HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 08072014 - Legislation Cte Agenda Pkt
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
August 7, 2014
10:30 A.M.
651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez
Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, Chair
Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Vice Chair
Agenda
Items:
Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference
of the Committee
1.Introductions
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this
agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
3. APPROVE the Record of Action for the Legislation Committee meeting of June 5,
2014.
4. CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a resolution of support for AB 1263 (Perez):
Medi-Cal: CommuniCal.
5. CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "support" on
Senator Heitkamp's RESPONSE Act, S. 2547, as recommended by the County's
Hazardous Materials Programs Director.
6. RECEIVE the report on Senator Sanders’ HR 3230 Veterans Access, Choice and
Accountability Act of 2014 and provide direction to staff, as needed.
7. CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors amendments to the 2014
Federal and State Legislative Platforms to include support for improved funding and
care of U.S. military veterans and their families.
8. ACCEPT a staff report on the Water Bond proposals and provide direction to staff, as
needed.
9.Adjourn
10.The next meeting is currently scheduled for September 4, 2014.
The Legislation Committee will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities
planning to attend Legislation Committee meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least
72 hours before the meeting.
Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and
distributed by the County to a majority of members of the Legislation Committee less than 96
hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at 651 Pine Street, 10th floor,
during normal business hours.
Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day
prior to the published meeting time.
For Additional Information Contact:
Lara DeLaney, Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1097, Fax (925) 646-1353
lara.delaney@cao.cccounty.us
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 3.
Meeting Date:08/07/2014
Subject:APPROVE the Record of Action for the June 5, 2014 meeting of the
Legislation Committee.
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2014-32
Referral Name: APPROVE the Record of Action for the June 5, 2014 meeting of the
Legislation Committee.
Presenter: L. DeLaney Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Referral History:
Record of Action for June 5, 2014.
Referral Update:
Record of Action for the June 5, 2014 meeting is attached.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
APPROVE the Record of Action for the Legislation Committee meeting of June 5, 2014.
Attachments
Record of Action 06.05.14
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Record of Action
June 5, 2014
10:30 A.M.
651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez
Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, Chair
Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Vice Chair
Present: Mary N. Piepho, Chair
Karen Mitchoff, Vice Chair
Staff Present:Lara DeLaney, Senior Deputy County Administrator
Vana Tran, CAO Analyst
Corrie Gideon
Brice Bins
Tracey Rattray
Nathan Johnson
Attendees: Doug Sibley
1.Introductions
2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this
agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
None.
3.APPROVE the Record of Action for the Legislation Committee meeting of May 1,
2014.
The Record of Action for the May 1, 2014 meeting was approved as submitted.
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
4.CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "support" on AB
2060 (Perez): Supervised Population Workforce Training Grant Program, as
recommended by the Workforce Development Board.
The Committee voted unanimously to recommend a position of "support."
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
5.ADOPT a position of "support" on AB 2231, as amended (Gordon): State Controller:
Property Tax Postponement, as recommended by the County Treasurer-Tax Collector.
The Committee voted unanimously to recommend a position of "support."
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
6.CONSIDER recommending a position of "support" on AB 2418 (Bonilla): Health Care
Coverage: Prescription Drugs: Refills, as requested by Assembly Member Bonilla.
The Committee voted unanimously to adopt a position of "watch."
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
7.ADOPT a position of "support" on SB 1000, as amended (Monning): Public Health:
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Warnings, as recommended by Contra Costa Health
Services.
The Committee voted unanimously to recommend a position of "support."
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
8.AMEND the 2014 Federal Legislative Platform to include support for improved
funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families, as recommended by
Supervisor Glover.
The Committee voted unanimously to amend the federal platform to include support
for improved funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families. The
Committee also provided direction to staff to propose amendments to the federal
and state platforms to cover broader issues concerning veterans and families.
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
9.ADOPT a position of "support" on Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and
Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014, as introduced (Sanders), as
recommended by Contra Costa Veterans Service Officer.
The Committee voted unanimously to readdress this item in the next meeting.
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
10.The Legislation Committee may consider recommending a position to the Board of
10.The Legislation Committee may consider recommending a position to the Board of
Supervisors on any of the bills of interest, or may request staff to provide additional
information about a bill.
The Committee voted unanimously to accept the report and provided direction to
staff.
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
11.The next meeting is currently scheduled for August 7, 2014. (The July 3, 2014 meeting
is cancelled.)
The Committee confirmed the date of the next meeting.
AYES: Chair Mary N. Piepho, Vice Chair Karen Mitchoff
Passed
12.Adjourn
For Additional Information Contact:
Lara DeLaney, Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1097, Fax (925) 646-1353
lara.delaney@cao.cccounty.us
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 4.
Meeting Date:08/07/2014
Subject:AB 1263 (Perez): Medi-Cal: CommuniCal
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2014-28
Referral Name: AB 1263 (Perez): Medi-Cal: CommuniCal
Presenter: L. DeLaney Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Referral History:
Staff of Supervisor Mitchoff referred AB 1263 to the Legislation Committee for discussion and
possible action. Interpreting for California is soliciting support of the bill from jurisdictions
across the state. Santa Clara, Alameda and San Francisco County resolutions of support are on
file with the organization, and they were anticipating the City of San Diego's support as well.
Referral Update:
Bill Summary: AB 1263 (Perez) Relates to the Medi-cal Patient Centered Communication
Program (CommuniCal) and fund to provide and reimburse medical interpretation services to
Medi-cal beneficiaries who are limited English proficient. Requires the Department of Human
Resources to notify the individual of the acceptance or denial of his or her inclusion on the
registry within specified days of the submission of the application. Updates provisions regarding
program certified medical interpreters. Allows labor organizing proceedings. The bill analysis for
the Assembly Floor vote is attached.
