LEGISLATIVE 2020 SESSION
teresting topic that could have a big impact on every local government agency throughout the state is whether or not the Legislature will follow the recommendation of the governor’s homeless advisory council to put a measure on the ballot changing the state’s Constitution to create a legally enforceable mandate on cities and counties to end homelessness.
If that were to happen, he said, state and local governments would be required to reduce barriers to the creation of interim and permanent housing, including rapid approval and siting of interim housing, permanent housing, supportive services and targeted prevention to reduce homelessness.
“Just what that would look like, we don’t know. But without some clarity about which local governments are required to do exactly what and with what resources, a mandate is not going to achieve anything,” Smith said. “And it would not be productive for the state to mandate actions by local governments without providing the necessary resources to achieve the goal.”
Aside from the topic of a mandate, Smith said he is hopeful that a larger discussion is occurring in the state about the homeless crisis.
“It seems to be a priority now in Sacramento and perhaps more assistance – such as allowing the use of state property for emergency shelter and reducing barriers to new construction of affordable housing – will be forthcoming,” Smith said. “This includes a pending bill that if passed into law would eliminate most environmental review for projects related to homelessness.”
– Gary Cena, Marysville Joint Unified School District superintendent
Cena said they’re watching how the state may define parameters for closing schools during Pacific Gas and Electric Co. power shutoffs – how much authority will the school district have and criteria in determining whether or not closing school is necessary. Cena said last fall during the power shutoffs, each district was coming up with their own determinations based on safety of students and the quality of learning experience.
– Senate Bill 328, which passed last year, stated middle schools could start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The schedule must be met starting in 2022. But it exempts rural school districts. Cena said they’re expecting rural times to be defined.
– Assembly Bill 48, a $15 billion school bond, is set to be on the ballot in March. He said it could provide needed resources for schools and if it passes, there would be funds available that schools could utilize for facilities projects.
– Cena said they’re also watching a pair of Assembly bills having to do with Local Control and Accountability Plan funding – AB 1834 and AB 1835. AB 1834, he said, talks about tracking the supplemental and concentration funds that school districts receive, identifying where they are and how the funds are spent. AB 1835 would require that each school district identify unspent supplemental and concentration funds and report those funds.
– Clint Curry, Yuba County district attorney
Curry said his office is not tracking any bills which are currently working through this legislative session, but said the DA’S office is watching several statewide initiatives which are eligible for the November 2020 ballot.
“In particular, we are following The Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act, and the referendum seeking to overturn the 2018 law that replaced the money bail system with a system based on public safety risk,” Curry said in an email.
He said his office hopes the reducing crime initiative passes because it “would restore felony penalties for some theftrelated crimes committed in retail stores, such as identity theft.”
Curry said his office hopes the referendum to overturn bail reform fails, citing public safety should come before financial advantages.
“Whether a person arrested for a crime is
released from custody pending trial should be a decision made based on public safety, not how much money the person can afford to pay a bondsman,” Curry said.
– Marni Sanders, YubaSutter Chamber of Commerce CEO
Sanders said the chamber is being more proactive. It joined the United Advocacy Network (UCAN) which includes a handful of other chambers in the area.
“This will be a way to amplify the voice of our members and leverage lawmakers’ interest in small business to advance policies with the help of a lobbyist who will be working on behalf of our members at the capitol,” Sanders said via email.
A UCAN survey of members found that the top four issues businesses in the area are concerned about are taxes, regula
tions, California’s overall business climate and wage mandates. Those same businesses are concerned about AB5 – employees vs. independent contractor status, with 58 percent concerned that it will impact their business, according to Sanders.
Sanders said the chamber’s focus in 2020 will be to reduce taxes and oppose tax increases, oppose increased regulations, improve California’s business climate, oppose wage increases/support reform of minimum wage, oppose additional human resources/labor regulations, support the use of independent contractors by small businesses and oppose efforts to dilute the protections of Prop 13 including split roll tax initiatives which unfairly tax commercial properties.
– Sarbdeep Atwal, YubaSutter Farm Bureau board member
“Some of the core issues that concern us farmers ... revolve around Federal
immigration policies that address the current and future labor force,” Atwal said. “As many farmers have employees who have been with their operations for several years, many of which have no immigration status, but have tremendous value to the operations from their skill and experience.”
He said there should be some way to legitimize and or provide temporary work status as long as they meet conditions such as minimal crime and or public charge etc. The threat of Immigrations
and Customs Enforcement raids on work sites continues to worry many immigrants and their families.
“Most of our state legislation body appreciates the value of immigrant labor force to the farming industry, and thus, we are hopeful this legislation session can formulate some sort of program to achieve this.”
He said other issues farmers face include the increase in minimum wage and overtime thresholds, and groundwater management.
– Robert Bendorf, Yuba County administrator
Bendorf is hoping for more clarification and funding on homelessness that makes sense for rural areas.
Top concerns include additional state mandates and the continued transfer of funds to other uses without any regard for local services. Bendorf is concerned about additional juvenile justice and state prison reforms that can have negative impacts at the local level.
Bendorf is a proponent
of the assembly bill, formerly known as 137, that would prohibit a person from negatively impacting levees.
In addition, Yuba County sides with creating a master plan for aging as a way to assist local jurisdictions in preparing for demographic changes.
Currently the law, known as Senate Bill 228, requests that the state compile specific information, including government resources, to address the needs of an aging society.