City of Sacramento
Law and Legislation Committee Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-02224 4/18/2023 Consent Item 3.
Legislative Advocacy Correspondence
File ID: 2022-02224
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, (916) 808-7395, [email protected], Office of the City Manager Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Legislative Advocacy Correspondence_March _2023
Date Bill/Subject Author Description of Issue Position Notes 3/30/23 AB 595 Essayli Animal Shelters: 72-Hour Public Notice Oppose 3/28/23 SB 659 Ashby California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023 Support 3/28/23 AB 285 Luz Rivas Pupil Instruction: Science Requirements: Climate Change Support 3/27/23
Budget request to fund the Local Equitable Access to Food (LEAF) Program Support Coalition letter
3/21/23
Budget request for Continued Assistance for Customer Water and Wastewater Arrearages Accrued During the Pandemic Support Coalition letter 3/21/23 AB 333 Nguyen Abandoned Vehicle Service Authorities Licenses and Permits Support 3/6/23 AB 350 Aguiar-Curry Regional Transportation Plans: SACOG Support Position Letters 2023-2024
March 6, 2023
Assemblymember Laura Friedman
Chair, Assembly Committee on Transportation
1020 N Street, Room 112
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 350 (AGUIAR-CURRY): REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANS:
SACRAMENTO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Friedman:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of Assembly Bill 350 (Aguiar-Curry). AB 350 would facilitate greater interregional collaboration by more closely aligning the Sacramento Area Council of Government’s (SACOG) sustainable communities strategy update with those of its regional partners, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), both for SACOG’s current plan update and into the future.
MTC, SJCOG and SACOG collectively make up the Northern California Megaregion, which includes 16 counties and 136 cities with a total population of nearly 11 million.
Among other joint efforts, the regions have been collaborating to advance interregional projects that will benefit quality of life, transportation, and commerce throughout Northern California. By more closely aligning the timing of SACOG’s next sustainable communities strategy update with those of the MTC and the SJCOG, AB 350 will facilitate better interregional planning and encourage the development of shared priorities across the Megaregion that support improved quality of life and continued economic growth throughout the Megaregion.
AB 350 will also allow SACOG more time to meaningfully collaborate and iterate with its partner agencies and it will provide the opportunity for additional robust outreach and engagement of under-resourced communities well beyond what is required by law. This additional time will ensure that the technical work of the plan does not diminish the
important work of engaging member jurisdictions, regional partners, community-based organizations, and the public on what this plan means for the future of the region and how we implement it together.
For that reason, I respectfully request your support of AB 350. Should you have any questions about our support, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916-808-7395 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Katie Valenzuela
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee
cc: Members, Assembly Transportation Committee
Christine Casey, Consultant, Assembly Transportation Committee Daniel Ballon, Consultant, Assembly Republican Caucus
March 20, 2023
Assemblymember Laura Friedman
Chair, Assembly Committee on Transportation
1020 N Street, Room 112
Sacramento, California 95814
RE: AB 333 (NGUYEN) ABANDONED VEHICLE SERVICE AUTHORITIES
LICENSES AND PERMITS - SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Friedman:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write in support of AB 333 (Nguyen), which is needed to ensure that the Sacramento Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority (SAVSA) has the necessary regulatory authority to effectively carry out their mission combatting blight, improving quality of life, and helping protect the health and safety by removing environmental hazards.
The SAVSA Program was established in 1992 and in the 30 years of the program’s existence, the program has abated over 300,000 vehicles in Sacramento County helping keep our neighborhoods free of blight as well as the environmental hazards associated with abandoned, wrecked, or dismantled vehicles containing heavy metals, gasoline, oil, and other fluids.
The SAVSA program has benefited its member agencies for the past three decades which include County of Sacramento and the Cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento. The program is paid for through a one dollar ($1) fee collected with annual vehicle registration. However, since Proposition 26 was approved in 2010, it has become clear that authorizing statutes in the vehicle code are not specific enough to show that SAVSA is clearly a regulatory agency with a regulator fee and not a special tax. Consequently, since the passage of Proposition 26, the number of these programs statewide has slowly been reduced from 41 to 30 in 2021.
AB 333 is needed to ensure there is the necessary regulatory authority to effectively carry out SAVSA’s mission and charge a fee for a regulatory purpose, thus allowing fo the continuation of the program. As such, AB 333 would ensure the continuation of these programs to combat blight, improve quality of life, and help protect the health and safety by removing environmental hazards.
