, and strengthening workforce and community resilience.

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The City supports:
 Funding and expansion of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), including its Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs, and Planning and Local Technical programs that provide flexible resources for local economic development, infrastructure, and innovation capacity-building.  Funding and expansion of the Small Business Administration (SBA), including Microloan, 504, and 7(a) programs, as well as robust funding for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), and other entrepreneurial resource partners that provide critical technical assistance, mentoring, and access to capital for local businesses.
 Funding of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, particularly funding allocations that support neighborhood-based economic development and small business assistance.
 Federal investments that strengthen local innovation ecosystems, including implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act and the EDA Recompete Pilot Program to expand regional manufacturing capacity.
 Improvements to the federal Opportunity Zone program to ensure investments generate equitable, community-serving outcomes in the City’s designated tracts.  Federal programs and investments that fund local infrastructure, broadband, and clean energy projects that drive equitable and sustainable economic growth.

For more information about the City positions on this topic, please contact the City Manager’s office at (626) 744-4333.

Campaign Finance
In September 2013, the City Council approved a resolution that urges Congress to propose and support, and the state legislature to ratify, a Constitutional amendment to reverse the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that prohibits the government from restricting political independent expenditures by corporations, associations, or labor unions.

The resolution maintains that reversal of the decision would enable the people, through their elected representatives, to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures in all elections at the federal, state, and local levels and ensure that corporations are not entitled to the entirety of protections or "rights" of human beings, specifically so that the expenditure of corporate money to influence the electoral process is no longer a form of constitutionally protected speech.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the City Attorney’s Office at (626) 744-4141.

Environmental Stewardship
The global climate is changing, and ocean water levels are rising largely due to increases in levels of GHG emissions in the environment, which affects human health and the

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economic well-being of our communities. The City has developed a variety of programs and policies to proactively reduce its carbon footprint. In addition, 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.

The City seeks to increase its role in promoting environmental stewardship and urban sustainability through activities such as the endorsement of the United Nations Green Cities Declaration, the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and the adoption of the Urban Environmental Accords Action Plan.

As demonstrated in other sections of the Federal Legislative Platform, “Utilities” (p. 3), “Transportation” (p. 7), “Parks, Recreation and Community Services” (p. 12) and “Solid Waste Resource Management” (p. 16), the City is committed to mitigating climate change, while balancing the needs of the Pasadena community. The City supports legislation that:
 Improves the availability of renewable energy.
 Increases energy efficiency.
 Reduces GHG emissions.
 Reduces waste to landfills.
 Reduces the use of non-renewable resources in the manufacturing of products.  Supports green buildings and advances urban planning while protecting wildlife habitats.
 Improves opportunities for environmentally beneficial jobs.  Enhances parks and recreational opportunities.
 Increases the urban forest canopy.
 Increases affordable public transit.
 Supports cleaner emissions from vehicles.
 Improves air quality.
 Ensures and conserves safe drinking water.
 Supports sustainable urban watershed and wastewater planning and implementation.

The City also supports renewable energy derived from sustainable resources such as wind, geothermal (steam), landfill gas (methane produced from decomposing waste), solar, and hydroelectric facilities that can be cost-effectively procured for residents and businesses.

The City supports air quality legislation that may include strategies to mitigate emissions as well as port operations that reduce air pollution and relieve traffic congestion. This is best demonstrated through the City’s use of alternative fuel vehicles for the City’s transit services.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact:
 City Manager’s Office: (626) 744-4333
 Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department: (626) 744-4386

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 Planning and Community Development Department: (626) 744-6833  Public Works Department: (626) 744-7311
 Transportation Department: (626) 744-7664
 Water and Power Department: (626) 744-4409

Solid Waste Resource Management
The City is committed to waste reduction and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which is an important strategy for redesigning problematic waste products and packaging.

This approach would also reduce the financial and environmental burdens placed on local jurisdictions for managing these products at their end-of-life by shifting these responsibilities to the product manufacturers.

As such, the City adopted an EPR Resolution in 2010, which included expanding product stewardship efforts, and updated key initiatives in the City’s Zero Waste Strategic Plan to extend producer responsibility in the City’s path to achieving zero waste by the year 2040 through 19 waste reduction strategies. California has set a statewide goal of a 75 %reduction in organics disposed by 2025, which continues to drive the City’s solid waste management plan.

Additionally, in November 2018, China implemented a Green Sword Policy that drastically lowered the contamination level of accepted items and eliminated the import of mixed plastics and unsorted paper. These changes have affected the entire recycling market and have forced recycling programs to change to meet market demands.

