Los Angeles County Division

*Nonmember city

The division is guided by an executive committee under the leadership of a division president. Elected city officials and professional city staff attend division meetings throughout the year to share what they are doing and advocate for their interests in Sacramento. Division members also participate in the development of Cal Cities policy through representation on:

• The Cal Cities Board of Directors;
• Policy committees;

Division Officers

• Commission on Alcohol & Other Drugs
• Commission on Local Governmental Services
• Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee
• Emergency Medical Services Commission
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority Technical Advisory Committee
• Solid Waste Management Committee/Integrated Waste Management Task Force

2023-24 Legislative Platform

The Los Angeles County Division (Division) recognizes the need for an active and timely county, state, and federal advocacy program to protect the interest of cities throughout Los Angeles County. As a subunit of the League of California Cities (Cal Cities), the Division relies on Cal Cities’ Summary of Existing Policy and Guiding Principles as the primary tool for a focused advocacy strategy for the Division’s Board of Directors and staff.

The Division’s Legislative Platform is intended to help direct staff, in consultation with the Division President and Vice President, to act on a time-sensitive issue when the Division’s Executive board is unable to meet. The Legislative Platform is not exhaustive of all issue areas of relevance to the Division and is not intended to supplant the deliberative role and actions of the Division’s Legislative Committee.

2024 Public Safety Policy Principles

The Division’s Board of Directors, building on the Division’s 2024 Strategic Priority to “Support legislation, policies, funding and other resources that would improve public safety and address law enforcement challenges,” adopted policy principles related to organized retail theft. These principles will enable the Division to respond to the flood of bills from the Legislature and Governor on organized retail theft and other public safety matters.

Retail theft

2024 Budget Requests

Support $3 billion in ongoing funding to increase housing supply and reduce homelessness.

2024 Ballot Measures

Oppose The Taxpayer Deception Act, Initiative No. 21-0042A1. Limits voters’ input, adopts new and stricter rules for raising taxes and fees, and makes it more difficult to hold state and local law violators accountable. 

2024 State Legislation

Governance, Transparency and Labor Relations

Support AB 817 (Pacheco) Local government: open meetings. As amended 1/17/24. Provides a narrow exemption under the Ralph M. Brown Act for non-decision-making legislative bodies currently governed by Act, such as advisory bodies and commissions, to participate in two-way virtual teleconferencing without posting physical location of members.
Status: Senate Rules

Public Safety

Support SB 21 (Umberg) Controlled Substances. As amended 1/17/24. Requires a court to provide a written advisory to a person convicted of selling fentanyl notifying the person of the danger of selling or administering illicit drugs and counterfeit pills and of the potential future criminal liability if another person dies as a result of that person’s actions.  It will also require that a fentanyl-related defendant be referred to drug court or drug treatment programs. 
Status: Assembly Appropriations

Transportation, Communications and Public Works

Support AB 761 (Friedman) Local finance: enhanced infrastructure financing districts. As amended 9/13/23. Extends the statutory period of available Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFD) tax increment from 45 years to 75 years for districts created to fund zero-emission transit projects in Los Angeles County with federal financing through Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loans.
Status:  Senate Rules

2024 State Regulatory Issues

Request to reject AT&T application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to withdraw its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designation and relief from its Carrier of Last Resort Obligation (COLR).

2024 Federal Legislation

Support H.R. 1201 (Napolitano) Increasing Behavioral Treatment Act. Removes the Institutions for Mental Disease Medicaid restrictions which currently prohibit a psychiatric hospital or other residential family with more than 16 beds from receiving federal reimbursement for services provided to adults within that facility.  In Los Angeles County, this exclusion has inadvertently limited facility capacity and contributed to a shortage of mental health beds. 

Oppose H.R. 6859 (Kamlager-Dove) Gabrielino/Tongva Nation Recognition Act of 2023. Circumvents the current Federal Tribal Recognition process, bypassing the requirement for the Secretary of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to review impacts to local governments and eliminates opportunities for local jurisdictions to provide comments on any positive or negative public safety, environmental or other impacts to their communities.

The Division's Board of Directors meet every fall to review the previous year’s accomplishments and adopt strategic goals for the following year.

The Board of Directors identified 2024 Division Strategic Priorities

• Support legislation, policies, funding and other resources that would improve public safety and address law enforcement challenges.
• Support adequate state funding and other resources to increase the required supply of affordable housing and its required infrastructure.
• Advocate for direct and equitable ongoing funding and other resources to address homelessness.
• Support legislation and policies that protect and preserve local decision-making authority over land use, housing, and other matters traditionally reserved for cities. Oppose unfunded mandates and seek funding for prior unfunded mandates. ed these Division Strategic Priorities for 2024:
  

The Board of Directors also identified Long Range Operational Priorities:

• Outreach to federal, state and county representatives, specifically newly-elected and those officials in leadership.
• Encourage Los Angeles County Division city officials to apply for Cal Cities’ leadership positions and other related committee appointments to reflect the region’s population and influence.
• Provide educational and training opportunities for Los Angeles County Division city officials on effective legislative outreach and advocacy.
• Communicate and share value of Cal Cities and Division resources.