HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-16; Council Policy No. 39 - Administration - Intergovernmental Affairs ProgramPage 1 of 4
Council Policy Statement
Category: ADMINISTRATION
Specific Subject: Intergovernmental Affairs Program
PURPOSE:
To establish the guidelines of the city's intergovernmental affairs program.
BACKGROUND:
The city’s intergovernmental affairs program enables the city to efficiently and effectively
address intergovernmental and legislative matters affecting the city. By establishing a
standing City Council Legislative Subcommittee and an Intergovernmental Affairs Director
position, the city recently enhanced its capacity to monitor, analyze and respond to a steadily
increasing stream of new legislation and an increasingly complex network of relationships
existing among governmental agencies at the federal, state and local level. This policy
establishes an appropriate and flexible intergovernmental affairs program for the City of
Carlsbad.
POLICY:
1.The city will maintain an ongoing membership in the League of California Cities, which
serves to promote the unified position of municipalities in San Diego County and
throughout California to the state and federal legislature.
2.The City Council will adopt a Legislative Platform that clearly expresses the city's
position on, and provides a basis for prioritizing and acting upon, a broad range of
intergovernmental and legislative matters.
The Legislative Platform will be reviewed annually by the City Council
Legislative Subcommittee and amended as needed by the City Council.
3.The City Council will adopt Legislative Priorities to guide the city’s advocacy efforts
during the state’s biennial legislative session.
The Legislative Priorities will be reviewed annually by the City Council
Legislative Subcommittee and amended as needed by the City Council.
4.The City Council Legislative Subcommittee will work in coordination with the
Intergovernmental Affairs Director, City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, city
departments, legislative consultants and the Carlsbad community to:
Policy No. 39
Date Issued:
Effective Date:
Resolution No.
Cancellation Date:
Supersedes No. 39 (Eff. 4/20/1994)
Attachment A
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2020-116
06/16/2020
Policy No. 39
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a. Receive information and advise the City Council on intergovernmental and
legislative matters affecting the city;
b. Continuously monitor state and federal proposed legislation, and:
i. Review proposed legislation for consistency with the Legislative
Platform;
ii. Make recommendations to the City Council to identify high priority
bills; and
iii. Make recommendations to the City Council to adopt advocacy
positions on high priority bills not addressed by the Legislative
Platform;
c. Proactively seek to identify local and regional legislative needs and
recommend bill sponsorship opportunities to the City Council; and
d. Engage and inform the Carlsbad community (residents, businesses,
stakeholder groups) and other governmental agencies on intergovernmental
and legislative matters affecting the city.
5. Only the Mayor or the Mayor’s designee may sign a letter on behalf of the city or the
city’s subsidiary entities, to oppose or support legislation, or otherwise advocate in
support or opposition of intergovernmental matters.
6. Only the City Council may authorize a letter to be sent on behalf of the city or the
city’s subsidiary entities to oppose or support legislation not clearly addressed by the
Legislative Platform.
PROCEDURE:
1. The city will utilize the League of California Cities’s Summary of Existing Policy and
Guiding Principles as an organizational framework for structuring the city’s Legislative
Platform.
2. The City Council Legislative Subcommittee will review the Legislative Platform
annually, and will recommend amendments to the City Council for adoption, as
needed.
3. The Intergovernmental Affairs Director will monitor the League of California Cities's
CA Cities Advocate, Action Alerts and other informational resources, and will engage
the City Attorney’s Office, city departments, city boards, committees and
commissions, legislative consultants, federal, state and local governmental agencies,
affiliated professional associations and the Carlsbad community to identify and inform
the City Council Legislative Subcommittee on emerging and ongoing legislative trends,
proposed legislation and other intergovernmental matters having a direct and
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Policy No. 39
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significant impact on the city’s fiscal, operational and environmental health, and the
overall quality of life enjoyed by Carlsbad residents and other stakeholders.
a. The City Council Legislative Subcommittee will consider emerging and ongoing
legislative trends and proposed legislation in reviewing the city’s Legislative
Priorities annually, and will recommend amendments to the City Council for
adoption, as needed.
b. The Intergovernmental Affairs Director will identify and inform the City Council
Legislative Subcommittee on proposed legislation and other
intergovernmental matters that may have a direct and significant impact on
the city’s fiscal, operational and environmental health, and the overall quality
of life enjoyed by Carlsbad residents and other stakeholders.
i. If the City Council Legislative Subcommittee deems such to be a
potential high priority bill or other intergovernmental matter clearly
consistent or inconsistent with the Legislative Platform, the City
Manager and Intergovernmental Affairs Director shall be authorized to
request, and the Mayor or the Mayor’s designee shall be authorized to
take appropriate action in support or opposition.
ii. If the City Council Legislative Subcommittee deems such to be a
potential high priority bill or other intergovernmental matter not
clearly consistent or inconsistent with the Legislative Platform, the City
Council Legislative Subcommittee will develop and present a
recommended advocacy position to the City Council for consideration.
iii. In cases when the City Council Legislative Subcommittee cannot reach
a decision as to whether a proposed piece of legislation should be
deemed a high priority bill, or whether it is consistent or inconsistent
with the Legislative Platform, the matter will be referred to the City
Council to make such determination.
iv. As the State Legislature nears the end of the legislative session each
year, hundreds of bills are often amended and passed over the course
of only a few days. In cases when a late‐breaking bill amendment is
determined by the City Manager to have a potentially significant
beneficial or detrimental effect on the city; and when such amendment
is scheduled to be heard by the Legislature before it can be reviewed
by the City Council Legislative Subcommittee or City Council, as may
otherwise be required; the City Manager and Intergovernmental Affairs
Director shall be authorized, in coordination with the Mayor, to take
appropriate action in support or opposition of the proposed
amendment, consistent with a position taken by the League of
California Cities or another affiliated professional association.
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Policy No. 39
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4. The Intergovernmental Affairs Director will provide the City Council with a monthly
update on the progress of high priority bills and other intergovernmental matters.
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