CC SR 20250506 C - Position Letters on Pending State Legislation
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 05/06/2025
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration to affirm position letters on pending state legislation for Assembly Bill (AB)
647 (Gonzalez), Senate Bill (SB) 79 (Wiener), AB 986 (Muratsuchi) and AB 262 (Caloza).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Affirm authorizing the Mayor’s signing of the following position letters regarding
pending state legislation that have been sent to the State Legislature for
consideration based on the City Council-adopted 2025 Legislative Platform:
a) Oppose AB 647 (Gonzalez – Housing Density and Development in Single-
Family Zoning Districts);
b) Oppose SB 79 (Wiener – Housing Density Along High Transit Corridors);
c) Support AB 986 (Muratsuchi – Landslide and Climate Events); and/or
d) Support AB 262 (Caloza – Authorizing Individual Assistance for State
Emergencies)
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager
REVIEWED BY: Same as below
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Letter of opposition to AB 647 (Gonzalez) (Page A-1)
B. Letter of opposition to SB 79 (Wiener) (Page B-1)
C. Letter of support for AB 986 (Muratsuchi) (Page C-1)
D. Letter of support for AB 262 (Caloza) (Page D-1)
E. 2025 Legislative Platform (Page E-1)
F. City Council Policy No. 29 (Page F-1)
BACKGROUND:
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Consistent with City Council Policy No. 29 (Attachment F), the City monitors and acts
upon legislation and funding opportunities that may have an impact on Rancho Palos
Verdes, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and the surrounding region. Since 2022 and most
recently on February 5, 2025, the City Council adopted an annual Legislative Platform
(Attachment E) that identifies the City’s salient issues to focus the City’s advocacy and
grant application efforts in a given year. The Platform may also be used to prepare letters
of support or opposition for Council consideration and guide legislative advocacy visits to
Sacramento and Washington D.C.
Staff is currently monitoring pending State legislation that may impact local government
operations and has prepared position letters that align with the 2025 Legislative Platform
to ensure the City’s voice is heard as part of the Legislature’s deliberations on said
legislation. Typically, the City Council votes on positions before letters are sent to the
Legislature. However, due to time constraints, fluid conditions including fast approaching
deadlines for the letters to be considered before they are heard in committees, position
letters on 4 draft bills were signed by Mayor Bradley and delivered in April 2025. All letters
are aligned with the Legislative Platform and are being presented tonight on the consent
calendar for retroactive Council affirmation. More details about each bill are available
below.
DISCUSSION:
AB 647 (Gonzalez) – Housing Development Approvals - OPPOSE
This bill would require cities to approve up to 8 housing units (only 1 of which is required
to be affordable) on lots with an existing single-family home or in an area zoned for 8 units
or fewer – without any environmental review or public input. Once those units are
constructed, cities must also allow up to an additional 8 ADUs on the same lot, for a total
of 16 allowable units. Such developments would be considered ministerially, without
discretionary review or hearing or the application of any objective zoning standard or
objective design standard that meets certain criteria.
Attached for the Council’s affirmation is an opposition letter to AB 647 (Attachment A).
This position directly aligns with Legislative Platform Priority Policy Area 1.A – “Oppose
legislation that infringes on local control and erodes the City’s authority to manage its own
affairs.”
SB 79 (Wiener) – Transit Oriented Development on Government Land - OPPOSE
This bill would require cities to approve higher-density residential projects up to 7 stories
within a quarter-mile of major train stops (e.g. Metro subway) and bus rapid transit stops
ministerially - regardless of local zoning codes. The bill would also limit the use of local
development standards on the proposed project and allow transit agencies full land
authority over residential and commercial development on property they own or lease.
Although the City does not have major transit stops and is not aware of large parcels of
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land owned by local transit agencies within the City’s jurisdictional boundary, a letter of
opposition would support neighboring cities such as Torrance in retaining local control.
Attached for the Council’s affirmation is an opposition letter to SB 79 (Attachment B). This
position directly aligns with Legislative Platform Priority Policy Area 1.A – “Oppose
legislation that infringes on local control and erodes the City’s authority to manage its own
affairs.”
