To: Board of Supervisors
From: Legislation Committee
Report Title: Adopt 2025-26 State and Federal Legislative Platforms and accept the 2024 Year-end Reports on state and federal programs, as recommended by the Legislation Committee.
☐Recommendation of the County Administrator ☒ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. ADOPT the Proposed 2025-26 State and Federal Legislative Platforms for Contra Costa County. (Attachments A and B)
2. ACCEPT the 2024 Year-End Reports on the County's federal and state legislative advocacy efforts. (Attachments C and D)
3. DIRECT the County Administrator's Office to return to the Board of Supervisors, as necessary, to update the County's adopted 2025-26 Legislative Platforms to reflect intervening actions of the Board.
4. DIRECT the County Administrator's Office and Department staff to review proposed legislation that relates to the County's adopted legislative platforms and recommend appropriate positions on specific bills, ballot measures and regulations for consideration by the Board's Legislation Committee and/or the Board of Supervisors.
5. AUTHORIZE Board Members, the County's federal and state legislative representatives, and the County Administrator, or designee, to prepare and present information, position papers and testimony in support of the adopted 2025-26 Federal and State Legislative Platforms.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No direct fiscal impact is associated with the acceptance of the Year-End Reports and the adoption of the Legislative Platforms.
BACKGROUND:
In January of each year following conclusion of the State and Federal legislative sessions, the Board of Supervisors is provided with a Year-end Report that summarize the County's legislative advocacy activities for the prior calendar year. The 2024 State Advocacy Year-End Report was prepared by the County's state lobbyists, Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP. (Attachment C) and the 2024 Federal Advocacy Year-end Report was prepared by the County's federal lobbyists, Thorn Run Partners. (Attachment D)
In addition to the information provided by the state and federal lobbyists, advocacy efforts coordinated by the County Administrator's Office (CAO) staff in 2024 also included the following:
• Support for $51 million for In-Home Supportive Services Administrative Bridge Funding
• Support to retain funding for Public Defense Pilot Program
• Support for "Building Forward” grant for the new Bay Point Library
• Support for Juvenile Grants, Community Corrections Performance Incentive Act, Post Release Community Supervision Funding, and Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) Planning Funds
• Support for including $1 billion in the 2024 State Budget for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program
• Opposition to proposed cuts, and board support for restoring budget to, CalWORKs, Child Welfare services, and Adult Protective Services in the State Budget
• Support for Foreclosure Intervention Housing Preservation Program
• Support for Jobs First Catalyst grant application for the East Contra Costa Healthy Homes Collaborative
• Support for the former Roddy Ranch Restoration and Public Access Improvements Project
• Support for COVID-19 FEMA Public Assistance program project claims, specifically related to costs incurred for Non-Congregate Shelter (NCS) services provided to residents
• Support for a RAISE Grant Application for Richmond Bay Trail Gap Closure
• Support for the Knightsen Wetland Restoration Project
• Support for a RAISE Grant Application for Phase 4 of the Interstate 680/State Route 4 Interchange Project
• Support for GRID Alternatives' application to U.S. EPA Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program
• Support for California Arts Council State-Local Partnership Grant
• Support for FY 2024 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Discretionary Grant Program
• Support of proposed Ginochio Schwendel Ranch Property Acquisition (Clayton/Brentwood area), to the Wildlife Conservation Board
• Support of the City of Richmond Sea Level Rise Planning Grant Application to the California Ocean Protection Council
• Support for state-led initiatives to address rising crime rates in Oakland and the East Bay
• Support for Energy Efficiency Programs, and opposition to potential cuts to energy efficiency programs.
Calendar Years 2025-26 Proposed State and Federal Legislative Platforms
At the beginning of each two-year legislative cycle, the Board of Supervisors adopts a State Legislative Platform that establishes the County's priorities and policy positions with regard to potential state legislation and regulation. The State Legislative Platform includes County-sponsored bill proposals, legislative or regulatory advocacy priorities, and principles that provide direction and guidance for identification of and advocacy on bills, regulations, and ballot measures which could affect the services, programs or finances of the County. At the same time, the Board of Supervisors also adopts a Federal Legislative Platform that establishes federal funding needs and policy positions with regard to potential federal legislation and regulation.
