City of Sacramento
Law and Legislation Committee Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2025-00652 5/20/2025 Item 3.
Legislative Advocacy Correspondence
File ID: 2025-00652
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 4/30/25 AB 1232 Avila Farias
Administrative Procedure Act: Proposed Regulations: Cost of Living Impact on Residents of the State. Support Assembly Judiciary Committee 4/30/25 SB 516 Ashby California Capital City Downtown Revitalization Act Support 4/24/25 SB 370 Ashby California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program Support 4/24/25 SB 466 Caballero Drinking Water: Hexavalent Chromium: Civil Liability: Exemption Support 4/23/25 SB 720 Ashby Safer Streets Act Support Senate Judiciary Committee 4/22/25 SB 639 Ashby Extension of Urban Level of Flood Protection Deadline Co-sponsor Senate Local Government Committee 4/22/25 AB 532 Ransom Water rate assistance program Support Coalition letter 4/17/25 SB 454 McNerney State Water Resources Control Board: PFAS Mitigation Program Support Coalition letter 4/9/25 AB 476 M.
González Metal Theft Support if Amended
4/
9/25 AB 1232 Avila Farias
Administrative Procedure Act: Proposed Regulations: Cost of Living Impact on Residents of the State. Support
Assm. Economic Development, Growth &
Household Impact Committee
4/9/25 SB 431 Arreguin
Assault and Battery: Public Utility Employees and Essential Infrastructure Workers Support
Position Letters 2025-2026
3/28/25 SB 720 Ashby Safer Streets Act Support
Senate Transportation Committee. 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 Senate Committee on Natural Resources
and Water
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
April 9, 2025
Senator Anna Caballero
Chair, Senate Committee on Appropriations
State Capitol, Room 412
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 431 (ARREGUÍN) ASSAULT AND BATTERY: PUBLIC UTILITY EMPLOYEES AND ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS – SUPPORT
Dear Senator Caballero:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of SB 431 (Arreguín), which seeks to increase the penalties associated with assault or battery committed against an employee of a public utility or worker, to match the current penalties for such actions against a peace officer, firefighter or emergency medical personnel.
Public utility employees and workers are often in the field in a first responder capacity. They maintain fire hydrants in preparation for the inevitable fire that will strike the community. When there are floods or heavy rain events, they are in the field clearing storm drains, ensuring that the sumps are operating and implementing emergency backup power generation activities during power outages to ensure homes and property are not flooded. When earthquakes strike, they are in the field repairing broken water mains to ensure restoration of access to clean, safe, water for drinking and sanitary purposes. SB 431 is a commonsense approach to ensuring that these frontline workers are as protected as their peers in other first responder capacities.
SB 431, if enacted, would increase penalties for assault or battery of a public utility employee or worker in the same manner as other first responders. For the reasons contained in this letter, the City is pleased to support SB 431. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Brian Sanders, Policy & Legislative Specialist , at [email protected] or 916-420-0239.
Sincerely,
Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee
Office of Sacramen to City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]
April 9, 2025
Assemblymember Jose Luis Solache, Jr.
Chair, Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact 1020 N Street, Room 359
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1232 (ÁVILA FARÍAS) ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT: PROPOSED REGULATIONS: COST OF LIVING IMPACT ON RESIDENTS OF THE STATE – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Solache:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of AB 1232 (Ávila Farías), which seeks to require a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal any administrative regulation to assess and consider the potential for adverse economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals and the cost-of-living impacts on residents of the state.
With AB 1232 requiring the regulatory rule development process to consider the direct impacts to the cost of living in California, it will allow the regulatory agencies who are adopting, amending, or repealing and administrative regulation to have a better understanding on the impacts on the day-to-day lives of Californians. Historically, the cost impacts of regulations have been solely focused on the wholistic implementation costs statewide. These costs are a calculation of costs for the state to monitor and implement and the costs borne by the local implementing agencies. These costs have not been further studied to better understand the costs for the individual residents of the state.