AB 986 (Muratsuchi) – State and Local Emergency: Landslide and Climate Change
- SUPPORT
Current law does not explicitly recognize landslides as qualifying events for state
emergency assistance. As a result, local governments such as Rancho Palos Verdes are
unable to access necessary resources to mitigate damage and protect public safety in
response to land movement. The lack of financial and logistical support forces local
governments to bear the full burden of disaster response and recovery, leaving
communities vulnerable to further damage and economic strain. AB 986 expands the
definition of disasters constituting a state of emergency or a local emergency under the
California Emergency Services Act (ESA) to include landslides and conditions
exacerbated by climate change. By doing so, the bill gives affected communities a clearer
path to declare emergencies and take action to protect public safety and infrastructure.
As a cosponsor of this bill, Mayor Bradley and City Manager Mihranian flew to
Sacramento on April 28 to testify in support of the bill with the Emergency Management
Committee.
Attached for the Council’s affirmation is a support letter for AB 986 (Attachment C). This
position aligns with the Legislative Platform’s Priority Policy Area 4.A – “Support
legislation that recognizes landslides as a disaster that constitutes a state or local
emergency under the Emergency Services Act.”
AB 262 (Caloza) – California Individual Assistance Act - SUPPORT
AB 262 would establish the California Individual Assistance Act under the California Office
of Emergency Services (CalOES) to distribute funding to local agencies, community-
based organizations, and individuals with assistance following a disaster. This measure’s
intent is to quickly provide assistance to California residents following the declaration of
a local or state emergency that may not warrant federal disaster assistance for
individuals. The City is requesting this bill be amended to include landslides as an eligible
disaster.
Attached for the Council’s affirmation is a support letter for AB 262 (Attachment D). This
position aligns with the Legislative Platform’s Priority City Project A: Seek funding for
landslide response and remediation efforts.
CONCLUSION:
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All position letters align with the City Council-adopted 2025 Legislative Platform. As such,
Staff recommends the City Council affirm by ratifying sending the attached position
letters. If affirmed, the letters will be uploaded to the City’s Legislative Corner website to
ensure transparency on the City’s position on key legislative matters.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not authorize one or any combination of the attached position letters and
provide further direction.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
David L. Bradley, Mayor
Paul Seo, Mayor Pro Tem
Barbara Ferraro, Councilmember
George Lewis, Councilmember
Stephen Perestam, Councilmember
April 21, 2025
The Honorable Rhodesia Ransom
California State Assembly
1020 N Street, Room 360B
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 986 (Muratsuchi) SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Muratsuchi:
On behalf of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, I am writing to express our strong
support of AB 986 (Muratsuchi).
Climate change induced landslides have posed an increasingly significant risk to the
City of Rancho Palos Verdes, as well as the other 3 cities on the Palos Verdes
Peninsula - Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, and Palos Verdes Estates. In Rancho
Palos Verdes, slow moving landslides have escalated gravely in recent years due to
intense rainy seasons preceded by prolonged droughts, with some locations
experiencing a foot of movement a week. Ongoing land movement in high-risk areas
have displaced residents and impacted essential infrastructure, including roads,
sewer lines, and utility systems.
Despite the significant risks and costs associated with landslides, current law does not
explicitly recognize them as qualifying events for state emergency assistance. As a
result, local governments are unable to access necessary resources to mitigate damage
and protect public safety. The lack of financial and logistical support forces local
governments to bear the full burden of disaster response and recovery, leaving
communities vulnerable to further damage and economic strain.
AB 986 expands the definition of disasters constituting a state of emergency or a local
emergency under the California Emergency Services Act to include landslides and
conditions exacerbated by climate change. By doing so, the bill gives the Peninsula
and all other affected communities a clearer path to declare emergencies and take
action to protect public safety and infrastructure.
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Thank you for your continued leadership on this issue.
Sincerely,
David L. Bradley
Mayor
cc: Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
Members, Emergency Management Committee
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
David L. Bradley, Mayor
Paul Seo, Mayor Pro Tem
Barbara Ferraro, Councilmember
George Lewis, Councilmember
Stephen Perestam, Councilmember
April 17, 2025
The Honorable Buffy Wicks
Chair, Assembly Committee on Appropriations
1021 O St, Suite 8820
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 262 (Caloza) California Individual Assistance Act - Support
Dear Assemblymember Wicks,
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is pleased to support AB 262 (Caloza), which would
establish the California Individual Assistance Act within the Office of Emergency Services
for the purpose of quickly providing assistance to California residents following the
declaration of a local or state emergency that may not receive federal disaster assistance
for individuals. We request one modification - that the definition of disasters includes
landslides.