AB 1263 was vetoed by Governor Brown on Oct. 13, 2013. His veto message was the following:
To the Members of the California State Assembly:
I am returning Assembly Bill 1263 without my signature.
The bill would require the Department of Health Care Services to establish the CommuniCal
program to certify and restructure current interpreter services provided under Medi-Cal.
California has embarked on an unprecedented expansion to add more than a million people to our
Medi-Cal program. Given the challenges and the many unknowns the state faces in this endeavor,
I don't believe it would be wise to introduce yet another complex element.
Sincerely,
Edmund G. Brown Jr.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors the adoption of a resolution of support for AB 1263
(Perez): Medi-Cal: CommuniCal.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
1) One-time costs of $1.4 million to develop program guidelines, seek necessary federal
approvals, and develop billing systems (50% General Fund (GF), 50% federal funds).
2) One-time costs of about $50,000 to develop regulations relating to collective bargaining of
translators by the Public Employment Relations Board (GF).
3) One-time costs of about $90,000 and ongoing costs of about $50,000 to oversee an election
by translators to choose a collective bargaining agent (GF).
4) Periodic costs up to $1 million for negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the
established bargaining unit and overseeing the implementation by CalHR (GF).
5) Ongoing costs of about $30 million per year to provide translation services in fee-for-service
Medi-Cal (GF and federal funds).
6) Unknown costs in Medi-Cal managed care (GF and federal funds). Under current law, health
plans are required to provide interpretation services, including managed care plans that
contract with DHCS. It is unclear whether the bill’s requirement to provide “certified
medical interpretation services” at reimbursement rates subject to collective bargaining
would increase costs for translation services, above the costs already being incurred.
7) The federal financial participation rate for the costs above may vary. For interpretive
services provided to children and their family members, the state can claim a 75% federal
financial participation rate. However, those costs are only eligible for a 75% federal cost
share if they are billed as administrative costs (as opposed to benefits). For childless adults,
the rate is generally 50%.
Attachments
San Francisco resolution, AB 1263
Alameda County letter, AB 1263
Santa Clara County letter, AB 1263
AB 1263 Analysis
FILE NO. RESOLUTION NO.
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[Resolution in Support of Assembly Bill 1263 – More Medical Interpreters Statewide]
Resolution urging the California State Legislature to pass Assembly Bill 1263, which
creates “CommuniCal” – a program that provides reliable access to language
interpretation for Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are limited English proficient.
WHEREAS, California has been long recognized as one of the most racially and
linguistically diverse states with residents who speak over 200 languages ; and
WHEREAS, Approximately one in five Californians is limited English proficient (LEP)
and identifies as speaking English less than very well; and
WHEREAS, Language access and the right to interpretation services is required under
Title VI of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act of
1973 (Chapter 17.5 (commencing with Section 7290) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the
Government Code), the Knox-Keene Healthcare Services Plan Act of 1975 (Chapter 2.2
(commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code), Section 11135
of the Government Code, Section 1259 of the Health and Safety Code, and California Civil
Rights law; and
WHEREAS, The demand for medical interpretation services by Medi-Cal beneficiaries
is significant, with 45.2 percent of Medi-Cal beneficiaries speaking a language other than
English; and
WHEREAS, the state will experience an even greater demand for language services as
health care reform measures are implemented over the next few years and 35 percent of
Californians expected to become newly eligible for Medi-Cal as a result of the federal Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) will speak English less than well;
and
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WHEREAS, In California, language assistance services are currently provided in an
uncoordinated manner that lacks transparency and accountability, and a majority of services
are currently provided ad hoc by family members and friends or untrained staff; and
WHEREAS, California has the opportunity to meet the growing demand early on b y
accessing millions of dollars in federal matching funds to provide medical interpretation
services to LEP Medi-Cal beneficiaries; and
WHEREAS, Professional medical interpretation services help reduce avoidable
medical errors and provider malpractice liability for physicians and other healthcare providers;
and
WHEREAS, a coordinated program to offer medical interpreter services will improve
health care outcomes for LEP Californians and help control healthcare costs that result from a
lack of access to preventative and primary care; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors supports and encourages the passage of
Assembly Bill 1263; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors hereby directs
the Clerk of the Board to send a copy of this resolution to Governor Jerry Brown, Senate
President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, and Speaker of the Assembly John A. Peréz.
AB 1263
Page 1
GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB 1263 (John A. Pérez)
As Amended July 10, 2013
2/3 vote
ASSEMBLY:55-23 (May 29, 2013)SENATE:25-9 (September 11, 2013)
ASSEMBLY:53-24 (September 11, 2013)
Original Committee Reference: HEALTH
SUMMARY: Establishes the Medi-Cal Patient Centered Communication (CommuniCal)
program at the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide and reimburse for
certified medical interpretation services to limited English proficient (LEP) Medi-Cal enrollees.
Establishes a certification process and registry of CommuniCal medical interpreters (CCMI) at
DHCS and grants collective bargaining rights with the state.
The Senate amendments:
1)Revise the certifying body to be DHCS instead of the California Department of Human
Resources (CalHR).
2)Require DHCS to establish a Community Advisory Committee as specified
3)Require DHCS to, by September 1, 2014, in consultation with the Community Advisory
Committee, approve an examination and certification process to test and certify the
competency of medical interpreters and delete the requirement that CalHR select an
examination within 120 days of implementation of this bill.
4)Require DHCS to develop, monitor, and evaluate interpreter competency, qualifications,
training, certification, and continuing education requirements for medical interpreters.