The State and Federal Legislative Platforms are utilized by the County's state and federal lobbyists, elected officials, and staff as the basis for the County's advocacy efforts.
The State and Federal Legislative Platforms are prepared by CAO staff in collaboration and consultation with County department heads and other key staff, the County's state and federal advocates, and with input from the Board's committees and the public. For the 2025-26 Platforms, CAO staff conducted outreach in the Fall of 2024, inviting input so that draft documents could be reviewed and considered by the Legislation Committee at its December 9, 2024 meeting. Elements of each platform related to the subject matter of the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) were also reviewed by that committee prior to today’s submission to the Board of Supervisors for adoption. The Proposed 2025-26 State and Federal Legislative Platforms are included as Attachments A and B for reference and a summary of the changes to each are summarized below.
Notable Updates to the 2024-25 State Legislative Platform
Appearance and Formatting: The document received a new cover, images, and general formatting. Additionally, the principles and policy statements are now numbered for ease of reference and improved tracking.
Introduction: Demographic data was updated to reflect 2024 data from the California Department of Finance for population estimates. District V Supervisor updated reflect the County’s newly-elected Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston.
Sponsored Bill Proposals: No sponsored bill proposals have been included at this time.
Advocacy Priorities: The Board’s four 2023-24 adopted advocacy priorities remain as top issues for the upcoming legislative session. Several amendments were incorporated into the draft:
• Climate Change was updated to reflect state progress, such as the passage of Proposition 4, the Climate Bond, and other efforts underway on this topic.
• Health Care, including Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Services received the addition of “supportive housing.”
• Housing and Homelessness: Added “support funding for housing and treatment facilities for the behavioral health population.”
• The Delta/Water and Levees: Added language to “protect and restore a healthy and sustainable ecosystem.”
State Platform Principles and Policy Statements Text Changes:
The “Finance and Administration” section of the platform was retitled to “Administration and Finance” and moved to be the first element. This section contains many unifying principles that apply across many policy areas, such as opposing unfunded mandates.
Substantive changes were proposed by staff to nearly every section, including: Agriculture and Weights & Measures, Animal Services, Child Support Services, Climate Change, the Delta, Economic Development, Emergency Preparedness/Emergency Response, Flood Control and Clean Water, Health Care, Safety Net Programs, Immigration, Equity, and Inclusion, Justice Systems, Land Use and Natural Resources, Library Services, Telecommunications and Broadband, Transportation, Veterans, Waste Management, and Workforce Development. Additionally, a new section has been added on Public Information and Transparency. The proposed State Platform is included as Attachment A and notable, proposed changes are outlined below:
Agriculture and Weights & Measures
Added the following policy statement:
• SUPPORT revisions to state law to enable Agriculture and Weights & Measures to recover its costs of service provision for pest and disease control and eradication efforts and weights and measures programs.
Animal Services
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT actions to expand access to care for animal owners, including spay and neuter services.
• SUPPORT actions to protect pet retention.
• SUPPORT actions to address and prevent animal overpopulation.
Child Support Services
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT legislative efforts to make child support enforcement flexible, when guardians are coparenting cooperatively and in agreement with each other.
Climate Change
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT funding and policy to harden and enhance the infrastructure of public facilities, including public hospitals and health care centers, to the impacts of climate change.
• SUPPORT consistent funding and policy to conserve, restore, and enhance the region’s natural resources, including watersheds, habitats and species, to support a functioning ecosystem that sequesters carbon and is resilient to the impacts of climate change.
• SUPPORT actions that address the disproportionate impacts that some communities bear because they are located near sources of exposure such as large industrial facilities, freeways, or transportation corridors and/or live in proximity to areas vulnerable to sea level rise, Inland flooding, and other climate-related impacts.
• SUPPORT investments in active transportation infrastructure along the Iron Horse Corridor, including double-tracking to create an adjacent, paved path for higher speed cyclists, and enhanced connections to transit, schools, jobs, and other trail systems.
• SUPPORT requirements and funding for greenhouse gas emission inventories to be prepared for local governments on a regular basis.
