TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of State and Federal Legislative Advocacy Programs
ACTION ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider approving the District's Federal and State Legislative Advocacy Programs for 2020.
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Strong Public and Policymaker Support
Initiative - Financial Efficiency and Revenue Maximization
The annual state and federal advocacy programs help the District track state, regional and federal legislation to ensure alignment with the District’s Strategic Plan and the specific goal of having strong public and policymaker support. Policy decisions at all levels of government can positively or negatively affect District operations and as such are important to track and influence as needed.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no budgetary or fiscal impact associated with this report.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Each year the AC Transit Board of Directors adopts advocacy programs to provide guidance for the District's activities in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento to influence transit legislation, appropriations, and administrative matters at the State and Federal levels. The attached programs for 2020 address on-going efforts as well as developing issues for the coming year, including on-demand and automated vehicles.
Staff solicited input to develop the attached Federal and State advocacy programs from staff and executives. The draft program was presented to the Board of Directors on January 8th and to the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) on January 14th. Draft programs were also distributed to advocacy groups and the District's planning and funding partners to solicit feedback. The attached programs incorporate feedback received to date and feedback from the January 8th meeting of the Board of Directors. The edits in the attachments to this report reflect the changes requested at the January 8th Board meeting and those requested at the January 14th AAC meeting, there’s one edit to the federal program and one edit to the state program.
During the discussion of the AAC meeting, committee members requested that staff return to the committee with regular updates. Committee members had questions about funding, data from shared mobility providers, coordination between federally funded health agencies and transit agencies, and questions about AC Transit’s funding obligations for the Salesforce Transit Center. One committee member had a specific request to clarify one bullet on page one of the federal advocacy program, that edit is reflected in track changes in attachment one.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
This report is being provided to recommend areas of emphasis to guide Federal and State advocacy efforts.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
This report is being provided based on the District's current priorities.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Staff Report 20-009: Draft 2020 Federal and State Legislative Advocacy Programs
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2020 Federal Legislative Advocacy Program
2. 2020 State Legislative Advocacy Program
Prepared by:
Claudia Burgos, Director of Legislative Affairs and Community Relations
Approved/Reviewed by:
Beverly Greene, Executive Director of External Affairs, Marketing & Communications