5)Add the following options as a condition of certification, in addition to an examination
administered by a nonprofit organization:
a)Pass an examination developed by a state-established language testing and certification
program with a written and oral component that meets specified standards;
b)Achieve the designation of Certified Healthcare Interpreter from the Certification
Commission for Healthcare Interpreters;
c)Achieve the designation of Certified Medical Interpreter from the National Board of
Certification for Medical Interpreters; or,
d)Hold a current interpreter’s certification under existing provisions.
6)Add a process for authorizing CommuniCal services to be provided by an interpreter of
languages of lesser diffusion or languages for which a CCMI examination has not been
AB 1263
Page 2
created.
7)Revise requirements for a provisional authorization that allow interpreters to be authorized
prior to the development of the full testing and certification program at DHCS and require
the person meet the full standards by December 31, 2016.
8)Delete the requirement that the base reimbursement rate be set at $60 per hour and instead
provide that it be subject to collective bargaining.
9)Make other technical and clarifying changes.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
1)One-time costs of $1.4 million to develop program guidelines, seek necessary federal
approvals, and develop billing systems (50% General Fund (GF), 50% federal funds).
2)One-time costs of about $50,000 to develop regulations relating to collective bargaining of
translators by the Public Employment Relations Board (GF).
3)One-time costs of about $90,000 and ongoing costs of about $50,000 to oversee an election
by translators to choose a collective bargaining agent (GF).
4)Periodic costs up to $1 million for negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the
established bargaining unit and overseeing the implementation by CalHR (GF).
5)Ongoing costs of about $30 million per year to provide translation services in fee-for-service
Medi-Cal (GF and federal funds).
6)Unknown costs in Medi-Cal managed care (GF and federal funds). Under current law, health
plans are required to provide interpretation services, including managed care plans that
contract with DHCS. It is unclear whether the bill’s requirement to provide “certified
medical interpretation services” at reimbursement rates subject to collective bargaining
would increase costs for translation services, above the costs already being incurred.
7)The federal financial participation rate for the costs above may vary. For interpretive
services provided to children and their family members, the state can claim a 75% federal
financial participation rate. However, those costs are only eligible for a 75% federal cost
share if they are billed as administrative costs (as opposed to benefits). For childless adults,
the rate is generally 50%.
COMMENTS: According to the author, this bill is to establish a program to provide and
reimburse for medical interpretation services to LEP Medi-Cal enrollees and to allow for
collective bargaining for certified medical interpreters. The author cites data that show more
than 40% of Californians speak a language other than English at home. In addition, almost seven
million Californians are estimated to speak English “less than very well.” Other research finds
that language barriers can contribute to inadequate patient evaluation and diagnosis, lack of
appropriate and/or timely treatment, or other medical errors that can jeopardize patient safety and
lead to unnecessary procedures and costs. The author argues that today, language assistance in
AB 1263
Page 3
medical settings is provided by trained or untrained staff or in an informal manner by family
members or friends. In conclusion, the author states that California has an opportunity to
develop a more comprehensive language assistance program by seeking additional federal
funding for medical interpreter services in the Medi-Cal program.
Supporters such as Interpreting for California, The Low-Income Self-Help Center and Catholic
Charities of Santa Clara County, write that this bill address the need for interpreters in Medi-Cal
as the state will experience greater demand when 35% of the newly eligible enrollees speak
English less than well. These supporters state that this bill will make it possible for the 2.5
million Medi-Cal enrollees who are LEP to communicate with healthcare providers, reducing
medical errors and improving the standard of care by providing access to trained interpreters.
Other supporters such as The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
AFL-CIO and Somos Mayfair writes in support that, with the expansion of Medi-Cal and the
implementation of the California Health Benefit Exchange under federal health care reform, the
state has a clear opportunity to create an interpreters’ program that will allow patients and
providers to clearly communicate with each other. According to these supporters, in 2003
California passed the strongest law in the country requiring all private health plans to provide
language assistance services to LEP individuals beginning in 2009. However, the supporters
assert, patient interpretation needs remain unmet despite these laws and explicit policy directives
to Medi-Cal managed care plans to provide interpreter services. According to the Transnational
Institute for Grassroots Research and Action (TIGRA), LEP Californians frequently reported
problems related to their experience of care. TIGRA asserts that LEP enrollees of the state's
seven largest health plans were more likely than English proficient enrollees to report problems
understanding their physician (1.2% versus 2.6%) and believe they would have received better
care if they were of a different race/ethnicity (14% versus 3.2%).
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE:
“The bill would require the Department of Health Care Services to establish the CommuniCal
program to certify and restructure current interpreter services provided under Medi-Cal.
"California has embarked on an unprecedented expansion to add more than a million people to
our Medi-Cal program. Given the challenges and the many unknowns the state faces in this
endeavor, I don't believe it would be wise to introduce yet another complex element.”
Analysis Prepared by: Marjorie Swartz / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097
FN: 0002914
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 5.
Meeting Date:08/07/2014
Subject:Senator Heitkamp’s RESPONSE Act, S. 2547
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2014-29
Referral Name: Senator Heitkamp’s RESPONSE Act
Presenter: L. DeLaney Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Referral History:
The County's federal lobbyist, Paul Schlesinger, forwarded Senator Heitkamp’s RESPONSE Act,
S. 2547, for discussion and possible action by the Legislation Committee.
Referral Update:
According to the American Association of Railroads, the number of railcars carrying crude oil on
major freight railroads in the U.S. grew by more than 6,000 percent between 2007 and 2013. Due
to the potential risks of a derailment associated with increased crude oil transported by rail in
North Dakota and across the country, there is a need to bolster the training, coordination and
capability of our Nation’s first responders to hazmat incidents that may occur on the national rail
system.