AB 1232, if enacted, would create a better understanding of the direct cost implications to adopting, amending, or repealing regulations. This is especially important for those regulated agencies who are bound under Proposition 218, and therefore directly impact the ratepayer’s bill.
For the reasons stated above, the City is pleased to support AB 1232 (Ávila Farías). If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Brian Sanders, Policy & Legislative Specialist, at [email protected] or 916-420-0239.
Sincerely,
Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee
Office of Sacramen to City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]
April 9, 2025
Assemblymember Marc Berman
Chair, Assembly Committee on Business and Professions
1020 N Street, Room 379
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 476 (GONZALEZ) METAL THEFT – SUPPORT IF AMENDED
Dear Assemblymember Berman:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to offer a Support if Amended position on AB 476 (González), which seeks to establish limitations on the types of materials that junk dealers and/or recyclers are authorized possess that was owned or previously owned by an agency, in the absence of a written certification on the letterhead of the agency owning or previously owning the material, that the agency has either sold the material described or is offering the material for sale, salvage, or recycling, and that the person possessing the certification and identified in the certification is authorized to sell that material.
The specific amendment that the City is seeking is the inclusion of water meters and water meter components to the list of items shown in Section 21609.1.
Public infrastructure is crucial to protecting lives and maintaining quality of life for our residents. Adequate infrastructure ensures that both public and private spaces are safeguarded against potential climate change threats and natural disasters.
Furthermore, water supply, sewer, and stormwater systems are essential for effective emergency response and climate resilience efforts. Having these essential infrastructure assets in place, and are secure, functional, and accessible, enhances emergency response and community resilience. Making it harder for those who illicitly obtain these critical infrastructure components to sell them to junk dealers and recyclers helps ensure the safety and quality of life of our communities.
AB 476, if enacted and funded, can help provide an additional roadblock for those who engage in the theft of critical infrastructure components for the purpose of selling the materials to junk dealers and recyclers. If this leads to the reduction in the frequency of theft, this will lessen the potential burden on our ratepayers (for Prop 218) for those served by publicly owned utilities. The City believes that having infrastructure that is free from vandalism and theft is crucial for economic development, job creation, and public safety.
For these reasons, the City of Sacramento is pleased to offer a Support if Amended position on AB 476. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Brian Sanders, Policy & Legislative Specialis t, at [email protected] or 916-420-0239.
Sincerely,
Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee
Office of Sacramen to City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]
The Honorable Anna Caballero
April 17, 2025 • Page 2
April 17, 2025
The Honorable Anna Caballero
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
Capitol Office, Suite 7620
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 454 (McNerney) – SUPPORT
Dear Chair Caballero:
On behalf of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the League of California Cities (Cal Cities), and the undersigned organizations, we are writing to express our strong support for SB 454, which would establish a statewide PFAS Mitigation Fund intended to help local water agencies, including cities, leverage funding to pay for cleanup of manmade PFAS contamination in drinking water and wastewater. This much-need funding tool would help water and wastewater agencies pay for costs that would otherwise be covered by local ratepayers on their water and wastewater bills to help maintain water affordability.
This bill would not result in a fiscal impact to the state. This bill would establish a fund intended to leverage existing monies and future potential funding to support water and wastewater agencies’ compliance with PFAS standards. This bill includes language for the State Water Board to utilize no more than 5 percent of the total monies in the fund for purposes related to administrative costs.
Public water agencies are responsible for delivering safe, clean, and affordable drinking water throughout California. To fulfill that responsibility, public water agencies must comply with federal and state drinking water standards. Drinking water standards can have significant financial impacts on public water agencies, which are passed on to water ratepayers and ultimately, impact water affordability.
PFAS, characterized as “forever chemicals” due to their stability in the environment and resistance to breaking down, are a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used extensively since the 1940s and can today be found in our food system, drinking water supplies, and air . Despite legislative efforts, PFAS are still manufactured, distributed, and used globally and continue to passively contaminate water supplies and wastewater systems. Local water agencies are not the source of PFAS or responsible for the development of the products that introduced PFAS into the water supply and wastewater systems, yet they are responsible for the costs of monitoring for their presence, treating the water, and disposing of the contamination.
