TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Council approval of the 2019 State Legislative Agenda as recommended by the State Legislation Committee.
DISCUSSION
Each year the City Council adopts a State Legislative Agenda, which outlines the City's State Legislative priorities for the coming year. This document provides policy direction to staff on State legislative issues, and allows the City to support, oppose or work with State elected officials on advancing priorities adopted by the City Council.
At the State Legislative Committee (Committee) meeting on October 23,2018, the Committee voted to forward staff's recommended changes for the 2018 State Legislative Agenda, along with fifteen additional changes from the Committee to the City Council for consideration and adoption. The Committee's changes are described below:
Proposed Legislative Agenda Changes ABOUT LONG BEACH
The Committee proposes to revise the third paragraph:
The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana area ranked #2 in the nation for having the greatest number of Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual persons. Long Beach was one of only 25 cities nationwide to achieve a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index.
The revised paragraph would state:
The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana area ranked #2 in the nation for having the greatest number of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) persons. Long Beach has consistently been one of the only cities nationwide to achieve a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Objectives
The Committee has no proposed changes.
Focus Statements
The Committee has no proposed changes.
City Council Directives
Objective 2. Increase access to economic opportunities in all to advance economic opportunity holistically.
The Committee proposes to amend Items (a), (b) and (d) to include 'LGBT-owned businesses' in addition to the language supporting minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
This change will be incorporated accordingly throughout the agenda. Additionally, Item (d) is amended to "support policies, legislation and grants to increase financial literacy and wealth building opportunities for young people, disadvantaged families, senior citizens, and local businesses, with emphasis on minority, women-owned and LGBT-owned businesses."
Objective 7. Advance an integrated approach to local and regional economic development to enhance business opportunities and global connectedness.
The Committee proposes to move Item (i) under Local Control, Objective 4 under this objective as Item (f) to support policies and legislation that advocate for State incentives for the purpose of attracting investments in federal Opportunity Zones.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Objectives
The Committee would like to revise the fourth objective to include the word "transparency" so it that reads:
4. Strengthen the public's trust through accountability, open communication, community inclusion and transparency.
Focus Statements
The Committee has no proposed changes.
City Council Directives
Objective 3. Continue to develop partnerships and work together to ensure a safe city for all people.
The Committee proposes to add "gender identify" to Item (c) to support policies, legislation and grants that provides funding to cities to recruit a law enforcement workforce that contains a broad range of diversity, including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, life experience, and cultural backgrounds to improve transparency, understanding, and effectiveness in dealing with all communities.
EDUCATION
Objectives
The Committee has no proposed changes.
Focus Statements
The Committee has no proposed changes.
City Council Directives
Objective 1. Support quality education and education equity.
The Committee proposes to add Item (i) to support policies and legislation that preserve and strengthen the FAIR Education Act of 2011 which requires that history instruction cover LGBT persons as well as those with disabilities.
Objective 4. Support efforts to utilize technology at schools and libraries.
The Committee proposes to add Item (e) to support policies, legislation and grants that provide resources for computer science programs.
SUSTAINABLE & LIVABLE CITIES
Objectives
The Committee proposes to revise the first objective which currently reads:
1. Support efforts to improve air quality.
The proposed revised language reads:
1. Support efforts to improve air quality and environmental sustainability.
Focus Statements
The Committee proposes to add the following as a focus statement:
Sponsor legislation to extend the State seismic compliance deadline for Community Medical Center Long Beach so that hospital operations may continue to be provided on the eastside of Long Beach.
City Council Directives
Objective 4. Support affordable housing policies consistent with the City's adopted Housing Element.
The Committee proposes to add Items (e) and (f).
Item (e) proposes to sponsor or support policies and legislation that streamlines the eminent domain process for the purposes of motel acquisitions, if the property owner agrees to utilizing the streamlined process, only if the property acquisition is for homeless, supportive, transitional, or affordable housing.
Item (f) proposes to support policies and legislation that provides the City with tax increment for affordable housing and public infrastructure benefitting affordable housing.
Objective 6. Support public health programs and services.
The Committee proposes to add Item (p) to support policies, legislation and grants that will support the attainment of seismic compliance for the Community Medical Center Long Beach.
LOCAL CONTROL
Objectives
The Committee has no proposed changes.
Focus Statements
The Committee has no proposed changes.
City Council Directives
Objective 2. Support increased flexible State and County funding for local initiatives.
The Committee proposes to amend Item (0) to be specific to the State Tidelands area, so that this item reads: "Support policies, legislation and grants that ease restrictions on residential development within State Tideland areas."
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
AL AUSTIN
COUNCILMEMBER, CHAIR
STATE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE