Title
a. Receive report and consider recommendation by the Legislative Committee to adopt the 2013-14 Legislative Program;
b. Receive annual legislative report from Monterey County's federal legislative advocate, Brent R. Heberlee of Nossaman LLP; and
c. Receive annual legislative report from Monterey County's state legislative advocate, John E. Arriaga of JEA & Associates.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive report and consider recommendation by the Legislative Committee to adopt the 2013-14 Legislative Program;
b. Receive annual legislative report from Monterey County's federal legislative advocate, Brent R. Heberlee of Nossaman LLP; and
c. Receive annual legislative report from Monterey County's state legislative advocate, John E. Arriaga of JEA & Associates.
SUMMARY:
The 2013-14 Legislative Program, as recommended by the Board's Legislative Committee, sets forth the County's legislative agenda for the upcoming state and federal legislative sessions. The Program includes legislative principles which provide authority to advocate for the County's interests on a wide variety of issues, and specific legislative priorities on issues of critical importance to the County.
DISCUSSION:
In the fall of each year, the Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs (IGLA) Division works with County departments, the County's state and federal legislative advocates, and the Board's Legislative Committee to craft a legislative program for recommendation to the Board to guide the County's legislative efforts for the coming year. On November 20, 2012, the Board's Legislative Committee met for this purpose and recommends that the Board adopt the 2013-14 Legislative Program. Upon adoption the Program will provide staff and the County's legislative advocates with the authority needed to take actions on behalf of the Board to protect, defend, or advance the County's interests in Washington D.C. and Sacramento in the upcoming federal and state legislative sessions.
The Legislative Program is based upon the Board's Strategic Initiatives. From the Strategic Initiatives, legislative principles were developed to provide broad direction and authority to guide the County's legislative efforts; and legislative priorities were identified on items of critical importance to the County. The legislative principles and priorities all tie back to an overarching goal of supporting the mission and vision the Board has set forth in its Strategic Initiatives.
The Legislative Program authorizes the County to expedite response to various legislative issues as they arise throughout the year, and is enhanced by the legislative programs that many department heads participate in through their various professional organizations.
The Legislative Program document will be provided to Monterey County legislators, agency staff and others to provide a quick snapshot of Monterey County, and to outline as concisely as possible the County's legislative interests. Especially important in this regard are the single page issue briefs on each of the County's legislative priority items which are included in the document.
The 2013-14 Legislative Program contains twenty-five (25) items that are of critical importance to County operations and have been designated as Legislative Priorities. The priority designation identifies issues for which the County will actively seek to engage state and federal legislators by way of legislative advocacy, requests for sponsorship of legislation, and/or funding opportunities.
The 2013-14 Legislative Program is different from past year programs in the following ways:
1) Two-Year Legislative Program: The Legislative Program has been developed to cover a two-year period to correspond with the two-year cycles of the State and Federal legislatures which will begin in January 2013.
2) Legislative Principles: Ten broad legislative principles have been developed to replace the 325+ specific legislative platform items in the 2012 Program. These principles were drafted to provide broad authority and flexibility in order to protect, defend, or advance the County's interests in the timeliest manner possible.
Also attached to this report is a document titled "Monterey County Legislative Committee Role and Responsibilities - and - Legislative Affairs Program Policies Governing Legislative Activities". This document was adopted by the Board on 11/15/11 to define the Legislative Committee's Role and Responsibilities and to set forth a protocol for legislative activities by the Board, County Administrative Office, County departments, elected and appointed department heads, and advisory boards and commissions of the Board of Supervisors. No changes are recommended to this document.
Additionally, annual reports on the County's state and federal efforts for calendar year 2012 are included in this report. The County's state and federal legislative advocates are present to provide these reports and also to report on anticipated issues for the 2013-14 legislative sessions.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrative Office - Intergovernmental & Legislative Affairs Division prepared this report with information provided to the Legislative Committee by Monterey County's department heads and state and federal legislative advocates.
FINANCING:
Monterey County's Legislative Program is funded in County Administrative Office-Department 1050, Intergovernmental & Legislative Affairs Division-Unit 8054. Approval of this recommendation will not result in additional General Fund contributions.
Prepared by: Approved by:
_______________________________ ________________________________________
Annette D'Adamo Nicholas E. Chiulos
Management Analyst III Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs Director
Date: November 26, 2012
Attachments:
1) 2013-14 Legislative Program
2) Legislative Committee Role & Responsibilities -and- Policies Governing Legislative Activities
3) Federal Legislative Report
4) State Legislative Report
cc: Department Heads; John Arriaga, JEA & Associates; Brent Heberlee, Nossaman LLP