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Home My WebLink About092723-05.1 TPA End of Session PresentationEnd of Session Legislative Update September 27, 2023 WWW.TOWNSENDPA.COM SACRAMENTO • WASHINGTON DC NORTHERN CALIFORNIA • CENTRAL CALIFORNIA • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Tri-Valley Cities DANVILLE • DUBLIN • LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SAN RAMON 1 Presentation Overview Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 1 End of 2023 Legislative Session Overview 2 Priority Bills With TVC Coalition Positions 3 State Fiscal Outlook 4 What to Expect in 2024 Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 5 Washington, DC Update 2 State Legislative Overview (End of Session) Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 2,600 bills introduced First year of two-year cycle Legislature adjourned September 14 810 bills to consider before the October 14 deadline Legislature reconvenes on January 3, 2024 Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 3 Priority Bills with TVC Coalition Positions Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry) Local Government Financing: Affordable Housing and Public Infrastructure: Voter Approval Lowers the necessary voter threshold from a two-thirds supermajority, to 55% to approve local general obligation (GO) bonds and special taxes for affordable housing and public infrastructure projects. Status: Qualified for November 2024 Ballot TVC Position: Support (Request for Governor’s Signature) Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 TVC Legislative Framework focus area: Affordable Housing and Homelessness as well as Transportation and Infrastructure We worked closely with the Author on this in the past and this year as well, and finally was able to push through both houses. Supportive speaker was big help. Public Infrastructure is key here… Cleanup bill in January to further tailor definition of public infrastructure, make some adjustments related to the acquisition of housing units, and implement more accountability measures. Discussions this fall. Will be on November 2024 ballot. Coalition Impact: This bill creates another optional tool for infrastructure financing and levels the threshold between other public agencies that already enjoy a 55% voter threshold, such as school districts. 4 Priority Bills with TVC Coalition Positions Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 AB 478 (Connolly) Wildfires: Insurance Would prohibit an insurer from canceling or denying coverage for homes in high or very-high fire severity zones, while also limiting increases in rates, if the insured if 65 years or older. Status: 2-year bill TVC Position: Support and Seek Amendments Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Coalition Impact: Direct impact on significant number of constituents in region This exact bill may not be run next year – but Asm. Connolly and many others with fire prone districts remain committed to staying engaged on the topic. Recent regulatory proceedings on this (as of this week), more regulatory rulemarkings and proceedings to come, followed by likely legislative cleanup. Recent exec actions include: Executive action by Commissioner Lara to transition homeowners and businesses from the FAIR Plan back into the normal insurance market with commitments from insurance companies to cover all parts of California by writing no less than 85% of their statewide market share in high wildfire risk communities. For example, if a company writes 20 out of 100 homes statewide, it must write 17 out of 100 homes in a distressed area; Giving FAIR Plan policyholders who comply with the new Safer from Wildfires regulation first priority for transition to the normal market, thus enhancing the state’s overall wildfire safety efforts; Directing the FAIR Plan to further expand commercial coverage to $20 million per building to close insurance gaps for homeowners associations and condominium developments to help meet the state’s housing goals and to provide required coverage to other large businesses in the state; 5 Priority Bills with TVC Coalition Positions Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 AB 894 (Friedman) Parking Requirements: Shared Parking Requires public agencies to allow proposed and existing developments to count underutilized and shared parking spaces toward a parking requirement imposed by the agency. Status: Awaiting Governor’s Signature or Veto TVC Position: Neutral As Amended Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Coalition Impact: Could result in a lack of adequate parking space for residents. Mitigated impacts with amendments. We worked closely with Assembly Member Friedman and SPUR (sponsors). After several meetings and negotiations, they agreed to take a number of our suggested amendments, which made the bill much more reasonable for our communities. Some of the amendments we secured included: Refining the definition of “underutilized parking” Amendments to ensure local agencies do not have to compel these agreements Amendments to ensure that the approving local agency can be allowed to request reasonable verification that shared parking agreements have been or will be secured, prior to approval of a development proposing to use shared parking. Clarifying amendments that agreements should secure the long-term provision of shared spaces. Amendments related to public transportation accessibility, to ensure EV spaces are not eliminated, and to provide a more precise definition “designated historic resource” Amending Section 65863.1(c)(2) to state that the transportation or shuttles would have to be part of a sustained plan. Amending Section 65863.1(i) to indicate that shared parking shall not reduce or eliminate the number of Electric Vehicle parking spaces that would have otherwise applied, in addition to parking accessible to persons with disabilities. Amending Section 65863.1(h) to provide a more precise definition of a “designated historic resource” and limit the shared parking provision to such resources listed on a Federal, state, or local historic register. 