Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Connie Juarez-Diroll, Chief Legislative Officer
Subject: 2026 Legislative Session Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution approving the San Mateo County 2026 Legislative Session Program.
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BACKGROUND:
The 2026 Legislative Session Program for San Mateo County outlines state and federal legislative priorities for the County in the upcoming legislative session. These priorities, in combination with standing positions and policies, guide the County’s legislative advocacy efforts. The Intergovernmental and Public Affairs Unit (IGPA) of the County Executive’s Office develops the County’s Legislative Session Program with direction from Board members and in collaboration with County departments, the County Executive, the County’s state associations, our state and federal legislative advocates, and community partners.
The County’s Legislative Coordination and Advocacy Policy, approved by this Board on June 4, 2019, sets out the County’s processes for conveying official Board positions and coordination of actions between the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive’s Office, County departments/agencies, and the County’s legislative advocates in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
DISCUSSION:
In 2026, the County’s state advocacy efforts will focus on the following list of priority issues, listed in alphabetical order:
1. Affordable Housing - Supporting policies, regulations, and funding opportunities that promote affordable housing for people at all income levels;
2. Climate Bond - Advocating for infrastructure investments to build resiliency by ensuring Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) and Proposition 4 (the Climate Bond) funding is directed toward locally identified County priorities, including but not limited to wildfire prevention and response, climate-resilient infrastructure, and adaptation strategies;
3. Homelessness - Supporting proposals that advance efforts to combat homelessness, including additional funding for homeless prevention services and funding dedicated explicitly to permanent housing and supportive/wrap-around services, to help the unhoused achieve more permanent housing solutions;
4. H.R. 1 - Mitigating the impacts of H.R.1 and other federal actions to safeguard our vulnerable populations, including opposing any actions that further erode funding for safety-net programs, such as child welfare services, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and homelessness funding;
5. Immigrant Protection - Supporting legislation and funding that aid immigrant communities, regardless of immigration status, including legal services, emergency housing, expanded protections, and safe zones;
6. Vehicle License Fee (VLF) - Securing reimbursement for the County’s and cities' FY 2024-25 in-lieu VLF shortfall of $119.2 million and pending FY 2023-24 $37.7 million and seeking a permanent legislative fix to ensure full and timely in-lieu payment; and
7. Vulnerable Communities - Supporting legislation, funding, and policies that assist disproportionately impacted communities including, but not limited to, LGBTQIA+ people, women, BIPOC, currently and formerly incarcerated, and the uninsured.
At the federal level, 2026 advocacy efforts will be focused on the following list of issues, listed in alphabetical order:
1. Affordable Housing - Strong protection of current funding levels for affordable housing programs;
2. Community Project Funding - Securing community project funding for needed County projects as these resources become available;
3. Environmental Protection - Opposition to the current administration’s efforts to allow onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing in nearly all United States coastal waters, including leasing in new areas along the Pacific Coast that could negatively impact California and the County;
4. Immigrant Protections - Strong support for the County’s vulnerable communities, including immigrants, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ persons, individuals with disabilities, and other historically marginalized groups, and opposition to federal efforts targeting these groups; and
5. Social Safety Net - Preservation of federal funding of critical health and human services programs, including Medicaid/MediCal, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), TANF/CalWORKs, SNAP/CalFresh, child welfare services, foster care, housing support, and other safety net programs, and support for federal funding and flexibility to implement new eligibility, redetermination, verification or reporting requirements, including resources for staffing, training, outreach and technology.
The proposed 2026 County Legislative Program includes revisions to last year’s program. The revisions are redlined.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The County’s state and federal advocacy efforts and the 2026 Legislative Session Program support policies that represent the County’s interests and further or enhance the needs of County residents.