Carlsbad subcommittee hears federal, state legislative updates; Palomar Airport webinar set for Jan. 22

Federal and state representatives told the Carlsbad legislative subcommittee that a busy legislative season is underway with funding deadlines and several bills that could affect local projects.

Salome Tash, district director for Congressman Mike Levin, said a joint FAA-county webinar on Palomar Airport is scheduled for Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. She also noted recent House action on appropriations that included community project funding requests in the congressman’s package: $1,000,000 each for the Buena Vista Lagoon enhancement project, the San Aguito Lagoon shoreline protection project and County of Orange law enforcement fleet modernization, and $26,000,000 for the San Luis Rey river project to increase flood protection by repairing levees and removing sediment.

A federal contracting team from Carpe & Clay provided a broader federal outlook: they outlined the recent government shutdown resolution activity, passage of a ‘‘mini-bus’’ appropriations package in the House, and ongoing negotiations over Affordable Care Act subsidies. The presenters said work continues on large appropriations bills, including the Transportation-HUD bill that has community project allocations relevant to Carlsbad’s trenching request.

On the state side, Sharon Gonsalves of the California Public Policy Group summarized bills the committee is monitoring: e-bike safety and reporting bills, SB 677 and related SB 79 cleanup legislation, exemptions proposed in SB 722 for mobile-home parks, and discussions about a potential $10 billion affordable housing bond. Committee members asked staff to circulate details of bill packages and to return with written positions where appropriate.