For the reasons stated above, the City requests support of AB 333. Should you have any questions about our support, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916-808-7395 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Katie Valenzuela
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee
March 21, 2023
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Request for Continued Assistance for Customer Water and Wastewater Arrearages Accrued During the Pandemic
Dear Governor Newsom;
Our organizations represent water agencies that currently hold nearly $220 million in water and wastewater debt incurred during the recently expired COVID-19 emergency, as well as drinking water advocates who are dedicated to ensuring access to safe and affordable drinking water.
We appreciate your advocacy for access to safe drinking water and your commitment to ensuring that households were able to continue to access water during the pandemic whether or not they were able to pay their water bills. Many utilities have followed the administration’s lead and have taken steps to limit or even prohibit utility shutoffs - even after the Governor’s executive order requiring them to do so expired - because of the disproportionate impact shutoffs would have on disadvantaged communities, environmental justice communities, communities of color, and low-income communities.
While the first round of water and wastewater arrearage relief funding through the California Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program (CWWAPP) was helpful in getting ratepayers back on their feet, utilities and the households they serve are still facing a historic level of utility arrears as ratepayers are still feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Extending the eligibility period of CWWAPP through February 28, 2023 (consistent with the end of California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency) can help protect over 100,000 of our agencies’ water and wastewater accounts with arrears from potential shut-offs and liens.
Of the $985 million in federal dollars the Legislature appropriated to CWWAPP for water and wastewater arrearages accrued through June 15, 2021, the State Water Resources Control Board successfully and efficiently distributed approximately $460 million directly to utilities for application to customer accounts. Even after reserving $200 million for the Low- Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) at the Community Services Department (CSD), the state retains over $300 million in unspent funds to support arrears that have accrued since June of 2021.
The state also received $116 million directly from the Federal government to distribute to low income water and wastewater ratepayer arrears through LIHWAP. CSD’s slow roll out of LIHWAP as well as other implementation challenges could threaten Californians’ ability to receive needed assistance and could result in unspent dollars being returned to Treasury at the direction of the federal government. Californians risk losing up to $50 million in funding, even as water and wastewater arrearages soar to new heights.
Swift action is needed to help ensure low-income households around the state have continued access to safe and affordable water. As we continue to work towards long-term solutions, we urge you to allow the remaining balance of water arrearage funding to be rapidly expended in a final round of CWWAPP arrearage funding by extending the program through the end of the COVID-19 Emergency on February 28, 2023. At the same time, we would like to work with the administration and CSD to develop process and implementation improvements to LIHWAP that can aid in swift allocation of funds to households in need and ensure program success.
We would appreciate an early meeting to discuss how this effort could move forward.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Clary
California Director
Clean Water Action
Councilmember Katie Valenzuela
Chair, Law & Legislation Committee
Council District 4
Kyle Jones
Policy and Legal Director
Community Water Center
Matthew Hale, Director
Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Michael Claiborne
Directing Attorney
Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability
Danielle Blacet-Hyden
Deputy Executive Director
California Municipal Utilities Association
Jennifer M. Capitolo
Executive Director
California Water Association
Justin Skarb
Vice-President, Government and Community Affairs
California Water Service
Edward R. Osann
Senior Policy Analyst
Natural Resources Defense Council
Megan Scott
Director, Policy & Government Affairs
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Kathryn C. Viatella
Manager of Legislative Affairs
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Lauren Ahkiam
Project Director
Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
Laura Feinstein, Ph.D.
Sustainability and Resilience Policy Director
SPUR
cc: Senator Pro Tem Atkins
Assembly Speaker Rendon
Assembly Budget Chair Ting
Senate Budget Chair Skinner
Assembly Budget #3 Subcommittee Chair Bennett
Senate Budget #2 Subcommittee Chair Becker
March23, 2023
TheHonorableToni AtkinsPresident proTempore, CaliforniaSenate1021OStreet, Suite8518Sacramento, CA95814 TheHonorableAnthonyRendonSpeaker, CaliforniaAssemblyStateCapitol, Room219Sacramento, CA95814 TheHonorableNancySkinnerChair, SenateBudget andFiscal ReviewCommittee1021OStreet, Suite8630Sacramento, CA95814 TheHonorablePhil TingChair, AssemblyBudget CommitteeonBudgetStateCapitolP.O. Box94284 RE: Request $14MilliontoFundTheLocal EquitableAccesstoFood(LEAF) Program Dear LegislativeandBudget Leaders,
Wearewritinginsupport of funding SB907(Pan) –theLocal EquitableAccesstoFood(LEAF) Program,whichexpandsElectronicBenefitsTransfer (EBT) accessat all certifiedfarmers’ marketsinCaliforniaandalsoseekstoincreasethenumber of farmers’ marketsinlow-incomecommunitiesthroughout our state. Tomeet thestatutoryrequirementsoutlinedinSB907, our organizationsrespectfullyrequest your support tofundtheLEAFprogramintheupcomingbudget. Specifically, wearerequesting$14millioninone-timefundingtoestablishtheLEAFgrant programwhichwill bedevelopedbytheDepartment of FoodandAgriculturealongwiththeDepartment of Social Services. Thegrant fundingcouldalsobeusedtoscaleandimproveEBTprocessesat existingfarmers’ marketsandestablishEBTaccessat newcertifiedmarketsinlow-incomecommunities.
