CC SR 20231219 05 - 2024 Legislative Platform
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 12/19/2023
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to adopt the City’s 2024 Legislative Platform.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Adopt Resolution No. 2023-__, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes, California, adopting the City’s 2024 legislative platform.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Shaunna Hunter, MPA, Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Same as below
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Draft Resolution No. 2023-__, City’s 2024 Legislative Platform (page A-1)
B. Redline Draft City of Rancho Palos Verdes 2024 Legislative Platform
(redline comparison to 2023 Platform) (page B-1)
C. Unmarked Draft City of Rancho Palos Verdes 2024 Legislative Platform
(page C-1)
D. City Council Policy No. 29
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
Cities and organizations often adopt annual legislative platforms to articulate their policy
positions on issues relevant to their interests. Consistent with City Council Policy No. 29
(Attachment D), our City Council actively monitors legislation at the federal, state, and
county levels, taking positions based on potential impacts on the City, Peninsula, or South
Bay Region.
In recent years, the City has played an increasingly active role in advocating for local
interests, particularly at the state level. Resolutions such as No. 2020-046 (Planning and
Zoning Opposition), No. 2021-031 (Housing and Local Land Use Legislative Platform),
No. 2021-057 (2022 Legislative Platform), and No. 2022-071 (2023 Legislative Platform)
1
demonstrate our steadfast commitment to opposing legislation that undermines local
control and supporting actions that bolster local democracy.
The 2024 Legislative Platform, collaboratively developed with the Legislative
Subcommittee, comprised of Mayor Cruikshank and Mayor Pro Tem Alegria, in
consultation with the City’s state lobbyist Rene Public Policy Group (RPPG) and city staff,
builds upon existing policy goals. It addresses critical components, including the
Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project, Ken Dyda Civic Center Master Plan
Project, Housing and Local Land Use, Public Safety, Community Services, Environmental
Quality, and Government Transparency and Effectiveness. This Platform serves as a
comprehensive guide for city staff, federal and state legislative delegations, and advocacy
organizations. It also functions as a communication tool for expressing legislative
interests and enables prompt action on issues directly impacting the City.
The 2024 Legislative Platform integrates specific language and topics of interest
recommended by Mayor Cruikshank and Mayor Pro Tem Alegria. Building upon the
foundation laid in the 2023 Platform, the City Council has pinpointed key stakeholders
and coalition partnerships aligned with the City's objectives for advancing legislation,
programs, and funding allocations. Moreover, we have included "Opportunities" within our
priority project list to provide additional guidance for the efforts of both staff and lobbyists.
This collaborative approach ensures the development of a comprehensive and strategic
legislative agenda for the City in the upcoming year.
Major changes from the 2023 Legislative Platform include:
• Updating the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project to include eligibility
of FEMA BRIC funding.
• Adding the Ken Dyda Civic Center Campus Master Plan as a “Priority Project”
• Identifying “Opportunities” within the priority projects.
• Adding language in Public Safety Section regarding the City’s support of victims of
hate incidents and hate crimes in our community.
• Addition of language which seeks to ban environmental pollutants that impact our
fragile coastal eco system.
• Emphasis on collaborative housing solutions which create partnerships for
addressing the housing crisis between the state, regional, and local partners.
• Highlighting the need for additional mental health resources
• Encouraging policies that allow for regional considerations/determinations, such
as at the council of government level, to better meet the needs of regions in Los
Angeles County
Bills of interest will be brought before the City Council in accordance with City Council
Policy No. 29 for a formal position (see Attachment D). If a bill requires immediate
attention, the City Council shall be notified of the City’s intention to send a letter, signed
by the City Manager, expressing the City’s proposed position. The bill will be brought
before the City Council at its next meeting to adopt a formal position.
2
Attached for the City Council’s review is a draft redline and clean version of the proposed
2024 Legislative Platform (see Attachment B for redline comparison to 2023 Platform and
Attachment C for clean copy).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The Legislative Platform and bills the City monitors will be available on the City’s website
at rpvca.gov/LegislationCorner. The Legislation Corner also provides historic information
on the City’s previous platforms and bill positions. The Legislative Corner will be updated
to reflect the 2024 Legislative Platform, if adopted this evening.
During the Legislative Session, Staff additionally includes legislation updates as part of
the City Manager’s Weekly Administrative Report.