The Delta
Modified several policy statements and reworded the statement on the delta pool concept:
• SUPPORT efforts that further the obligation of all users of water flowing through the Delta to restore, maintain, improve, and protect this shared resource and referred to as the “Delta pool” concept.
Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response
Added the following policy statements, including items specific to the Community Warning System (CWS):
• SUPPORT legislation and regulatory actions that would streamline the state and local wildfire mitigation area designation process, including fire hazard severity zone mapping that impacts insurance rates, that allow for input from local governments and fire professionals and clarifies roles and responsibilities for federal, state, and local agencies.
• SUPPORT increased funding for services associated with disaster response, including mutual aid provided for wildfires, floods, or other such incidents.
• SUPPORT legislation and funding for research on the adverse health impacts, including increased rates of cancer, faced by firefighters and emerging technologies that can help lower the long-term health impacts.
• SUPPORT legislation that provides supports for the mental health of public safety personnel, including law enforcement and firefighters, such as peer support and mental health counseling.
• SUPPORT California legislation requiring all wireless carriers to participate in the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) program to ensure universal public access to life-saving notifications.
• SUPPORT legislation requiring phone carriers to maintain access to Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) to ensure reliable communication for vulnerable populations, emergency services, and areas with limited broadband access.
• SUPPORT state funding and policy initiatives to develop and deploy innovative emergency alert technologies, improving the reliability and inclusiveness of disaster communication systems.
• SUPPORT policies and funding that will ensure equitable access to essential, life-saving information for all individuals during emergencies.
• SUPPORT policies that establish weather-related disasters as reimbursable events through existing recovery programs.
• ENSURE that new emergency and disaster response legislation provides adequate funding and guidance to support legislative initiatives.
• SUPPORT legislation that provides funding and resources to enhance local emergency management organizations.
• SUPPORT more authority and resources for Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) to support volunteer training and community preparedness/resiliency programs.
Flood Control and Clean Water
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT increased funding to comply with clean water requirements imposed by regional bodies.
Health Care
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT legislation that increases Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) physician residency training positions to address the physician workforce shortage.
• SUPPORT efforts to address “food deserts” so that healthy food such as fruits, vegetables, and produce are sold at retail stores throughout all regions of the County and encourage healthy food consumption.
• SUPPORT efforts and funding for screening for all forms of interpersonal violence by medical providers.
Human Services
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT efforts and legislation that increases funding for building equity and promotes data practices that uphold truth, learning, consent, and accountability, in the data collection and research on the effectiveness of interpersonal violence prevention, intervention, and innovation strategies.
• SUPPORT alternatives to the criminal justice system that center community and survivor needs, including those that focus on accountability between a person who has caused harm and the people affected by the harm and those that address the root causes of harm while upholding the dignity of those who have caused harm.
Justice Systems
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT diversion and community-based restoration to address the incompetent to stand trial (IST) waitlist, including by expanding diversion and community-based restoration to reduce the felony IST waitlist.
• SUPPORT legislation that advocates for State General Fund backfill of lost revenues of 2011 Public Safety Realignment to ensure the provisions of core services.
• SUPPORT funding for rehabilitation and treatment for incarcerated individuals. Seek funding to support in custody programming and facilities to enhance the County’s rehabilitation and treatment programs for incarcerated individuals with mental health and substance use disorders.
• SUPPORT legislation and efforts that remove barriers and obstacles for reentry for justice involved individuals to obtain and retain employment, housing, and other supportive services.
• SUPPORT legislation for the establishment and sustainable funding for Reentry Housing and Workforce Development Programs.
• SUPPORT funding for pre-trial services community-based supervision of those charged with crimes. Advocate to expand funding for pre-trial services via an increase in direct county allocations.
• SUPPORT increased CARE Court Funding for counties and adequate, flexible, and sustained funding across all impacted local agencies to support counties' efforts to implement the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act and to amend existing law to ensure its successful implementation.
• SUPPORT legislation to require equitable grant funding to Public Defender offices for the defense and protection of clients equivalent to the grant funding provided for the investigation and prosecution of crime.
• SUPPORT legislation or administrative action to fully fund optimal workloads for public defenders, that address historical funding imbalances, and that provide grants to improve the provision of indigent defense services.
