HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 02062023 - Legislation Cte Agenda PktLEGISLATION COMMITTEE
February 6, 2023
3:00 P.M.
To slow the spread of COVID-19, in lieu of a public gathering, the meeting will be accessible
via Zoom to all members of the public as permitted by Government Code section 54953(e).
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/3501763799
Or Telephone, dial:
USA 888-278-0254 (US Toll Free)
Conference code: 219464
Find local AT&T Numbers
Supervisor Ken Carlson, Chair
Supervisor Diane Burgis, 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.ACCEPT the report on the State Budget and state bills of interest to Contra Costa County and provide
direction and/or input to staff and the County's state lobbyists on priorities and goals for the Committee for
2023.
4.ACCEPT the report on federal legislation of interest to the County and provide direction to staff and the
County's federal lobbyists on priorities and goals of the Committee for 2023.
5.DISCUSS and PROVIDE DIRECTION to staff on items for the 2023 Legislation Committee agendas.
6.The next meeting is currently scheduled for Monday, March 13, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. The Legislation Committee
meetings will be held on the second Mondays of each month from 1:00 to 2:30, unless the meeting is rescheduled or
canceled.
7.Adjourn
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
1025 Escobar St., 4th Floor, Martinez, 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.
Page 1 of 8
For Additional Information Contact:
Lara DeLaney, Committee Staff
Phone (925) 655-2057, Fax (925) 655-2066
lara.delaney@cao.cccounty.us
Page 2 of 8
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 3.
Meeting Date:02/06/2023
Subject:State Budget and State Legislation of Interest to the County
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2023-01
Referral Name: State Budget and Legislative Update
Presenter: L. DeLaney and Nielsen Merksamer Contact: L. DeLaney, (925) 655-2057
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee regularly receives reports on the State Budget and state legislation of interest to the County.
Referral Update:
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors adopted the 2023-24 State Legislative Platform at its meeting on January
17, 2023. (C.16) Two County-sponsored bill proposals were included in the adopted State Platform:
1. "Legislation to direct the California Air Resources Board to develop greenhouse gas inventories for California cities,
counties, and special districts. The Legislature should allocate up to $2.5 million for this purpose." County staff and lobbyists
are exploring a partnership with CivicWell (formerly the Local Government Commission), a nonprofit organization that has
developed a similar legislative proposal, to advance the proposal.
Currently, there is no standard protocol that is used across GHG inventories. Having an inventory prepared by the State would
ensure that each jurisdiction is looking at comparable data. In October 2021, the Board of Supervisors signed on to a letter
from more than 100 local governments and stakeholder groups requesting that the California Air Resources Board (CARB)
conduct greenhouse gas inventories for all cities, counties, and special districts in California. In meetings between County staff
and CARB staff, CARB has indicated that it does not anticipate taking on this responsibility absent direction and funding from
the Legislature.
2. "Statewide permitting for hauling solid waste by non-franchise haulers. Permits are required for non-franchise solid waste
haulers in unincorporated areas of the County, but no similar requirement exists for cities, which impedes enforcement of illegal
dumping." County staff, advocates, and CSAC staff are soliciting feedback, input, and legislative interest in a bill that could
potentially establish a pilot project allowing Contra Costa County to regulate non-franchise waste haulers throughout the
county, including loads originating within city boundaries.
The County's state advocates from Nielsen Merksamer will provide an udpate at the meeting on the status of these sponsored
bills as well as other notable bills of interest that have been introduced thus far.
Advocacy Priorities in the adopted 2023-24 State Legislative Platform include:
COVID-19 Economic Recovery that supports the goals of Mental Well-Being,Equity in Action,
Healthy Communities, Intergenerational Thriving, and a Welcoming & Safe Community
Climate Change
Heath Care, including Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
services
Housing and Homelessness
The Delta/Water and Levees
Page 3 of 8
===================================================================================
Recap of State Budget issues by the Urban Counties of California from January 20, 2023:
And So It Begins: 2023-24 Budget Season Underway
The official state budget season started last week with the Governor’s release of his January budget proposal for 2023-24. (See
the UCC summary here.) This week, the Senate officially kicked off the Legislature’s review of the Governor’s spending plan
in an overview hearing, which offered initial insights into how members generally received the Administration’s approach to
addressing the state’s fiscal challenges. In its Wednesday hearing, the full Senate budget committee received presentations from
the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office (handout) on the Governor’s proposed budget. (Both house’s
budget committees have put out their respective summaries of the January budget proposal: Senate | Assembly.)
