Law and Legislation Committee
April 8, 2025

City of Sacramento
Law and Legislation Committee Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-00651 4/8/2025 Item 3.

Legislative Advocacy Correspondence
File ID: 2025-00651
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

Date Bill/Subject Author Description of Issue Position Notes/Status 3/28/25 SB 720 Ashby Safer Streets Act Support
Would create an opt-in automated
red light traffic enforcement system
3/26/25 SB 639 Ashby Extension of Urban Level of Flood Protection Deadline Co-sponsor 3/10/25 SB 456 Ashby Community Beautification Act Support Would exempt muralists from having
to obtain a contractor's license
3/10/25 H.R. 1267
Gluesenkamp
Perez & Maloy Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act Support 3/6/25 AB 516 Kalra Clarifying Veterinary Technician and Assistant Duties Support Coalition letter
3/6/
25 SB 602 Cortese Expanding Veterinary Access in Shelters Support Coalition letter
3/10/
25 AB 514 Petrie-Norris Emergency Water Supplies Support Coalition letter 3/4/25 State Budget Request to Amend Governor's Budget Proposal re Proposition 4 Support Coalition letter expressing concern re
Governor's proposal to backfill
General Fund commitments with Prop
4 funds
3/3/25 State Budget California Film and Tax Credit expansion Support 2/14/25
WaterSense
Program
Letter to U.S. EPA requesting continued funding and operation of the WaterSense program Support Coalition letter
Position Letters 2025-2026

Office of Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected] February 27, 2025 Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva Chairperson, Assembly Budget Committee, Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration 1021 O Street, Suite 8230 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: CALIFORNIA FILM AND TELEVISION TAX CREDIT EXPANSION – SUPPORT Dear Assemblymember Quirk-Silva: On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of Governor Newsom’s proposed expansion of the California Film and Television Tax Credit program. Additional funding would enable the City to attract film production to the region and boost our local economy. The state established the California Film and Television Tax Credit in 2009 to encourage film and television producers to locate shooting and spending on wages and other expenditures in-state. The program, which has been over-subscribed since its inception, has awarded over $3 billion in tax credits across three rounds of the program. The fourth round of the program (Program 4.0) was established by the 2023 Budget Act at $330 million in tax credits per year from fiscal year 2025-26 to 2029-30. The Governor’s January Budget proposes to increase the total annual California Film and Television Tax Credit 4.0 award cap from $330 million to $750 million for the fiscal years 2025-26 through 2029-30. Last year, Sacramento served as the backdrop for Warner Bros. Pictures' Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Film. This major motion picture, which received a partial California Tax Credit, contributed over $5 million to the local economy and employed 172 local crew members, who collectively worked 758 days. An expanded tax credit would help the City build on this success. For the reasons stated above, the City requests your support of an expanded California Film and Television Tax Credit. Should you have any questions about our support, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916-808-7395 or [email protected]. Sincerely, Councilmember Caity Maple Chair, Sacramento City Council Law and Legislation Committee

March 4, 2025
Senator Scott Wiener
Chair, Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee
1020 N Street, Room 502
Sacramento, CA 95814
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel
Chair, Assembly Budget Committee
1021 O Street, Suite 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814
Subject: Request to Amend Governor’s Budget Proposal Regarding Proposition 4 Funds
Dear Chair Wiener, Chair Gabriel, Chair Allen, and Chair Bennett:

The undersigned organizations represent the primary funders of the Yes on Proposition 4 Campaign, along with a broader coalition of organizations that support achieving the initiative’s goals. Together, we are dedicated to advocating for the thoughtful and efficient implementation of Proposition 4.

We want to thank you for your leadership in the historic $10 billion investment in the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024. This funding is critical to protecting the state against climate disasters like the devastating firestorms we experienced in Los Angeles last month, supporting critical climate resilience projects across key industries throughout the state and helping California to achieve its 30x30 goals.

However, we write to express our concerns regarding the Governor’s proposed budget, specifically the plan to backfill $273 million in General Fund commitments with Proposition 4 funds. We respectfully urge the Legislature to reject this proposed shift and ensure that Proposition 4 funds are used as outlined in the voter- approved initiative.