CONCLUSION:
In response to the City’s continued advocacy efforts and to memorialize the City’s
positions, Staff recommends the City Council adopt the attached resolution (Attachment
A) thereby approving, as drafted or with revisions, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes 2024
Legislative Platform (Attachment C).
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
3
Resolution No. 2023-__
Page 1 of 2
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-__
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA,
ADOPTING THE CITY’S 2024 LEGISLATIVE
PLATFORM
WHEREAS, the City Council has an interest in weighing in on state, federal, and
regional legislative issues that impact the City and its residents; and
WHEREAS, the Council annually takes action on numerous legislative proposals
brought forward throughout the year; and
WHEREAS, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes is committed to maintaining and
enhancing a high quality of life and safety for all residents; and
WHEREAS, on August 4, 2020, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes adopted
Resolution No. 2020-46, expressing opposition to proposed planning and zoning
legislation that usurps local control and imposes unfunded mandates, and expressing
support for actions to further strengthen local democracy, authority, and control; and
WHEREAS, on July 6, 2021, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes adopted Resolution
No. 2021-31, adopting the City’s Housing and Local Land Use Legislative Platform; and
WHEREAS, on November 2, 2021, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes adopted
Resolution No. 2021-057, adopting the City’s 2022 Legislative Platform; and
WHEREAS, on December 20, 2022, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes adopted
Resolution No. 2022-071, adopting the City’s 2023 Legislative Platform; and
WHEREAS, the City Council continues to take an active advocacy role on a variety
of topics, including housing and local land use legislative policies, proposed by the State
Legislature.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes does
hereby resolve as follows:
Section 1: The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein
by reference.
Section 2: The City Council hereby adopts and approves the City’s 2024
Legislative Platform attached (Attachment A) and incorporated herein by this reference
as the official legislative policy of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
A-1
Resolution No. 2023-__
Page 2 of 2
Section 3: The 2024 Legislative Platform will be used to guide legislative advocacy
including position letters on proposed legislation.
Section 4: The City Clerk shall certify to the passage, approval, and adoption of
this resolution, and shall cause this resolution and its certification to be entered in the
Book of Resolutions of the City Council of the City.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THE 19TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2023.
___________________________
John Cruikshank, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
City of Rancho Palos Verdes )
I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the
above Resolution No. 2023-__ was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said
City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on December 19, 2023.
________________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
A-2
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-1
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
2023 2024 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
DATE ADOPTED: Resolution No. _________ on December 19, 2023.
PURPOSE
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ 2024 Legislative Platform (Platform) outlines the policy
positions of the City Council on current issues which directly or indirectly impact the City.
This Platform serves as a guideline to actively pursue engage with pending legislation,
with City Council approval.
The City looks forward to working with regional, state, and federal partners to best serve
residents. The statements outlined in the Platform represent the City’s general
overarching position on legislative and regulatory issues of interest. and concern.
PRIORITY CITY PROJECTS
Through the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), major projects are planned for a
period of five years. The list below includes important projects of regional significance
listed within the CIP that do not have sufficient funding. The City is in support supportive
of legislation, policies, programs, or administrative actions that would assist in funding
these priority projects.
A. Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project
Total Cost: $33 million
Status: Environmental analysis and documentation
Funds Committed: $2.3 million plus $21.3 million eligible for FEMA’s BRIC Grant
The Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (PBLC) is the largest active landslide in
the continental United States, encompassing two of the City’s roughly 14 square
miles, directly impacting Palos Verdes Drive South, a major arterial street providing
transportation for the wider region, including neighboring cities of Palos Verdes
Estates and the City of Los Angeles (San Pedro). Continued land movement poses
a catastrophic environmental threat to the California coastline due to an above-
ground sewer trunk line located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean at severe risk of
rupture. The project seeks to protect life, public health, safety, and the environment
through mitigation of land movement in the PBLC area.
Opportunities
• Seek State Budget Earmark
• Language inserted into Climate Bond
• Ask made to County Supervisor for supportive funding.