Currently, morethanaquarter of Californiansarelivinginor near poverty. Low-incomeindividualsandfamiliesthat relyonthefederal Supplemental NutritionAssistanceProgram(SNAP), knownasCalFreshinCalifornia, areissuedanEBTcardtoaccesstheir foodbenefits. Thecurrent EBTsystem, however, presentsmanyadministrativeandlogistical hurdlesthat oftenprevent farmers’ marketsfromacceptingEBTcards. TheLEAFprogrampresentsaneffectivetool toincreaseaccesstohealthyfoodandtofight foodinsecurity,especiallyduringtimesof economicslowdownsandtight budgets. Moreover, aUCDavisstudyfoundthateverydollar spent at afarmers’ market stimulates$1.86inlocal economicactivity, asthemoneygoesdirectlyintothepocketsof local farmers, whotendtospendit locallyaswell.
Alchemist CDC, anonprofit basedinSacramentothat facilitatesEBTservicesat local farmers’ markets,estimatesthat it wouldcost approximately$1,500per market per monthtoensureeffectiveEBTaccess. Withroughly663certifiedfarmers’ marketsinCalifornia, thetotal cost statewidewouldberoughly$11millionannuallytoprovideeverycertifiedfarmers’ market withadedicatedon-siteEBToperator andsufficientback-endadministrativesupport. TheremainingfundswouldbeusedtoestablishEBTaccessat newcertified 2 markets, fundtheadministrativeworkat CDFA, andprovidetechnical assistancetomarketsimplementingequitableEBTaccess.
Farmers’ marketsareanimportant sourceof low-cost, freshfruitsandvegetablesfor Californiansinneedoffoodassistance–andincreasingEBTaccessat farmers’ marketswill helpimprovenutritionoutcomesinareasof Californiawherefooddesertsexist. Additionally, for small andmid-sizedfarmingoperations, farmers’marketsprovideanimportant economicbenefit –aviable, local outlet for thesaleof their produce. For theabovereasons, our organizationsrespectfullyrequest $14millioninone-timefundingtofundtheLEAFprogram, whichwill expandaccesstoEBTservicesat all certifiedfarmers’ marketsacrossCalifornia.
Sincerely,
ArnoldSowell Jr.NextGenCalifornia(Co-sponsor)
SamGreenleeAlchemist CDC(Co-sponsor)
Kat TaylorTheOfficeof Kat Taylor
Eli ZigasSPUR
Christoper SanchezWesternCenter onLaw&Poverty
Hester Parker, PhDEveryone'sHarvest
CaraMaeWooledge, MPHNapaFarmersMarket
3 ErinTormeyCoastsideFarmers' Markets
SueStruthersRiversideFoodSystemsAlliance
AllenJ. MoyPacificCoast Farmers' Market Association
Mar VelezLatinoCoalitionfor aHealthyCalifornia
FrankTamborelloHunger ActionLosAngeles
BethSmokerCaliforniaFoodandFarmingNetwork
RoshaunDavisUnseenHeroesCLTRE
JamieMorganAmericanHeart Association
JamieFanousCommunityAlliancewithFamilyFarmers
TrishKellyValleyVision
StephenPulliamHeart of theCityFarmersMarket
LuluMeyerFoodwise
Michael DimockRootsof Change
4 RebeccaGonzalesNational Associationof Social Workers, CaliforniaChapter MaryKimballCenter for Land-BasedLearning
ErinO'HarePeaceful ValleyFarmers' Market
Kristi ConfortiBlueZonesProject TuolumneCounty
CatharineCearleyMurphysFarmersMarket, LLC
BrendaRuizSacramentoFoodPolicyCouncil
