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ON BILLS?
Visit the League of
California Cities
website at
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billsearch.
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January 5, 2007
Issue #1-2007
ENERGY COMMISSION BEGINS REGULATORY PROCESS ON
TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR ZONE PLANNING
REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS
RELEASED
Page 2
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-25-06 last week,
establishing the Public Employee Post Employment Benefits Commission.
With the coming issues facing retiree health care obligations and pensions
the Governor is attempting to work through a bipartisan effort to address
massive unfunded liabilities and the state’s growing pension issues. The
commission will be a 12-member board that will identify the obligations that
are on the table, propose recommendations to address identified problems,
and examine how to curb costs in the future. For more, see Page 3.
Flood issues once again promise to be a hot topic in the new legislative
session. Last month, five legislators introduced bills that address different
aspects of the flood control debate.
The following is a summary of these bills. Most are clearly spot bills, or place
holders for subsequent discussions. The League anticipates that more bills will
be introduced as the session unfolds. For the full text of each bill, visit
www.cacities.org/billsearch. For more, see Page 3.
Do you have a great idea for a session or speaker for the 2007 League of
California Cities Annual Conference in Sacramento? If so, we want to know
about it! For more, see Page 2.
2007 LEAGUE ANNUAL CONFERENCE:
CALL FOR EDUCATION SESSION IDEAS
NEW COLLECTION OF FLOOD BILLS
INTRODUCED - MORE ON THE WAY?
GOVERNOR ESTABLISHES COMMISSION ON PUBLIC PENSIONSVisit the League’s Official Website--www.cacities.org PAGE 2 - PRIORITY FOCUS
January 5, 2007 - Issue #1
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has
begun a process to develop regulations that will
implement SB 1059 (Escutia, Chapter 638,
Statutes of 2006). The bill is intended to promote
better long term planning for future electronic
transmission lines by designating transmission
corridor zones (transmission corridors) on state
and private lands available for future high-voltage
electricity transmission projects.
It is important for cities that may be affected by
the designation of transmission corridors to
become involved in CEC’s regulatory process and
review the law. More information regarding SB
1059 and CEC’s implementation process is
available at CEC’s Transmission Corridor and
Implementation website, www.energy.ca.gov/
sb1059.
Cities are encouraged to sign up for e-mail
updates about SB 1059, energy corridor and
transmission line issues, by joining the California
State Energy Commission SB 1059 listserv. The
League had originally been opposed to SB 1059,
but removed its opposition once the bill had been
significantly amended.
ENERGY COMMISSION BEGINS
REGULATORY PROCESS ON
TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR
ZONE PLANNING
The Congressional Research Service re-
leased a report on December 22, 2006, detailing
the grants given by the U.S. Department of Home-
land Security (DHS) to state and local govern-
ments.
These grants, which are allocated primarily at
the discretion of DHS, are intended to enhance
homeland security. In addition to summarizing
seven DHS grant programs, the report also gives
a state-by-state analysis of state and local spend-
ing on public safety more generally.
For a copy of the report, visit the “Issues”
section of www.nlc.org. The report is under the
heading of “Homeland Security & Public Safety.”
REPORT ON DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY
GRANTS RELEASED
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ANNUAL CONF. from page 1
The League’s 2007 Annual Conference Pro-
gram Planning Advisory Committee will be consid-
ering session ideas for any topic area. To submit
your ideas, a fully-completed proposal packet is
due on or before noon on Friday, January 19. The
packet is available at www.cacities.org/ac. Any
individual, group, business or organization may
submit a proposal suggestion.
Who are the thought leaders that understand
municipal government and the issues our cities
face on a daily basis? What are the vital issues
our membership must learn to succeed beyond
2007? This is an exciting opportunity to share your
ideas, knowledge and expertise with local govern-
ment staff, elected officials and decision makers!
The 2007 annual conference will be held at the
Sacramento Convention Center from September
5-8, under the theme of “Cities...Shaping
California’s Future.”PRIORITY FOCUS - PAGE 3 Visit the League’s Official Website--www.cacities.org
January 5, 2007 - Issue #1
A February 2006 Legislative Analyst Report
(LAO) estimated that the state’s unfunded liability
for retiree health care benefits and their depen-
dents is between $40 billion and $70 billion. LAO
is recommending that $6 billion per year be set
aside to retire the unfunded liability. Additionally,
the unfunded liability for local government and
school retiree health benefits is expected to be in
the billions.
The League participated in a conference call
with members of the Governor’s staff and other
public employers, which revealed the details of the
commission. The Governor’s staff on the call
included Brenda Quintana, director of local govern-
ment and community relations for the Governor’s
office; Susan Kennedy, chief of staff; and Cynthia
Bryant, deputy chief of staff.
The commission will include six appointees
from the Governor’s office, three by the Speaker of
the Assembly and three appointed by the Senate
President Pro Tem. The Governor will select one
member as chairperson. The commission will
hold hearings/meetings throughout the state and
deliver their conclusions/report on January 1,
2008. Once the report has been submitted, the
commission will disband.
It is still unknown when the actual work will
begin, but the League has expressed its desire to
be a part of the process. To view the Governor’s
press release on the formation of the commission,
visit www.gov.ca.gov and search for the release
entitled “Schwarzenegger Establishes Commis-
sion Addressing Public Employee Pensions,
Retiree Health Care Obligations.”
PUBLIC PENSIONS from page 1 ???????
AB 5 (Wolk). Central Valley Flood Protec-
tion. This bill is a different approach to
Assemblymember Wolk’s “show me the flood
protection” legislation from last year.
AB 70 (Jones). Flood Liability. Subjects a
city or county to joint liability, whether or not the city
or county directly participates in the operation or
maintenance of a flood control project, for property
damage sustained in a flood by approving a new
development in an undeveloped area that is
protected by a levee where the flood levels are
anticipated to exceed three feet for a 200-year
flood.
Note: The League opposed similar legislation
in 2006 and will oppose AB 70 as well.
SB 5 (Machado). Flood Management.
Proposes a system to develop a comprehensive
integrated flood policy and flood management
program. Suggests clarification of the roles and
responsibilities for state, regional and local agen-
cies and specifies various criteria related to imple-
mentation of the flood bond adopted by the voters
in 2006.
SB 6 (Oropeza). Flood Control. Requires
consideration of changes in ocean levels as a
result of climate change as it relates to approval of
subdivision maps and designation of flood hazard
zones in flood maps.
SB 17 (Florez). Flood Protection. State
Reclamation Board. This legislation is similar to
Sen. Florez’s bill in 2006 that restructures the State
Reclamation Board, including composition of the
board, and role and responsibilities of the Board.
The League will review each bill and be en-
gaged in the legislative discussions, based upon
the Flood Control Principles adopted by the
League last year, and modified in 2007 as needed
to address new legislative topics. City officials are
encouraged to review the bills and send their
comments to the authors and the League.
A copy of the League’s Flood Control Principles
is available at www.cacities.org/eq.
FLOOD BILLS from page 1
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For more information on this and For more information on this and For more information on this and For more information on this and For more information on this and
other League issues, visit other League issues, visit other League issues, visit other League issues, visit other League issues, visit
www.cacities.org. www.cacities.org. www.cacities.org. www.cacities.org. www.cacities.org.