• Initiated discussions with the Los Angeles County Sanitation District on
funding opportunities and project collaboration
Commented [SH1]: Ara to update with current status
B-1
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-2
B. Civic Center Campus Master Plan
Total Cost: $105.9 million
Status: Preliminary Conceptual Site Plan complete. Moving into Master Plan
Design Development Stage
Funds Committed: The approved financial plan for the project includes a
maximum amount of $45.4 million, which is a combination of both cash on
hand and a long-term loan. The development of the approximately 19 acre Civic
Center Campus into a modern and functional community hub has been a long-
standing goal of the City. The project’s current preliminary conceptual site plan
includes a new City Hall, parking improvements, a Council Chambers, improved
site amenities including an amphitheater, village green, public plaza, and parking
and access enhancements. The plan also includes the following public safety
components: An emergency operations center, emergency supply storage and
staging area, an emergency evacuation area, a helipad and helopod, a Sheriff
drop-in station, and park ranger facilities.
Opportunities
State Budget Earmark
Loan through GoBIZ
1. HOUSING AND LOCAL LAND USE
A. Oppose legislation that infringesusurps local control and erodes the City’s authority
to manage control its own affairs.
B. Support actions which further strengthen local democracy, authority, and control.
C. Support policies or programs that allow city, regional, and state collaboration on
housing production, alongside sustainable transportation, broadband deployment,
and other key infrastructure areas necessary to support our communities. Support
state grants, legislation, or programs which encourage sustainable and affordable
housing development. Support policies or grants that facilitate which encourage
the development of regional housing trusts.
D. Oppose legislation that penalizes ctiescities a city or local governments if the units
identified in the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) are not constructed.
Oppose legislation that proposes to convert RHNA from a planning process to a
production standard.
E. Support legislation that preserves local authority to manage public rights-of-way
including the appearance and aesthetics of equipment placed within them.
F. Support legislation that preserves local authority to zone and plan for the
deployment of telecommunications infrastructure within public rights-of-way.
Commented [AM2]: Contact Matt and Vina for
information
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2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-3
G. Oppose legislation that diminishes the authority of local jurisdictions in to
processing permits, and enforcinge building codes, or mandatinges the manner of
enforcement.
H. Oppose legislation that seeks to limit or eliminate municipal authority to regulate
street or sidewalk vendors.
I. Support legislation and administrative actions that protect the ability for a local
jurisdiction to preserve open space in and around theira local government’s
jurisdiction.
o Potential Coalition Partners: League of California Cities (Cal Cities), South Bay
Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), California Contract Cities Association
(CCCA), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Palos Verdes
Peninsula Cities (PV Cities), Our Neighborhood Voices Initiative
2. PUBLIC SAFETY
A. Support legislation that enhances emergency preparedness, resiliency, and public
safety.
A. Support legislation that strengthens and enforces legal protections for all
individuals who are victims of crimes including those that are victims of hate crimes
or hate incidents .
B. Support legislation that enhances emergency preparedness, resiliency, and public
safety.
B.
C. Support measures that provide funding to local agencies for training, effective
disaster preparedness, law enforcementsheriff’s station infrastructure, fire
department infrastructure, and emergency planning.
D. Support legislation, regulations, or administrative actions that ensureing equal
access to public safety funding, all cities, including contract cities., have equal
access to public safety funding.
E. Support legislation which maintains law enforcement’s ability to utilize automatic
license plate reading (ALPR) cameras and/or other surveillance camera devices
as a preventive and an investigativeory tool.
F. Support legislation that provides tools to deter catalytic converter theft.
G. Support legislation or other methods that provides tools to deter organized and
serial retail theft.
Commented [AM3]: Add something about hate crimes or
incidents
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numbering
B-3
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-4
H. Support legislation to accelerate the development and implementation of
enhanced electrical utility infrastructure, including the undergrounding of utility
equipment tohat ensures reliable utility service and public safety and thereby
reduces the need forprevents the use of public safety power shutoffs.
I. Support legislation or other methods that protects insurance coverage for
properties within and adjacent to very high fire zones and geologic hazard
abatement districts.
I.J. Support legislation that increases the accountability of those responsible for the
sale and distribution of fentanyl, public awareness of the crisis, resources to law
enforcement to address the impacts and treatments and services for those
addicted.
O Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, Department of
Insurance, State Controller, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), PV
Cities
3. COMMUNITY SERVICES
A. Support legislation and local, state, and federal programs that employ evidence-
based best practice strategies to reduce the number of unhoused people or
individuals with housing insecurityexperiencing homelessness by preventing
homelessness for those at risk; promoting mental health and substance abuse
services; providing emergency and transitional housing; expanding permanent
affordable housing; and promoting self-empowerment through counseling, job
training, and other wrap around supportive services.