We know that many big cities, states and the Federal government have training, capability and
resources to respond to a hazmat incident on our railways. However, for the first few hours, the
closest response is frequently from our small-town fire chiefs, police officers and medical
personnel. We saw this very clearly in December 2013 during the derailment of a train carrying
crude oil near Casselton, North Dakota – a town of nearly 2,500 people. The Casselton
firefighters were the first to respond. Many of these small towns exist because of the historical
expansion of the national rail network.
Less than five years ago, a small number of oil cars were mixed in with other commodities on
trains traveling through these communities a few times per day, mitigating the risk of a significant
incident. Now, given the energy boom in North Dakota and the heavy reliance on rail as a mode
of transportation, these small communities are seeing up to nine trains come through per day with
more than 100 linked crude oil cars per train. We must provide our small cities and local first
responders with proper training and resources so that, if needed, they can respond appropriately to
derailments, spills, and other dangerous situations resulting from a crude-by-rail or hazardous
material derailment in their communities.
Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s RESPONSE Act of 2014 would establish a subcommittee under
FEMA’s National Advisory Council to address these issues. The RESPONSE Subcommittee
would be tasked with bringing together all the relevant agencies, emergency responders, technical
experts and the private sector for a review of training, resources, best practices and unmet needs
related to emergency responders to railroad hazmat incidents. All flammable hazmat response to
railroad incidents would be within the scope of the Subcommittee, but given the potential
increased risk associated with a derailment involving delivery of crude oil, a particular focus on
crude oil transport by rail is important.
Upon formation, the Subcommittee would provide recommendations to Congress within 12 months on emergency
responder training and resource allocation. These include addressing:
Quality and application of training for local emergency first responders related to rail
hazardous materials incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and
small communities near railroads;
Effectiveness of funding levels related to training local emergency responders for rail
hazardous materials incidents, with a particular focus on local emergency responders and
small communities;
Strategy for integration of commodity flow studies, mapping, and access platforms for local
emergency responders and how to increase the rate of access to the individual responder in
existing or emerging communications technology;
The lack of emergency response plans for rail, similar to existing law related to maritime and
stationary facility emergency response plans;
Development of a train incident database; and
The need to increase access to relevant, useful, and timely information for the local
emergency responders.
The County's Hazardous Materials Programs Director, Randy Sawyer, has reviewed the bill and
indicates that "the results of this study can be useful and beneficial."
The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 26, 2014. It was due to be "marked up" on July 30
at Senate Homeland Security Committee but was cancelled because of a proposed Republican
amendment on Keystone. Our federal lobbyists recommends that we consider a position of
support on the bill and request our senators co-sponsor the bill.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ADOPT a position of "support" on the Senator Heitkamp's RESPONSE Act, S. 2547, as
recommended by the County's Hazardous Materials Programs Director.
Attachments
S. 2547 Bill Text
II
113TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION S. 2547
To establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational
Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Subcommittee under the
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Advisory Council
to provide recommendations on emergency responder training and re-
sources relating to hazardous materials incidents involving railroads, and
for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JUNE 26, 2014
Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself and Mr. SCHUMER) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To establish the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness,
Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE)
Subcommittee under the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency’s National Advisory Council to provide rec-
ommendations on emergency responder training and re-
sources relating to hazardous materials incidents involv-
ing railroads, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
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•S 2547 IS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘RESPONSE Act of 2
2014’’. 3
SEC. 2. RAILROAD EMERGENCY SERVICES PREPAREDNESS, 4
OPERATIONAL NEEDS, AND SAFETY EVALUA-5
TION SUBCOMMITTEE. 6
Section 508 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 7
(6 U.S.C. 318) is amended— 8
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-9
section (e); and 10
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-11
lowing: 12
‘‘(d) RESPONSE SUBCOMMITTEE.— 13
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days 14
after the date of the enactment of the RESPONSE 15
Act of 2014, the Administrator shall establish, as a 16
subcommittee of the National Advisory Council, the 17
Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Oper-18
ational Needs, and Safety Evaluation Subcommittee 19
(referred to in this subsection as the ‘RESPONSE 20
Subcommittee’). 21
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—Notwithstanding sub-22
section (c), the RESPONSE Subcommittee shall be 23
composed of the following: 24
‘‘(A) The Deputy Administrator for Pro-25
tection and National Preparedness of the Fed-26
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•S 2547 IS
eral Emergency Management Agency, or des-1
ignee. 2
‘‘(B) The Director of the Office of Emer-3
gency Communications of the Department of 4
Homeland Security, or designee. 5
‘‘(C) The Director for the Office of Rail-6
road, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Inves-7
tigations of the National Transportation Safety 8
Board, or designee, only in an advisory capac-9
ity. 10
‘‘(D) The Associate Administrator for 11
Railroad Safety of the Federal Railroad Admin-12
istration, or designee. 13
‘‘(E) The Assistant Administrator for Se-14
curity Policy and Industry Engagement of the 15
Transportation Security Administration, or des-16
ignee. 17
‘‘(F) The Assistant Commandant for Re-18
sponse Policy of the Coast Guard, or designee. 19