In April 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new national, legally enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCL) of 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants and a standard of 10 ppt for three other chemicals – PFNA, PFHxs, and HFPO-DA (commonly referred to as GenXChemicals). The EPA estimates that the nationwide cost for public water agencies to comply with the proposed PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) will be between $772 million and $1.2 billion annually. The specific cost for California’s public water agencies to comply with the NPDRWs is currently unknown.
The Honorable Anna Caballero
April 17, 2025 • Page 2
This year, the State Water Board is expected to initiate a formal rulemaking process to set a drinking water standard for PFAS. Existing law requires a contaminant’s MCL to be established at a level as close to its public health goal as is technologically and economically feasible. Existing law also requires state drinking water standards to be at least as stringent as federal standards set by the EPA. With California’s MCL anticipated to be at least as protective as the federal MCL, the costs associated with treating California’s water supplies will be significant.
SB 454 proposes the establishment of the PFAS Mitigation Fund to leverage continuously appropriated current and future nonstate, federal, and private funding for the State Water Board to support local water agencies in addressing the critically important infrastructure costs associated with treating for PFAS and in helping ensure the availability of safe drinking water supplies for communities. As stated, this bill would not result in a fiscal impact to the state. This bill would simply establish a fund intended to leverage existing monies and future potential funding to support water and wastewater agencies’ compliance with PFAS standards. This bill includes language for the State Water Board to utilize no more than 5 percent of the total monies in the fund for purposes related to administrative costs.
For the reasons above, ACWA, Cal Cities, and the undersigned organizations strongly support SB 454 and respectfully request your “AYE” vote when the bill is heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee. If you have any questions about our position, please contact Chelsea Haines at [email protected] or Melissa Sparks-Kranz at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Chelsea Haines
State Regulatory Director
Association of California Water Agencies
Melissa Sparks-Kranz
Legislative Advocate
League of California Cities
Aaron Avery
Director of State Legislative Affairs
California Special Districts Association
Andrea Abergel
Director of Water
California Municipal Utilities Association
Brian Olney
General Manager
Helix Water District
Caity Maple
Councilmember – District 5
Chair, Law & Legislation Committee
City of Sacramento
Carlos Quintero
General Manager
Sweetwater Authority
Catherine Cerri
General Manager
Lake Arrowhead Community Services District
Cathy Lee
General Manager
Carmichael Water District
Chris Berch, P .E.
General Manager
Jurupa Community Services District
The Honorable Anna Caballero
April 17, 2025 • Page 2
Craig D. Miller, P .E.
General Manager
Western Municipal Water District
Daniel Slawson
President
Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District
David Coxey
General Manager
Bella Vista Water District
David McNair
General Manager
Scotts Valley Water District
David Stoldt
General Manager
Monterey Peninsula Water Management
District
Deven Upadhyay
General Manager
Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California
Elizabeth Salomone
General Manager
Mendocino County Russian River Flood Control
& Water Conservation Improvement
Hannah Davidson
Project Manager
Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District
J.M. Barrett
General Manager
Coachella Valley Water District
James Lee
General Manager
Crescenta Valley Water District
James Peifer
Executive Director
Regional Water Authority
James Prior
General Manager
San Gabriel County Water District
Jason Martin
General Manager
Rancho California Water District
Jennifer A. Spindler
General Manager
Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency
Jessica Gauger
Director of Legislative Advocacy & Public Affairs
California Association of Sanitation Agencies
Jessaca Lugo
City Manager
City of Shasta Lake
Joe Mouawad, P .E.
General Manager
Eastern Municipal Water District
John Thiel
General Manager
West Valley Water District
Justin Hopkins
General Manager
Stockton East Water District
The Honorable Anna Caballero
April 17, 2025 • Page 2
Justin Scott-Coe
General Manager
Monte Vista Water District
Kat Wuelfing
General Manager
Mid-Peninsula Water District
Kimberly A. Thorner
General Manager
Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Krista Bernasconi
Mayor
City of Roseville
Kristine McCaffrey, P .E.
