Blog Viewer

Special Districts’ Voice Heard in the Capitol: 2021 Year-End Legislative Report Available for Download

By Vanessa Gonzales posted 10-25-2021 04:45 PM

  
picture of the CA State Capitol building with flags


In the first year of the 2021-2022 Legislative Session, 2,776 legislative measures were introduced. CSDA identified and actively tracked 739 bills affecting special districts and directly lobbied on 122 of those measures. Of the 52 bills opposed by CSDA, only 13 became law. The other 39 were killed or amended to remove CSDA’s concerns. Of the 70 bills supported by CSDA, 33 became law.

CSDA fulfilled its number one priority for special districts in 2021, leveraging every resource within the association to secure the largest ever State General Fund budget allocation exclusively for independent special districts, a dedicated $100 million COVID-19 relief fund. CSDA also worked with coalition partners to support billions more in industry-specific relief, such as utility arrearage funding. To achieve these milestones, CSDA organized an unprecedented grassroots campaign through its six public affairs field coordinators and led the newly formed National Special Districts Coalition in contracting for federal lobbying representation.

 

Beyond advocating for needed revenue replacement, CSDA achieved critical policy changes through the legislative process, including passage of sponsored legislation facilitating remote Brown Act meetings. Other successful efforts prevented restrictions on capital improvement revenue, halted unfunded mandates, and supported efficient local services.

 

A few highlights from CSDA’s 2021 advocacy efforts include:

 

Record Financial Support for Special Districts

  • Secured $100 million State General Fund allocation exclusively for independent special districts affected by the pandemic to ensure no district was left without access to relief.
  • Sponsored Federal legislation to provide billions of dollars in relief to special districts across the country (S. 91 and H.R. 535). The legislation led to Federal authorization for states, cities, and counties to transfer relief funding to special districts. With support from CSDA, special districts have sought and attained millions of dollars in CARES and ARP dollars through this avenue.
  • Supported the approval of $2 billion in relief funding to address utility arrearages and $250 million in funding for ports and harbors.
  • In concert with the National Special Districts Coalition, supported special district eligibility for $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure package.

 

Unprecedented Advocacy Effort for Relief Funding

  • Built statewide coalition of over 750 signatories.
  • Conducted over 100 meetings with State Legislators and their staff.
  • Held more than 60 meetings with Administration officials, Department of Finance, committee staff, and Legislative leadership.
  • Brought forward over 200 special district officials to tell their stories following a prep session with CSDA.
  • 49 State Legislators, 16 Members of Congress, and both U.S. Senators in California endorsed sign-on letters to the Governor.

 

Protection from Costly Mandates and Restrictions

  • Averted a renewed threat of property tax deferrals in the middle of the pandemic when communities served by special districts were in dire need of essential services.
  • Stopped or amended efforts to severely restrict the development impact fees that fund local infrastructure projects needed to support new housing. (AB 59, AB 602, and AB 678)
  • Blocked misguided unfunded mandate for special districts to catalog on their website every district bathroom. (AB 1017)
  • Removed special districts from unwieldy new Brown Act meeting unfunded mandates. (AB 339)

 

Flexibility and Efficiency for Local Services

  • Sponsored remote Brown Act meeting legislation to provide special district boards with the flexibility to meet virtually during a declared emergency such as a pandemic or wildfire. (AB 361)
  • Garnered amendments to extend the deadline for special districts to approve redistricting maps following the delayed 2020 U.S. Census and avoid new mandates related to the redistricting process. (SB 594 and SB 443)
  • Partnered with a coalition of employers to hold the line against efforts to roll back the cost-saving reforms CSDA helped enact under Governor Jerry Brown. (AB 399, AB 1465, SB 213, and SB 335)

 

DOWNLOAD CSDA’S 2021 YEAR-END LEGISLATIVE REPORT


#AdvocacyNews
#FeatureNews

0 comments
3221 views

Permalink