Carlsbad legislative subcommittee hears federal, state funding and bill updates; staff to pursue FAA meeting on Palomar Airport

Federal and state legislative representatives and the city's contract lobbyists briefed the Carlsbad City Council legislative subcommittee on Jan. 14 about funding prospects, committee assignments and early bill activity for the 2025 legislative sessions.

Salome Tash, field representative from Congressman Mike Levin's office, said Levin was sworn into the 119th Congress, won a seat on the House Appropriations Committee and introduced a bipartisan Prevent Family Fire Act to incentivize retailers to sell firearm safe-storage devices. Tash said the congressman backed short-term government funding that extended federal spending through March 14 and helped secure $250 million for improvements at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Matt Rubel from State Senator Catherine Blakespear's office said the senator was appointed chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality,…