Proposition 4 was designed to provide new dedicated funding for climate resiliency projects. Repurposing these funds to backfill General Fund obligations risks undermining the integrity of voter-approved initiatives. Ensuring that these funds remain dedicated to their approved use is essential to maintaining public trust and upholding the commitment made to voters.

Senator Ben Allen
Chair, Senate Budget Subcommittee #2
1020 N Street, Room 502
Sacramento, CA 95814

Assemblymember Steve Bennett
Chair, Assembly Budget Subcommittee #4
1021 O Street, Suite 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814
As important as ensuring that Proposition 4 funding is used as the voters intended, is distributing the funding to the programs identified as intentionally and expeditiously as possible. We understand that there is potential concern about the regulatory requirements for programs in the bond that may extend the process for implementing bond dollars. The Governor’s proposed trailer bill language includes an exemption from the Administration Procedures Act (APA), which provides additional assurance of the state’s ability to implement dollars efficiently. Should this exemption be deemed necessary, we are strongly supportive of its inclusion in a budget trailer bill.

We appreciate your leadership in crafting a responsible and equitable state budget.

We look forward to working with you to ensure that Proposition 4 funds are distributed in accordance with the voter-approved initiative and preserved for their intended use while also supporting the necessary administrative flexibility provided through the APA exemption.

Thank you for your consideration of this request, we look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure California remains at the forefront of climate resiliency.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.

Sincerely,
John Howell, Chief Executive Officer
Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy
Julia Bishop Hall, State Legislative Director
Association of California Water Agencies
Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, President/CEO
Big Sur Land Trust
Kim Kolpin, Executive Director
Bolsa Chica Land Trust
Nicholas Mueller, President
California Association of Local
Conservation Corps
Caroline Godkin, Executive Director
California Council of Land Trusts
Candice Meneghin, Executive Director
Coastal Ranches Conservancy
Bridget Fithian
California Council of Land Trusts Action Fund
Doug Johnson, Executive Director
California Invasive Plant Council
Rachel Norton, Executive Director
California State Parks Foundation
Nancy Wahl-Scheurich, Executive Director
CARCD
Jennifer M. Capitolo, Executive Director
California Water Association
David Weaver Corps Director
Cesar Chavez Environmental Corps
Tessa Nicholas, Executive Director
Civicorps
Enrique Huerta, Legislative Director
Climate Resolve
Mary Alice Escarsega-Fechner,
Executive Director
Community Services Employment Training
Sequoia Community Corps
Dan Knapp, Executive Director/CEO
Conservation Corps of Long Beach
Sabrina Landreth, General Manager
East Bay Regional Parks District
Mark Drew, Executive Director
Eastern Sierra Land Trust
Dan Silver, Executive Director
Endangered Habitats League
Shawn Riggins, Director
Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corps
Michael Wellborn
Friends of Harbors Beaches and Parks
Jordan Grimes, State & Regional Resilience
Manager
Greenbelt Alliance
Linus Eukel, Executive Director
John Muir Land Trust
Luke Hoekstra, Executive Director
Kings River Land Trust
Wendy Butts, CEO
LA Conservation Corps
Doug Parker, CEO
Land Trust of Napa County
Sarah Newkirk, Executive Director
Land Trust of Santa Cruz County
President of the Board of Directors,
Lake County Land Trust
Melissa Sparks-Kranz, Legislative Affairs Lobbyist
League of California Cities
Tori Kjer, Executive Director
Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
Matthew Hurley, General Manager
McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Ana M. Ruiz, General Manager
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
John Wentworth CEO/Board President
MLTPA Foundation
Belén Bernal, Executive Director
Nature for All
Thomas H. Maloney
Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
Katharyn O. Muniz, Chief Executive Officer
Orange County Conservation Corps
Charles Thomas, Executive Director
Outward Bound Adventures (OBA)
Gordon Clark, President
Peninsula Open Space Trust
Anthony L. Firenzi Director of Strategic Affairs
Placer County Water Agency
Jeff Darlington, Executive Director
Placer Land Trust
Iman Sylvain, PhD. Western Regional Director
Rails to Trails Conservancy
Jim Elias, executive director
Redwood Coast Land Conservancy
Ann Baldridge, Executive Director
Resource Conservation District of Greater San
Diego County
Councilmember Caity Maple, Chair,
Law & Legislation, City of Sacramento
Paula Birdsong - Executive Director
Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps
Judy Gradwohl, Christy Walton President
and CEO
San Diego Natural History Museum
Makeda Okolo
Vice President Government Relations
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Dorsey Moore, CEO
San Jose Conservation Corps
Kellyx Nelson, Executive Director
San Mateo Resource Conservation District
Andrea Mackenzie, General Manager
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
Ted Clement, Executive Director
Save Mount Diablo
Sam Hodder, President and CEO
Save the Redwoods
Rachel Dann, Director of Government
Relations
Sempervirens Fund
Adam Livingston, Director of Planning
and Policy
Sequoia Riverlands Trust
Emily Blackmer, Director of Government
and Community Affairs
Sierra Business Council
Bridget Fithian
Sierra Foothill Conservancy
Jenny Hatch, Executive Director
Sierra Nevada Alliance
Cynthia Hubach, Vice President
Silver Lake Reservoirs Conservancy
Kathleen Hitt, Executive Director
Siskiyou Land Trust
Nicole Braddock, Executive Director
Solano Land Trust
Eamon O’Byrne, Executive Director
Sonoma Land Trust
Christine Kuehn, Executive Director
Sonoma Resource Conservation District
Stacy Gorin, Executive Officer
Southern California Mountains Foundation
Rich Deitchman, Regional Counsel, Pacific Region
The Conservation Fund
Tim Wigington, VP Finance & Policy
The Freshwater Trust
Kaila Dettman, Executive Director
The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
Devin Rothman, Director of Land Conservation
The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County
Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD, CEO
The League to Save Lake Tahoe
Liz Forsburg Pardi, Director of External Affairs
& Policy
The Nature Conservancy
Frazier Haney, Executive Director
The Wildlands Conservancy
Joshua Golka, Head of State Government Relations
Valley Water
Melissa Baffa, Executive Director
Ventura Land Trust