Under current law, the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) requires the Director of
California’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to provide financial assistance to local
agencies for their personnel costs, equipment costs, and the cost of supplies and materials
used during disaster response activities, incurred as a result of a state of emergency
proclaimed by the Governor.
AB 262 bill would establish the California Individual Assistance Act as a grant program to
provide financial assistance to local agencies, community-based organizations, and
individuals for costs related to a disaster that may not be eligible for federal disaster
assistance. The bill would specify this program for “disasters” that include fire, flood, storm,
tidal wave or tsunami, earthquake, act of terrorism, epidemic, extreme heat or cold event, or
other similar calamity that presents a threat to public safety. The bill would require the
CalOES Director to administer the funding under the California Individual Assistance Act.
We also support the Author’s intent to include a clarifying provision to allow the CalOES
Director to prioritize CDAA when allocating funding to support local governments rebuilding
public facilities and infrastructure when impacted by disasters that do not qualify for the
federal minimum damage threshold under the Federal Emergency Management Act
(FEMA). For California, the federal minimum damage threshold is $72 million for disaster
damages. For communities that do not have disaster damages that meet that threshold,
they cannot qualify for FEMA assistance. The California Seismic Safety Commission
recently recommended this be clarified, based on the Ferndale Earthquake Sequence
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disaster that impacted North Coast communities that suffered significant damages and
didn’t meet the threshold for federal assistance.
For these reasons, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports AB 262. If you have any
questions, please contact City Manager, Ara Mihranian, at (310) 544-5202.
Sincerely,
David L. Bradley
Mayor
CC: Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes Page 2 of 7
2025 Legislative Platform
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
2025 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
Adopted by Resolution No. 2024-XX on February 4, 2025.
PURPOSE
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ 2025 Legislative Platform (Platform) outlines the policy
positions of the City Council on current issues that impact the City. This Platform serves as
a guideline to actively engage with pending legislation and funding opportunities at the
Federal, State and Local levels, with City Council approval.
The City looks forward to working with regional, county, state, and federal partners to best
serve its 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 provide funding to realize these
priority projects.
A. Greater Portuguese Bend-Landslide Complex Remediation Project
Total Cost:
- $150 million for project construction (Dewatering Extraction Wells and Water
Intrusion Prevention Implementation)
- $20 million for annual operations and maintenance of planned infrastructure
Status: Construction
Description: The Greater Portuguese Bend-Landslide Complex is the largest active
landslide in North America, encompassing two of the City’s roughly 14 square
miles, directly impacting Palos Verdes Drive South (a major arterial) and a
Sanitation District trunk line – both of which serve neighboring cities and thousands
of residents and visitors daily. The project seeks to protect life, public health,
safety, and the environment through mitigation of land movement in the landslide
complex area.
Funding Opportunities:
• County Funded Capital and O&M projects (including County Sanitation
District, County Flood Control District, as well as County Capital
improvement projects)
• State Funded Capital and O&M projects (including State budget earmarks,
State Office of Emergency Services Support, as well as other state funded
projects)
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2025 Legislative Platform
B. Civic Center Campus Master Plan
Total Cost: $150 million
Status: Updated, preliminary conceptual site plan complete. Moving on to the
selection of a project management firm and the Master Plan and Design
Development Stage.
Description: The development of the approximately 19-acre Ken Dyda 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, as of June
2024, 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. Of greatest urgency, however, is the
development of a 9.5-acre Emergency Zone on the east end of the campus. FEMA-
approved plans for this Zone include an emergency operations center, incident
management command center, helipad, helopod, evacuation area, and emergency
supply storage and staging area. FEMA has indicated that the Emergency Zone
must be developed within four years or approximately Summer 2028. Otherwise,
the parcel may revert to Federal control and become subject to sale. As such, the
City’s current priority is the funding and development of this Emergency Zone.
