{"id":4238,"date":"2025-01-14T14:53:21","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T22:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/?p=4238"},"modified":"2025-01-14T14:53:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T22:53:46","slug":"legislative-update-january-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/legislative-update-january-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislative Update &#8211; January 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"postie-post\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"WordSection1\">\n<table class=\"MsoNormalTable\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"634\" style=\"width:475.5pt;margin-left:5.4pt;border-collapse:collapse\">\n<tr style=\"height:112.0pt\">\n<td width=\"496\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width:372.0pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;height:112.0pt\">\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><span style=\"letter-spacing:.3pt\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><b><span style=\"font-size:16.0pt;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.3pt\">Legislative Update<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.3pt\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.3pt\">Richard Markuson<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.3pt\">Region 9 Legislative Advocate<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><span style=\"letter-spacing:.3pt\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td width=\"138\" style=\"width:103.5pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;height:112.0pt\">\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"margin-right:5.75pt;text-align:center\"><span style=\"letter-spacing:.3pt\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"107\" height=\"142\" style=\"width:1.1145in;height:1.4791in\" id=\"Picture_x0020_1\" src=\"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/30\/2025\/01\/image001-scaled.jpg\"><\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing:.3pt\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\"Aptos\",sans-serif\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\"><b>Important Dates:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin-top:0in\" type=\"disc\">\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">January 1, 2025 \u2013 Statutes take effect<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">January 10 \u2013 Governor submits budget<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">February 21 \u2013 Bill introduction deadline<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">April 1 \u2013 21 \u2013 Spring Recess<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">April 24 \u2013 Region 9 Infrastructure Symposium (Los Angeles)<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">May 2 \u2013 Last day for policy committees to hear and report to fiscal committees fiscal bills introduced in their house<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">June 4 \u2013 ASCE\/APWA Legislative Day (Sacramento)<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"margin-left:0in\">June 6 \u2013 Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><b>Lawmakers Propose Doubling State\u2019s Rainy-Day Fund <\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\">Democratic state lawmakers are proposing a constitutional amendment that would ask voters to double the cap on California\u2019s main reserve account, an attempt to blunt the impact of future budget shortfalls months after officials addressed one of the largest deficits in state history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><b>What it would do: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov\/faces\/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260ACA1\">ACA<\/a> 1 would raise the limit on the <a href=\"https:\/\/lao.ca.gov\/Publications\/Report\/3900\">Budget Stabilization Account<\/a> to 20 percent of annual general fund revenue. It would also change the amount of state income that is deposited into the fund each year from 1.5 percent, but it doesn\u2019t yet specify by how much.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><b>Background: <\/b>Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders agreed over the summer to pursue a 2026 constitutional amendment to grow the reserve. The new proposal from Assemblymember Avelino Valencia and 15 co-authors could serve as the vehicle for that change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\">After painful Great Recession-era budget cuts, California voters in 2014 passed a ballot measure requiring the state to deposit money into a &#8220;rainy-day&#8221; reserve fund every year. During the most recent budget deal, officials planned to draw $12.2 billion from the account over two years to offset multiyear deficits. <\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><b>Challenges:<\/b> Newsom himself has acknowledged that it would be difficult to persuade voters to pass a somewhat arcane rewrite of state budget rules but has nevertheless voiced support for such a change. There&#39;s also the issue of convincing taxpayers to allow the state to hold on to more money, especially considering pocketbook issues are often among voters&#39; top priorities. <\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><b>What\u2019s next:<\/b> The details of the proposal will likely still have to be negotiated, including how much would be funneled into the account each year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\"><b>Appointments<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center\">By Governor<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center\">Do not require Senate confirmation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><u>As chief financial officer, High-Speed Rail Authority<\/u>: <b>Jamey Matalka<\/b>, El Dorado Hills, no party preference, director of risk management and project controls at High-Speed Rail Authority since 2020. Salary: $262,008.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><u>As director, Office of Traffic Safety<\/u>: <b>Stephanie Dougherty<\/b>, Sacramento, no party preference, deputy secretary of transportation safety and enforcement at the State Transportation Agency since 2016. Salary: $176,808.