March 14, 2025

The Honorable Diane Papan
Chair, Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife 1020 N Street, Suite 160
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: AB 514 (Petrie-Norris): Emergency Water Supplies- Support

Dear Chair Papan:

We, the undersigned coalition of statewide associations, cities, water suppliers, business organizations, and regional stakeholders are writing to express our support for AB 514 (Petrie- Norris) which would enact a state policy to encourage investment in and development of emergency water supplies across the state.

California has always had a climate that cycles between periods of large amounts of precipitation and times of drought. With climate change, however, we are experiencing greater weather whiplash. As the state sees more rainfall and less snow, earlier snowmelt, more intense rain events, aridification, and increasingly more frequent droughts, the state should support every responsible tool to enhance water resilience.

The Honorable Diane Papan
Chair, Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife March 14, 2025

While adherence to feasible water use efficiency standards will continue to play an important role in the face of climate change, water resilience for the future will also require California to maximize various innovative approaches to ensure sufficient water for the state’s ecosystem, urban, and agriculture needs in times of shortage.

The development of emergency water supplies — a water supply that has been developed by a water supplier to enhance its water supply reliability during times of shortage and is a supply in addition to the baseline water supplies that the agency draws upon during non-shortage times to meet water demands within its service area — is one tool that can aid the state in mitigating the impacts of more frequent droughts. Unfortunately, few water suppliers have made the investment in emergency supplies because the state has not formally recognized them.

AB 514 seeks to remedy this by enacting a policy in the Water Code that recognizes emergency water supplies, encourages their development, and supports their use during times of shortage.

Our coalition believes that such a policy will encourage investment in and development of emergency supplies— making communities more resilient, better able to withstand drought and flood, and more prepared to provide safe and reliable water supplies to residents, businesses and the environment.