We offer a few observations of note based on questions posed or concerns expressed by Senators during the initial overview
hearing. Senator John Laird raised concerns about coastal resiliency funding and local planning money; Los Angeles-based
Senator Caroline Menjivar highlighted concerns about delays to Behavioral Health Bridge Housing funding; and Senator
Richard Roth plugged SB 45, his measure that would create a statewide loan fund for the purpose of building or renovating
acute care psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric health facilities, or psychiatric units in general acute care hospitals. Additionally,
Senator Anna Caballero raised issues related to Medi-Cal funding and the recent Madera Community Hospital closure; she also
expressed interest in engaging the Legislature in rethinking how Medi-Cal is funded. Finally, Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
from the Los Angeles area expressed disappointment in the proposed delays in health and human services workforce spending.
Although the Assembly Budget Committee has yet to announce its overview hearing, we are interested in learning more about
what issues and concerns Assembly members focus on. More to come...
LAO Suggests Governor’s Budget Proposal Needs Work
The Legislative Analyst’s Office – in its initial analysis of the Governor’s proposed 2023-24 state budget – suggests that the
Newsom Administration proposal falls short of closing the state’s projected deficit and urged the Legislature to prepare for
larger reductions and lower tax revenues than the Administration is anticipating.
While the LAO concludes that the Governor’s approach to addressing the state’s budget deficit through spending-related
solutions (as opposed to dipping into budget reserves) is prudent, it recommends that the Legislature take further actions to
reduce more one-time and temporary spending, either in addition to or instead of the Governor’s proposal. In addition, noting
that the Governor’s budget includes anticipated out-year deficits, the LAO recommends that the Legislature do more to avoid
such deficits, like converting some spending-related delays to reductions instead, adding new out-year trigger reductions, or
using other budget solutions such as revenue increases or cost shifts.
Additional Details on Health Care Workforce Development Delays in 2023-24 State Budget
The Governor’s proposed budget includes delays in several health care workforce development programs previously funded in
the 2022-23 state budget. The Governor’s January budget defers $68 million in 2022-23 and $329.4 million in 2023-24 for
certain HCAI healthcare workforce programs. The following provides additional details about the specific programs being
delayed:
Nursing Initiative Grants. $70 million scheduled to be awarded in 2022-23 and 2023-24 for a comprehensive nursing
initiative would be delayed until 2024-25 ($35 million) and 2025-26 ($35 million). These funds were intended to
support programs to increase the number of registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants,
certified nurse midwives, certified medical assistants, family nurse practitioners, and other health professions
Community Health Workers Initiative. $130 million scheduled to be awarded in 2023-24 to train and certify 25,000 new
community health workers would be delayed until 2024-25 ($65 million) and 2025-26 ($65 million).
Social Work Initiative. $52 million scheduled to be awarded in 2022-23 and 2023-24 to expand the number of social
workers trained in the state would be delayed until 2024-25 ($26 million) and 2025-26 ($26 million).
Addiction Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Fellowships. $48.5 million scheduled to be awarded in 2022-23 and
2023-24 to support additional slots for Addiction Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Fellowships will be delayed until
2024-25 ($24.3 million) and 2025-26 ($24.3 million).
University and College Grants for Behavioral Health Professionals. $52 million scheduled to be awarded in 2022-23
and 2023-24 to support 4,350 licensed behavioral health professionals through grants to existing university and college
training programs would be delayed until 2024-25 ($26 million) and 2025-26 ($26 million).
Masters in Social Work (MSW) Slots at Public Universities and Colleges . $30 million scheduled to be awarded in
2023-24 to expand the number of MSW students at the University of California and California State University
programs would be delayed until 2024-25 ($15 million) and 2025-26 ($15 million).
Song-Brown Nursing Grants. $15 million scheduled to be awarded in 2023-24 to support nurse training slots in the
Song-Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program would be delayed until 2024-25 ($7.5 million) and 2025-26 ($7.5
million).
Page 4 of 8
million).
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT the report on the State Budget and state bills of interest to Contra Costa County and provide direction and/or input to
staff and the County's state lobbyists on priorities and goals for the Committee for 2023.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
The fiscal impact of the State Budget on the County has yet to be determined.
Attachments
No file(s) attached.
Page 5 of 8
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 4.
Meeting Date:02/06/2023
Subject:Federal Legislation of Interest to Contra Costa County
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2023-02
Referral Name:
Presenter: L. DeLaney and Thorn Run Partners Contact: L. DeLaney, (925) 655-2057
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee regularly receives reports on federal legislation and provides direction to staff and the County's
federal lobbyists.
