Lobbyists brief Carlsbad subcommittee on federal DHS funding uncertainty, proposed energy relief and wide-ranging state bills

Federal and state contract lobbyists updated the Carlsbad City Council legislative subcommittee on a range of bills that could affect city operations and residents.

Solome Tash, district director for Congressman Mike Levin, said Congress returned from recess without resolving DHS funding and that Levin introduced an "Energy Bills Relief Act" to reinstate certain Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, incentivize utility efficiency and provide consumer relief. She also described HR 7879 (Superbugs Act) to coordinate pandemic preparedness internationally and HR 7942 (Death Bets Act) to bar trading contracts referencing war or an individual's death. Tash offered to provide full text and a section-by-section summary to the committee.

Federal lobbyist Laura Morgan Kessler told the subcommittee DHS funding remained unresolved and that appropriations committees were preparing an accelerated markup schedule. She flagged a possible second budget reconciliation package and an expected multi-year transportation reauthorization. Kessler noted the administration’s FY27 budget proposal would propose large defense increases and cuts to some nondefense discretionary programs, which could affect federal grant programs cities rely upon.

State lobbyist Sharon Gonzales (California Public Policy Group) gave a detailed status report on many bills and deadlines: the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation procedures, city-sponsored bills such as AB 2179 (workplace restraining-order changes) and AB 2453 (first responder UTV exemptions), and numerous housing- and e-bike-related bills. Gonzales warned that several housing-related proposals had been significantly amended and that AB 2433 (a density-bonus-related bill) and SB 866 (a homelessness-data bill) could impose new reporting requirements and administrative burdens on cities.

Councilmembers asked follow-up questions about how the unresolved DHS funding might affect FEMA, TSA and federal grant timelines; Kessler said uncertainty made specific predictions difficult and that some agencies were being temporarily funded through administration actions. Committee members also asked for the full text of the Energy Bills Relief Act and for staff to flag bills that could affect local authority.

The subcommittee requested staff circulate full bill texts and return with section-by-section analysis at the next meeting. Councilmembers and staff agreed to monitor bills that could change local planning authority or impose significant new administrative requirements.