For these reasons, we strongly support AB 514 and urge you and your colleagues to vote “Aye” on this important measure. Please feel free to contact Christine Compton with the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) at (949) 453-5338 or IRWD’s Sacramento advocate Alfredo Arredondo at (805) 598-9350 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Kris Murray
Executive Director
Association of California Cities – Orange
County

Andrea Abergel
Director of Water
California Municipal Utilities Association

Samuel K. Kim, P.E.

Public Works Deputy Director
City of Garden Grove

Krista Bernasconi
Mayor
City of Roseville

Caity Maple
Councilmember, District 5
City of Sacramento

David Youngblood, P.E.

General Manager
East Orange County Water District

Joe Mouawad, P.E.

General Manager
Eastern Municipal Water District

Dennis P. Cafferty, P.E.

General Manager
El Toro Water District

Greg Thomas
General Manager
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District

Dave Coffaro
Interim CEO
Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce

The Honorable Diane Papan
Chair, Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife March 14, 2025

Paul A. Cook
General Manager
Irvine Ranch Water District

Jeremy Wolf
Legislative Program Manager
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

Ivy Brittain
Legislative Affairs Director
Northern California Water Association

Kim Thorner
General Manager
Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Jeff Ball
CEO
Orange County Business Council

Jason Martin
General Manager
Rancho California Water District

Dan Denham
General Manager
San Diego County Water Authority

Rick Shintaku
General Manager
South Coast Water District

Victoria Hernandez
Executive Director
South Orange County Economic Coalition

Charley Wilson
Executive Director
Southern California Water Coalition

Matthew Litchfield
General Manager
Three Valleys Municipal Water District

Craig Miller
General Manager
Western Municipal Water District

cc: The Honorable Members, Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife The Honorable Cottie Petrie-Norris, California State Assembly,73 rd District
Pablo Garza, Chief Consultant, Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee Brent Finkel, Consultant, Assembly Republican Caucus
The Honorable Angelique Ashby
Chair, Senate Business and Professions Committee
California State Senate
1021 N Street, Room 3320
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for SB 602 (Cortese) – Expanding Veterinary Access in Shelters Dear Chair Ashby,
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write to express our strong support for Senate Bill 602, authored by Senator Cortese and sponsored by the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SF SPCA), the California Veterinary Medical Association, and the San Diego Humane Society. SB 602 will help expand access to critical veterinary services in animal shelters and community clinics by allowing Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) to conduct vaccine and parasite control “wellness” appointments without requiring a veterinarian’s physical presence.

Animal shelters around the state play a crucial role in providing low-cost veterinary services, particularly for underserved communities. However, many shelters struggle to meet these needs due to the limited availability of veterinarians on-site. Current law mandates that shelters provide low- cost rabies vaccinations to the public’s animals to control the spread of disease and protect public health, but a lack of veterinarians often hinders their ability to meet this requirement.

RVTs are highly trained professionals capable of safely administering vaccines and parasite control medications, responding to any related emergencies, and ensuring proper medical protocols are followed. While recent legislative changes—such as Senator Cortese’s SB 669 (2023)—have allowed RVTs to work at remote clinics without a veterinarian present, this flexibility has not been extended to all shelter environments, leaving a gap in service availability.

SB 602 addresses this issue by permitting RVTs to perform vaccine and parasite control “wellness” appointments in shelters and clinics without requiring a veterinarian to be physically present, provided that a supervising veterinarian remains available by phone. The bill also ensures that RVTs have access to necessary emergency drugs and protocols, maintaining the highest standards of safety while expanding access to essential care.

By allowing shelters to maximize their existing workforce, SB 602 will improve public health by increasing vaccination rates, reducing disease transmission, and ensuring more pets receive timely medical care. This bill is a common-sense solution that will help alleviate veterinary access challenges, particularly for low-income pet owners and shelter animals.

