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    6.    
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: 12/19/2019  
Subject:    County Protocol on State and Federal Advocacy Efforts
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department: County Administrator  
Referral No.: 2019-33  
Referral Name: Protocol on Advocacy Efforts
Presenter: L. DeLaney Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097
Information
Referral History:
The Contra Costa County protocol and procedures on advocacy state and federal advocacy efforts was developed by the Legislation Committee in 2008 and has not been updated since that time.
Referral Update:
During the development of the Draft 2020 Platforms, staff reviewed the legislative platforms of several urban counties in California. One county, Sacramento County, includes in its adopted "Federal and State Legislative Priorities," their "Procedures for Expedited Positions and Comments on Federal and State Legislation and Regulatory Matters," as well as their "Procedures for Board of Supervisors' Consideration of Statewide Ballot Measures." At their October 3, 2019 meeting, the Contra Costa County Legislation Committee expressed an interest in including the Contra Costa County protocol/procedures related to legislative advocacy as an attachment to the draft 2020 Platforms.

Contra Costa County's procedures for legislative advocacy were developed by the Legislation Committee (Chair Piepho, Vice Chair Bonilla) in 2008. (Attachment A) While the process may have evolved over the last decade, the protocol has not been updated to reflect current practices. The Legislation Committee may wish to consider updates to the protocol to include such things as the consideration of statewide ballot measures and comments on federal rulemakings.

The Sacramento County procedures are as follows:

Procedures for Expedited Positions and Comments on Federal and State Legislation and Rulemakings

On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive or his designee shall direct the Governmental Relations and Legislative Officer on the appropriate position or comments that should be taken or made on pending state and federal legislation, budget items or regulatory
rulemakings when:
  • A majority of the Board has taken a position as members of another local legislative body and affected county department(s) agree(s) with the position; or
  • The proposal is technical, non?controversial or the policy impacts to the county are minor and there is no existing legislative policy; or
  • Action is needed immediately to ensure that the county’s interests are protected; or
  • Action is needed to prevent modification or termination of an existing county program or policy; and
  • The Board of Supervisors will be informed of the actions taken on their behalf.
Procedures for Board of Supervisors’ Consideration of Statewide Ballot Measures
  • Only those ballot measures that qualify for the statewide ballot will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. The Board will not be asked to take positions on petition initiatives while they are still being circulated for signatures.
  • Constitutional amendments and bond measures upon which the county may have previously taken a position while it was pending in the state legislature may also be presented, if qualified for the statewide ballot.
  • The Board of Supervisors will only consider ballot measures whose subject area relates to county policies or programs. If there is no relevant adopted legislative policy that applies, a new policy must be developed and submitted to the Board at the same time as the ballot measure.
  • All ballot measures must be reviewed and an impartial analysis provided by the Governmental Relations and Legislative Officer prior to presentation to the Board. A decision to present a ballot measure to the Board, regardless of the recommending party, shall reflect a consensus about impacts to county interests.
  • The Board report shall include a copy of the ballot measure or a link to it; sufficient information to understand the impacts to the county; a list of known support or opposition; and identification of existing county policy or policies that justify the
    recommended position or the new policy.
  • The Board report shall be scheduled for action sufficiently in advance of the election to enable the Board’s action to be relevant, and to the extent possible, to enable the Board to postpone and reconsider the measure at a later Board hearing.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
REVIEW the adopted Contra Costa County protocol and procedures on state and federal advocacy and provide direction to staff.
Attachments
Attachment A: Board Orders on Advocacy Protocols

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