The CSAC Bulletin: March 11, 2016

The CSAC Bulletin for March 11, 2016

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March 11, 2016

In this Issue

Top Headlines
- Ch-Ch-Changes: New Assembly Leadership, Committee Swaps
- Tobacco Legislation Headed to Governor’s Desk
- Special Session on Health Care Adjourns

Policy Reports
- County Debt Issuance Under Microscope in New Bill
- Appeals Court: Withholding Local Tax Revenue Not OK in RDA Unwinding
- Sustainable Groundwater Management Act – Upcoming Public Meetings
- New Legislation Proposes Soda Tax
- Prohibition for Office Holders After Leaving Elected or Appointed Position
- CSAC Welcomes New HHS Analyst Elizabeth Marsolais
- CSAC Engaged With Pew-MacArthur "Results First" Project

- Policy Briefs
- Other Bills of Interest

CSAC News
- CSAC 2nd VP Appointed to National Task Force
- Take Advantage of our Legislative Conference Registration Discount
- From Our Blog:
Tree Mortality: The Cycle of Life Interrupted
Celebrating National County Government Month in California

Job Openings

Ch-Ch-Changes: New Assembly Leadership, Committee Swaps

The California State Assembly on Monday swore in a new Speaker, Anthony Rendon for the 63rd Assembly District (Los Angeles County). Rendon succeeds Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins and, thanks to the 2012 voter-fueled changes to term limits, Speaker Rendon can serve as many as eight years in this role. He has voiced his intention of focusing on labor, the environment and affordable housing policy issues and has demonstrated a particular interest in water policy, having played a lead part in the passage of the 2014 water bond.

CSAC’s advocacy on behalf of counties is closely tied to the positive relationships we build and maintain with members and leaders of the Legislature. With a new Speaker come changes in leadership and Assembly Committee membership. We look forward to working with County Supervisors and staff who may have existing relationships some of the legislators Speaker Rendon appointed to leadership posts yesterday.
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Tobacco Legislation Headed to Governor’s Desk
CSAC In Support of Three Bills

The CSAC Health and Human Services Policy Committee voted to support three of the tobacco regulation bills being heard in the Special Session on Health Care. On a forth bill, the committee voted to support is amended. As a package, the bills are intended to lower the rates of smoking in California. California has a rich history of tobacco control, which has helped to reduce the rates of smoking-related diseases, as well as the costs of both.
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Special Session on Health Care Adjourns

The Senate adjourned the Second Extraordinary Session on Health Care yesterday after passing a raft of tobacco control bills. The Governor had called the special session last June to work on the MCO fix and health care issues. Legislators passed a final Managed Care Organization tax on February 29.
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County Debt Issuance Under Microscope in New Bill

Newly introduced legislation would require counties to submit detailed information regarding their bond activity to the State Treasurer’s Office, in addition to existing reporting requirements already established to report debt issuance. While well intended, Senate Bill 1029 (Hertzberg) is cause for concern. California State Treasurer John Chiang is the sponsor.
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Appeals Court: Withholding Local Tax Revenue Not OK in RDA Unwinding

A recent redevelopment-related court ruling upholds control of local revenues by local governments, a determination that runs counter to state agency activity following the enactment of AB 1484 (Committee on Budget, 2012).
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Sustainable Groundwater Management Act – Upcoming Public Meetings

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) Sustainable Groundwater Management Program has scheduled three required public meetings and a statewide webinar to solicit comments on the Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan Emergency Regulations. Local agencies and interested parties are encouraged to attend, listen, and provide comments. The deadline to submit written comments has been extended to April 1, 2016. More Information
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New Legislation Proposes Soda Tax

Assembly Members Richard Bloom and Jim Wood have introduced a “Health Impact Fee” on sodas and other sugary beverages earlier this week. The bill, which is not yet in print (AB 2782), would impose a two-cent fee on each ounce of sugar-sweetened beverages to raise an estimated $2 billion annually. The fee would be charged at the distributor level.
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Prohibition for Office Holders After Leaving Elected or Appointed Position

Assembly Bill 2628 (Levine) seeks to address the “revolving door” issue of elected or appointed officials continuing to influence proceedings through other means following the end of their term
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CSAC Welcomes New HHS Analyst Elizabeth Marsolais

CSAC would like to introduce you to the newest member of the team, Elizabeth Marsolais, who joins us to work as our new Legislative Analyst. She started earlier this week as is working with Farrah McDaid Ting and Amanda Yang in the Health and Human Services policy area for CSAC.
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CSAC Engaged in Results First Project

CSAC partnered with the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative last fall in efforts to support county leaders as they engage in evidence-based policymaking.
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Policy Briefs

State Advisory Committee Meeting on Juvenile Justice, Delinquency Prevention

CSAC 2nd VP Appointed to National Task Force

CSAC Second Vice President and Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez has been appointed to serve on a new joint national task force to address the nation’s opioid and heroin abuse crisis. The National City-County Task Force on the Opioid Epidemic – a joint project of the National Association of Counties and National League of Cities – is comprised of 24 county and city leaders from across the country who will aim to enhance awareness, facilitate peer exchanges and identify sound policy and partnership solutions. Supervisor Perez is one of 12 county elected officials on the task force.
Read more

Take Advantage of our Legislative Conference Registration Discount

Are you planning on attending CSAC’s 2016 Legislative Conference? If the answer is yes, then registering by March 25 will save you $50.00 off regular advance rates. Set for May 18-19 in Sacramento, the conference will provide attendees an opportunity to hear the latest information from CSAC staff, issue experts and legislators as we work to ensure county priorities are part of the final budget deal in June.
Read more

From Our Blog:

Tree Mortality: The Cycle of Life Interrupted
By Richard Forster
As a long-time rancher, I know that there is a cycle to life and that no creature lives forever. Animals, people, we all have a limited time on this earth. The same is true of trees. Although some species can live for hundreds of years, even trees eventually die. But now in forests up and down the state, we are seeing the early and disastrous death of millions of trees. The latest estimates indicate we have 29 million dead or dying trees in California.
Read more

Celebrating National County Government Month in California
By Brian Namey
National County Government Month (NCGM), an annual celebration of county government that takes place each April, is just around the corner. Since 1991, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has encouraged counties across the country to take this opportunity to actively promote county services and programs, shining a light on the important role we play in our communities. This year is notable because it’s the 25^th anniversary of NCGM.
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Other Bills of Interest

A roundup of bills from all policy areas of interest to counties that are not included in this week's Bulletin articles. Please click here for CSAC's Legislative Tracking function.

AB 1562 (Kim) – Oppose Unless Amended
Emergency Preparedness Supplies

AB 1758 (Stone) – Support
Broadband Funding and Adoption Goals
Hearing Date: March 28, 2016 – Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee

AB 1952 (Gordon)— Support
Property Tax Postponement Program

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Job Openings

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