B. Support legislation and local, state, and federal programs that aimwhich seek to
provide mental health services, including youth and young adult programs,
community resource centers, and education in accessing mental health care.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, Los Angeles Homeless
Services Authority, Los Angeles County, CARE Court, Allcove and Beach
CitiesSouth Bay Health District, PV Cities, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School
District
4. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
A. Support legislation, regulations, or administrative actions to remediate the harmful
effects of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS), and other chemicals in coastal waters, especially near Santa
Catalina Island and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Formatted: All caps
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Formatted: Left, Indent: Left: 0.5", No bullets or
numbering
B-4
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-5
B. Support legislation that provides rebate programs, tax credits, and other financial
incentives tohat encourage property owners to invest in water efficient systems
and landscaping, and energy efficiency, including and renewable energy systems.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, Los Angeles County, PV Cities,
coastal cities
5. GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
A. Support legislation that grants full cost reimbursement to local agencies by the
state and federal government for all mandated programs.
B. Support legislation that ensures the retention of existing local revenue sources,
including the City’s share of property taxes, sales and use taxes, transient
occupancy taxes, etc. Support legislation that will enhance revenue for cities.
C. Support legislation modernizing the methods by which a local agency may comply
with the Brown Act. Support legislation that allows for the continued use of
teleconferencing platforms to continue holding hybrid public meetings outside of a
declared state of emergency, thus. Hybrid meetings increasinge access to public
meetings and promotingencourage greater transparency.
D. Support legislation which allows for regional considerations within Los Angeles
County, particularly at the council of governments (COG) level, in relationship to
public health, homelessness, and sustainability, among other areas of regional
significanceimportance.
E. Oppose legislation that would prohibit or limit local governments’ ability to contract
out for the provision of services.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, PV Cities
B-5
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-1
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
2023 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
DATE ADOPTED: Resolution No. _________ on December 19, 2023.
PURPOSE
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ 2024 Legislative Platform (Platform) outlines the policy
positions of the City Council on current issues which directly or indirectly impact the City.
This Platform serves as a guideline to actively engage with pending legislation, with City
Council approval.
The City looks forward to working with regional, state, and federal partners to best serve
residents. The statements outlined in the Platform represent the City’s overarching
position on legislative and regulatory issues of interest.
PRIORITY CITY PROJECTS
Through the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), major projects are planned for a
period of five years. The list below includes important projects of regional significance
listed within the CIP that do not have sufficient funding. The City is in support of legislation,
policies, programs, or administrative actions that would assist in funding these priority
projects.
A. Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project
Total Cost: $33 million
Status: Environmental analysis and documentation
Funds Committed: $2.3 million plus $21.3 million eligible for FEMA’s BRIC Grant
The Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (PBLC) is one of the largest active
landslides in the continental United States, encompassing two of the City’s roughly
14 square miles, directly impacting Palos Verdes Drive South, a major arterial
street providing transportation for the wider region, including neighboring cities of
Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, and the City of Los Angeles (San Pedro).
Continued land movement poses a catastrophic environmental threat to the
California coastline due to an above-ground sewer trunk line located adjacent to
the Pacific Ocean at severe risk of rupture. The project seeks to protect life, public
health, safety, and the environment through mitigation of land movement in the
PBLC area.
Opportunities
• Seek State Budget Earmark
• Language inserted into Climate Bond
• Ask made to County Supervisor for supportive funding.
• Initiated discussions with the Los Angeles County Sanitation District on
funding opportunities and project collaboration
C-1
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-2
B. Civic Center Campus Master Plan
Total Cost: $105.9 million
Status: Preliminary Conceptual Site Plan complete (Stage I). Moving into Master
Plan Design Development Stage (Stage II)
Funds Committed: The approved financial plan for the project includes a
maximum amount of $45.4 million, which is a combination of both cash on hand
and a long-term loan, with the opportunity to fund the funding gap through means,
in no particular order, charitable donations (philanthropy), partnerships, lease
revenue, and bonds. The development of the approximately 19-acre Civic Center
Campus into a modern and functional community hub has been a long-standing
goal of the city. The project’s current preliminary conceptual site plan includes a
new City Hall, parking improvements, a Council Chambers, improved site
amenities including an amphitheater, village green, public plaza, and parking and
access enhancements. The plan also includes the following public safety
components: An emergency operations center, emergency supply storage and
staging area, an emergency evacuation area, a helipad and helopod, a Sheriff
drop-in station, and park ranger facilities.