Additional actions the City supports include:
 Product and disposal bans: The City supports legislation aimed at reducing disposable products and packaging, including product and disposal bans for environmentally problematic materials. Such legislation should not overly burden municipalities with data capture, reporting and enforcement but should include reasonable phase-out periods.
 EPR Initiatives: The City supports EPR initiatives to place a shared responsibility for end-of-life product management on the producers and all entities involved in the production chain, instead of passing costs along to the general public or municipalities. Initiatives should encourage product design changes that minimize a negative impact on human health and the environment at every stage of the product’s lifecycle.
 Organics processing: Effective January 1, 2022, SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) required California cities to recycle their organic waste, including food waste. The City supports funding and permitting assistance to help facilitate local and regional organics processing capacity and fund additional related program costs.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Public Works Department at (626) 744-7311.

Attachment B

CITY OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
2026 State Legislative Platform
Part I - Guiding Principles
1) Preserve Local Funding
The City of Pasadena supports the protection of existing state and local funding sources and the authorities that provide revenues to the City. Such areas include the protection of state-shared revenues, assets of the fom1er redevelopment agency, development impact fees, and the ability to collect compensation for the use of the public right-of-way or City-owned facilities. The City opposes any new mandates that are unfunded and/or inadequately ft.mded.
2) Preserve Local Authority
The City supports local decision-making authority and opposes preemption of local control. Cities are voluntarily created by the residents of a community to provide local self-government and to make decisions at a local level to best meet the needs of the commtmity. Each community has unique needs and characteristics that are best met by policies set by its local governing body. Every year, several pieces of high-profile legislation are introduced which serve the purpose of superseding local discretion and land use controls generally established to maintain the immediate community's quality oflife standards. Statewide efforts to remove the ability to set policy at the local level should be opposed. The City promotes legislation that allows flexibility in the City's efforts to cost-effectively meet goals and mandates.

The City supports efforts that help municipalities maintain local control for reasonable development standards ofland use regulation for housing, including accessory dwelling units and single family-zoned properties. The City opposes efforts that would threaten local decision-making authority to oversee local revenue-raising measures and resources for critical services and infrastmcture.

Part II - Legislative Priorities
Disaster and Pandemic Responses
Direct and timely fiscal aid is the only way communities like Pasadena are able to respond to natural disasters and pandemics, such as the January 2025 Eaton Fire disaster and the COVID-19 pandemic. Direct and timely aid is necessary to maintain continuity of vital services in areas like public health, public safety, utility services, and outreach to the City's most vulnerable residents. The City supports legislation and state actions that would provide:
• Direct fiscal assistance to local governments of all population sizes to address the catastrophic loss ofrevenue resulting from a natural disaster, global pandemic, or other similar disasters.
• Funding towards building capabilities by local governments to respond to bioterrorism events.
1 • Direct fiscal assistance to local health jurisdictions to support expanded epidemiological functions such as case investigation, contact tracing, testing, medical countermeasures (such as vaccine distribution), environmental threat assessment, workforce development, and services that support family and child physical, mental health and wellness hanned by a pandemic, including access to food and housing, access to primary and preventive care services, and safety. • Direct fiscal assistance to publicly owned utilities to credit delinquent utility bills for their affected customers.

For more infonnation about City positions on this topic, please contact:
• Finance Department: (626) 744-4355
• Housing Department: (626) 744-8300
• Public Health Department: ( 626) 7 44-6000
• Water and Power Department: (626) 744-4409
Early Childhood
A comprehensive approach to early childhood must include whole child/whole family approaches that address the systemic needs of fan1ilies. The City acknowledges that parents and caregivers must have adequate financial resources, stable quality housing, access to quality and culturally congruent healthcare, and proper nutrition to enable their children to flourish during the critically-developing period of O to 5 years of age and beyond. Improved access to high-quality early childhood education, including preschool, will help develop meaningful early learning solutions that support young children and their families. It is vital for early childhood education programs to have consistent, well­ funded and diverse resources at the federal, state and local level. The City is supportive oflegislation and funding to improve access to whole child/whole family approaches and early learning and care so that yonng children, especially those from low- and middle­ income families, and their families can flourish during this critical developmental period of their lives.

A collaborative effort by the City that centralizes both children and their families is necessary for building a sustainable early-learning system for all.

For more information about City positions on this topic please contact:
• City Manager's Office: (626) 744-4333
o Office of the Young Child: ( 626) 7 44-4060
• Housing Department: ( 626) 7 44-83 00
• Library and Information Services Department: ( 626) 7 44-4066 • Parks, Recreation and Community Services: (626) 744-4386 • Public Health Department: Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health Program: (800) 304-0015 Density Bonus Law
The City supports changes to the current State Density Bonus law that will restore local control. These changes should allow cities to maximize their ability to protect local quality oflife and retain the nnique character of their communities. The City supports special consideration in meeting the State Density Bonus law for cities like Pasadena that have consistently invested in affordable housing projects and programs. Cities that have 2026 State Legislative Platform 2
achieved appropriate housing goals, demonstrated commitment to affordable housing, complied with zoning requirements, and incentivized transit-oriented development, etc. should not be penalized by the imposition of state law which diminishes local authority.

