February 27, 2025

As the dust settles following the race ahead of the bill introduction deadline last Friday, the landscape of issues that will shape the 2025 legislative year is beginning to take shape. To date, state lawmakers have introduced more than 2,500 bills in the interest of governing California. As predicted by CSAC earlier this year, lawmakers’ collective focus includes affordability, with an emphasis on the cost of living, housing, and energy costs. Other notable themes include the introduction of measures to continue the conversation from 2024 regarding how to best govern the use of artificial intelligence, and several measures in reaction to the devastation of the wildfires in Southern California. The CSAC Legislative Affairs team is reading all introduced bills and carefully analyzing hundreds of them to assess their potential impacts on county governments.

CSAC-Sponsored Legislation

SB 72 (Caballero) The California Water Plan

CSAC is sponsoring SB 72 (Caballero), which would focus the state’s water supply planning and would set water supply development targets across all sectors.

SB 239 (Arreguín) Brown Act Modernization

CSAC is sponsoring legislation to modernize the Brown Act by providing additional meeting flexibility for advisory bodies with no decision-making authority. SB 239 (Arreguín) would help counties and other local governments recruit and retain members of their communities to serve on advisory bodies, improve the representation of diverse communities, and help build the pipeline for future leaders. Read more about SB 239 and CSAC’s sponsorship here.

SB 496 (Hurtado) Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation Appeals Advisory Committee

CSAC is sponsoring SB 496 (Hurtado) to establish the Advance Clean Fleets Regulation Appeals Advisory Committee, composed of state agencies, industry fleet experts, and local government entities to navigate the exemption and extension process for the California Air Resource Board’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation.  

What is a “spot bill”?

A portion of the bills introduced includes a few scant words or seemingly semantic changes, nicknamed “spot bills”. To meet the bill introduction deadline, legislators will often introduce a bill that proposes non-substantive amendments to a code section regarding a particular subject. This bill acts as a generic placeholder—holding a “spot”—and will later be amended to include the full text and specific issues that the author wishes to address related to that topic. CSAC legislative affairs staff closely monitor spot bills and their amendments for matters that affect county governments.

What happens next?

After a bill is introduced, it must be in print for 30 days before it can be heard in a legislative policy committee. Policy committees will begin meeting in March to hear the newly introduced bills and begin the first phases of the legislative process. See the legislative calendar for key dates and deadlines to keep an eye on in 2025.

How can I get more involved with CSAC advocacy efforts?

As county leaders, this is the moment to make our collective voices heard on the issues that matter most to our communities, ensuring our feedback is considered during the legislative process. Individual counties can engage with CSAC’s legislative advocacy efforts by:

• Contact your legislators to discuss how specific legislation impacts your county and to ensure the voices of your communities are heard.
• Send a letter from your county regarding specific legislation to the Legislative Position Letter Portal.
  • Contact the CSAC legislative affairs team with questions about how to use the portal or for bill position template letters for bills for which CSAC has an active position.
• Join the CSAC Speaker’s Bureau to testify before the Legislature, participate in press events, and provide rapid media responses. Enroll in the Speakers Bureau here.

Questions?

Please contact the CSAC legislative affairs team with questions about specific policy areas, CSAC’s position on specific legislation, and other informational resources about the legislative process.