‘‘(G) The Assistant Administrator for the 20
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response 21
of the Environmental Protection Agency, or 22
designee. 23
‘‘(H) The Associate Administrator for 24
Hazardous Materials Safety of the Pipeline and 25
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•S 2547 IS
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or 1
designee. 2
‘‘(I) The Chief Safety Officer and Assist-3
ant Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier 4
Safety Administration, or designee. 5
‘‘(J) Such other qualified individuals as 6
the Administrator shall appoint as soon as 7
practicable after the date of the enactment of 8
the RESPONSE Act of 2014 from among the 9
following: 10
‘‘(i) Members of the National Advi-11
sory Council that have the requisite tech-12
nical knowledge and expertise to address 13
rail safety issues, including members from 14
the following disciplines: 15
‘‘(I) Emergency management and 16
emergency response providers, includ-17
ing fire service, law enforcement, haz-18
ardous materials response, and emer-19
gency medical services. 20
‘‘(II) State, local, and tribal gov-21
ernment officials with expertise in 22
preparedness, protection, response, re-23
covery, and mitigation, including Ad-24
jutants General. 25
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•S 2547 IS
‘‘(III) Elected State, local, and 1
tribal government executives. 2
‘‘(IV) Such other individuals as 3
the Administrator determines to be 4
appropriate. 5
‘‘(ii) Individuals who have the req-6
uisite technical knowledge and expertise to 7
serve on the RESPONSE Subcommittee, 8
including representatives of— 9
‘‘(I) the rail industry; 10
‘‘(II) the oil industry; 11
‘‘(III) the communications indus-12
try; 13
‘‘(IV) emergency response pro-14
viders, including individuals nomi-15
nated by national organizations rep-16
resenting local governments and per-17
sonnel; 18
‘‘(V) representatives from na-19
tional Indian organizations; 20
‘‘(VI) technical experts; and 21
‘‘(VII) vendors, developers, and 22
manufacturers of systems, facilities, 23
equipment, and capabilities for emer-24
gency responder services. 25
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‘‘(iii) Representatives of such other 1
stakeholders and interested and affected 2
parties as the Administrator considers ap-3
propriate. 4
‘‘(3) CHAIRPERSON.—The Deputy Adminis-5
trator for Protection and National Preparedness 6
shall serve as the Chairperson of the RESPONSE 7
Subcommittee, or designee. 8
‘‘(4) MEETINGS.— 9
‘‘(A) INITIAL MEETING.—The initial meet-10
ing of the RESPONSE Subcommittee shall 11
take place not later than 90 days after the date 12
of the enactment of the RESPONSE Act of 13
2014. 14
‘‘(B) OTHER MEETINGS.—After the initial 15
meeting, the RESPONSE Subcommittee shall 16
meet at least twice annually, with at least 1 17
meeting conducted in person, at the call of the 18
Chairperson. 19
‘‘(5) CONSULTATION WITH NONMEMBERS.—The 20
RESPONSE Subcommittee and the program offices 21
for emergency responder training and resources shall 22
consult with other relevant agencies and groups, in-23
cluding entities engaged in federally funded research 24
and academic institutions engaged in relevant work 25
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and research, which are not represented on the RE-1
SPONSE Subcommittee to consider new and devel-2
oping technologies and methods that may be bene-3
ficial to preparedness and response to rail incidents. 4
‘‘(6) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The RESPONSE 5
Subcommittee shall develop recommendations for im-6
proving emergency responder training and resource 7
allocation, including the following: 8
‘‘(A) Quality and application of training 9
for local emergency first responders related to 10
rail hazardous materials incidents, with a par-11
ticular focus on local emergency responders and 12
small communities near railroads, including the 13
following: 14
‘‘(i) Ease of access to relevant train-15
ing for local emergency first responders, 16
including an analysis of— 17
‘‘(I) the number of individuals 18
being trained; 19
‘‘(II) the number of individuals 20
who are applying; 21
‘‘(III) whether current demand is 22
being met; 23
‘‘(IV) current challenges; and 24
‘‘(V) projected needs. 25
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‘‘(ii) Modernization of course content 1
related to rail hazardous materials inci-2
dents, with a particular focus on response 3
to the exponential rise in oil shipments by 4
rail. 5
‘‘(iii) Evaluation of content across 6
agencies and the private sector to provide 7
complementary opportunities for courses 8
and avoid overlap, including the following: 9
‘‘(I) Overlap of course content 10
among agencies. 11
‘‘(II) Assess the need for inte-12
grated course content through public- 13
private partnerships. 14
‘‘(III) Regular and ongoing eval-15
uation of course opportunities, adap-16
tation to emerging trends, agency and 17
private sector outreach, effectiveness 18
and ease of access for local emergency 19
responders. 20
‘‘(iv) Online training platforms, train- 21
the-trainer and mobile training options. 22
‘‘(B) Effectiveness of funding levels related 23
to training local emergency responders for rail 24
hazardous materials incidents, with a particular 25
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focus on local emergency responders and small 1
communities, including the following: 2
‘‘(i) Minimizing overlap in resource al-3
location among agencies. 4
‘‘(ii) Minimizing overlap in resource 5
allocation among agencies and private sec-6
tor. 7
‘‘(iii) Maximizing public-private part-8
nerships where funding gaps exists for spe-9
cific training or cost-saving measures can 10
be implemented to increase training oppor-11
tunities. 12
‘‘(iv) Adaptation of priority settings 13
for agency funding allocations in response 14
to emerging trends. 15
‘‘(v) Evaluation of historic levels of 16
funding across agencies and private sector 17
for rail hazardous materials incidents. 18
‘‘(vi) Assessment of the need for in-19
crease funding for agencies and specific 20
agencies where funding would be most ef-21
fective. 22
‘‘(C) Strategy for integration of commodity 23
flow studies, mapping, and access platforms for 24
local emergency responders and how to increase 25
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the rate of access to the individual responder in 1
existing or emerging communications tech-2
nology. 3
‘‘(D) The lack of emergency response plans 4
for rail, similar to existing law related to mari-5
time and stationary facility emergency response 6
plans, including the following: 7
‘‘(i) Provisions of law relating to the 8
Emergency Planning and Community 9
Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 10
11001 et seq.). 11
‘‘(ii) How the industry would imple-12