Referral Update:
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors adopted the 2023-24 Federal Legislative Platform at its meeting on January
17, 2023. (C.16)
The 2023-24 Federal Legislative Platform includes federal funding needs of the County.
1. Secure funding for the Army Corps’ annual maintenance dredging of the federal channels along the
County’s borders
that maintain the ship channel to the authorized depth of -35 feet.
2. Advocate for and support the San Francisco to Stockton Navigation Improvement Project that
proposes to deepen the ship channel to realize transportation efficiencies.
3. Mount Diablo Mercury Mine . Support legislation in the Water Resources Development Act that would
give authority to the Army Corps of Engineers to build remediation projects in the Remediation of
Abandoned Mine Sites program.
4. Buchanan Field and Byron Airports: Secure funding for Master Plan/Business Plan Implementation.
The Platform also includes the following Surface Transportation Funding Needs:
Vasco Road Safety Improvements: Project components (barriers, shoulders, passing facilities)
will eliminate cross median collisions, wildlife undercrossing/overcrossing will preserve migration
patterns.
North Richmond Community Supportive Transportation Improvements: Alternate truck
route/regulations, trail/school access improvements to address community safety, public health and
livability needs, and general transportation improvements to support job growth and priority
development area access.
Eastern Contra Costa Multi-use Trail Network : Active mode access improvements for planned
and existing mass transit stations, schools, and activity centers.
Brentwood Intermodal Transit Center: Multimodal station access improvements and the
extension of mass transit from the Antioch BART station.
Iron Horse Corridor Enhancement Program : Improvements to trail access (to/from activity
center and other regional trails), additional facilities for different active modes, overcrossings, and
at grade intersection improvements.
State Route 4 / Old River Bridge Study: The existing structure is narrow; improvements would
Page 6 of 8
address safety and traffic flow.
West Contra Costa High Capacity Transit : Implementation of the WCCTAC High Capacity
Transit Study.
Kirker Pass Truck Climbing Lane (southbound) and Turn Channelization: Needed for
improved traffic flow and safety.
Vasco Road – Byron Highway Connector: Connection between two major arterials improving
connectivity while removing through/truck traffic from the Byron community.
The latest update from Thorn Run Partners on the federal budget for FFY 2024:
"President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) are slated to meet February 1, 2023 to kick off negotiations
on the debt ceiling and the federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2024. According to a memo penned by Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young and National Economic Council (NEC) Director Brian Deese, the White House
will call on Speaker McCarthy to release a FY 2024 budget that outlines potential spending cuts to reach a debt limit deal, as
well as their plan for balancing the budget. Meanwhile, intel from Capitol Hill suggests that Republican leadership is floating
the idea of a short-term debt limit extension that would align the "X date" with the September 30 government funding deadline,
but it is too early to tell whether the entire GOP conference would get behind this approach.
Context & Next Steps. This meeting will mark the first of several leadership-level meetings on these pressing
budgetary issues. As detailed in a recent letter by Secretary Janet Yellen, the Treasury Department estimates that it can
deploy "extraordinary measures" to prevent a default until late June or early July. As such, both sides will likely remain
entrenched within their respective positions up until summer, at which point a bipartisan solution will be needed.
However, it remains to be seen whether House conservatives — especially those who originally opposed Speaker
McCarthy's nomination — will come to the table absent a budget agreement or commensurate fiscal reforms to reduce
spending."
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
ACCEPT the report and provide direction to staff and the County's federal lobbyists on the goals and priorities of the
Committee for 2023.
Attachments
No file(s) attached.
Page 7 of 8
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE 5.
Meeting Date:02/06/2023
Subject:Legislation Committee Agenda Topics for 2023
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE,
Department:County Administrator
Referral No.: 2023-03
Referral Name: Agenda Items
Presenter: Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee Contact: L. DeLaney, (925) 655-2057
Referral History:
Legislation Committee Chair Carlson requested that the agenda for the first meeting of the Committee include an item to
discuss potential agenda topics for 2023.
Referral Update:
The Legislation Committee has been re-organized for 2023 with a new Chair, Supervisor Ken Carlson (D. IV), and Vice Chair,
Supervisor Diane Burgis (D. III).
Prior Legislation Committee agendas have included items related to the State Budget, Federal and State Legislation of
Interest, specific bills for advocacy recommendation to the Board, Legislative Platform development, ballot measures, and
other public policy matters.
The Legislation Committee will discuss the agenda items for 2023 at its February 2023 meeting.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
DISCUSS and PROVIDE DIRECTION to staff on agenda items for the 2023 Legislation Committee.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
None.
Attachments
No file(s) attached.
Page 8 of 8