General Manager
Calleguas Municipal Water District
Mandip Samra
General Manager
Burbank Water and Power
Mark Stapp
Mayor
City of Santa Rosa
Matt Stone
General Manager
Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency
Matthew Litchfield
General Manager
Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Michael Moore
General Manager/CEO
East Valley Water District
Norman Huff
General Manager
Camrosa Water District
Paul Cook
General Manager
Irvine Ranch Water District
Paul E. Shoenberger, P .E.
General Manager
Mesa Water District
Randall James Reed
President
Cucamonga Valley Water District
Sheryl Shaw, P .E.
General Manager
Walnut Valley Water District
Steve Johnson
General Manager
Desert Water Agency
Sue Mosburg
Executive Director
California-Nevada Section American Water
Works Association
Thomas Love
General Manager
Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water
District
Tom Coleman
General Manager
Rowland Water District
April 22, 2025
The Honorable Cottie Petrie-Norris
Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy
1020 N Street, Room 408A
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: AB 532 (Ransom) Water rate assistance program – SUPPORT
Dear Chairperson Petrie-Norris,
The California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) is the sponsor of AB 532 (Ransom). CMUA and the undersigned are pleased to support AB 532. CMUA represents over 60 public water agencies that serve water to 75 percent of Californians, many of which are urban retail water suppliers. The undersigned, representing public and private water agencies in California, share a common goal to ensure that low- income Californians have access to water rate assistance.
AB 532 would make significant progress toward Californians accessing low-income water rate assistance.
The bill would clarify the statutory authority for urban retail water suppliers, which are defined as water suppliers that are either publicly or privately owned, to establish low-income water rate assistance programs within their communities. The bill additionally includes reporting to the State Water Board that would highlight successes and challenges for the State to offer assistance to the right communities.
Lastly, the bill establishes the California Low Income Household Water Rate Assistance Program, modeled after the federally funded Low Income Household Water Assistance Program of 2020.
AB 532 (Ransom) - SUPPORT
The Author has made amendments that provide more clarity and transparency for how the California LIHWAP will be established, monitored, and implemented successfully. The bill requires the Community of Services and Development (CSD) to develop guidelines through public participation to develop the details of the envisioned program. The proposed California LIHWAP would target systems serving under 3,000 end users where financial hardships are more heavily realized. The program would also target urban retail water suppliers who have 50% disadvantaged communities as measured by population.
State assistance for those entities is an appropriate first step in addressing affordability concerns.
The statutory authority clarified in AB 532 is crucial. Recognizing the needs of low-income Californians, many public and private water agencies have created their own programs to offset financial hardship for their customers. This statutory clarification is necessary for many public water agencies that are ready to offer such programs or are looking for ways to provide support for their low-income customers. Many more agencies are looking at those options and need the certainty that AB 532 provides. Local programs tend to be efficient and effective because they take the diverse needs of the community they serve into account. Within the existing confines of Proposition 218, the authority to offer low-income programs is the first step in providing water rate assistance.
For these reasons, the undersigned support AB 532. If you have any questions regarding our position, please contact Andrea Abergel at 916-841-4060 or at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Andrea Abergel
Director of Water
California Municipal Utilities Association
Soren Nelson
Senior Policy Advocate
Association of California Water Agencies
Sue Mosburg
Executive Director
CA-NV AWWA
Aaron Avery
Director of State Legislative Affairs
California Special Districts Association
Jennifer Capitolo
Executive Director
California Water Association
Mandip Samra
General Manager
Burbank Water and Power
Caity Maple
Councilmember - District 5
City of Sacramento
Krista Bernasconi
Mayor
City of Roseville
Ernesto A. Avila
Board President
Contra-Costa Water District
Joe Mouawad, P.E.
General Manager
Eastern Municipal Water District
AB 532 (Ransom) - SUPPORT
Michael R. Moore, P.E.
General Manager
East Valley Water District
Greg Thomas
General Manager
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District
Jim Abercrombie
General Manager
El Dorado Irrigation District
Paul Cook
General Manager
Irvine Ranch Water District
Shivaji Deshmukh, P.E.
General Manager
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
David Pederson
General Manager
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
Deven Upadhyay
General Manager
Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California
Brian Macy
General Manager
Mission Springs Water District
Dennis D. LaMoreaux
CEO/General Manager
Palmdale Water District
Anthony L. Firenzi, PE
Director of Strategic Affairs
Placer County Water Agency
Jason A. Martin
General Manager
Rancho California Water District
John Thiel
General Manager
West Valley Water District
Craig D. Miller, P.E.
General Manager
Western Municipal Water District
Cc: The Honorable Rhodesia Ransom
Laura Shybut, Chief Consultant, Committee on Utilities and Energy Gino Folchi, Republican Consultant, Committee on Utilities and Energy
April 22, 2025
Senator Maria Elena Durazo
Chair, Senate Committee on Local Government
State Capitol, Room 407
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 639 (ASHBY) – CO-SPONSOR
Dear Senator Durazo:
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]
April 23, 2025
Senator Thomas Umberg
Chair, Senate Committee on Judiciary
1021 O Street, Room 3240
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 720 (ASHBY) SAFER STREETS ACT - SUPPORT
Dear Senator Umberg:
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]
April 24, 2025
Senator Thomas Umberg
Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee
1021 O Street, Room 7510
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 466 (CABALLERO) DRINKING WATER: HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM: CIVIL LIABILITY:
EXEMPTION – SUPPORT
Dear Senator Umberg:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of SB 466 (Caballero), which seeks to prohibit a public water system from being held liable in any civil action related to hexavalent chromium in drinking water while implementing a state board-approved hexavalent chromium maximum contaminant level (MCL) compliance plan.
Public water systems operate under the California Safe Drinking Water Act and are regulated by the State Water Resources Control Board, who develop primary drinking water standards, and public water systems must comply. Some newly developed drinking water standards are extremely expensive to achieve, like hexavalent chromium. SB 466 helps provide “peace of mind” for a public water system in the process of complying with the hexavalent chromium drinking water standard by knowing that they will be able to avoid civil lawsuits related to the standard. This is especially important because public water systems are bound under Proposition 218 to have the entire cost of service to be evenly borne by all ratepayers evenly, and therefore costs to comply with drinking water standards directly impact the ratepayer’s bill. If civil liability is brought against the water system, those costs further exacerbate cost of compliance.
SB 466, if enacted, would better allow the City to meet our water quality and water supply requirements in a cost-effective manner for our customers. For the reasons contained in this letter, the City is pleased to support SB 466. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Brian Sanders, Policy & Legislative Specialist at [email protected], or 916-420-0239.
Sincerely,
Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee
Office of Sacramen to City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]
April 24, 2025
Senator Angelique Ashby
Chair, Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development 1021 O Street, Room 3320
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 370 (ASHBY) – MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESERVATION ACT – SUPPORT
Dear Senator Ashby:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of SB 370 (Ashby), which would establish the California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program and allow the state to invest in multi- day music festivals that create significant positive economic impacts in communities throughout California.
Over the years Sacramento has established itself as the "City of Festivals," drawing attention as a tourism destination through events such as the Farm -to-Fork Festival, Aftershock, GoldenSky and more. These iconic events generate substantial economic benefits:
• In 2024, for example, Aftershock and GoldenSky together contributed $44.6 million to the economy, supported 13,384 jobs, and generated $1.3 million in local and state sales tax revenues. • Those same events increased hotel occupancy, with 87,646 visitors from outside the region and 111,286 room nights in 2024 alone, and a corresponding return on transient occupancy tax of $2.27 million.
And this is data from only two of the iconic music festivals that have called Sacramento home. The richness of Sacramento’s festival scene reflects the City’s diverse cultural landscape and serves as a home for cultural expression and cross- cultural understanding.
Unfortunately, several challenges exist in the current music festival environment . Rising production costs, inflation, and shifting consumer habits have led to financial struggles for festivals. Costs for security, insurance, and artist pay, combined with hesitant consumer spending, have forced many festivals to reduce operations or cancel entirely.