Opportunities
State Budget Earmark
Loan through GoBIZ
1. HOUSING AND LOCAL LAND USE
A. Oppose legislation that infringes local control and erodes the City’s authority to
manage its own affairs.
B. Support actions which further strengthen local democracy, authority, and control.
C. Support policies or programs that allow city, regional, and state collaboration on
housing production, alongside sustainable transportation, broadband deployment,
and other key infrastructure areas necessary to support our communities. Support
state grants, legislation, or programs which encourage sustainable and affordable
housing development. Support policies or grants that facilitate the development of
regional housing trusts.
D. Oppose legislation that penalizes cities or local governments if the units identified
in the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) are not constructed. Oppose
legislation that proposes to convert RHNA from a planning process to a production
standard.
E. Support legislation that preserves local authority to manage public rights-of-way
including the aesthetics of equipment placed within them.
F. Support legislation that preserves local authority to zone and plan for the
deployment of telecommunications infrastructure within public rights-of-way.
C-2
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-3
G. Oppose legislation that diminishes the authority of local jurisdictions in processing
permits, enforcing building codes, or mandating the manner of enforcement.
H. Oppose legislation that seeks to limit or eliminate municipal authority to regulate
street or sidewalk vendors.
I. Support legislation and administrative actions that protect a local jurisdiction to
preserve open space in and around their jurisdiction.
J. Support legislation efforts that allow for local land use and zoning decisions and
oppose efforts that strip a local governments authority to make decisions in regards
to parking requirements.
o Potential Coalition Partners: League of California Cities (Cal Cities), South Bay
Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), California Contract Cities Association
(CCCA), Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Palos Verdes
Peninsula Cities (PV Cities), Our Neighborhood Voices Initiative
2. PUBLIC SAFETY
A. Support legislation that strengthens and enforces legal protections for all
individuals who are victims of crimes, including those that are victims of hate
crimes or hate incidents.
B. Support legislation that enhances emergency preparedness, resiliency, and public
safety.
C. Support measures that provide funding to local agencies for training, effective
disaster preparedness, law enforcement infrastructure, fire department
infrastructure, and emergency planning.
D. Support legislation, regulations, or administrative actions that ensure equal access
to public safety funding, including contract cities.
E. Support legislation which maintains law enforcement’s ability to utilize automatic
license plate reading (ALPR) cameras and/or other surveillance camera devices
as a preventive and an investigative tool.
F. Support legislation that provides tools to deter catalytic converter theft.
G. Support legislation or other methods that provides tools to deter organized and
serial retail theft.
H. Support legislation to accelerate the development and implementation of
enhanced electrical utility infrastructure, including the undergrounding of utility
C-3
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-4
equipment to ensure reliable utility service and public safety and thereby reduce
the need for public safety power shutoffs.
I. Support legislation or other methods that protects insurance coverage for
properties within and adjacent to very high fire zones and geologic hazard
abatement districts.
J. Support legislation that increases the accountability of those responsible for the
sale and distribution of fentanyl, public awareness of the crisis, resources to law
enforcement to address the impacts and treatments and services for those
addicted.
O Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, Department of
Insurance, State Controller, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), PV
Cities
3. COMMUNITY SERVICES
A. Support legislation and local, state, and federal programs that employ evidence-
based strategies to reduce the number of unhoused people or individuals with
housing insecurity; promoting mental health and substance abuse services;
providing emergency and transitional housing; expanding permanent affordable
housing; and promoting self-empowerment through counseling, job training, and
other wrap around supportive services.
B. Support legislation and local, state, and federal programs that aim to provide
mental health services, including youth and young adult programs, community
resource centers, and education in accessing mental health care.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, Los Angeles Homeless
Services Authority, Los Angeles County, CARE Court, Allcove and Beach Bay
Health District, Palos Verdes Peninsula cities, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified
School District
4. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
A. Support legislation, regulations, or administrative actions to remediate the harmful
effects of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS), and other chemicals in coastal waters, especially near Santa
Catalina Island and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
B. Support legislation that provides rebate programs, tax credits, and other financial
incentives to encourage property owners to invest in water efficient systems and
landscaping, and energy efficiency, including renewable energy systems.