The City supports compliant cities being granted relief and/or flexibility in response to the State Density Bonus law with greater regulatory attention focused on non-compliant jurisdictions to address their affordable housing needs.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact:
• Housing Department: (626) 744-8300
• Planning and Community Development Department: (626) 744-6833 Zone Zero Legislation
The City supports policies to mitigate and prevent future wildfires from destroying homes and businesses. However, potential Zone Zero regulations could pit homeowners' insurance companies against the Pasadena Mnnicipal Code and place a significant cost and labor burden on the City's staff to inspect properties and remove or cut back City trees, which would reduce shade in communities, increase cooling costs in the stUnmer, and increase extreme heat risks for residents and visitors as a result. The City supports careful consideration of the spacing between structures and landscaping in a manner that does not have an overly impactful effect on live green trees and plants. The City also supports legislative initiatives and funding to administer Zone Zero regulations and support tree planting programs to offset canopy loss resulting from Zone Zero compliance.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Public Works Department at ( 626) 7 44-7311.

Technology
The City supports legislative initiatives and funding to promote the use of data and technology to create efficiencies, promote economic development, enhance public safety, improve transportation and mobility, improve sustainability, enhance municipal quality of life factors, and help solve other civic challenges.

The City supports:
• Legislation regarding cybersecurity and information sharing reform, as well as state resources to assist local government in meeting the challenges of cybersecurity. • State efforts to encourage investment in expanding fiber optic technology to homes and local government input in the distribution of financial incentives to meet community-specific needs.
• Legislation to ensure funding for communities to offer accessible public, educational, and governmental (PEG) programming; cities' rights to collect and audit franchise fee payments; and, for the use of PEG ftrnds for non-capital expenditures such as operations and online support.
• Legislative initiatives and funding to advance economic and digital inclusion and equity for all constituents, including access to computers, high-speed internet, and 2026 State Legislative Platform 3
similar technology; and to provide training in computer, cybersecurity, and technology skills.
• Policies, legislation, and funding to increase the number of households and businesses which have access to low-cost or free high-speed and reliable Internet as well as low­ cost or free quality, Internet-enabled technology devices and technical support. • Policies, legislation, and grants that treat internet access as an eligible utility for State housing vouchers and other subsidies.
• Policies, legislation, and funding that ensure transparency, accountability and nondiscrimination of data, content, and algorithms.
• Policies, legislation, and funding that promotes responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in government services, ensuring AI is developed and deployed transparently, with clear accoimtability, and without bias. • Policies, legislation, and funding to ensure public communication are accessible, multilingual, and inclusive, including fi.mding for translation services, culturally competent outreach, and digital tools that support engagement with historically underrepresented communities.

The City opposes:
• Legislative and regulatory efforts to curb the ability oflocal govermnents to charge telecommunication providers fair and to seek reasonable compensation for the use and maintenance of public rights-of-way.
• Any state intrusion into local permitting and zoning laws with respect to siting of telecommunications facilities.
• Any legislation that would further diminish the City's ability to make future decisions to offer telecommunication services directly.

For more information about City positions on this topic, please contact the Infonnation Technology Deparhnent at (626) 744-4220.

Tort Reform
The City supports legislation that reduces excessive tort liabilities and restores balanced legal protections for public agencies. Such legislation is critical to preserving public resources for their intended purpose of providing essential services to the community.

Legislation that the City supports include:
• Limiting non-economic damages in public agency cases to the lesser of three times actual damages or $1 million, which aligns with recent proposals to ensure predictability and fairness.
• Expanding Proposition 51 principles to economic damages to ensure public agencies are only liable for their proportionate share of fault. • Reforming AB 218 to equitably balance justice for survivors of sexual abuse with the need to ensure the fiscal stability of public agencies. 2026 State Legislative Platform 4

• Policies that recognize hydropower as a domestic source of climate-friendly renewable energy that also benefits flood control, water supply, air quality, and the economy.
• Energy intensity policies and programs that recognize the need for water utilities to have flexibility in defining supply portfolios that both address local and regional needs and rely on diverse water sources to help ensure long-term sustainability.

For more infom1ation about City positions on these topics, please contact the Water and Power Department at (626) 744-4409.
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INFORMATION ITEMS

3. CITY INVESTMENTS

INFORMATION ITEMS

7. PAST AGENDAS FOR CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS