CSDA has been informed that Senate Bill 1276 (Wyland) will be pulled from consideration by the author and will not be moving forward this year.  SB 1276 would have required special districts to defend costly legal claims against the work of private companies using ratepayer and taxpayer dollars.  It would have diverted scarce resources from job-creating core local infrastructure projects to trials and attorneys, and it would have removed a fundamental protection for the taxpayers of California.

CSDA’s Legislative Committee designated SB 1276 as a Priority 1 Oppose Bill, and numerous CSDA members and coalition partners participated in grassroots efforts against the legislation.

Public pension reform remains at the forefront of political discussion, resulting in a variety of significant legislative, budget and initiative proposals. In response, the legislature has formed a rare interim Conference Committee to address the myriad proposals from the governor and others. CSDA testified on behalf of special districts at the first Conference Committee hearing on October 26 in Carson, CA and the second hearing on December 1 in Sacramento.

Assembly Member Chesbro has amended AB 2474 to require the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BFFP) to adjust the State Responsibility Area (SRA) fire protection fee regulation by no later than July 1, 2013. The revision has to establish a maximum charge of $150 for any fire protection services, and the fee must take into account fire history and severity within the SRA.

Late in the legislative session last year, CSDA and other local government organizations agreed to remove our opposition to AB 506 based on amendments to the bill that were carefully negotiated with the assistance of Senator Lois Wolk, as Chair of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, and the Governor's Office. AB 506 has been in place for only a handful of months and is already under attack. It is important that local agencies voice their concern to this attempt to change the negotiated pre-bankruptcy filing process.