FAQs
The County uses Sponsorship Proposals to suggest new legislation regarding issues that would have significant impact on County operations. EDGA coordinates with departments to explore ideas for legislation to sponsor and works with County legislative representatives and legislators to secure bill authors.
Legislative Priorities are areas of significant interest to the County of San Diego that are likely to be addressed in forthcoming legislation at the state and federal level. These priorities help frame advocacy efforts throughout the year. You can see which bills that the County has taken a formal position on through the “State” and “Federal” options on EDGA’s Government Affairs webpage.
The County’s Legislative Guidelines provide standing Board direction on important issues that reoccur at the federal and state levels. It is not unusual for legislative hearings to be set with only a few days’ notice, and a swift response is often critical. These guidelines allow EDGA and the County’s representatives to advocate the County’s position on pending federal or state legislation in a timely manner.
What is legislation?
Legislation is a term that refers to the act or process of making or enacting laws by a governing body and is one of the main functions of a government. Legislation can also mean the laws themselves that are created by this process.
How does the County monitor state and federal legislation?
During both the State and Federal legislative sessions, the EDGA team at the County reviews every bill that is introduced to determine whether, if passed, there would be an impact to the County and its residents. In 2023 alone, there were 2,632 bills introduced at the State level that were reviewed by this team with 1,306 of them tracked, analyzed, and/or referred for potential impacts to the County.
Why does the County create a Legislative Program?
The Legislative Program gives EDGA the authority to advocate on behalf of the County. This allows EDGA to respond to federal and state legislation that may have an impact on the County (positive or negative) and for the Board of Supervisors to take a formal position in support or opposition. EDGA then works with our legislative representatives in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to advocate the County’s position to state and federal legislators.
What are the different parts of the Legislative Program?
The Legislative Program has three parts: Sponsorship Proposals, Legislative Priorities, and Legislative Guidelines.