Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
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 Kuehl 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 February 4, 2019 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on February 21, 2019. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix <http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DB_Attachments/190220%20-%20February%202019%20-%20Legislative%20Matrix.pdf>, which is updated monthly.
Partial-Government Shutdown and Fiscal Year 2019 Funding
As you know, the partial-Government shutdown ended in late January after a Continuing Resolution was signed by the President to extend funding for Agencies’ operations until February 15th. As of the writing of this report, negotiators assigned to the Congressional Conference Committee are working on an agreement with regards to border security funding. With all Federal Agencies back at work, Metro joins the America Public Transportation Association (APTA) in calling on the Federal Transit Administration to:
• Process all pending requests for reimbursement for public transportation agencies, beginning with requests for reimbursement of operating expenses or identified hardships;
• Approve all pending requests for operating assistance and capital project approvals, including requests for Letters of No Prejudice;
• Complete the certification of State Safety Oversight programs of the four pending applications that are currently under review by FTA;
• Issue Fiscal Year 2019 apportionments for FTA programs as soon as possible and before the Continuing Resolution expires on February 15; and
• Take all other possible actions to help public transportation agencies restore public transportation operations and make critical infrastructure upgrades.
With respect to the Federal Highway Administration - their operation were not impacted by the partial-Government shutdown - given that it secures funding directly from the federal Highway Trust Fund.
In the unfortunate event that another partial-Government shutdown were to occur after February 15th, Metro is prepared to track, mitigate and communicate the negative impacts associated with a laps in federal funding.
Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2020
Federal budget law requires that the President submit the annual budget request to Congress by the first Monday in February - February 4, 2019 for the Fiscal Year 2020 budget request. Due to the partial Federal Government shutdown, many of the Office of Management and Budget’s staff were not working and therefore a timeline for the Fiscal Year 2020 budget request is still being formulated. There is no indication at this time when the budget will be submitted to Congress. House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth (D-KY) has stated that they plan to stick to the normal timeline for passing a budget and beginning the appropriations process, but having the President’s budget numbers, especially on defense spending, is a critical to establishing a starting point in Congress.
Metro staff will keep the Board informed next steps and actions with regards to Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations and looks forward to working closely with Los Angeles’ Congressional Appropriators - Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard and Congresswoman Norma Torres.
Federal Grants for Fiscal Year 2019
On December 21, 2018, the U.S. DOT released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the popular INFRA Grant Program which is aimed at funding infrastructure projects that improve the movement of freight. The INFRA Program is highly competitive nationwide. Metro has been successful in being awarded one project award under this program - $47 million for I-5 Golden State Chokepoint Relief Program. The Fiscal Year 2019 INFRA NOFO is expected to award between $855 - $902 million nationwide. Metro’s staff is currently working on projects to consider for submission.
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.
Conclusion
Chair Kuehl - 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 Kuehl and members of the Executive Management Committee, this is an update on a number of the state matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on February 5, 2019 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on February 21, 2019. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.
California State Legislative Process Update
The California State Legislature is in the first year of the two-year legislative session. The bill introduction deadline is February 22, 2019. Staff will bring any relevant legislation that is advanced, to the Board for consideration of an appropriate position. Staff is also, daily reviewing all bills that are introduced in the 2019-2020 Legislative Session for impacts to the agency. Our process includes 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 if not otherwise outlined in our Board-approved State Legislative Program Goals. We will keep the Board apprised on key legislative actions in Sacramento as they develop.
California Transportation Commission Update
There are currently two vacancies on the CTC. Currently the Los Angeles County region is represented in part by Fran Inman, CTC Chair and Yvonne Burke. We are working with a broad coalition to provide recommendations for potential members that will help to ensure that Los Angeles County transportation and SB 1 priorities continue to be included on the CTC agenda. The CTC met on January 30-31, 2019 for its regular meeting. Chair Inman was reelected to chair the commission with Paul Van Konynenburg elected as vice chair. Each of these positions are designated for a one-year term.
A number of award allocations for the Active Transportation Program (ATP) were approved at the January meeting. Los Angeles County received approximately $88.9 million or 37 percent of the funding that was available statewide. The CTC considered over 554 ATP project applications, representing requests of over $2 billion in ATP funding. The 2019 ATP includes four years of programming, with $464 million in funding recommendations. Over 50 projects were approved, of which 98 percent provide benefits to disadvantaged communities.
Build California Bonds Update
Pursuant to the Board motion 36.1 from the January Board meeting regarding re-establishing the Build California Bonds Initiative, staff is following up on two key items:
1. Updating the LAEDC Build California Bonds Statewide Economic Impacts Report. A current contract will need to be negotiated and on file with LAEDC to complete this work.
2. Seeking legislation to establish the program statewide - allowing the California Transportation Finance Authority to issue tax credit bonds to fund construction of transportation projects. Staff will work to develop language and secure an author for the bill. It will be paramount to build a broad coalition of stakeholder support for the legislative proposal throughout Southern California and the State to ensure its success.
Conclusion
Staff will expand on this report at the Executive Management Committee meeting with any new developments that occur over the next several weeks.
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: Yvette Rapose, Interim Chief Communications Officer, (213) 922-3777