6 Priority Bills with TVC Coalition Positions Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 SB 43 (Eggman) Behavioral Health Updates the definition of “gravely disabled” to include a new focus on preventing serious physical and mental harm stemming from a person’s inability to provide for their needs for nourishment, personal or medical care, find appropriate shelter, or attend to self-protection or personal safety, due to their mental or substance use disorder. Status: Awaiting Governor’s Signature or Veto TVC Position: Support (Request for Governor’s Signature) Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Coalition Impact: Falls under TVC Legislative Framework focus area of Mental Health This bill modernizes the definition of “gravely disabled” within the Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act to provide for the needs, more accurately and comprehensively, of individuals experiencing a substantial risk of serious harm due to a Mental Health and/or Substance Use Disorder. These changes will ensure that a complete and accurate picture is presented when a person is involuntarily committed or in court when considering the very serious step of conservatorship 7 Priority Bills with TVC Coalition Positions Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 SB 423 (Wiener) Land Use: Streamlined Housing Approvals: Multifamily Housing Developments Extends the sunset on SB 35 (Wiener, Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017) to January 1, 2036, and makes other changes. Status: Awaiting Governor’s Signature or Veto TVC Position: Oppose Unless Amended (Request for Governor’s Veto) Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Extends the sunset on SB 35 (Wiener, Chapter 366, Statutes of 2017) streamlining ability to January 1, 2036, and makes various changes to labor requirements, and expands the circumstances under which SB 35 streamlining may be utilized, subject to certain conditions. Was going to pass due to the political makeup of the legislature, but worked to successfully secure amendments that will prohibit SB 35 streamlined development in certain very high fire severity zones and those in within the state responsibility area (which has grown). Coalition Impact: Increases opportunity for streamlined housing development without the same degree of local review. Still, the bill passed without some of the other amendments we would like, and now we have shifted our focus to the Governor’s administration. 8 Priority Bills with TVC Coalition Positions Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 SB 746 (Eggman) Energy conservation contracts: alternate energy equipment: green hydrogen: Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Authorizes the Tri-Valley San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority to enter into contracts related to green electrolytic hydrogen. Status: Awaiting Governor’s Signature or Veto TVC Position: Support (Request for Governor’s Signature) Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Authorizes the Tri-Valley Coalition Impact: Sponsored by the Tri-Valley San Joaquin Regional Rail Authority. Economic Benefits for the region and will help with the proliferation of Valley Link Rail. San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority to enter into contracts related to green electrolytic hydrogen. 9 State Fiscal Outlook Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Storms from early this year – later tax deadline Still tbd on full revenues Because the Governor’s administration and Legislature were good about putting into reserves and rainy day fund, we are prepared for future tough times DOF, LOA, and others predict a mild economic dip in the near term, but nothing CA shouldn’t be able to handle We can also likely took forward to earmarks. Did this year, can do in bad years… 10 State Political Dynamics - 2024 Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 Assembly Member Robert Rivas New Speaker Senator Mike McGuire New Pro Tem Announced Committee Chair Changes Assembly Local Government, Assembly Elections, more to come Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Speaker first full year in 2024. Appoint new chairs. Budget and Approps are big ones. More hands on then predecessor. Will likely author bills and be very vocal. Will know where he stands on things. Focus on more condensed bill packages – less bs (may take a few years to ease into that new reality). McGuire announced as next ProTem. Terms out in 2026. We have worked well with him. New committee chairs likely to come as well. 11 Washington, DC Update Townsend Public Affairs Advocacy Update Presentation: May 15, 2023 Draft Continuing Resolution into print Last Night at 5pm Unlikely that Congress will be able to pass CR in time Highly Likely Government Shutdown – October 1 Checking in with State Legislators and Administration on a Coordinated Response Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 A shutdown may cause disruption to grant administration activities among the federal agencies. Food assistance programs such as WIC could see disruptions within a few days while SNAP (CalFresh) has contingency funds allowing it to operate for a month or more. The IRS would drastically cut back operations and public lands such as national parks could be subject to closure. However, according to law, law enforcement, public safety, and public health services will continue, albeit with employees going unpaid in many instances. This includes the operations of the Veterans Administration, the armed forces, the Postal Service, transportation safety, Social Security payments, Medicare and Medicaid, and federal law enforcement. 12 Andres Ramirez Senior Associate Tri-Valley Cities DANVILLE • DUBLIN • LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SAN RAMON Townsend Public Affairs State Legislative Update: September 27, 2023 Christopher Townsend President Niccolo De Luca Vice President Ben Goldeen Federal Advocacy Manager Samantha Maciel Associate Carly Shelby Associate 13