On Oct. 29 the Policy and Services Committee discussed requested updates to the City of Palo Alto's Advocacy Process Manual and legislative guidelines and directed staff to prepare a redlined draft for City Council that incorporates committee suggestions.

Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Clerk Christine Pryor walked committee members through the packet materials, including the separate legislative guidelines document that staff plans to bring back on Nov. 19. Staff flagged a short list of potential edits for the manual: notifying all council members when signed legislative advocacy letters are issued, increasing City Clerk involvement, and formalizing the council's previously established "selective weighing in" approach so staff and lobbyists prioritize which bills to actively advance.

Committee members debated several procedural items. Council member Liu said the annual legislative guidelines process should allow committee and stakeholder input rather than simply carrying staff's prior-year priorities forward without review. Members also discussed whether letters or other formal city positions should explicitly note when council support was unanimous versus divided; several said a notation such as "unanimous" or "majority" would be appropriate when a council vote produced a formal position.

On sponsored legislation, members agreed the existing timeline and review process should remain but asked staff to add a requirement that if the "ideal timeline" is not followed, staff must present the reason to council. Several members also asked that the threshold for requesting city sponsorship be raised (members suggested at least two council members rather than a single sponsor) to ensure sufficient vetting before the city pursues drafting state legislation.

Committee members emphasized the need to avoid confusion when commissioners, committee members or elected officials speak in personal capacities. Staff agreed to draft clarifying language to make it explicit when someone is representing the city and to discourage use of city titles in communications that purport to be personal opinions in contexts that could create confusion.

Members also asked that the utilities legislative guidelines be brought to the Nov. 19 meeting alongside citywide guidelines to ensure coordination where utility issues intersect with broader city policy. County-wide and city staff processes that involve multiple stakeholders were discussed as part of that coordination.

Deputy City Manager and the City Clerk recorded committee suggestions; the committee moved and seconded a recommendation that City Council adopt the changes as discussed, with staff to prepare a marked-up document and a staff report summarizing edits. Roll call recorded unanimous support and the motion carried.