RECEIVE update on state legislative activities and RECOMMEND the Board adopt positions on legislation.

Staff will present a legislative update and a bill list for consideration and recommendation to the Board.

Some of the bills on the draft list would have funding impacts on the agency if enacted.

Attachment 1 is the itinerary for the Central Coast Coalition legislative day attended by Chair Huitt, Executive Director Hale, and Principal Planner Watson. Attachment 2 is a write-up by Agency Legislative Analyst Gus Khouri. Some key takeaways include:

• The Central Coast Coalition, composed of the 5 counties on the Central Coast, is a stronger voice than if each County worked alone, and our elected representatives in Sacramento appreciate our collaborative approach to legislation and grant applications.
• The Governor's proposal to tie housing production to Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) transportation funding is of great concern to everyone, especially local elected officials who campaigned to protect SB 1 funding in 2018. The Governor himself said if we can think of a better "stick", to let him know, but that his primary goal is to increase housing in California, and especially affordable housing. He was very open to the group's ideas and interested in the Coast Rail project.
• There are a few bills of concern to the group, including SB 526 (Allen), which would favor greenhouse gas emissions reductions over safety or congestion relief in project selection, and a proposal to change the local partnership and active transportation grant programs to favor formula funding over competitive. Our region has done well from the competitive pot and would get very little funding if the programs were converted to being primarily formula.
• It seems unlikely that the definition of "disadvantaged communities" will be revised or standardized. This is a problem for the Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities program, from which no grants have been awarded to the 5-county region in the first four rounds. Other barriers in that grant program for our region are their definition of "rural", transit service frequency, and density requirements.

Attachment 3 is an updated bill list. Changes to the list compared to the TAMC Board meeting of March 27 are indicated in cross-out and underline. New support/oppose recommendations are as follows:

• Assembly Bill (AB) 697 (Ting): Bicycles: This bill strengthens the language on when a bicyclist can take the lane. Recommend support.
• AB 1486 (Ting): Local Agencies: surplus land: This bill would require special districts and other public agencies to offer a right of first refusal to affordable housing developers, schools, and park agencies before leasing, selling, or otherwise “conveying” any of the agency’s land. This bill could impact TAMC’s ability to transfer property at the Salinas train station to the City of Salinas. Recommend oppose.
• AB 1568 (McCarty): Affordable Housing Production: withholding transportation funds: this proposal would threaten voter-approved SB 1 funding for unrelated activities, housing production. Recommend oppose.
• SB 5 (Beall): Affordable Housing and Community Development Investment: This bill would fund construction of workforce and affordable housing, transit-oriented development, and “projects promoting strong neighborhoods.” Recommend support.

Attachment 4 is a fact sheet from Senator Weiner's office about Senate Bill 50, as Committee Member LeBarre requested more information on this bill at the March Executive Committee meeting.

Staff will present a verbal update at the meeting.