Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
JANUARY 18, 2018
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE State and Federal Legislative Report.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared By Raffi Haig Hamparian
Government Relations Senior Director, Federal Affairs
Chair Garcetti and members of the Executive Management Committee, I am pleased to provide an update on a number of federal matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on January 4, 2018 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on January 18, 2018. Status of relevant pending Federal legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.
Trump Infrastructure Plan
It is our understanding that the Trump Administration’s infrastructure plan is set to be unveiled later this month. While details of the proposal have not been made public, there is discussion that the plan will include a provision seeking to have state and local transportation agencies raise their own funds in order to access these proposed new federal funds. With the recent passage of Measure M, our agency would be well positioned to meet this demand should it be embedded in any infrastructure plan released by the White House and adopted by the Congress. We look forward to continuing our work with the White House, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Capitol Hill on any future infrastructure package.
Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2018
Congress approved a Continuing Resolution to fund the Government at Fiscal Year 2017 levels through January 19, 2018. We are working very closely with leaders in both the House and Senate to ensure that any final transportation appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2018 reflects our Board-approved Federal Legislative priorities.
Federal Grants for Fiscal Year 2017/2018
As we noted to Board members late last year, Metro has applied for a number of major grants this year - including an INFRA grant and a Bus and Bus Facilities grant. We will - as we always do - engage a broad array of stakeholders to ensure that our grant applications have the best opportunity of being approved by the USDOT.
Local Hire Pilot Program
As previously reported to the Board, the Administration unfortunately ended the Local Hire Pilot Program. We will continue to seek a productive dialogue with USDOT to urge them to continue this innovative program in a manner consistent with their policy priorities.
Conclusion
Chair Garcetti - I look forward to expanding on this report at the Executive Management Committee meeting with any new developments that occur over the next several weeks.
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared By Michael Turner
Deputy Executive Officer, Government Relations
Chair Garcetti and members of the Executive Management Committee, I am pleased to provide an update on a number of state matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on January 5, 2018 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on January 18, 2018. Status of relevant pending State legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix <http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DB_Attachments/Board%20Report%20Links/0468/July%202017%20Legislative%20Matrix.pdf>, which is updated monthly.
California State Legislative Process Update
State Legislature came back into session on January 3rd. Since this is the second year of a two year legislative session the Legislature will be busy with completing consideration of bills remaining from last year as well as the regular process of introducing new legislation for consideration in 2018. There are a few pieces of legislation relating to transportation funding remaining from last year that were not considered last year but will be considered during this period. Staff will bring any relevant legislation that is advanced, to the Board for consideration of an appropriate position.
Staff are also, daily reviewing all bills that are introduced in the 2018 Legislative Session for impacts to the agency. Our process include reviewing all introduced bills, identifying potential impacts to the agency, working with agency staff to review proposals and then bringing bills to the Board for consideration of a position.
Governor’s Budget Proposal
The Governor’s Budget Proposal will be released Wednesday on Wednesday January 10. As this report is written prior to its release the details of that proposal are not yet available. However, while the State Budget has been in relatively good shape over the last few years there are a number of issues that could impact the state’s fiscal condition including implications from the recently adopted tax bill in congress to potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act. In addition the fires in both Northern and Southern California will create fiscal challenges to the State.
While these issues do not directly impact transportation funding, there are two efforts underway that will. These efforts are of course the efforts to repeal SB 1 via the initiative process. One measure sponsored by Assembly Member Travis Allen is still working its way through the qualification process. The other measure sponsored by Carl De Maio and backed by a number of Republican Congress Members from California is in the process of collecting signatures.
SB 1 Discretionary Grant Applications
The State is also in the midst of the discretionary grant application process for the various SB 1 categories. Planning staff are preparing and will soon be submitting the funding applications for the projects identified in a recent Board Box. Government Relations is in close coordination with Planning and will work with the Board to aggressively advocate for approval of Metro’s applications.
CARB and Zero Emission Buses
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) also recently released a new version of a rule that would ultimately require that transit agencies purchase zero emission buses. Staff is currently reviewing the rule and will work with CARB to address any issues in the proposal. Key to this effort will be communicating to CARB that Metro’s plan to convert to zero emission buses will require substantial new funding commitments.
Lastly, staff is working to complete the drafting of Metro’s sponsored bill’s. The deadline for language to be submitted to Legislative Counsel is January 19. Government Relations staff have been working with the various internal departments to complete the drafting process and we will be submitting language to Legislative Counsel prior to the deadline. The next step in that process will be to secure authors for our sponsored legislation.
Conclusion
In addition to our sponsored legislation we are working closely with the California Transit Association on a number of bills that will provide benefits to our transit services.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Michael Turner, DEO, Government Relations, (213) 922-2122
Raffi Hamparian, Senior Director, Government Relations, (213) 922-3769
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Pauletta Tonilas, Chief Communications Officer, (213) 922-3777