We respectfully urge your support for SB 602 to ensure that shelters can continue their critical work in protecting both animal and public health.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Scarlett, DVM
Chief Executive Ocer
Jennifer Hawkins, DVM
President
Julianna Tetlow
Senior Director of Government
Relations

Our Underlining Supporters
Melanie Sadek
CEO
Lawrence S. Siracusa
President
Vaughn Maurice
Director
Susan Lee Vick
CEO
Liam Montgomery
Chief Executive Ocer
Cynthia Rigney
Board President
Anthony Tansimore
President
Devon Apodaca
Executive Director
Katie Ribardiere
Shelter Manager
Nancy McKenney, MNPL, CAWA
CEO/President
Barbara Gale
Treasurer & General Manager
Eva Liou
Director
Nikole Bresciani
President/CEO
Mindy Lynn Gould
CEO/Founder
Amanda Arrington
Vice President, Access to Care
John L. Lipp
CEO
Caity Maple
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee
Nia Bratton
Public Aairs Manager
Jill Tucker
CEO
Ann Chasson
President
Lisa Kauman
Senior Campaign Strategist
Amber Rowland
General Manager
Adriana Atteberry
Animal Services Manager
Laura Toller Gardner
Chief Executive Ocer
Robert Armbrust
CEO
Pip Marquez de la Plata
Executive Director
FORGOTTEN FELINEO f S o n o m a C o u n t y
Kerri Burns
CEO

The Honorable Marc Berman
Chair, Assembly Business and Professions Committee
California State Assembly
1020 N Street, Room 379
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for AB 516 (Kalra) – Clarifying Veterinary Technician and Assistant Duties Dear Chair Berman,
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write to express our strong support for Assembly Bill 516, authored by Assemblymember Kalra and sponsored by the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the California Veterinary Medical Association, and the San Diego Humane Society. This important legislation will clarify that Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) and veterinary assistants are authorized to perform any task that is not explicitly prohibited by law, ensuring that veterinary sta can be utilized to their full capacity.

Veterinary technicians and assistants play a critical role in providing care to animals across California, supporting veterinarians in shelters, clinics, and hospitals. Under existing law, RVTs are permitted to perform any duty that does not constitute surgery, diagnosis, prognosis, or prescription of medication. However, current regulations are structured in a way that has led to misinterpretation, causing unnecessary and artificial limitations on the scope of practice for RVTs and veterinary assistants. This has resulted in the underutilization of these skilled professionals, exacerbating the ongoing veterinary care shortage in California.

A 2023 survey by the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program found that 25% of California’s animal shelters lack adequate veterinary stang, and 64% struggle to meet basic medical needs. There is also a shortage of private veterinarians serving the public in many areas in California. While regulatory confusion is not the sole cause of this crisis, it has contributed to ineciencies by preventing qualified RVTs and veterinary assistants from performing tasks they are trained for, thereby increasing the burden on supervising veterinarians.

AB 516 provides a straightforward solution by arming that RVTs and veterinary assistants may perform any task not explicitly prohibited by law, allowing veterinary teams to operate more eciently and eectively. In addition to the general clarification, the bill specifically clarifies that RVTs can perform dental care procedures, including extractions, under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Importantly, this legislation does not mandate that veterinarians delegate any tasks they are uncomfortable with, preserving their professional discretion.

By passing AB 516, the Legislature can help alleviate the strain on veterinary professionals, enhance access to animal care services, and support the well-being of animals and pet owners across California. We respectfully urge your support for this critical measure.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Scarlett, DVM
Chief Executive Ocer
Jennifer Hawkins, DVM
President
Julianna Tetlow
Senior Director of Government
Relations

Our Underlining Supporters
Melanie Sadek
CEO
Lawrence S. Siracusa
President
Vaughn Maurice
Director
Susan Lee Vick
CEO
Liam Montgomery
Chief Executive Ocer
Cynthia Rigney
Board President
Anthony Tansimore
President
Devon Apodaca
Executive Director
Katie Ribardiere
Shelter Manager
Nancy McKenney, MNPL, CAWA
CEO/President
Barbara Gale
Treasurer & General Manager
Eva Liou
Director
Nikole Bresciani
President/CEO
Mindy Lynn Gould
CEO/Founder
Amanda Arrington
Vice President, Access to Care
John L. Lipp
CEO
Caity Maple
Chair, Law and Legislation Committee
Christi Metropole
President and CEO
Jill Tucker
CEO
Ann Chasson
President
Lisa Kauman
Senior Campaign Strategist
Amber Rowland
General Manager
Adriana Atteberry
Animal Services Manager
Laura Toller Gardner
Chief Executive Ocer
Robert Armbrust
CEO
Pip Marquez de la Plata
Executive Director
FORGOTTEN FELINEO f S o n o m a C o u n t y
Kerri Burns
CEO
Cindi Mitchell
Animal Control Ocer & Community Services Ocer

