REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Annual Review of New Legislation Including Discussion and Potential Action to Identify 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues and Long-Term Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs)
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Sunnyvale’s Intergovernmental Relations Program enables timely and effective advocacy of City interests on pending legislation and issues that significantly impact City operations. To support these efforts, the City contracted with Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) in 2025 as a strategic partner and extension of City staff by monitoring priority legislation, developing tailored advocacy agendas, engaging with state and federal policymakers, and assisting with the pursuit of competitive public funding for community priorities.
The City may initiate advocacy based on any existing City policy. Each year, the City Council adopts a targeted advocacy platform that identifies the City’s priority legislative advocacy issues for the year, as well as the City’s long-term Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs), which are contained within each chapter of the Council Policy Manual. Long-term LAPs do not require annual Council adoption; however, any amendments to those positions must be approved by the City Council. Additional sources of City policy include the City Charter, Municipal Code, General Plan elements, and the Council Policy Manual.
This report provides the City Council with the opportunity to review the proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues, the City’s long-term LAPs, and new laws enacted during the 2025 calendar year that have a substantive service or operational impact on the City of Sunnyvale.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.4.14, Legislative Advocacy Positions
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
Annual Review of New Laws
The Annual Review of New Laws Report (Attachment 1) provides a summary by department of the subset of new State laws passed in 2025 that are anticipated to be most impactful to the City of Sunnyvale. This is not an exhaustive list of laws that may impact Sunnyvale, as there are numerous laws, particularly in the housing arena, that may have some impact and require compliance. Compliance with new and evolving State laws, which typically are not accompanied by any funding for cities, must be incorporated into City work plans and resourced with local dollars.
In the 2025 legislative year, TPA provided issue-specific strategic guidance on complex legislation with direct operational and policy implications for the City, including SB 79 (housing near transit) and SB 707 (Brown Act modernization). For SB 79, TPA advised the City on evolving bill language, amendment strategies, and implementation considerations related to land-use authority, transit-oriented development requirements, and potential impacts to local planning discretion. This included analyzing how the legislation interfaces with existing City policies and General Plan provisions and identifying opportunities to advocate for flexibility or clarifying amendments consistent with Council-adopted positions.
For SB 707, TPA provided guidance on legislative changes affecting open meeting requirements, accessibility provisions, and administrative compliance obligations for local agencies. TPA supported City staff by tracking statutory updates, summarizing operational impacts, advising on implementation timelines, and communicating practical considerations to ensure compliance while minimizing unintended administrative burdens.
Three bills that will have significant impacts to the City include:
SB 79 (Wiener) - Transit-Oriented Housing (Chaptered 10/10/2025)
• Allows high-density housing within a half mile of Caltrain and VTA light rail stations, overriding local standards
• Limits public engagement for eligible projects
• Effective July 1, 2026, requires ministerial approval for qualifying projects
• Cities may exempt eligible areas or adopt an alternative transit-oriented development (TOD) plan, subject to HCD’s approval; Sunnyvale is evaluating feasibility
• SB 722 (Wahab) Transit-oriented housing development: excluded parcels and sites, is a pending bill, introduced at Sunnyvale’s request, that would exempt mobile home parks from the requirements of SB 79
SB 707 (Durazo) - Open Meetings (Chaptered 10/3/2025)
• Requires two-way remote public access to City Council meetings beginning July 1, 2026
• Modernizes teleconferencing rules, including remote participation and quorum requirements
• Mandates policies addressing meeting disruptions and enhances accessibility, including translation in limited cases
• Codifies Sunnyvale’s hybrid City Council meeting practice; Boards and Commissions not required to be hybrid
• Expands Councilmember “Just Cause” remote participation to five times per year
• Sunnyvale does not currently meet translation mandate thresholds; automated translation tools and posting infrastructure are in development
AB 339 (Ortega) - Public Employee Notice Requirements (Chaptered 10/13/2025)
• Requires 45 days’ notice to employee organizations before RFPs or contract renewals involving represented work
• Allows shorter notice in emergencies, when necessary
• Effective January 1, 2026
• Requires added procurement lead time, updated workflows, and closer HR-Finance coordination
For a comprehensive list of all State laws passed in 2025 that potentially impact cities, The League of California Cities (LCC) published its annual LCC Legislative Report (Attachment 7).
