Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
JANUARY 16, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE January 2025 State and Federal Legislative Report.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared by Raffi Haig Hamparian
Government Relations, Deputy Executive Officer: Federal Affairs
Chair Hahn and members of the Executive Management Committee, I am pleased to provide an update on several key federal matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on January 3, 2025 , and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on January 16, 2025. The status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix <https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DB_Attachments/1%20-%20January%202025%20-%20LA%20Metro%20Legislative%20Matrix.pdf>, which is updated monthly.
Biden Administration/USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg
On December 23, 2024, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins authored a letter shared with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg to express the agency’s sincere appreciation for our strong partnership over the last four years. As noted in the correspondence, which was shared with all Board members and the LA County Congressional Delegation, Metro was fortunate to have a strong working relationship with not only Secretary Buttigieg, but also his modal administrators, including at the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Incoming Trump Administration/USDOT Nominee - Former Congressman Sean Duffy
Last month, President-elect Donald Trump nominated former Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI) to serve as America’s 20th Secretary of Transportation. The former Congressman represented Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District from 2011 to 2019. In the coming weeks, we expect additional individuals to be nominated by President-elect Trump for senior positions across the U.S. Department of Transportation. Given the scale and scope of our Board-approved 2025 Federal Legislative Program, we will be seeking to engage the new leaders at the USDOT at the earliest opportunity.
U.S. Department of Transportation/2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Metro continues to work with a diverse number of partners to secure financial support from the federal government for our agency’s efforts related to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This effort is outlined and informed by our Board-approved 2025 Federal Legislative Program and was addressed in a letter shared by all Board to President-elect Trump last month that urged that mobility-focused funds for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games be included in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. In addition to working with the incoming Trump Administration on the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, in 2025 it will be our goal to work with the appropriate congressional committees to explore how the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill might include funding for mobility related projects and initiatives tied to the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Staff will also continue to seek to secure the $200 million for mobility projects related to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games that was embedded in the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2025 THUD Bill. Given the adoption of a continuing resolution by Congress last week, we anticipate decisions being made about these funds early next year.
Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation
Consistent with our standard practice, our agency has provided our Board-approved 2025 Federal Legislative Program to professional staffers working for members of the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation - including new members. Early in 2025, we will be setting up briefings with Members of Congress and/or their aides to see how our agency can continue to work cooperatively with federal officials representing Los Angeles County residents in Washington, DC.
Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grant Program
Late last year, our agency provided congressional committees (Senate Banking Committee and House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee) charged with authorizing the FTA’s Capital Investment Grant Program with several suggestions on how this successful transit program can be even more successful. As was outlined in the Board-approved 2025 Federal Legislative Program - we will work to craft a broader document in 2025 that outlines our agency’s priorities with respect to our nation’s next surface transportation authorization bill.
Transit Operator Safety
As we have consistently reported to the Board, Metro maintains open lines of communication with the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation on federal initiatives to enhance transit operator safety. The current surface transportation authorization measure - the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - will be expiring in late 2026. This will provide our agency with an opportunity to work with a variety of stakeholders to authorize federal programs to further enhance transit operator safety.
On September 25, 2024, the FTA provided a notice through the Federal Register that it will be “issuing a General Directive to address the significant and continuing national-level safety risk related to assaults on transit workers.” According to the FTA, “the General Directive requires each transit agency subject to FTA's Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) Final Rule to conduct a safety risk assessment, identify safety risk mitigations or strategies, and provide information to FTA on how it is assessing, mitigating, and monitoring the safety risk associated with assaults on transit workers. Each transit agency serving a large urbanized area must involve the joint labor-management Safety Committee when identifying safety risk mitigations.”
Metro looks forward to providing our feedback with respect to the FTA’s General Directive, including information related to safety risk assessments, identifying safety risk mitigation and strategies, and detailed information on how the FTA should assess, mitigate, and monitor the safety risk associated with assaults on transit workers. Metro’s response wasprovided to the FTA prior to the December 26, 2024, which is the formal deadline for responses.
Federal Transportation Grants
As we near the end of the Biden Administration , Metro will be mindful to aggressively find federal grant opportunities to fund Metro projects and initiatives. As we always do with our federal grant requests, we will work closely with members of the LA County Congressional Delegation and other key stakeholders to solicit their support for our future grant applications.