Office of Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected] March 10, 2025 The Honorable Doris Matsui U.S. House of Representatives 2311 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Matsui: On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City) – which as you know serves drinking water to over 500,000 residents – I write to urge your support for H.R. 1267, the Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that polluters – not water systems and their ratepayers – face financial liability for cleaning up sites contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Last year, EPA designated perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) – two PFAS chemicals – as hazardous substances under CERCLA. At the time, EPA released an enforcement discretion memo pledging to focus federal enforcement efforts on the entities responsible for releasing PFAS into the environment. But drinking water and wastewater systems – and our ratepayers – could still face significant financial liability unless Congress acts. Drinking water and wastewater systems do not produce, use, or benefit from PFAS. Instead, these systems passively receive PFAS into their treatment plants from industrial processes, manufacturing facilities, and the widespread use of PFAS-laden household products. The purpose of water treatment is to remove contaminants. As a result, PFAS is present in treatment residuals, and water systems manage residuals in keeping with applicable regulations. However, with the designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances, water systems will be subject to significant financial and legal liability under CERCLA even though they have responsibly managed PFAS residuals. CERCLA does not distinguish between passive receivers of a hazardous substance and the polluting entity that introduced it into the environment. Any entity that handles, manages, or disposes of PFAS could be held partially or fully liable for cleaning it up. If a location where a water system treated, stored, or disposed of PFAS residuals becomes a Superfund cleanup site, the water system could be identified as a potentially responsible party. Without congressional action, manufacturers and polluters of PFAS can use CERCLA to force water and wastewater systems into expensive and lengthy litigation. This means communities – including those that have already paid to remove PFAS from their drinking water – will have to spend limited resources on legal fees rather than critical system improvements, operations, and maintenance.

Office of Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected] I therefore urge you to cosponsor H.R. 1267, the Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act, introduced by Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Celeste Maloy. This bipartisan bill would preserve the “polluter pays” principle under CERCLA and ensure that water systems can focus our efforts on maintaining water quality. Should you have any questions about our support, please contact Anne Sanger, Government Affairs Manager, Department of Utilities, at 916-808-5378 or [email protected]. Sincerely, Councilmember Caity Maple City of Sacramento, District 5 Chair, Law and Legislation Committee

Office of Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected] March 10, 2025 Senator Angelique Ashby 1021 O Street, Room 8630 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: SB 456 (ASHBY) COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION ACT - SUPPORT Dear Senator Ashby: On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of SB 456. This bill would exempt muralists from having to obtain a contractor’s license through the California State Licensing Board (CSLB) before being commissioned for public and private art projects. The City recognizes that public art and murals are proven drivers of community and economic health, attracting tourists, supporting jobs, generating revenue, and improving public safety and well-being. However, in 2023, public notices began being issued to municipalities indicating that muralists fall within the definition of a "contractor" under Business and Professions Code section 7026. As a result, muralists must carry a contractor's license if they undertake a mural on a building for more than $500. Additionally, per Business and Professions Code section 7028.15 (e), city staff may be fined for knowingly hiring an unlicensed muralist. Due to these licensure requirements, cities across California have had to cease or stall the implementation of mural projects. To qualify for these commercial licenses, muralists must accumulate four years of specialized experience under a licensed contractor, pass the Law and Business examination, and pay annual licensing fees. These requirements create unnecessary barriers to work on public art projects and expose city employees and artists to fines if such requirements are not met. Muralists provide a fundamentally different service than a painting contractor, as their work is an artistic expression rather than addressing the structural integrity of a building. It is appropriate to provide a narrow exception to the state’s licensing requirements for muralists, as SB 456 seeks to provide them with the flexibility to continue their artistic expression.SB 456 would provide a critical step for artists living and working in Sacramento to support themselves while developing the City’s arts scene though successful projects such as the Wide Open Walls mural festival. Should you have any questions about our support, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916-808-7395 or [email protected]. Sincerely, Councilmember Caity Maple City of Sacramento, District 5

