Agenda Item #15.1
For Council Meeting of January 13, 2026
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MISTI D. WOOD, COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER SUBJECT: 2026 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Communications and Intergovernmental Relations Office recommend that the Council, by resolution, adopt the 2026 Federal Legislative Platform. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City staff have identified federal legislative priorities in the proposed 2026 Federal Legislative Platform for consideration by the City Council. Defined priorities, approved by the City Council, will help communicate the City’s federal legislative and funding priorities to the City’s federal legislative delegation, relevant Congressional committees, and regional and federal agencies.
GOAL
This item relates to all Council goals because it covers all aspects of City services.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
Since 2018, the City has been actively working with our contracted federal lobbyist team in Washington, D.C., MMO Partners, to engage our federal representatives and federal government agencies on our City’s policy, recovery, and resiliency needs.
The City will have multiple opportunities to secure funding during the second legislative session of the 119th Congress, including the 2026-2027 federal funding cycle, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
To prepare for these activities, staff have identified federal legislative priorities in the proposed 2026 Federal Legislative Platform for consideration by the City Council. The priorities focus on the following core areas:
Wildfire and Extreme Weather Mitigation
Surface Transportation
Water Infrastructure, Conservation, and Energy Resiliency Climate Change and Sustainability
Housing, Homelessness, and Economic Development
Public Safety
Education, Families, and Children
On January 7, 2025, the Council adopted the 2025 federal legislative platform.
On January 30, 2024, the Council adopted the 2024 federal legislative platform.
On January 24, 2023, the Council adopted the 2023 federal legislative platform.
On January 25, 2022, the Council adopted the 2022 federal legislative platform.
On February 2, 2021, the Council adopted the 2021 federal legislative platform.
ANALYSIS
The proposed 2026 Federal Legislative Platform (Exhibit A) communicate the City’s federal legislative and project priorities to the California federal legislative delegation, Congress, and regional and federal agencies.
The City’s legislative staff and MMO Partners met with City representatives to review the current federal legislative platform, propose changes for 2026, gather feedback, and provide analysis regarding the proposed issue areas and priorities in the legislative platform. The proposed 2026 Federal Legislative Platform is intentionally similar to the previous year’s platform to align with the Council’s goal setting cycle and work within a rapidly changing federal government.
City staff, in coordination with MMO Partners, will monitor federal legislation, funding opportunities, and administrative and regulatory proposals. Staff will work closely with MMO Partners to take appropriate action, when necessary, in alignment with the approved 2026 Federal Legislative Platform and in compliance with the City’s existing Legislative Advocacy Council Policy No. 000-40, to advance and/or safeguard the City’s priorities in Washington, D.C.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the recommended action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the recommended action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the recommended action may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Exhibit A – 2026 Federal Legislative Platform
PRESENTER(S)
Misti D. Wood, Communications and Intergovernmental Relations Officer John O’Donnell, MMO Partners
Kyriakos Pagonis, MMO Partners
2026 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
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