The CSAC Bulletin: April 6, 2017

The CSAC Bulletin for April 6, 2017

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April 6, 2017

In this Issue

Top Headlines
SB1 Floor Votes Expected Today

CSAC News
CSAC Seeks County Best Practices for Annual Challenge Awards
From Our Blog: ILG Offers Updated Ethics Resources

Policy Reports
State Controller Launches New Revenue Tracker
Federal Issues Update
Trailer Bill Language on Cannabis Released
Grants Awarded for Groundwater Cleanup
BSCC Releases Revised Adult Titles 15 and 24 Regulations
Bills of Interest
Aetna Offers Healthy Community Grants

Job Openings

Amador County Supervisor and CSAC Immediate Past President Richard Forster says SB1 makes good fiscal sense.

Sacramento County Supervisor and California Air Resources Board Member Phil Serna says SB1 will be good for roads, and air quality

SB1 Floor Votes Expected Today

Senate Bill 1, the plan to raise an additional $5.2 billion a year for transportation projects is due to be heard on the floor of both houses of the California Legislature today as the Governor, Legislative Leadership and a coalition of labor, business and local governments (including CSAC) continue to advocate in support. Wednesday saw a huge rally on the Steps of the State Capitol, headline by the Governor and featuring both Amador County Supervisor Richard Forster and Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna.
Read more

(The floor votes on SB1 are expected to happen late this afternoon or early evening. Check CSAC’s website for an updated version of this story.)

CSAC Seeks County Best Practices for Annual Challenge Awards

The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) invites you to enter our 2017 Challenge Awards competition.

These unique awards recognize the innovative and creative spirit of California county governments as they find innovative, effective and cost-saving ways to provide programs and services to their citizens. This is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight your county’s best practices and the staff behind them.

To review an electronic version of our Call for Entries, click here.

This year’s competition features new entry categories. Entrants will now be asked to market specific issue and population categories.
Read more

From Our Blog: ILG Offers Updated Ethics Resources

State and federal law create a complex set of requirements that guide California elected officials and agency staff in serving their communities. To help local officials navigate these laws, the Institute for Local Government (ILG,) in conjunction with CSAC, recently updated two of its flagship ethics resources: Understanding the Basics of Public Service Ethics Laws and Ethics Law Principles for Public Servants: Key Things to Know. Both publications are available as free downloads.
Read more

State Controller Launches New Revenue Tracker

April is a pivotal month for the state’s overall budget picture as a large number of tax returns are added to the books. Governor will be watching the numbers closely and thanks to the State Controller’s Office (SCO), the public can too. Daily personal income tax receipt totals are now available on the SCO’s recently launched revenue tracking website.
Read more

Federal Issues Update

McConnell Triggers “Nuclear Option” Over Gorsuch Vote

Lawmakers Finalize Letters in Support of Local Justice Programs

House Republicans Urge Appropriators to Bar Funding to Sanctuary Jurisdictions

Senate Hearing on FAA Reauthorization Focuses on Rural Air Service

New Cannabis Legislation Introduced in Congress

Trailer Bill Language on Cannabis Released

The Administration on Wednesday released a proposed trailer bill aimed at reconciling the differences between medical and recreational cannabis laws. This is an important step in the ongoing state and local implementation of cannabis policy in California.
Read more

Grants Awarded for Groundwater Cleanup

The State Water Resources Board announced the award of $20 million in grant funding to clean up contaminated groundwater. Eight projects received preliminary awards – congratulations to the Alameda County Water District, the City of Modesto, the Orange County Water District, the Water Replenishment District of Southern California, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, and the South Tahoe Public Utility District! The projects that received funding encompass a variety of groundwater quality improvements, including destruction of old wells to limit the spread of contamination and studies into the best methods to remove contamination.
Read more

BSCC Releases Revised Adult Titles 15 and 24 Regulations

The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Regulations Revision Executive Steering Committee (ESC) began meeting in 2015 to identify issues, provide direction to workgroups, and recommend revisions to Title 15 and Title 24 regulations. The proposed revisions were approved by the BSCC Board in June of 2016 and adopted April 1, 2017. A full text of the new regulations, including strikeout & underline and highlights, can be found below:
Read more

Bills of Interest

Administration of Justice
Domestic Violence Batterer Intervention Programs
AB 372 (Stone) – Sponsor As Amended April 3, 2017

CSAC Requests Your Feedback on These Bills!

Government Finance and Administration
Your feedback and comments on the following measures are appreciated by April 13. Please send your responses about how these bills would be helpful or harmful to Dorothy Johnson or Tracy Sullivan.

AB 1436 (Levine) – Lower Vote Threshold for Road Projects by BOS Proposed

AB 1479 (Bonta) – Supervisor of Public Records Creates New Mandates and Liability

SB 624 (Galgiani) – Liens on Personal and Private Property Assessed Below $200 Could Mean Streamlining

SB 771 (De León) – CEQA Education Requirement Necessary for Local Agency?

Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources
Please contact Cara Martinson (cmartinson@counties.org) or Betsy Hammer (bhammer@counties.org) with your comments.

SB 224 (Jackson) - Baseline Conditions in CEQA

Aetna Offers Healthy Community Grants

Healthy Communities Grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 are available to foster programs aimed at helping low-income and minority communities to make healthy choices. The first stage of the application process for the AETNA Foundation’s 2017 grant program is due April 14. The Foundation is inviting projects that address issues in the Built Environment, Community Safety, Environmental Exposures, Healthy Behaviors, and Social/Economic Factors. Additional information, including the RFP, is available here.

Job Openings

Click here to see the latest county and local government job postings.