ment such plans. 13
‘‘(iii) The thresholds and availability 14
of emergency plans for each train related 15
to hazardous materials in its cargo. 16
‘‘(iv) Gaps in existing regulations 17
across agencies. 18
‘‘(E) Development of a train incident data-19
base, including the following: 20
‘‘(i) An assessment of the appropriate 21
agency to host the database. 22
‘‘(ii) A definition of incident that 23
would constitute the level of reporting from 24
the industry. 25
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‘‘(iii) The projected cost of such a 1
database and how that database would be 2
maintained and enforced. 3
‘‘(F) Increasing access to relevant, useful, 4
and timely information for the local emergency 5
responder, including the following: 6
‘‘(i) Evaluation of existing informa-7
tion that the emergency responder can ac-8
cess, what the current rate of access and 9
usefulness is for the emergency responder, 10
and what current information should re-11
main and what should be reassessed. 12
‘‘(ii) Utilization of existing technology 13
in the hands of the first responder to 14
maximize delivery of useful and timely in-15
formation for training or in the event of an 16
incident. 17
‘‘(iii) Assessment of emerging commu-18
nications technology that could assist the 19
emergency responder in the event of a rail 20
hazardous materials incident. 21
‘‘(G) Determination of the most efficient 22
agencies and offices for the implementation of 23
the recommendations, including— 24
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‘‘(i) recommendations that can be im-1
plemented without congressional action 2
and appropriate time frames for such ac-3
tions; and 4
‘‘(ii) recommendations that would re-5
quire congressional action. 6
‘‘(7) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 7
date of the enactment of the RESPONSE Act of 8
2014, the RESPONSE Subcommittee shall submit a 9
report containing the recommendations developed 10
under paragraph (6) to the National Advisory Coun-11
cil for its review and deliberation. After approving 12
the recommendations of the RESPONSE Sub-13
committee, the National Advisory Council shall sub-14
mit the report to— 15
‘‘(A) the Administrator; 16
‘‘(B) the head of each agency represented 17
on the RESPONSE Subcommittee; 18
‘‘(C) the Committee on Homeland Security 19
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 20
‘‘(D) the Committee on Homeland Security 21
of the House of Representatives; and 22
‘‘(E) the Committee on Transportation 23
and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-24
tives. 25
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‘‘(8) INTERIM ACTIVITY.— 1
‘‘(A) UPDATES AND OVERSIGHT.—After 2
the submission of the report by the National 3
Advisory Council under paragraph (7), the Ad-4
ministrator shall— 5
‘‘(i) provide quarterly updates to the 6
National Advisory Council, the RE-7
SPONSE Subcommittee, and the congres-8
sional committees referred to in paragraph 9
(7) regarding the status of the implemen-10
tation of the recommendations developed 11
under paragraph (6); and 12
‘‘(ii) oversee the implementation of 13
the recommendations described in para-14
graph (6)(G)(i). 15
‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.—After sub-16
mitting the report required under paragraph 17
(7), the RESPONSE Subcommittee shall sub-18
mit additional reports and recommendations in 19
the same manner and to the same entities iden-20
tified in paragraph (7) if needed or requested 21
from Congress or from the Administrator. 22
‘‘(9) TERMINATION.— 23
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 24
subparagraph (B), the RESPONSE Sub-25
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committee shall terminate not later than 4 1
years after the date of the enactment of the 2
RESPONSE Act of 2014. 3
‘‘(B) EXTENSION.—The Administrator 4
may extend the duration of the RESPONSE 5
Subcommittee, in 1-year increments, if the Ad-6
ministrator determines that additional reports 7
and recommendations are needed from the RE-8
SPONSE Subcommittee after the termination 9
date set forth in subparagraph (A).’’. 10
Æ
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LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 6.
Meeting Date:08/07/2014
Subject:HR 3230 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2014-33
Referral Name: HR 3230 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014
Presenter: L. DeLaney Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Referral History:
The County's federal lobbyist provide information about Senator Sanders’ HR 3230 Veterans
Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014.
Referral Update:
VA Health Care Deal Clears Senate, Heads to President's Desk
By Bridget Bowman, CQ
July 31, 2014 – 8:50 p.m.
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the agreement to address the Veterans Affairs health care
crisis just a few hours before the August recess.
The 91-3 vote sends the bill to the president for his signature. The only opponents were
Republicans Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Bob Corker of Tennessee.
“This is the beginning of the beginning of our effort to help those men and women who have
defended our nation with honor and dignity. And we owe them that,” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
said on the Senate floor Tuesday night.
The measure survived Coburn’s effort to block it over objections the legislation would add a
projected $10 billion to the deficit over a decade.
“The problem is not money at the VA. The problem is management, accountability and culture,”
Coburn said as he insisted on his budget point of order.
Corker also issued a statement blasting the bill for adding to the deficit. He has been among its
toughest critics.
“It’s embarrassing that Congress not only refuses to face today’s decisions with the courage our
men and women in uniform have demonstrated for decades, but rushed through a piece of
men and women in uniform have demonstrated for decades, but rushed through a piece of
legislation without thoroughly reviewing its full fiscal impact on future generations and without
knowing if it will address the systemic problems that exist at the VA,” Corker said.
The Senate voted 86-8 to waive the budget point of order, ensuring the legislation’s ultimate
passage.
Reports of long wait times at VA health care facilities and inadequate care have rocked Congress
since May and lawmakers repeatedly emphasized that they must address the issue before leaving
for recess.
After talks between the House and Senate collapsed last week, each chamber’s Veterans Affairs’
chairmen came together over the weekend to reach an agreement on a bill that would provide $17
billion in VA fixes. House Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., and Senate Chairman Bernard Sanders,
I-Vt., introduced their compromise Monday.