Secondly, partner with Wayfarers Chapel to consider the feasibility of relocating to
the Civic Center site as a preferred alternate location. During Summer 2024, the
Chapel was significantly damaged by landslide movement in Portuguese Bend and
has since been dismantled and stored off site to preserve the remainder of the
historic structure until it can be restored in another location.
The approved financial plan for the overall project includes a maximum amount of
$45.4 million, which is a combination of both cash on hand and a long-term loan.
Additional funding sources are critical to building out the site per the Master Plan
and FEMA’s requirements.
Funding Opportunities
• State budget earmarks
• State of California GoBIZ iBank Zero to Low Interest Loans
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2025 Legislative Platform
PRIORITY POLICY AREAS
1. HOUSING AND LOCAL LAND USE
A. Oppose legislation that infringes on local control and erodes the City’s authority to
manage its own affairs. Support actions which further strengthen local democracy,
authority, and control.
B. 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.
C. 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. Oppose RHNA legislation that requires high density housing in cities with
fire hazard severity zones and other vulnerabilities that may put residents at risk in
the event of a natural disaster.
D. Support legislation that preserves local authority to manage public rights-of-way
including the aesthetics of infrastructure placed within them.
E. Support legislation that preserves local authority to zone and plan for the
deployment of telecommunications infrastructure within public rights-of-way.
F. Oppose legislation that diminishes the authority of local jurisdictions in processing
permits, enforcing building codes, or mandating the manner of enforcement.
G. Oppose legislation that seeks to limit or eliminate municipal authority to regulate
street or sidewalk vendors.
H. Support legislation and administrative actions that protect a local jurisdiction to
preserve open space in and around their jurisdiction.
I. Support legislation efforts that allow for local land use and zoning decisions and
oppose efforts that strip a local government’s authority to make decisions regarding
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
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2025 Legislative Platform
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 and other measures that enhance and provide equal access to
public safety funding for municipal public safety divisions, including training,
effective emergency preparedness and planning, resiliency, law enforcement and
fire department infrastructure, and public safety.
C. Support the implementation of Proposition 36 that imposes tougher penalties for
serial retail theft and drug possession. Support legislation that increases public
awareness of the fentanyl crisis and provides treatment and resources to
rehabilitate those with addictions.
D. Support legislation to accelerate the development and implementation of
enhanced electrical utility infrastructure, including the undergrounding of utility
equipment to ensure reliable utility service and public safety and thereby reduces
the need for public safety power shutoffs.
E. Support legislation or other methods that protect insurance coverage for properties
within and adjacent to very high fire zones and geologic hazard abatement districts.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Cal Cities, SBCCOG, CCCA, Department of Insurance,
State Controller, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Los Angeles
County Fire Department, 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; promote mental health and substance abuse services; provide
emergency and transitional housing; expand permanent affordable housing; and
promote 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.
C. Support increased and sustainable funding for the construction and maintenance
of community park facilities; preservation of open space and trails, proactive
maintenance for brush clearance to help reduce wildfire risks, and recreation
programs.
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2025 Legislative Platform
D. Support legislation that equitably reallocates state funding to support local school
districts based on performance and does not impart financial incentive for lack of
scholastic performance and improvement.
E. Continue working with Federal representatives and agencies to transfer or enter
into a joint use agreement for the Point Vicente Lighthouse and Battery Barnes
bunker properties that are currently owned and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.
o Potential Coalition Partners: Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, Cal Cities,
SBCCOG, CCCA, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Los Angeles County,
CARE Court, Allcove and South Bay Health District, PV Cities, Palos Verdes
Peninsula Unified School District
4. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
A. Support legislation that recognizes landslides as a disaster that constitutes a state
or local emergency under the Emergency Services Act
B. Support legislation, funding, regulations, or administrative actions to remediate the
harmful effects of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and PFAS in coastal
waters, especially on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
C. 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.
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 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, development and other operating fees etc.
C. Support legislation that requires State legislature to be held to the same Brown Act
requirements that cities and counties must adhere to.
D. 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
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes Page 7 of 7
2025 Legislative Platform
state of emergency, thus increasing access to public meetings and promoting
greater transparency.
E. 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.
F. 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
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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.
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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.
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