To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: M. Christina Rivera (CEO), Christel Querijero (DCAO), and Will Tesconi (Legislative Affairs Manager) 707-565-2431
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
2025 Sonoma County Legislative Platform and Program
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt the Sonoma County 2025 Legislative Platform and approve the Sonoma County Legislative Affairs Program and Sonoma County Strategic Grant Program policies.
end
Executive Summary:
Adoption of the Sonoma County 2025 Legislative Platform (Attachment A) provides policy direction for Legislative Affairs staff advocating on behalf of the County on state and federal issues. Adoption of the County Legislative Affairs Program (Attachment C) and the County Strategic Grant Program (Attachment D) establish guidelines for all County staff conducting legislative and grant advocacy in their official capacity.
Staff recommends adoption of the 2025 Sonoma County Legislative Platform, the Legislative Affairs Program, and Strategic Grant Program.
Discussion:
The Legislative Affairs Program (Attachment C) ensures that legislative advocacy by all County staff is consistently communicated and aligned with Board direction. The Strategic Grant Program (Attachment D) positions County staff to be more forward-thinking in its pursuit of state and federal funding opportunities.
Historically, the Board has adopted the Legislative Platform (Attachment A) every two years. Staff initiated the internal review of the platform in June 2024 to ensure that adoption was completed before the start of the state and federal legislative sessions in 2025.
The Legislative Platform was developed based on engagement with individual Board members and the feedback received from County departments, agencies and districts. County Administrator’s Office Legislative Affairs staff identified common positions critical to local governance as a foundation for the Platform. While many strong policy proposals were submitted, not all were included as staff believe that more focused and singular policy issues are more effectively addressed through the individual policy associations and technical working groups in which County staff already participate.
For 2025, staff proposes a new approach to the Legislative Platform process which seeks to make the resource more accessible to state and federal policymakers. Legislative Affairs staff is highlighting the following notable changes:
a) Review of the Legislative Platform on an annual, rather biannual, basis.
b) Overall length of the platform has shortened considerably. Previously adopted platforms that might have enumerated specific programs, funding streams, or policy considerations have been largely consolidated under the Foundational Principles, which outline a general philosophy on local governance that staff can employ when analyzing a wide range of policy issues.
c) Platform positions no longer distinguish between state and federal jurisdictions but are synthesized under common goals in the Policy Platform section. The Policy Platform anticipates state and federal legislation impacting local government in 2025 and provides staff with policy direction.
d) Departments and agencies brought forward bill ideas under the State Policy Proposals section. The State Policy Proposals have been vetted by Legislative Affairs staff as opportunities to work with our elected delegation in Sacramento to improve policy based on the technical expertise of County staff.
Should the Board adopt the 2025 Sonoma County Legislative Platform, staff would:
1. Immediately begin identifying authors in the California Legislature to carry State Policy Proposals.
2. Familiarize elected officials with the positions and priorities outlined in the Legislative Platform.
3. Identify legislation aligned with the Legislative Platform, and direct County resources to advocate accordingly.
Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Organizational Excellence
Objective 1: Align the Board of Supervisor’s strategic priorities, policy, and operational goals with funding and resources.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
May 9, 2023: Board approved 2023-2024 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
N/A
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment A-2025 Sonoma County Legislative Platform
Attachment B-2025 Sonoma County Legislative Platform - Spanish Translation
Attachment C-2025 Sonoma County Legislative Affairs Program
Attachment D-2025 Sonoma County Strategic Grant Program
Attachment E-Presentation
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None