Take Action
Oppose unless amended: AB 3093 (Ward) New Homelessness Planning Requirements
Lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill that would add new income categories to the state’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). AB 3093 (Ward), sponsored by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would add additional, duplicative requirements for local governments when they plan for housing for vulnerable Californians at a time when cities could lose out on critical state affordable housing and homelessness funding. The measure will be heard in the Senate Housing Committee on July 2. If you are represented by a Senator on the Senate Housing Committee, CALL YOUR SENATOR and voice your oppose unless amended position.
AB 3093 (Ward) sample oppose unless amended letter
Oppose AB 2557 (Ortega) Local Agencies: Contracts for Special Services and Temporary Help
AB 2557 is overly burdensome and inflexible and proposes sweeping changes to the fundamental work of local governments. Anyone contracting with local agencies to perform services that were done by employees represented by an employee organization in the
prior five years would need to adopt onerous reporting and audit requirements. This would include personally identifiable contractor information.
AB 2557 would likely disincentivize contractors from doing business with cities while increasing costs and delays. It would not improve services, reduce costs, or protect employees. Instead, AB 2557 will likely result in worse outcomes for vulnerable communities and diminish local services.
AB 2557 is set to be heard in the Senate Local Government Committee on June 11. CALL your senator and request their NO vote.
AB 2557 (Ortega) sample opposition letter
Homelessness and affordable housing programs at risk in State Budget
Call your Assembly Member and Senator TODAY, urging them to invest state funding to address homelessness and reject the proposed budget cuts to affordable housing programs.
Support AB 817 (Pacheco) Provides a narrow teleconferencing exemption under the Brown Act for nondecision-making bodies
AB 817 would provide a narrow exemption under the Brown Act for nondecision-making legislative bodies to participate in online public meetings without posting their location. This legislation removes barriers to participate in local government and seeks
to create a pathway for increased, diverse community input. AB 817 is set to be heard in the Senate Local Government Committee on June 5. If you have a Senator on the Senate Local Government Committee, call them and request their AYE vote on AB 817.
AB 817 (Pacheco) sample support letter
Oppose SB 1116 (Portantino) Unemployment Insurance: Strikes and AB 2404 (Lee) Sympathy Strikes
SB 1116 (Portantino)
This bill will be heard in Senate Appropriations on Thursday, May 16. If you are represented by a Senator who serves on Senate Appropriations, CALL YOUR SENATOR to voice your opposition before
Thursday.
AB 2404 (Lee)
This bill will be heard in Assembly Appropriations on Thursday, May 16. If you are represented by an Assembly Member who serves on Assembly Appropriations, CALL YOUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER and voice your opposition
before Thursday.
If these measures advance to the floor, ALL legislators need to hear from their cities. Please send CITY LETTERS OF OPPOSITION as soon as possible.
SB 1037 (Wiener) and AB 1886 (Alvarez)
Together, these measures would unfairly subject cities acting in good faith to fines up to $50k per month for violating unspecified housing laws and encourage builder’s remedy projects
that do not adhere to local zoning standards. Voice your CITY’S OPPOSITION TODAY by submitting a letter to your Senator on SB 1037 and submitting a letter to your Assembly Member on AB 1886.
Retail Theft Legislation
Fifteen bills are moving through the Legislature that will make meaningful statutory changes to address the increase in retail theft. Cal Cities has a support or support if amended position on each
bill, but lawmakers need to hear from their cities on this critical issue.
Voice your SUPPORT for these bills by submitting a letter as soon as possible. These bills are moving through various parts of
the legislative process, please use the links to the sample letters provided below to ensure your city’s voice is most effective.
Regulation Comments
Cal Cities' advocacy efforts do not stop once bills are signed into law. Cal Cities' staff, members, and coalition partners work with state officials to make sure that local government interests are protected during the regulation-making process.
Public Safety
- CalChamber Coalition Letter to Cal Fire Requesting Public Comment Deadline Extension (January 12, 2023)
Transportation, Communications, and Public Works
- Cal Cities Comments on Draft Advanced Clean Fleets Public Fleets Regulatory Language (October 11, 2022)
Environmental Quality
- Support Governor's Proposal to Maintain $345 Million from FY 21-22 and FY 22-23 for SB 1383 Implementation Grants and the Organic Waste Infrastructure Program - Coalition Letter (March 29, 2023)
- Cal Cities Comments on AB 205 Emergency Rulemaking (September 30, 2022)
- Cal Cities Comments on Proposed Phase 2 Decision Revising Electric Rule 20 (September 15, 2022)
- Cal Cities Comment Letter on CCC Critical Infrastructure at Risk: Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Guidance - Public Draft (September 24, 2021)
- State Water Resources Control Board Proposed Statewide Construction Stormwater General Permit – Coalition Letter (August 13, 2021)
- Proposed Phase 1 Decision Revising Electric Rule 20 and Enhancing Program Oversight (April 27, 2021)
- California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Rule 20 Rulemaking Letter (October, 10, 2020)
- CalRecycle Proposed 1383 Regulations Letter (May 17, 2020)
- SB 1383 - Fourth Round League Comments (May 13, 2020)
- SB 1383 - Local Services Rates Analysis Comment Letter (February 14, 2020)
- California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Rule 20 Rulemaking Letter (April 20, 2020)
- SB 1383 Proposed Regulation Released June 2019 (July 16, 2019)
- SB 1383 - Third Round Cal Cities Comments (October 11, 2019)
- SB 1383 - Second Round Cal Cities Comments (July 16, 2019)
- SB 1383 - Coalition Comments (June 27, 2019)
- SB 1383 - First Round Cal Cities Comments (February 13, 2019)
- SB 1383 - Cal Cities Comments - (May 16, 2018)
Community Services
Housing, Community, and Economic Development
Cal Cities' weekly hearings update — distributed via Cal Cities Advocate — highlights upcoming legislative hearings on the bills that matter most to cities. Read the report each Wednesday.
How to Submit a Position Letter
- Visit the California Legislature Position Letter Portal to create an account and upload this letter. If you are having difficulty accessing the portal, please contact Meg Desmond.
- In addition to submitting the letter through the portal, please send a physical copy to your Legislator(s), and email a copy to Cal Cities, as well as your Regional Public Affairs Manager.