The City has taken steps recently to financially support iconic events production. SB 370 would provide additional support for such events and support the City’s and state’s creative economies. For these reasons, the City is pleased to support SB 370. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at [email protected] or 916-808-7395.
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]
April 30, 2025
Senator Maria Elena Durazo
Chair, Senate Committee on Local Government
State Capitol. Room 407
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 516 (ASHBY) CALIFORNIA CAPITAL CITY DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION ACT – SUPPORT
Dear Senator Durazo:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of SB 516 (Ashby), which will help catalyze housing production, increase higher educational and high- quality employment opportunities, and enhance economic diversification in downtown Sacramento through strategic multi-jurisdictional investment.
As the capital city of the nation’s largest state, Sacramento is uniquely reliant upon the state of California workforce due to the high concentration of department headquarters in and around downtown. Based on Department of General Services (DGS) and CoStar data, over 60% of downtown Sacramento’s total office market is owned or leased by California state agencies. A vast majority of those spaces are tax -exempt and do not generate property tax revenue which is needed to sustain essential services provided by local jurisdictions and to ensure a safe and attractive downtown core.
Through a continued focus on streamlining and providing incentives for housing production, Sacramento became the first municipality in the state to be designated as a pro-housing jurisdiction. Despite these pro-housing policies, the city achieved only 42% of the annual housing production identified by the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) in 2024. Approval and implementation of SB 516 will provide a sound foundation for attracting the resources needed to help deliver mid- to- high density housing projects at all levels of affordability in the neighborhoods surrounding the State Capitol and will serve as a model for a sustainable livability strategy which may be scaled in urban centers throughout the state.
Downtown Sacramento has seen an unprecedented level of interest over the past decade but the empty offices, lack of investment and declining values have left it struggling for an economic foothold. Without a strategic multi -jurisdictional partnership and f inancial participation at state and local levels, downtown Sacramento will miss the moment to create a sustainable future by increasing housing production and focusing on new economic and educational diversification. SB 516 provides the framework to accomplish these goals and solidify the future for the capital city’s central neighborhood.
For the reasons stated above, the City requests your support of SB 516. If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Consuelo Hernandez, Director of Governmental Affairs, at [email protected], or 916-808- 7395.
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]
April 30, 2025
Assembly Member Buffy Wicks
Chair, Assembly Committee on Appropriations
1021 O Street, Suite 8220
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1232 (ÁVILA FARÍAS) ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT: PROPOSED REGULATIONS: COST OF LIVING IMPACT ON RESIDENTS OF THE STATE – SUPPORT
Dear Assembly Member Wicks:
On behalf of the City of Sacramento (City), I write to express our support of AB 1232 (Ávila Farías), which seeks to require a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal any administrative regulation to assess and consider the potential for adverse economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals and the cost-of-living impacts on residents of the state.
With AB 1232 requiring the regulatory rule development process to consider the direct impacts to the cost of living in California, it will allow the regulatory agencies who are adopting, amending, or repealing and administrative regulation to have a better understanding on the impacts on the day-to-day lives of Californians. Historically, the cost impacts of regulations have been solely focused on the wholistic implementation costs statewide. These costs are a calculation of costs for the state to monitor and implement and the costs borne by the local implementing agencies. These costs have not been further studied to better understand the costs for the individual residents of the state.
AB 1232, if enacted, would create a better understanding of the direct cost implications to adopting, amending, or repealing regulations. This is especially important for those regulated agencies who are bound under Proposition 218, and therefore directly impact the ratepayer’s bill.
For the reasons stated above, the City is pleased to support AB 1232 (Ávila Farías). If there are any questions about the City’s position, please contact Brian Sanders, Policy & Legislative Specialist, at [email protected] or 916-420-0239.
Sincerely,
Chair, Law and Legislation
Committee
Office of Sacramen to City Councilmember Caity Maple
New City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 808-7005 | Email: [email protected]