C-4
2024 Legislative Platform
Page A-5
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, Los Angeles County, Palos
Verdes Peninsula cities, coastal cities
5. GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
A. Support legislation that grants full cost reimbursement to local agencies by the
state and federal government for all mandated programs.
B. Support legislation that ensures the retention of existing local revenue sources,
including the City’s share of property taxes, sales and use taxes, transient
occupancy taxes, etc.
C. Support legislation modernizing the methods by which a local agency may comply
with the Brown Act. Support legislation that allows for the continued use of
teleconferencing platforms to hold hybrid public meetings outside of a declared
state of emergency, thus increasing access to public meetings and promoting
greater transparency.
D. Support legislation which allows for regional considerations within Los Angeles
County, particularly at the council of governments (COG) level, in relation to public
health, homelessness, and sustainability, among other areas of regional
significance.
E. Oppose legislation that would prohibit or limit local governments’ ability to contract
out for the provision of services.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, Palos Verdes Peninsula
cities
C-5
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
NUMBER: 29
DATE ADOPTED/AMENDED: 08/01/95 (amended 02/19/02, 03/04/14,
04/20/21, and 12/20/22)
SUBJECT: City Council Position on Legislative Items
POLICY:
It shall be the policy of the City that staff shall monitor regional, County, State and
Federal legislative matters and initiatives, and consider the potential impact(s)
such legislative initiatives on the City or the region, in line with the City Council’s
annually adopted Legislative Platform. Thereafter, staff shall prepare and present
periodic updates on such legislative matters for the City Council to consider
whether to take a position(s) on the same and, if so, what position(s) to take.
The legislation monitored will include both those issues that the City Counci l
determines either to support or oppose and those that the City Council may choose
to identify as issues of concern, but not take a position on. The determination of
what position to take on pending legislation shall be solely that of the City Council.
Staff will periodically, at the request of a Council member or in accordance with the
Legislative Platform, place matters of pending legislation on the City Council
agenda for consideration. Staff will provide regular updates on the status of any
legislative action affecting any issues of concern to the City Council through the
Weekly Administrative Report.
If the majority of the Council votes to take a position on a certain legislation, staff
shall prepare the appropriate correspondence, for the Mayor’s signature, to the
relevant Federal, State, County and/or regional legislative representative(s)
expressing the position of the City, and copies provided to the City Council. Such
correspondence shall be posted on the City’s website under the Legislation Corner
homepage.
Individual Council members may wish to support or oppose a specific piece of
legislation irrespective of whether the City Council has or has not taken a position
on such legislation. Any legislative activity by an individual Council member,
including preparing legislative correspondence, may be conducted by any Council
member, who shall state that he or she is not acting on behalf of the City and is
representing his or her own personal views. However, staff shall not assist in any
legislative activity of an individual Council member, including the preparation of
legislative correspondence, unless the legislative item has appeared on a Council
agenda and has received a majority vote of the Council.
D-1
Summaries and updates on legislation that staff monitors and/or that the City
Council has taken a position on shall be provided as part of the City Manager’s
Weekly Administrative Report to each member of the Council for review.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council initially adopted a policy for Council involvement in Federal and
State legislative advocacy in 1995. Although the policy seems to have worked
adequately over the first seven years, by 2002 it was thought that it did not allow
the City to respond rapidly to requests to support or oppose legislation that may
be before a committee or on the floor or the Assembly or before Congress and
needs immediate action on the part of supporters or opponents. Therefore, the
policy was amended in 2002 to address these perceived deficiencies. In 2014, the
policy was amended again to revise the procedure for monitoring legislation, and
to explicitly include legislative issues at the County and regional level. In 2021, the
policy was amended to reflect updated Staff processes. In 2022, it was amended
to reflect the City’s adoption of an annual Legislative Platform.
The City Council’s revised legislative policy establishes an internal process for
identifying, tracking and advocating its position on pending legislation
synchronized to the fast-paced “legislation time clock.” Through this proactive
policy, the City Council hopes to have a stronger “voice” in the Peninsula/South
Bay region, Los Angeles County, Sacramento and Washington, DC.
D-2