Conclusion:
Chair Hahn and members of the committee, I look forward to expanding on this report at the Executive Management Committee meeting slated for January 16, 2025, with any new developments that may occur over the next several weeks.
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared by Madeleine Moore
Government Relations, Deputy Executive Officer: State Affairs
Chair Hahn and members of the Board, I am pleased to provide an update on several state matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on January 31, 2024, and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee on January 16, 2025. The status of relevant pending legislation is monitored monthly on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix. <https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DB_Attachments/1%20-%20January%202025%20-%20LA%20Metro%20Legislative%20Matrix.pdf>
Legislative Update
The 2024-25 regular legislative session in Sacramento began with a one-day planning session on December 2, 2024. There, the new and reelected members of the Senate and Assembly were sworn in. The special session called by Governor Newsom to “protect California values” following the 2024 General Election also began concurrently. On the first day of the session, there were a total of 97 regular session bills introduced - 63 ABs and 34 SBs. Of those, 24 were intent bills and 6 were spot bills. In addition, there were 3 special session bills, along with 1 special session constitutional amendment introduced.
One notable action taken by both houses was the imposition of new bill limits. As of last year, Assembly members could introduce a maximum of 50 bills, and Senators 40. Now, the Standing Rules of the Assembly for the 2025-26 Regular Session reduce the number of bill introductions per Assembly Member to 35 bills per 2-year session, including constitutional amendments. The Standing Rules of the Senate for the 2025-26 Regular Session also reduce the number of bill introductions per Senator to 35 bills per 2-year session, not including constitutional amendments.
The Legislature will reconvene for the regular session on January 6, 2025. At that time, members will begin to introduce bills regularly, and Government Relations will begin to populate the Legislative Matrix with relevant legislation.
Budget Update
In late November, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released their Fiscal Outlook for the State, in advance of the commencement of the 2025-26 budget process.
The LAO found that the state’s current revenues running ahead of projections, particularly with regard to the state’s income tax. The report notes that the surge in income tax revenues is primarily being driven by recent stock market gains.
Following the Governor and Legislature’s work to close significant shortfalls in last year’s budget, the state’s projected fiscal year 2025-26 budget appears “roughly balanced” with no significant concerns cited. However, following 2025-26, the state faces significant budget shortfalls, albeit not as significant as the one they recently solved. The LAO also stressed that in their view, the “budget does not have capacity for new commitments, particularly ones that are ongoing.” As with the 2024-25 budget process, Metro remains committed to advocating for the final SB 125 funding allocation for transit, and anticipates continuing this advocacy as the Legislature convenes for the new legislative session.
The next step in the budget process for the 2025-26 fiscal year is the Governor’s initial budget proposal, expected in early January. Government Relations staff will have a full analysis of this budget proposal at the Executive Management Committee on January 16.
LA County Legislative Delegation Coordination
Following the November election, the LA County Legislative Delegation in the Senate and Assembly has undergone a number of changes to its membership. There are seven new members of the Assembly who represent at least a portion of the County, and two new members in the Senate. For the first time in the body’s history, membership in the Senate reached 50% women.
Metro is pleased to welcome these new members to the Delegation and will be coordinating with the staff of these new members to meet with CEO Wiggins. At these meetings, members are introduced to key projects in their districts and the overall structure of the operations of transportation in the County, along with information about the funding and Board structure of the agency. These meetings ensure that we are establishing good working relationships with everyone who represents a portion of the County, along with any new members of legislative leadership.
In addition to new member engagement, Government Relations staff will continue to brief staff on Metro priorities and projects as the legislature comes back into session. In November, Metro Government Relations staff hosted a number of committee and budget staff from Sacramento for a tour of Metro projects throughout the County, including the D Line Extension in Westwood. Quarterly Legislative Briefings and individual project updates continue as well.
State Equity Analysis
Government Relations will continue to work with the Office of Civil Rights, Racial Equity, and Inclusion in reviewing legislation introduced in Sacramento to address any equity issues in proposed bills and the budget process.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Legislative Matrix
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Michael Turner, Executive Officer, Government Relations, (213) 922-2122
Madeleine Moore, Deputy Executive Officer, Government Relations, (213) 922-4604
Raffi Hamparian, Deputy Executive Officer, Government Relations, (213) 922-3769
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Nicole Englund, Chief of Staff, (213) 922-7950
