TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Executive |
Malisa Files |
425-556-2166 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Executive |
Amy Tsai |
Chief Policy Advisor |
TITLE:
title
City of Redmond 2025 State Legislative Agenda
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
Council is requested to review and provide input on the draft City of Redmond 2025 State Legislative Agenda. The legislative agenda identifies the City’s top priority issues and other policy issues the City supports or opposes. The legislative agenda guides the City’s work with our state legislators and day-to-day work before and during the session.
body
☒ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☐ Receive Information ☒ Provide Direction ☐ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
RMC 2.80 Representation of City to Legislative Bodies
• Required:
N/A
• Council Request:
This is the first hearing on the state legislative agenda (Attachment A). Last year’s legislative agenda is attached for reference (Attachment B). The Council is requested to review and provide input. The 2025 Legislative Session is the first year of the 2025-2027 biennium. It begins on Monday, January 13, 2025, and is expected to last 105 days, ending on Sunday April 27, 2025. The last day the governor has to take action on a bill is Tuesday May 20, 2025, and the 90-day effective date is Sunday July 27, 2025.
• Other Key Facts:
The City’s state legislative agenda serves three main purposes: (1) it communicates the City’s top priorities and funding requests to the legislature, (2) it provides policy guidance for City positions on bills and informs allocation of staff resources during session, and (3) it tells a story to the state legislature about Redmond and why City issues deserve support.
The 2025 legislative agenda presents priority asks on the front page, regional support issues on the second page, and general policy support areas on the third page.
This year, the City’s asks will depend in part on the outcome of the general election, when voters will consider whether to repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The City has two 2025 appropriations funded by the CCA from last year’s legislative agenda - $200,000 for the electric fire engine and $750,000 in preliminary funding for the 148th Ave. NE/SR520 Bike Ped Overpass project. If the CCA is repealed, the state will be facing the loss of significant revenues; in that event, the draft legislative agenda requests that the electric fire engine funding be reinstated from another funding source. If the CCA remains intact, the draft legislative agenda requests that the 148th Ave. NE/SR520 Bike Ped Overpass project funding be repurposed to multimodal connectivity projects in the Overlake area. By the time Council adopts the legislative agenda, the CCA outcome will be known and the legislative agenda option can be finalized accordingly.
OUTCOMES:
The City’s legislative session advocacy potentially results in state funding for projects identified in the State Legislative Agenda. The State Legislative Agenda provides a roadmap for the City to successfully advance top priority requests, and it focuses attention on policy areas to monitor, support, or oppose that may be considered by the state legislature and that could have a positive or negative impact on the City of Redmond and the Redmond community.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
N/A
• Outreach Methods and Results:
N/A
• Feedback Summary:
N/A
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
N/A
Approved in current biennial budget: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
N/A
Budget Priority:
N/A
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
If yes, explain:
Funding may be provided by the State for Redmond projects on the City’s State Legislative Agenda as articulated on the first page of the agenda that identifies the City’s specific requests.
Funding source(s):
N/A
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
N/A |
Item has not been presented to Council |
N/A |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
10/8/2024 |
Study Session |
Provide Direction |
|
11/19/2024 |
Business Meeting |
Approve |
Time Constraints:
The 2025 Legislative Session begins on January 13, 2025. To effectively advocate for the City’s Legislative agenda, the agenda should be approved by Council expeditiously. This will allow state lobbying efforts to commence in earnest in a timely manner.
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
The City will not be effective in lobbying for the items on the City’s Legislative Agenda if the agenda is not approved in a timely manner.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Redmond 2025 State Legislative Agenda Draft 9-10-24
Attachment B: Adopted 2024 State Legislative Agenda
Attachment C: 2025 State Legislative Agenda Presentation