The compromise legislation (HR 3230) would cost roughly $17 billion, including $5 billion that
would be offset with savings found in other accounts that fall within the jurisdiction of the House
and Senate Veterans' Affairs panels.The bill allocates $10 billion to allow veterans to seek
medical care outside a VA facility if they live more than 40 miles from a VA medical center or if
they face long wait times at the nearest facility. The compromise also provides $5 billion to hire
more doctors and nurses, allows the VA secretary to immediately remove senior officials, and
authorizes 27 additional VA health care facilities.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT the report on Senator Sanders’ HR 3230 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability
Act of 2014 and provide direction to staff, as needed.
Attachments
HR 3230 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014
The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014
Strengthen VA to Meet Veterans’ Needs
Bolster VA Staffing: The legislation would provide the VA funds to hire additional primary
and specialty health care providers along with other clinical staff to increase the department’s
capacity to provide high-quality health care to our nation’s veterans. The measure also would
provide enhanced incentives to attract more doctors and nurses and other health care
professionals to the VA. VA’s Access to Care Audit found that the need for additional doctors,
nurses and other medical providers was the highest barrier or challenge to access to care.
Add Space for Veterans Care: The VA’s physical infrastructure plays a significant role in
its ability to provide timely, quality care to veterans in a safe environment. The legislation
would provide funds to enter emergency leases for facilities that would directly improve
veterans’ access to care.
Authorize New Clinics: The legislation would authorize VA to enter into 27 major medical
facility leases in 18 states and Puerto Rico. In many instances, these leases would improve
access to care closer to veterans’ homes and increase the availability of specialty-care services
in these locations.
Expand Access to Care
Veterans Choice Card: The legislation would allow veterans who have had to wait more
than 30 days for an appointment with the VA to seek care from a private physician, a
community health center, a Department of Defense health care facility or an Indian Health
Center. Veterans who live more than 40 miles from a VA facility also would be eligible for this
program.
Support Veterans and their Families
Sexual Assault: The legislation would improve the delivery of care for veterans who
experienced sexual trauma while serving in the military.
Survivor Benefits: The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship would be
expanded to include surviving spouses of service members killed in the line of duty, so that
they can go further their education, rebuild their lives and take care of their families.
In-State Tuition for Post-9/11 GI Bill: The legislation would let all veterans eligible for
education benefits under the Post 9/11 GI qualify for in-state tuition.
TBI Treatment The bill would extend a program about to expire which provides housing for
veterans struggling with traumatic brain injuries.
Remove Incompetent Senior Officials
Authority to Fire VA Executives for Misconduct: The VA secretary would be given the
authority to immediately remove incompetent senior executives based on poor job
performance or misconduct. An expedited appeals process through the Merit Systems
Protection Board would prevent political firings or other abuses of the new personnel power,
such as retaliation against whistle blowers.
The Cost of War
“Planes and tanks and guns are a cost of war,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said. “So is taki ng care of
the men and women who use those weapons and fight our battles.”
The conference committee agreement would cost approximately $17 billion. The measure
would provide $10 billion for veterans to receive health care outside of the VA. It includes $5
billion to bolster’s VA’s in-house capacity to treat veterans. An estimated $2 billion would be
allotted for additional programs, such as the 27 health care leases, expanded college benefits
and scholarships for surviving spouses. The measure would offset some of the costs with
approximately $5 billion in savings from programs within the jurisdiction of the Senate and
House Veterans’ Affairs Committees.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 7.
Meeting Date:08/07/2014
Subject:AMEND the 2014 Legislative Platforms to include support for improved
funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2014-34
Referral Name: AMEND the 2014 Federal and State Legislative Platforms to include support
for improved funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families
Presenter: L. DeLaney Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Referral History:
At its June 5, 2014 meeting, the Legislation Committee directed staff to draft amendments to the
adopted 2014 Federal and State Legislative Platform to address support for a broader range of
veterans' issues.
Referral Update:
As requested by the Legislation Committee at their meeting in June, the Veterans Service Officer,
Nathan D. Johnson, provided suggested amendments to the adopted 2014 Federal and State
Legislative Platforms to provide advocacy support for legislation that would increase the
availability, accessibility, and utilization of veterans benefits. In addition, the recommended
amendments address improving on timeliness of VA benefits claim, providing VA healthcare, and
addressing the needs of unique sub-populations of Veterans. The recommended amendments are
included in the attachments to this report.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ADOPT amendments to the 2014 Federal and State Legislative Platforms to include support for
improved funding and care of U.S. military veterans and their families.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
No direct impact to Contra Costa County.
Attachments
Veterans amendment to Federal Platform
Veterans amendment to State Platform
Adopted 2014 Federal Platform
2014 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Veterans Benefits – The County will support legislation to increase availability, accessibility,
and utilization of Veterans Benefits
Within Contra Costa County, Veterans’ health care is provided by the VA Martinez Clinic, a
division of the VA Northern California Healthcare System. Currently, access to enrollment in the
VA healthcare system is limited to Veterans with a Service Connected disability of greater than
10%, special eligibility criteria (Purple Heart, former POW, Iraq & Afghanistan Vets within 5
years of discharge, etc.), and to Veterans with an annual gross income less than a geographically
based threshold. Currently, VA emergency services are not available after hours or during
weekends. The nearest VA emergency room is nearly 34 miles away from the VA Martinez
Clinic.
The County will support legislation that would expand enrollment eligibility (such as removing
the income limit criteria) to all Veterans with an honorable discharge. Furthermore, the County
will support legislation that would establish 24 hour VA emergency services at the VA Martinez
clinic.