CynthiaOjedaModel NeighborhoodProgram
ElizabethWightTheFoodInitiativeof Greater Stanislaus
BenFeldmanFarmersMarket Coalition
LaurenWolferCertifiedFarmersMarketsof theCoachellaValley ChristineTranLosAngelesFoodPolicyCouncil
ShakiraMiracleSantaBarbaraCountyFoodActionNetwork
KellyBondBlueZonesProject - Upper NapaValley
5 NelsonHawkinsWeGrowUrbanFarm
LianaOrlandiMarinFoodPolicyCouncil
AmandaMcCarthyRiver CityFoodBank
LaurenGlikinMariposaCertifiedFarmers' Market
Daniel MeyerWest LAFarmersMarket
SoniaMoraTheWoodlandFarmersMarket
MyriamKaplan-PasternakDVMDevil'sGulchRanch
AaronDeLaCerdaActaNonVerba: YouthUrbanFarmProject
AnthonyPahnkeFamilyFarmDefenders
CaraElioSustainableEconomicEnterprisesof LosAngeles
Mayor BobbieSingh-AllenCityof ElkGrove
ClaudiaKeller, CEOSecondHarvest FoodBankof OrangeCounty LindaA. Zablotny-Hurst, JDCenter for WellnessandNutrition 6 Esther RigoniSanLuisObispoCountyFarmers' MarketAssociation, Inc DaveHensonTheOccidental Arts&EcologyCenter
ElisiaDeBordSacramentoCounty
CorneliaSieber-DavisLakeCountyFarmers' Finest
AndyNaja-RieseAgricultural Instituteof Marin
Heidi PickmanCAMEO- CaliforniaAssociationfor MicroEnterpriseOpportunity SaryTatpapornABLECommunityDevelopment Foundation
DerekPolkaLosAngelesRegional FoodBank
EllyBrown&SonaDesaiSanDiegoFoodSystemAlliance
MicaelaBrowningCoastal Pacific, LLC
LaetitiaBenadorCaliforniaCertifiedOrganicFarmers(CCOF)
LenaBrookNRDC(Natural ResourcesDefenseCouncil)
JeanShiomotoACCSenior Services
MaggieDorseyDavisFarmersMarket 7
MiriamLimovNevadaCountyFoodPolicyCouncil
MartinBourqueEcologyCenter
Carmen-NicoleCoxUnitedWayCaliforniaCapital Region
Peter RuddockPajaroValleyFood, FarmingandHealthPolicyCommittee Niaomi HrepichNutritionandFitnessCollaborativeof theCentralCoast TonyDamicoLongBeachFresh
CraigMcNamaraSierraOrchards
ReggieKnoxCaliforniaFarmLink
RhondaSmithCaliforniaBlackHealthNetwork
EmilyHillAshbyFungi
AlexZuccoJunior Leagueof Sacramento
CarolineRadiceTheGoodFarmFund
Janet CielHealdsburgCertifiedFarmersMarket
LaurenWestonActerra: Actionfor aHealthyPlanet
8 NicoleZahmSantaCruzCommunityFarmersMarkets
SaraGriffenImperial ValleyFoodBank
SarahDiazCaliforniaWICAssociation
DeenHasaanAlamedaCountyCommunityFoodBank
GenevieveLeBlancBlueZonesProject MontereyCountyMontereyCountyFoodPolicyCouncil April TreonaLancasterDowntownVisaliaCertifiedFarmersMarket NancySwiftMount ShastaFarmers' Market, JEDI
AndyFisherEcological FarmingAssociation
Daniel BestCertifiedFarmers' Marketsof Sacramento
PattyBruderNorthCoast Opportunities
Nara-LilaMacDonaldFallbrookMainAveCertifiedFarmersMarket JoeRobustelliRootedUrbanNursery
JoshAssinkUrbanVillageFarmersMarket Association
ShielaBurchModestoCertifiedFarmersMarket Inc
LauradeTarFreshApproach
PortiaBrambleNorthCoast GrowersAssociation
Michael FoleyMendocinoCountyFarmersMarket Association
Abigail Echo-HawkUrbanIndianHealthInstitute
AlmaTorres-NguyenKaweahHealth
KevinAslanianCoalitionof CaliforniaWelfareRightsOrganizations,Inc.
