HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2309-2059Policy & Services Committee
Staff Report
From: Chantal Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Meeting Date: December 12, 2023
Report #: 2309-2059
TITLE
Discussion regarding State and Federal Legislative Advocacy and Discussion and
Recommendation on the Annual Legislative Guidelines and Legislative Platform
BACKGROUND
Staff recommends that the Policy & Services Committee recommend that City Council approve
the 2024 Federal and State Legislative Guidelines / Legislative Platform (Attachment A).
ANALYSIS
As part of the City’s state and federal legislative advocacy program, staff and the City’s
contracted federal and state advocates work to identify and analyze potentially impactful
legislation and communicate the City’s public advocacy positions to legislators. The program is
guided by the Advocacy Process Manual, last approved by City Council on January 13, 2020
(CMR #10772). In addition to the Manual, the City maintains a City Council-approved set of
legislative guidelines that provide additional City Council policy direction to staff and the City’s
state and federal legislative advocates. The legislative guidelines are used by staff in
consultation with the Mayor to respond to bills and other issues that emerge throughout the
year. They allow for efficiency in the fast-paced legislative environment.
The guidelines were last discussed at the Policy & Services Committee in October 20221 and
subsequently at City Council during discussions of the contract for federal and state advocacy.
Legislative Guidelines
The Legislative Guidelines enhance and add content to the City Council’s overarching priorities;
they do not supplant them. The guidelines provide direction to staff and the City’s legislative
advocates on issues that are both (a) important to the City Council, and (b) likely to become a
legislative issue in 2024. The guidelines are not rank ordered and are intentionally reasonably
1 October 11, 2022 Policy and Services Agenda: Item 1:
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/Weblink/DocView.aspx?id=8496
broad rather than specifically narrow to allow for a flexible and quick response. Further, the
guidelines are not proactive instructions; they act as a means by which staff and advocates can
respond to federal and state government action, without returning to the City Council each
time a bill is introduced or amended.
Attachment A is an updated Legislative Guidelines with feedback from the City Council
Legislative Matters Ad Hoc Committee. The recommendation from the Policy and Services
Committee will be taken to the full City Council in January 2024 for discussion and adoption.
Legislative Update
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
ATTACHMENTS