2026 Priority Advocacy Issues and Long-term Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs)
Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Clean Version (Attachment 2) and Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Redline Version (Attachment 3) are presented for Council consideration. Priority advocacy issues focus on regional, state, and federal activity already underway or expected within the calendar year where the pending legislation or issue is expected to have a significant impact on City business. Priority areas may also include timely, ongoing advocacy items to ensure adequate legislative alignment or fiscal support for longstanding City goals.
Staff proposes continuing the six existing Priority Advocacy Issues into 2026, largely consistent with 2025’s priorities. The relatively minor proposed policy language changes are based on legislative action, current activity, or City engagement since 2025.
1. Funding and Local Strategy for Workforce Development
2. Interoperability/Public Safety Communications System
3. Environmental Regulatory & Conservation Issues
4. Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) by Law Enforcement and First Responder Immunity when interfering with Unmanned Aircraft Systems
5. Affordable Housing, Homelessness and Land Use
6. Engagement with the Federal Aviation Administration Regarding Airplane Noise
The City captures long-term LAPs by issue categories in each chapter of the Council Policy Manual. Long-term LAPs do not require annual Council adoption; however, any edits to those positions must be approved by Council. Staff is proposing clarifying edits to the Long-Term Advocacy Positions are shown in redline in Attachment 4 - Long-term LAPs:
• Council Policy 5.0 - Socio-Economic - to broaden the City’s position statements and remove policy language that is outdated or no longer necessary
• Council Policy 7.0 - Planning and Management - to clarify language in the Elections section.
As legislation is proposed at the state and federal levels, staff monitors legislation for potential impact to the City of Sunnyvale. Where relevant and in alignment with City policy, staff submits advocacy letters regarding proposed legislation. During the 2025 calendar year, the City sent 51 advocacy letters to advance City positions, an increase from 39 letters in the previous year.
Funding Advocacy and Grant Support
With Townsend’s assistance, staff also proactively submits requests for state and federal funding. As of the writing of this report, FY2026 Community Project Funding proposals for the Cleanwater Center ($1,092,000) and Safe Routes to School ($2,000,000), submitted by Congressional Representative Ro Khanna have been approved.
TPA supports the City’s grant strategy through a comprehensive and coordinated approach that includes monthly, department-wide grant calls to review existing and upcoming funding opportunities, individual grant and project consultations with program experts to strengthen City project competitiveness, and leading application debriefings with funding agencies to capture feedback and improve past grant proposals. In 2025, TPA researched and highlighted over 150 unique grant programs for City staff, ensuring departments are informed of near-term and strategic funding opportunities aligned with City priorities.
Attachment 5 includes a list of bills, issues, and state and federal funding requests with formal written City action in 2025; they are also on the City’s Legislative Priorities web page (Attachment 6).
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Receive a Legislative Update, including the Annual Review of New Laws Report (Attachment 1 to the report)
2. Approve the Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Clean Version (Attachment 2 to
the report) and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 4 to the report).
3. Approve the Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Clean Version (Attachment 2 to the report) and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 4 to the report) with additional modifications.
4. Other direction as provided by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternatives 1 and 2:
(1) Receive a Legislative Update, including the Annual Review of New Laws Report (Attachment 1 to the report); and
(2) Approve the Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Clean Version (Attachment 2 to the report) and Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions as proposed to be amended (Attachment 4 to the report).
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
___ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
_X_ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Staff
Prepared by: Michelle Zahraie, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Annual Review of New Laws Report
2. Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Clean Version
3. Proposed 2026 Priority Advocacy Issues - Redline Version
4. Council Policy Long-term Advocacy Positions
5. List of 2025 Formal Written City Advocacy and Funding Requests
6. City’s Legislative Priorities Weblink
7. 2025 LCC Legislative Report