In addition, the County will support legislation that will improve the timeliness and quality of
both VA benefits claim decisions and VA healthcare services. Specifically, legislation that works
toward improving on the expedited processing of claims and administering of benefits to
populations with unique needs, such as homeless Veterans, Women Veterans, and Veterans
experiencing service related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Veterans Halls – The County will support legislation to provide America’s veterans
organizations with resources to make necessary repairs to their meeting halls and facilities.
Across America, the meeting halls and posts of Veterans Service Organizations such as the
American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars serve as unofficial community centers.
Unfortunately, many of these facilities are not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act
accessibility standards, are not earthquake retrofitted, or have deteriorated in recent years due to
declining membership and reduced rental revenues as a result of the economic downturn.
The County will support legislation that would create a competitive grant program for veterans’
organizations, classified by the IRS as 501c19 non-profit organizations and comprised primarily
of past or present members of the United States Armed Forces and their family members, to use
for repairs and improvements to their existing facilities.
Contra Costa County 1
2014 STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Veterans Issues
148. SUPPORT legislation and budget actions that will continue the state's annual local
assistance for County Veterans Service Offices at the $5.6 million level. The eventual goal is to
fully fund CVSOs by appropriating the full $11 million in local assistance funding as reflected in
Military and Veterans Code Section 972.1(d). County Veterans Service Offices (CVSOs) play a
vital role in the local veteran community, not only within the Veterans Affairs claims process, but
in other aspects as well. This includes providing information about all veterans’ benefits
(Federal, State and local), as well as providing claims assistance for all veteran-related benefits,
referring veterans to ancillary community resources, providing hands-on development and case
management services for claims and appeals and transporting local veterans to VA facilities..
1.
149. SUPPORT legislation and budget actions that will provide veterans organizations with
resources to make necessary repairs to their meeting halls and facilities. Across California,
the meeting halls and posts of Veterans Service Organizations such as the American Legion
and Veterans of Foreign Wars serve as unofficial community centers. Many of these
facilities are not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards, are
not earthquake retrofitted, or have deteriorated in recent years due to declining membership
and reduced rental revenues as a result of the economic downturn.
The County will support legislation that would create a competitive grant program for
veterans’ organizations, classified by the IRS as 501c19 non-profit organizations and
comprised primarily of past or present members of the United States Armed Forces and
their family members, to use for repairs and improvements to their existing facilities.
.
150. SUPPORT legislation that will improve the timeliness and quality of both VA benefits
claim decisions and VA healthcare services. Specifically, legislation that works toward
improving on the expedited processing of claims, providing VA healthcare, and
administering of benefits to populations with unique needs, such as homeless Veterans,
Women Veterans, and Veterans experiencing service related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
or service related Traumatic Brain Injury.
The County will support legislation that would create a funding program for veterans’
organizations, classified by the IRS as 501c19 non-profit organizations and comprised
primarily of past or present members of the United States Armed Forces and their family
members, to use for repairs and improvements to their existing facilities.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 8.
Meeting Date:08/07/2014
Subject:ACCEPT a report on the Water Bonds.
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2014-35
Referral Name: Discussion of State Water Bond
Presenter: Ryan Hernandez Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Referral History:
The County's Delta Staff Team would like to present an update on the Water Bond proposals to
the Legislation Committee and receive input and direction from the Committee.
Referral Update:
CCC Delta Platform Supports Funding for:
Knightsen Biofilter aka restoration of:
Delta shoreline;a.
tidal wetlands;b.
rare dune habitats; andc.
flood protectiond.
1.
for Habitat Conservation Plan (more restoration);2.
Watershed protection by local agencies for flood control;3.
Reducing legacy mercury in the Marsh Creek watershed;4.
Levee improvements.5.
CCC Water Bond Policies:
Allocates funds for the Delta through the Delta Conservancy;1.
Any bond funds for water storage or water system operational improvements should be
required to result in measurable improvements to the Delta ecosystem;
2.
Does not fund BDCP conveyance alternatives or measures required as mitigation by BDCP;
and
3.
Includes significant funding for watershed protection by local agencies and for local flood
control.
4.
DCC Position on Water Bond:
A water bond must not include any policy or funding as it pertains to BDCP.1.
A water bond must include funding for water storage and near term Delta levee
improvement projects.
2.
We believe in the strongest possible terms that the Delta Conservancy receives adequate
funding to carry out its responsibilities and that funds for projects in the Delta must flow
through the Conservancy.
3.
Poll finds Californians back smaller water bond
The Associated Press, July 23, 2014
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A slim majority of likely California voters support an $11.1 billion water bond slated
for the November ballot, but public support would grow if the bond comes with a smaller price-tag, according to
survey results released late Wednesday.
The Public Policy Institute of California poll comes as lawmakers are negotiating changes to a funding package for
water projects that legislative leaders see as too large and full of pork-barrel spending to win voter approval.
The survey found 51 percent of likely voters back the existing measure and 26 percent are opposed. Support grows
to 59 percent for a smaller bond, but questioners did not ask what price tag respondents would accept.
California is in the third year of a drought accentuating the need for a bond funding water projects ranging from
dams and reservoirs to urban water recycling to groundwater contamination cleanup. Gov. Jerry Brown has said he
prefers a $6 billion bond, while lawmakers have yet to agree on a compromise.
The poll surveyed 984 likely voters from July 8-15 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 4.7 percentage
points.
Separately, the survey found three-quarters of residents want their water districts to mandate reductions in water use.
That result came from a survey of 1,705 residents with a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3.7 percent.
State regulators approved mandatory outdoor water restrictions with fines up to $500 for water-wasters. They also
required water districts to adopt emergency drought plans, decisions they made on the last day of polling.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT a staff report on the Water Bond proposals and provide direction to staff, as needed.
Attachments
No file(s) attached.