March 26, 2025

Senator Monique Limon
Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water
1021 O Street, Room 3220
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: SB 639 – CO-SPONSOR

Dear Senator Limon:

On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write in co-sponsorship of SB 639 (Ashby) which would extend the deadline for specified projects in the City and County of Sacramento to achieve the required urban level of flood protection from 2025 to 2030.

Background

As of July 1, 2016, provisions of the State Law (SB 5) and the City Code (17.810) have required the City to make specific findings prior to approving new development within a flood hazard zone. The purpose is to ensure that development projects will have protection from a 200-year flood event or will achieve that protection by December 31, 2025.

The four possible findings are summarized as:

1. Existing facilities provide ULOP in urban areas or meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standard in non-urbanized areas.

2. Conditions on the project will protect it to the applicable standard.

3. The local flood management agency has made adequate progress on a flood system providing the applicable level of protection. For urban and urbanizing areas protected by project levees, ULOP will be achieved by December 31, 2025.

4. The property in an undetermined risk area has met ULOP based on substantial evidence.

Time Extension Required

All the capital improvements required to handle the State-defined 200-year event have been completed except for the following:

1. A portion of the Natomas levee improvements

2. A portion of the Beach Lake levee improvements

3. Sump 89 Outfall Replacement Project (City-led project)

While these projects are anticipated to be completed in 2025, any delays in the complex U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit process and construction could lead to delaying completion past the end of 2025. Without an extension, the City would be facing a de facto suspension of approvals by imposing cost-prohibitive conditions for the majority of projects, such as requiring new buildings to be elevated 10 or more feet above ground level. There would be significant impacts to the City and our efforts to build more housing and other projects. For example, in the Natomas Sub-area there are several projects that could be delayed, including a new hospital and various residential projects, which together could add up to approximately 1,900 residential units. In the Beach Lake Sub-area, approximately 735 new residential units could be hindered.

Compliance can be achieved through an extension of the deadline through SB 639. Two such legislative extensions have already been adopted for the City of West Sacramento and Mossdale Tract in the CIty of Lathrop (San Joaquin County).

For the reasons stated above, the City is pleased to co-sponsor SB 639 and respectfully requests your support. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916-808- 7395 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee

Office of Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]

March 28, 2025

Senator Dave Cortese
Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation
1021 O Street, Room 1200
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: SB 720 (ASHBY) SAFER STREETS ACT - SUPPORT

Dear Senator Cortese:

On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write in support of SB 720 (Ashby), the Safer Streets Act. SB 720 creates an opt-in program for local governments to utilize an automated red light traffic enforcement system.

Between 2013-2022, 324 people lost their lives on Sacramento streets and 837 were severely injured. Sacramento has the highest fatalities per 100k of large and mid-size cities in California, as shown below.

Through our Vision Zero Transportation Safety program, we apply many tools to address this crisis including infrastructure investments and education. Most recently in March 2025, the City of Sacramento City Council approved a small Transportation Safety Team that will focus on quick builds.

Infrastructure and education are not enough. Saving lives requires using the entire toolbox and red light cameras are a proven, effective enforcement method. As Sacramento and other California cities face budget challenges, our already strained Police Department struggles for capacity to address transportation safety. Use of automated systems will help us with enforcement as we continue to invest in infrastructure and education.

SB 720 would create the Safer Streets Program, a program with a more equitable approach to increasing safety for people walking, bicycling, and driving. The bill removes bias, ensuring collaboration with local partners, and establishing reasonable penalties that are civil rather than criminal.

Revenue from the Safer Streets Program would be invested back into the City for safer streets initiatives including programs and quick build interventions designed to save lives.

For the reasons stated above, the City respectfully requests your support of SB 720. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 916- 808-7395 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee

Office of Sacramento City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]