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Review and consider approval of Solano County’s Proposed 2020 Federal Legislative Platform and Proposed 2020 State Legislative Platform; and Receive an update from staff and the County’s State Legislative Advocate on the status of legislation that is of interest to the County that was discussed at the November 18, 2019 Legislative Committee
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Published Notice Required? Yes _______ No ___X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _______ No ___X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors review and consider approval of Solano County’s Proposed 2020 Federal Legislative Platform and Proposed 2020 State Legislative Platform and receive an update from staff and the County’s State Legislative Advocate on the status of legislation that is of interest to the County that was discussed at the November 18, 2019 Legislative Committee.
SUMMARY:
The Board adopts a Legislative Platform on an annual basis which is intended to provide policy direction on state and federal legislation of interest to the County. The proposed 2020 Legislative Platform is a focused, comprehensive federal and state agenda outlining the County’s priorities for the coming year. The legislative platforms also provide the County’s federal and state legislative representatives with a clear understanding of the County’s priorities. The Proposed 2020 Federal Legislative Platform and the Proposed 2020 State Legislative Platform were reviewed by the Legislative Committee on November 18, 2019. Additionally, the County’s Legislative Advocate, Karen Lange of SYASL Partners, Inc., will provide a verbal update on developments at the Capitol and key legislation of interest to the County. The agenda for the November 18, 2019 legislative platform is available at the following link: <http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=31200>
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The legislative program is designed to result in additional funding and cost avoidance relative to Solano County. The cost of preparing this report and compiling the information is a General Fund cost covered in the County Administrator’s FY2019/20 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
PROPOSED 2020 FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS
In December 2012, the Board approved the 2013 State and Federal Legislative Platforms in a format that was different from prior years. The revised format reflects the County’s specific “Priority Issues” that have the greatest potential and need for state and federal participation and provide the focus areas on which the County’s state and federal legislative advocates can concentrate advocacy efforts. In addition, the revised format includes general legislative principles in a variety of subject areas. The priority issues combined with the accompanying legislative principles provide a solid foundation for the County’s Federal and State legislative representatives in understanding the County’s legislative agenda.
For the upcoming legislative session, the Proposed 2020 Federal Legislative Platform and the Proposed 2020 State Legislative Platform maintains the same format with suggested changes/additions/deletions as outlined in Attachment A - redlined and Attachment B - clean version for federal priorities and Attachment C - redlined and Attachment D - clean version for state priorities.
Staff is recommending that the County’s “Priority Issues” for 2020 (listed alphabetically) are Continuation of Expanded Medical for Uninsured, Children, Youth and Families, County Revenue Sources and Authority, County Strategic Plan, Environmental and Open Space, Funding for Key Water Infrastructure Projects, Health and Human Services, Housing, Economic Development and Transportation Issues, Military Presence, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh, Seniors and the Disabled, State Realignment and Cost-Shifts and Voting and Election Efficiencies.
Each Legislative Platform also outlines, by policy area, general legislative principles on issues that enable County staff and the County’s legislative advocates to respond timely to federal and state legislative proposals throughout the legislative session.
One of the primary goals of the County’s legislative program is to enable timely and effective advocacy of County interests on pending state and federal legislation and issues. The Proposed 2020 Legislative Platforms allows the County’s legislative advocates and staff to identify and monitor legislative activities of importance, prepare letters of support or opposition, coordinate lobbying efforts, and advance County goals and objectives at both the federal and state levels.
The legislative issues that are included in the Proposed 2020 Legislative Platforms are recommended by County departments and their ally nonprofit organizations with input from the County’s federal and state legislative advocates. The Proposed 2020 Legislative Platforms incorporate elements of the County’s Strategic Plan, General Plan, and prior legislative actions as well as other priorities, as outlined by the Board.
While the Proposed 2020 Legislative Platform seeks to accurately reflect the current challenges and threats imposed by both federal and state governments, should unanticipated issues arise, additional modifications may be required in future.
Once approved, the County’s 2020 Legislative Platforms will be posted to the Legislative Affairs website and can be accessed at www.SolanoCounty.com/Legislation <http://www.SolanoCounty.com/Legislation>. The website enables County staff and members of the public the ability to view state bills tracked by the County each legislative session and provide the status of positions taken by the County on bills tracked. Other functions available on the website include bill search, options to find legislatures, and posted Legislative Committee agenda packets.
NOVEMBER 18, 2019 LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
The County’s Legislative Committee Members, Supervisor Erin Hannigan and Supervisor John Vasquez met on November 18, 2019 to discuss both Federal and State issues. Joe Krahn, Hasan Sarsour, and Tom Joseph of Paragon Government Relations, the County’s federal legislative advocacy team, and Karen Lange of SYASL Partners, Inc., the County’s state legislative advocate, all participated in the meeting as well.
The County’s November, 2019 Legislative Committee agenda packet can be accessed at the following link: <http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=31200>.
This staff report also includes a federal legislative update from Paragon Government Relations (Attachment E) and a state legislative update on bills Solano County has been following during the 2019-2020 legislative session from Karen Lange of SYASL Partners, Inc. (Attachment F).
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to accept the Proposed 2020 Federal Legislative Platform and Proposed 2020 State Legislative Platform. The Board may also choose to accept the Legislative Platform in part or not at all. The Board may amend the Legislative Platform in any manner and at any time. The Board may choose not to approve any or some of the legislative proposals.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Staff consulted with Solano County Department Heads, County affiliated nonprofit agencies, Solano Transportation Authority, Solano County Water Agency, Travis Community Consortium, Delta Counties Coalition, the County’s federal and state legislative advocates, the California State Association of Counties, the National Association of Counties, as well as the League of California Cities.