TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Council approval of the 2022 State Legislative Agenda as recommended by the State Legislation Committee;
Request City Manager to write a letter of opposition to the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act;
Request City Manager to write a letter of support for Senate Bill 1226 (Durazo) related to Joint Powers Authorities; and
Request City Manager to write letters of support for Senate Bill 1281 (Bradford) and Assembly Bill 2792 (Rubio and Garcia) related to State cannabis taxes and add language to the State Legislative Agenda.
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 Legislation Committee meeting on May 3, 2022, the Committee voted to forward staff’s recommended changes for the 2022 State Legislative Agenda; recommend that City Council 1) adopt the 2022 State Legislative Agenda with additional language to support proposals that would advance women’s reproductive health and access to abortions; 2) direct the City Manager to write a letter opposing the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act; and 3) direct the City Manager to write a letter in support of Senate Bill 1226 (Durazo).
Furthermore, on May 10, 2022, the City Council moved to direct the City Manager to write letters of support for Senate Bill 1281 (Bradford) and Assembly Bill 2792 (Rubio and Garcia), and to incorporate language into the State Legislative Agenda supporting efforts to decrease the State cannabis cultivation tax.
The draft agenda is attached, and the Committee’s and City Council’s additional recommendations are detailed below:
1) Add language to the 2022 State Legislative Agenda supporting proposals that advance women’s reproductive health and access to abortions.
The Committee moved to recommend including language in the State Legislative Agenda to support proposals that advance women’s reproductive health and access to abortions. In February 2022, City Council moved to recommend that City staff identify how the City can partner with Los Angeles County to expand opportunities for health services, should Roe v. Wade be overturned. Given the recent leak of a draft Supreme Court ruling seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade, the State Legislation Committee recommended inclusion of language in the State Legislative Agenda that reflects the City’s priorities to advance access to reproductive health services and abortion. Governor Newsom and State legislative leadership have announced an effort to amend the State of California Constitution to enshrine the right to choose and the right to abortion in California.
2) Letter of Opposition to the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act
The Committee moved to recommend that Council direct the City Manager to write a letter in opposition to the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act. This proposed ballot initiative, currently out for signatures, would change the requirements for taxes, fees, and charges after January 2022. Among other key provisions, the initiative would require a majority voter approval for new and increased State tax and for applying existing local taxes to new services, and fees and charges for services would not be allowed to exceed the actual cost of the service. The proposal would put current and future revenues used for local services at risk, lead to significant reductions in resources and infrastructure, and open the door for litigation that is costly to taxpayers. The State Legislative Agenda already includes language opposing proposals that would reduce local revenue authority. This Council action would direct the City to oppose the Act.
3) Letter of Support for Senate Bill 1226 (Durazo) regarding Joint Powers Authorities for zero-emission infrastructure
The Committee moved to recommend that Council direct the City Manager to write a letter in support of Senate Bill 1226 (Durazo). This bill would, until 2032, allow for the creation of a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) between private, nonprofit corporations and public agencies to develop zero-emission transportation systems. Currently, JPAs are typically limited to public agencies. The bill would not allow JPAs to incur debt but would require the use of a project labor agreement or a skilled and trained workforce for zero-emission infrastructure. The bill is supported by the California Special Districts Association and Los Angeles County Biz-Fed.
4) Letters of Support for Senate Bill 1281 (Bradford) and Assembly Bill 2792 (Rubio) and add language to the 2022 State Legislative Agenda supporting policies to lower the State cannabis cultivation tax
On May 10, 2022, the City Council moved to support Senate Bill 1281 (Bradford) and Assembly Bill 2792 (Rubio and Garcia), which aim to decrease the State excise and cultivation taxes for adult-use cannabis. The Council motion also requested additional language in the 2022 State Legislative Agenda to support legislation that would decrease the State cannabis cultivation tax, in an effort to make the legal cannabis market more viable and competitive.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
ROBERTO URANGA, COUNCILMEMBER
CHAIR OF THE STATE LEGISLATION COMMITTEE