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto\"><u>As deputy secretary of equity and workforce, State Transportation Agency<\/u>: <b>Allison Joe<\/b>, Sacramento, Democrat, senior advisor to Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg since 2024. Salary: $179,004.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\"><b>Reports of Interest<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\">State Library\u2019s California Research Bureau releases, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.library.ca.gov\/crb\/nexus\/briefs\/car-parking\/\">Is Car Parking Destroying Cities?<\/a>,\u201d finds \u201ca single parking space takes up 180 sq ft of space, but when you add all the ramps and access walkways, its closer to 300 sq ft,\u201d which \u201cis the size of a median studio apartment in Los Angeles,\u201d also finds \u201ccities often set parking prices too low, leading to over occupancy, encouraging people to cruise for parking, and adding to traffic congestion;\u201d recommendations include \u201cdedicating parking revenue to fund neighborhood enhancements,\u201d and \u201cremoving or reducing minimum parking requirements\u201d to \u201cfree up valuable land for housing, businesses, and public spaces, fostering more vibrant and walkable urban environments.\u201d Contact: Tonya Lindsey, <a href=\"mailto:tonya.lindsey@library.ca.gov\"><a href=\"mailto:tonya.lindsey@library.ca.gov\" >tonya.lindsey@library.ca.gov<\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\">Research Bureau also releases, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.library.ca.gov\/crb\/nexus\/briefs\/housing-recessions-inequality-policy\/\">Housing, Recessions, Inequality and Policy Responses<\/a>,\u201d compares \u201cfederal and state policy responses to the 2008 and 2020 recessions\u201d to provide \u201cinsights and lessons that can be built upon as governments continue to consider their role in economic recoveries, how to respond to future economic shocks, and how to continue to address housing access and affordability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\">Public Policy Institute of California releases, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ppic.org\/publication\/college-affordability-in-california\/?utm_source=ppic&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=epub\">College Affordability in California<\/a>,\u201d finds that \u201cfood and housing costs for living off-campus not with family account for 41% of total expenses at UC, 56% at CSU, and 72% at California Community Colleges,\u201d and \u201cmost aid recipients at CCC (67%) live with family off-campus, saving about three quarters of the costs for living independently; at CSU, 48% of aid recipients live with family and save about half\u201d and \u201ceighty percent of UC aid recipients live on campus, where costs are similar to off-campus independent living.\u201d Contact: <a href=\"mailto:info@ppic.org\"><a href=\"mailto:info@ppic.org\" >info@ppic.org<\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\">California Budget and Policy Center releases, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/calbudgetcenter.org\/resources\/federal-funds-drive-one-third-of-californias-state-budget\/\">Federal Funds Drive One-Third of California\u2019s State Budget<\/a>,\u201d says of the $450.8 billion 2024-25 state budget, $153 billion, or 33.9%, consists of federal funds, and \u201cTrump administration cuts could jeopardize services for millions of Californians;\u201d also says \u201clargest share\u201d of federal funding, $98.5 billion, is budgeted through Dept. of Health Care Services for Medi-Cal, which serves \u201cmore than 14 million Californians,\u201d while the \u201csecond largest share,\u201d $12.1 billion, goes to Dept. of Social Services for \u201cchild welfare services, foster care, the CalWORKs program and other critical services.\u201d Contact: <a href=\"mailto:contact@calbudgetcenter.org\"><a href=\"mailto:contact@calbudgetcenter.org\" >contact@calbudgetcenter.org<\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:6.0pt;page-break-after:avoid\">Public Policy Institute of California releases, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ppic.org\/blog\/understanding-water-available-for-recharge-in-the-central-valley\/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=understanding-water-available-for-recharge-in-the-central-valley?utm_source=ppic&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=blog_subscriber\">Understanding Water Available for Recharge in the Central Valley<\/a>,\u201d examines \u201chow to build on recent successes in groundwater recharge while protecting the environment and the rights of downstream water users,\u201d provides \u201cseveral important takeaways for advancing beneficial recharge policies: 1. the tradeoffs between upstream diversions and exports can be significant, especially for diversions upstream of the San Joaquin River;\u201d \u201c2. the fact that exporters don\u2019t operate at capacity during wet years creates more opportunities for recharge;\u201d \u201c3. more flexibility is needed regarding upstream diversions of flood flows;\u201d \u201c4. updates to environmental regulations in the Delta likely will not change the basic story;\u201d and \u201cother state and local policies can help make the most of available water.\u201d Contact: <a href=\"mailto:blog@ppic.org\"><a href=\"mailto:blog@ppic.org\" >blog@ppic.org<\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:\"Aptos\",sans-serif\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 Legislative Update \u00a0 Richard Markuson Region 9 Legislative Advocate \u00a0 \u00a0 Important Dates: January 1, 2025 \u2013 Statutes take effect January 10 \u2013 Governor submits budget February 21 \u2013 Bill introduction deadline April 1 \u2013 21 \u2013 Spring Recess April 24 \u2013 Region 9 Infrastructure Symposium (Los Angeles) May 2 \u2013 Last day for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4238\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asce-staging.org\/sf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}