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Mendocino County committee directs staff to refine 2026 legislative platform with emphasis on cannabis, disaster recovery and local programs
Summary
The General Government Committee reviewed a draft Mendocino County 2026 legislative platform, requested added state-level education language for cannabis cultivators, discussed changes to climate and disaster sections to protect federal funding, and voted unanimously to provide direction to staff and forward the draft to the full board.
The Mendocino County General Government Committee voted unanimously Oct. 22 to provide direction to staff on the draft 2026 legislative platform and to place the item for full board consideration.
Kelly Hansen with the Mendocino County Executive Office told the committee the platform is prepared each year under County Policy 19 to summarize the county’s advocacy priorities and that it can be updated at any time. "Pursuant to County Policy 19, the Board of Supervisors adopts an annual legislative platform reflecting the County's priorities for legislative advocacy, state and federal funding, and issues of interest to local government," Hansen said.
The committee spent most of its discussion on section-level edits and "red lines" rather than proposing a new, single priority. Sarah McBurney of the Mendocino County Cannabis Department outlined suggested edits to the cannabis section reflecting the department's shift from backlog clearance to regulated licensing and public education. "We have suggested edits to the ledger platform that really match where we are programmatically both through the county and state level," McBurney said. Committee members asked staff to add more specific language advocating state-supported education for local cultivators so applicants better understand rights, responsibilities and opportunities.
Committee members also discussed economic and community development language, urging that farmers market vendors face low-cost, low-barrier distribution and that Market Match EBT funding remain a priority; staff noted Market Match has been at risk in recent state budget cycles. The committee debated whether to retain advocacy language supporting the Great Redwood Trail after staff edits removed it; members cited a state budget promise of about $50,000,000 and asked that the item be restored as a board priority.
On climate and natural-resources language, staff reported edits to moderate terminology so the platform does not include keywords that might jeopardize federal funding for existing county programs. Travis Kilmer, the county’s chief recovery and resiliency officer, updated the committee on revised disaster-prevention and recovery language intended to emphasize timely reimbursement, streamlined processes and insurance reform.
Other substantive edits noted by staff included relocation of pandemic-response language into the public-health section (because COVID-19 response language was moved to epidemiology planning), clarifications to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) language, and insertion of homelessness-related language to support flexibility for the HAP (Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention) program amid uncertainty about a possible Round 7. The behavioral-health request for state funding for the jail’s behavioral-health wing was struck from the draft; committee members discussed that staffing needs may still warrant a request at the board’s discretion.
After discussion, a motion to "provide direction to staff" and advance the draft for board consideration was moved, seconded and carried unanimously in a roll-call vote. The committee also approved minutes from its June 25, 2025 meeting by unanimous roll-call vote.
Votes at a glance Provide direction to staff on the 2026 legislative platform — Motion: provide direction to staff and place item for board consideration; Mover: not specified in transcript; Second: not specified in transcript; Vote: recorded roll call shows Chair Mulhern: yes; Member Norville: yes; Outcome: approved (motion carries unanimously). Approval of minutes (06/25/2025) — Motion: approve minutes from the June 25, 2025 meeting; Mover: not specified in transcript; Second: not specified in transcript; Vote: Member Norville: yes; Chair Mulhern: yes; Outcome: approved unanimously.
The committee did not receive public comment in the room or online during this item. Staff indicated the draft can be edited further and that any additional red lines can be incorporated before the item returns to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration.