April VerhoefFSt. FarmersMarket
9 AveLambertFEAST
MatthewJ. Ampersandfindout farms
BryanSobelJohnsHopkinsCenter for aLivableFuture
Carol LauSunset Mercantile&Outer Sunset FarmersMarket &Mercantile CathrynCouchCeresCommunityProject
Christopher M. BaconEnvironmental Justice&CommonGoodInitiativeat SantaClaraUniversity CynthiaKormanOjai CertifiedFarmersMarket
DrewSchultzClover ValleyCulinary
EduardoGonzalezSanJoaquinValleyRural Development Center ElyseBernsteinBrownsvilleFarmersMarket
EustoliaZamora-BonillaKaweahHealthHospital
GenovevaIslasCultivaLaSalud
HarvBillonLocal Roots
KatieValenzuelaCityof Sacramento
KellySmith
Agricultural CommunityEventsFarmersMarkets
MarcoBonanniGourmetnGreens
Mari Perez-DowlingUnitedWayof KernCounty
MariaCadenasVentures
VictoriaFernandezMayor, Cityof Woodland
Michael A. RattiganCountyof SantaClara
MiriamLimovSierraHarvest
NailahPopeHardenClimatePlan
NicoleFelix-BordersPoundBiznessLLC
Omar RosaHollister CertifiedFarmers' Market
PatriziaHironimusCampFireRestorationProject
PennyEllisOpenFarmTours
Peter Lurie, MD, MPHCenter for ScienceinthePublicInterest Peter RuddockResilient Foodsheds
ShannonKlischSanLuisObispoCountyFoodSystemCoalition
ShirleyField
10 Coffeepot Ranch
ShirleyJohnsonEtnaFarmersMarket
TomSteinAmericanFarmlandTrust
VictoriaMalonMontroseHarvest Market-CFM
KellyColopyCityof LongBeachDepartment of HealthandHumanServices CC: TheHonorableJoshBeckerChair, SenateBudget Subcommittee2onResources, Environmental ProtectionandEnergy TheHonorableSteveBennettChair, AssemblyBudget Subcommittee3ClimateCrisis, Resources, Energy, andTransportation ChristianBeltranPrincipal ProgramBudget Analyst, CaliforniaDepartment of Finance J.T. CreedonFinanceBudget Analyst, CaliforniaDepartment of Finance 11 March 28, 2023
Assemblymember Chris Holden
Chair, Assembly Committee on Appropriations
1021 O Street, Suite 8220
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 285 (RIVAS, LUZ) PUPIL INSTRUCTION: SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
CLIMATE CHANGE - SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Holden:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write in support of AB 285. AB 285 would require the science area of study for grades 1 to 6, and 7 to 12 to include an emphasis on the causes and effects of climate change and on the methods to mitigate and adapt to climate change, beginning no later than the 2024–25 school year.
The City’s work to address the causes and impacts of climate change relies on current and future residents and employees who are aware of and motivated to address climate change. The City is currently updating the Sacramento Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), first adopted in 2012, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to impacts related to climate change. The City conducts an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) produced by the Sacramento community to track Sacramento's progress towards its climate action goals. The most recent 2016 inventory counted emissions produced from residential and commercial electricity and natural gas usage, transportation, water delivery, wastewater treatment, and solid waste within City limits and found that greenhouse gas emissions have decreased since 2005 and 2011.
The City met its 2020 climate goal in 2016. Per capita emissions have decreased over 26%, demonstrating that even though the City has grown substantially since 2005, emissions have decreased at a more rapid rate. Now, the City is working on an updated
Climate Action Plan to help the community reach even more aggressive climate targets in line with State goals, including carbon neutrality (0 MT CO2e) in 2045.
The City sees science education as a key component when it comes to implementing local policies and achieving its aggressive climate change goals at the local and state levels. Climate change is already negatively impacting our water supplies, water quality, sea level rise, wildfire, air quality and much more. AB 285 would ensure that millions of students learn about the causes and effects of climate change throughout their basic education career. This will undoubtedly bring about positive results related to heightened awareness of the causes and effects of climate change, and increased potential that these students would modify their actions/behaviors to make climate change conscious decisions as they prepare themselves to enter society and life-long choices.
