Meeting Minutes - Final

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Legislation Committee

Supervisor Ken Carlson, Chair

Supervisor Diane Burgis, Vice Chair

https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87434558220

Call in: 1-888-278-0254 access code: 219464

1:00 PM

Monday, September 11, 2023

1025 Escobar Street, Conference Center Rm

110, Martinez, CA | 3361 Walnut Boulevard,

Suite 140, Brentwood, CA

Introductions

Vice Chair Burgis convened the meeting at 1:04 p.m. from her office in Brentwood, noting that Chair

Carlson would be joining the meeting shortly. Chair Carlson joined the meeting at 1:14 p.m. in

Martinez. Also in attendance were:

Lara DeLaney, staff to Committee

Luz Raygoza-G.

Patricia Perez

Paul Schlesinger

Peter Myers

Geoff Neill

Ashleigh Goddard

Call_in_user_1

Michelle Rubalcava

Jennifer Quallick

Brian Balbas

Joseph Greaves

Teresa Gerringer

District IV Supervisor Ken Carlson and District III Supervisor

Diane Burgis

Present:

PUBLIC COMMENT: Persons who wish to address the Legislation Committee during public comment

on matters within the jurisdiction of the Legislation Committee that are not on the agenda, may comment

in person, via Zoom, or via call-in. All public comments will be limited to two minutes.

Public comment was received by Call_in_user_1 who requested that meetings not be held on

September 11 to avoid conflicts with 9-11 ceremonies.

RECEIVE and APPROVE the Record of Action for the June 12, 2023

meeting of the Legislation Committee, with any necessary corrections.

23-378

Draft Record of Action 06.12.23

The Record of Action was approved as presented.

Attachments:

Motion:

Second:

Burgis

Carlson

Aye:

Chair Ken Carlson and Vice Chair Diane Burgis

Passed

Result:

RECEIVE a report on federal matters of interest to the County and

PROVIDE direction to staff and the County's federal lobbyist, as needed.

23-379

The County's federal lobbyist, Paul Schlesinger, provided the Committee an oral update

to the written report, noting that the congressional recess was nearing an end; the House

was expected to be back to work on September 12 and the Senate was already back. Paul

noted that the federal fiscal year was ending on September 30, so a Continuing

Resolution would be needed to keep the federal government funded until the budget bills

could be finalized. Paul discussed the status of negotiations, indicating that it was

looking like a shut-down may be coming. He also noted that the County's earmark

requests were tied to the budget bills.

Public comments were made by Call_in_user_1 who disparaged the federal lobbyist.

Chair Carlson responded that Paul does a wonderful job in D.C. representing the

County. Vice Chair Burgis echoed the Chair's comments and indicated the substantial

return on investment from the lobbying services.

This item was received.

ACCEPT the report on the State bills of interest to Contra Costa County and

provide direction and/or input to staff and to the County's state lobbyists, as

needed.

23-380

Advocacy Letters 2023

Attachments:

The County's state lobbyists, Michelle Rubalcava and Geoff Neill, provided an oral

update to the written report. They focused their comments on Governor Newsom's and

his administration's priorities on behavioral health reform, including SB 326 and AB

551. These reforms will go to the voters in March, and no further amendments to the

bills were expected before the legislature's final actions though there were rumors about

the size of the bond bill increasing and possibly acute psychiatric beds may be eligible for

funding. The lobbyists also updated the Committee on the status of the County's

sponsored bills, noting that SB 511 was unfortunately held in Appropriations due to

CARB estimates on the cost of the bill. Conversations with CivicWell, the County's

co-sponsor on the bill, were on-going though in an attempt to find another solution to

the problem of preparing individual inventories. AB 592, however, had passed the

Legislature and was expected to be signed by the Governor. The lobbyists also discussed

SB 525, the minimum wage for health care workers, noting that it was progressing

through the Legislature and discussions about tiers of implementation would put Contra

Costa in the second tier.

Public comments from Call_in_user_1 were disparaging of the level of detail discussed.