• SUPPORT legislation for increased transparency related to law enforcement misconduct and POST decertification actions.
• SUPPORT legislation and funding to prevent, address, and prosecute those involved with organized retail theft.
Public Information and Transparency
Added a new section for Public Information and Transparency, with the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT legislation that strengthens transparency and public access to government information, such as public records, open data initiatives, and government meeting broadcasts.
• SUPPORT initiatives that address the spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly on social media platforms, which can undermine public trust and safety.
• SUPPORT legislative measures that promote media literacy in schools and communities to help the public better evaluate news sources and the credibility of information.
Telecommunications and Broadband
Added the following policy statements:
• OPPOSE plans to eliminate access to landlines (Carrier of Last Resort) and other services that would affect the ability to access 911.
• SUPPORT state initiatives and programs that expand broadband access, especially in underserved, rural, or low-income areas.
• SUPPORT bridging the Digital Divide through legislative actions that reduce gaps in digital equity, access and literacy for marginalized communities.
• SUPPORT state policies that support local efforts to adopt new technologies without compromising public health, privacy, or local autonomy.
Transportation
Added the following policy statements:
• EXPLORE options for strategic eligibility expansion of paved, non-motorized regional corridors for transportation related revenues, while limiting dilution of funding for maintenance activities.
• SUPPORT changes to active transportation funding program statutes and policies that would accommodate maintenance activities.
• EXPLORE options to reform state law limiting defendants’ liability to their proportionate share of responsibility, in order to equitable distribute liability for a given harm and prevent a defendant determined to be only minimally liable to be forced to pay the entire judgement.
• SUPPORT legislation that would have the State act on their 20-year legacy of identifying gaps in the accessible transportation system and then declining to implement identified solutions.
Veterans
Added the following policy statement:
• SUPPORT legislation that will outlaw the charging of fees to file a veteran’s compensation or pension claim.
Workforce Development
Added the following policy statement:
• SUPPORT paid apprenticeship programs.
Notable Updates to the 2024-25 Federal Legislative Platform
Appearance and Formatting: The document received a new cover, images, and general formatting. Additionally, the principles and policy statements are now numbered for ease of reference and improved tracking.
Introduction: Demographic data was updated to reflect 2024 data from the State Department of Finance for population estimates. District V Supervisor updated reflect the County’s newly-elected Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston.
Federal Funding Needs: Project Specific: The table of Community Project Funding requests will return to the Board of Supervisors for incorporation. The list of Community Project Funding Requests is anticipated to be incorporated in February or March of 2025, following direction from Congress.
Surface Transportation Funding Needs: Feedback from the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee of the Board of Supervisors was incorporated. Notably, several trail projects were incorporated into one Countywide Multi-Use Trail and Corridor Program.
Priority Policy Statements: Edits proposed to several sections, including: Climate Change, the Delta, Health Care, Safety Net Programs, Library Services, Natural Resources/Permit Streamlining, Telecommunications and Broadband, Transportation, Mobility Management and Coordination, and Veterans. Additionally, two new sections have been proposed: Emergency Preparedness and Response, and Public Information and Transparency.
Climate Change
Added language to support efforts to transition away from leaded aviation fuels.
The Delta
Reworded the statement on the delta pool concept:
• SUPPORT efforts that further the obligation of all users of water flowing through the Delta to restore, maintain, improve, and protect this shared resource and referred to as the “Delta pool” concept.
Emergency Preparedness and Response
A new section is proposed in the Federal platform on the topic of Emergency Preparedness and Response. Added policy statements include:
• SUPPORT efforts to improve and expand interoperable public safety radio systems.
• SUPPORT federal legislation and regulatory frameworks ensuring all wireless carriers participate in the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) program to enhance nationwide public safety.
• OPPOSE any federal proposals that allow Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) or Emergency Alert System (EAS) use for non-emergency messaging to maintain the effectiveness and trust in these critical systems.
• SUPPORT federal policies promoting universal accessibility of emergency alert systems to ensure equitable access for all populations, including vulnerable communities.
• SUPPORT federal efforts and funding to implement automatic geotargeting capabilities for push-to-text notifications, ensuring precise and effective delivery of emergency alerts.
• SUPPORT expanded state authority to work directly with wireless carriers to develop and enhance geo-targeting capabilities for Non-Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) emergency alert delivery capabilities.
• SUPPORT legislation requiring VOIP providers to utilize the Private Switch/Automatic Location Identification (PS/ALI) database to improve emergency call routing and location accuracy.
• SUPPORT policies that establish weather-related disasters as reimbursable events through existing recovery programs.
• SUPPORT streamlining and standardization of the FEMA recovery process.
Health Care
Added several policy statements, including:
• SUPPORT efforts to negotiate drug prices and cap out of pocket costs.
• SUPPORT Medicare physician payment increases to stabilize physician practices, protect access to doctors and reduce consolidation.
• SUPPORT legislation and administrative policy changes that will reduce Medicare administrative burdens and reform the prior authorization process to ensure patients get the care they need when they need it.
• SUPPORT legislation that increases Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) physician residency training positions to address the physician workforce shortage.
• SUPPORT efforts that ensure access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, and OPPOSE efforts that would restrict funding or access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including reduced reimbursement or funding from Medicaid or other federal sources.
Human Services
Modified several policy statements and added several policy statements, including:
• OPPOSE reductions in funding or eligibility for the Thrifty Food Plan, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, and School Meals Programs.
• OPPOSE efforts to reduce child support funding.
• SUPPORT programs to improve and increase collaborative parenting.
• SUPPORT an initiative to have a single statewide formula for support guidelines and provide for state programs to allow non-cash payments as part of a guidelines support order.
• SUPPORT efforts, legislation, regulations that would expand grounds for asylum under the federal law to include persecution faced due to gender and/or sexuality.
• SUPPORT funding for and efforts to prevent, interrupt, and end gun violence, community violence, and all forms of interpersonal violence including gender-based violence, child abuse, domestic violence, family violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, abuse of dependent adults, human trafficking, and stalking.
• SUPPORT efforts to prevent, interrupt and end gun violence, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse and human trafficking in all its forms.
• OPPOSE any elimination and cuts to grant programs for violence prevention, victim services, prevention of all forms of human trafficking including, but not limited to, those related to the Victims of Crime Act Fund (VOCA), Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
• SUPPORT efforts that increase economic opportunity and security for survivors of all forms of interpersonal violence, including efforts to protect and expand housing access and employment rights for victims of harassment/stalking and survivors of interpersonal violence.
• SUPPORT efforts and legislation that increases funding for building equity and promotes data practices that uphold truth, learning, consent, and accountability, in the data collection and research on the effectiveness of interpersonal violence prevention, intervention, and innovation strategies.
• SUPPORT efforts that increase funding for comprehensive civil legal services for survivors of interpersonal violence and gender-based violence.
Public Information and Transparency
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT legislation that strengthens transparency and public access to government information, such as public records, open data initiatives, and government meeting broadcasts.
• SUPPORT initiatives that combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly on social media platforms, which can undermine public trust and safety.
• SUPPORT legislative measures that promote media literacy in schools and communities to help the public better evaluate news sources and the credibility of information.
Telecommunications and Broadband
Added the following policy statements:
• SUPPORT federal initiatives and programs that expand broadband access, especially in underserved, rural, or low-income areas, bridging the Digital Divide to reduce gaps in digital equity, access and literacy for marginalized communities.
• SUPPORT federal policies that support local efforts to adopt new technologies without compromising public health, privacy, or local autonomy.
• OPPOSE plans to eliminate access to landlines (Carrier of Last Resort) and other services that would affect the ability to access 911.
Veterans
Update the following policy statements:
• Increased federal investment in Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers.
• Removed references to the exoneration of the Port Chicago 50, because of the Secretary of the Navy’s actions in 2024 to fully exonerate the remaining defendants who were court-martialed following the 1944 Port Chicago explosion.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Should the Board of Supervisors not approve the Proposed 2025-26 State and Federal Platforms, the previous platform will remain unchanged and may not fully reflect the priorities of the Board in the new State and Federal legislative sessions.