For the reasons stated above, the City is pleased to support AB 285. Should you have any questions about our support of this bill, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Government Affairs, at 916-808-7395 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Katie Valenzuela
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee
March 28, 2023
The Honorable Dave Min
Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water
1021 O Street, Room 3220
Sacramento, CA 94249-0012
RE: SB 659 (ASHBY) CALIFORNIA WATER SUPPLY SOLUTIONS ACT OF 2023 -
SUPPORT
Dear Senator Min:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write in support of SB 659 (Ashby), as amended March 20, 2023, which provides a policy framework to help improve California’s water supply reliability by establishing a goal for groundwater recharge.
It is critically important that we address the challenges posed by climate change and a water system in California that was built many decades ago for different climate patterns. This measure would place a high priority on groundwater recharge, the fastest and most scalable solution to ensure California can capture and store more water and improve the resiliency of our communities, agriculture and the environment to drought and dry years. Increasing groundwater storage capabilities is vital to Sacramento to ensure that future demands are met as populations grow and climate change impacts water supplies. As an agency who is invested in the long-term health of the Lower American River, increased groundwater storage enables less reliance on surface water, therefore leaving more water in the environment.
The root challenge to California’s water supply uncertainty is being driven by increased temperatures, wild precipitation swings, precipitation coming more as rain than snow, and an unreliable spring and summer snow melt. A loss of surface water of approximately 10 million acre-feet annually in the immediate future is projected due to these climate changes.
In the Sacramento Region these changes mean that water will come all at once, creating a Catch-22 situation between operating Folsom Reservoir for flood protection and water supply. Groundwater recharge is the one alternative that can allow for this dilemma to be navigated. The good news is that the Sacramento region’s groundwater levels have been increasing. That has been achieved through groundwater recharge.
These promising results have great potential to be expanded. On a statewide basis, groundwater recharge is also an economically feasible alternative that can meet the scale of our water supply challenge.
By establishing a goal of 10 million acre-feet of recharge and requiring the development of a plan to achieve that goal, SB 659 would spur the advancement of groundwater recharge. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has identified the potential for 13 million acre-feet of recharge statewide. Due to the sudden development of wet conditions this winter, the state took actions to generate one million acre-feet of recharge in a matter of weeks. SB 659 establishes a sensible and non-controversial path to capture water during future wet periods.
For all of these reasons, the City believes that SB 659 is an important policy framework to be advanced. If you or your staff have questions, please contact Brian Sanders, Program Specialist with the Department of Utilities, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Katie Valenzuela
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee
March 28, 2023
Assemblymember Mark Berman
Chair, Assembly Committee on Business and Professions
1020 N Street, Room 379
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 595 (ESSAYLI) ANIMAL SHELTERS: 72-HOUR PUBLIC NOTICE - OPPOSE
Dear Assemblymember Berman:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to respectfully express our opposition to AB 595, as amended March 21, 2023. While this bill is well-intentioned, it isn’t good for the City’s Front Street Animal Shelter and other shelters in Sacramento.
Most shelters in California utilize every tool in their tool chest to increase live outcomes and reduce unnecessary animal intake. Pets are posted on national adoption websites like adoptapet.com and petfinder.com. Front Street uses social media, rescue groups, and our own website to publicize available animals. Across the state, shelters are holding animals far beyond the state mandated 72-hour hold period, with animals staying in their care on average 20 days or more before they are reclaimed by their owner, adopted, transferred to another group, or euthanized. The ultimate goal for unclaimed animals is to move them out of the shelter as quickly as possible. Ideally this is through return-to-owner, adoption or rescue transfers, but many shelters also have robust foster networks.
As currently written, AB 595 would require all animal shelters, as defined, to provide public notice on their internet website at least 72 hours before euthanizing any animal and include the date that an animal is scheduled to be euthanized. The practical effect of AB 595 would be to increase euthanasia of California’s shelter animals. In order to manage the bill’s posting requirements, shelters would have to reduce capacity to keep space available for legally obligated intakes and additional hold times. To do that, they will need to euthanize animals sooner than they currently are, an outcome no one wants.
There are a number of additional concerns with AB 595. First, the threat of criminal sanctions contained in the bill could drive our animal shelter staff from their critical jobs.
Additionally, the criminal charges are unclear as to who would be held criminally liable.
Lastly, the recent amendments apply the bill’s provisions to all animals, including those with a history of dangerous behavior. This could put both staff and the public at additional risk from animals that unfortunately aren’t safe to adopt out.
AB 595 perpetuates that shelters are bad players in animal welfare. For the reasons stated above, the City must respectfully oppose AB 595. Should you have any questions about our opposition, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916-808-7395 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Katie Valenzuela
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee