MEETING DATE:
January 27, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-9534 - APPROVING THE 2026 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation
ADOPT a resolution approving the 2026 San Marcos Legislative Platform to guide the City’s legislative program and advocacy activities.
Body
Relevant Council Strategic Theme
Planning for the Future
Good Governance
Introduction
The City Council has prioritized an active legislative program that seeks to protect the City’s local autonomy and ensure that the interests of its residents and businesses are protected and/or enhanced. The City continues to retain legislative advocates in Sacramento who actively monitor legislation, assist with funding requests, and advocate on behalf of the City of San Marcos in committee hearings and in meetings with legislators and agency officials.
Discussion
Reflecting the priority of influencing legislative activity, the City Council has adopted policies and procedures to guide legislative monitoring and advocacy at the state and federal levels.
Legislative procedures, adopted in 2008 and revised in 2013, direct the development of the legislative platform and day-to-day bill tracking. The legislative platform, amended annually, serves as the foundation for a focused advocacy strategy and provides the clarity required to ensure efforts are directed towards only the most important and impactful bills.
The 2026 draft legislative platform includes many of the same priorities as the 2025 platform, including the protection of local finances, the preservation of local control, sustainability and energy strategies, labor relations, transportation, and communications. Similarly, the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) has adopted its 2026 Advocacy Priorities (Attachment C) to include: protect local revenues and expand economic development tools; strengthen climate change resiliency and disaster preparedness; strengthen and modernize critical infrastructure; and secure investments to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase the supply of affordable housing. Staff recommend that City Council review and adopt the 2026 Legislative Platform.
Early Legislation - 2026 Session
The Legislature has just begun introducing legislation for the second half of the legislative session. There are several important dates to be aware of, they are:
• January 23: Deadline to submit bill requests to the Office of Legislative Counsel
• January 31: Deadline for 2-year bills to be passed from first house
• February 20: Bill introduction deadline
Since the beginning of the legislative session, several bills of interest have already been introduced. They include:
• SB 457 (Becker) Housing element compliance: committed assistance: in-kind services. This bill will deal with in-kind services.
• SB 677 (Wiener). - Housing development: transit-oriented development. This bill will be SB 79 clean-up legislation.
• AB 768 (Avila Farias). - Mobilehome parks: rent protections: local rent control. This bill will deal with mobile home rent controls.
• AB 874 (Avila Farias). - Mitigation Fee Act: development impact fees: qualified residential ownership and qualified rental projects. This bill will require a 100% affordable development to have 0 impact fee, or a 30-55 year loan.
• AB 1406 (Wicks). - Residential property contracts: liquidated damages. This bill will impact condo defect liability.
Staff, and lobbyist consultants will monitor these bills, and all other legislation that is introduced, or amended during the second year of this legislative session.
Environmental Review
The proposed action does not constitute a “project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Sections 15000 - 15387), and is therefore not subject to environmental review pursuant to Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3).
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact directly associated with the adoption of the legislative platform.
Attachments
Attachment A: Draft 2026 Legislative Platform
Attachment B: Resolution
Attachment C: Cal Cities 2025 Advocacy Priorities
Attachment D: Cal Cities 2026 Advocacy Priorities
Prepared by: Michael Lieberman, Legislative Analyst
Reviewed by: Phil Scollick, City Clerk/Director of Legislative Affairs
Approved by: Michelle Bender, City Manager