Blogs

Welcome our Newest CSDA Members!

By Morgan Leskody posted 12 days ago
Please welcome the latest agencies and Business Affiliates approved by the CSDA Board of Directors as new CSDA members: Munera Inc. Tecopa Cemetery District Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Ameresco Veolia waterTALENT Your Data Our Science LLC North San Juan Fire District Jennifer Liebermann Consulting Placer County CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP HF&H Consultants, LLC Golden Sierra Job Training Agency Eide Bailly CPA CityStream #FeatureNews

CSDA Submits Comment Letter on Proposed Workplace Violence Prevention Regulations

By Morgan Leskody posted 12 days ago
CSDA Submits Comment Letter on Proposed Workplace Violence Prevention Regulations By: @Aaron Avery On June 1, CSDA submitted a letter to Cal/OSHA commenting on a discussion draft of the Workplace Violence Prevention Regulation. The letter was submitted in coalition with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). A copy of the letter can be viewed here . The rulemaking relates to Cal/OSHA's most recent updates/revisions to the draft proposed regulations (April 23, 2026 Draft) implementing Senate Bill 553 (Cortese, 2023) pertaining to Workplace Violence Prevention . SB 553 was ...

CSDA Board of Directors Seat C Voting Opens TODAY!

By Morgan Leskody posted 12 days ago
The CSDA Board of Directors helps shape the future of California’s special districts by guiding policy, advocacy, education, and member services. Make sure your district's voice is heard! June 9: Electronic ballots will be emailed to each district's designated contact from vote@simplyvoting.com . Your ballot email will include: Elector ID and password Direct link to vote Candidate information July 24: Voting closes @ 5:00 PM July 27: Ballots are counted and verified Each district determines its own process for selecting a candidate, with the designated contact submitting the official vote. Questions? Contact Amber Phelen at (916) ...

Exclusive NSDA Webinar Series: Build Your Competitive Edge for 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 18 days ago
The second half of 2026 is packed with actionable webinars that help districts operate smarter, stay compliant, secure funding, strengthen transparency, and build organizational resilience. Invest in Your District’s Success. These webinars are designed specifically for special districts — practical, relevant, and immediately useful. Register today and give your district the tools, insights, and competitive edge needed for a stronger 2026. All Webinars are hosted at 10:00 am MST (9:00 am Pacific; 12:00pm EST) Register here: https://www.nationalspecialdistricts.org/training-webinars-on-demand Upcoming Webinars June 24 Unlock Your 2026 Competitive ...

Help Your Message Land with Micro-Storytelling

By Morgan Leskody posted 18 days ago
By: @Kristin Withrow In the public sector, leaders are often tasked with explaining complex information to diverse audiences in a way that builds understanding, trust, and connection. During a recent CSDA webinar, Micro-Storytelling for Public Sector Impact, trainer and coach Lisa Kjellstrom of CPS HR delivered an engaging, highly participatory session that invited attendees to reflect, interact, and practice storytelling in real time. Kjellstrom opened with a simple but effective engagement exercise, asking participants to tell the story of their week using only emojis. As the chat window filled, the activity immediately built connection among participants ...

BREAKING: Second ACF 15-Day Comment Period Announced by CARB

By Morgan Leskody posted 18 days ago
By: @Brittney Barsotti On June 1, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) published a second 15-Day Comment Period set of amendments to their Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulations mandating state and local governments transition medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicle fleets to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). The deadline for this new round of public comment is June 16, 2026. Access Sample Comment Letter at: csda.net/ZEV-Flexibility CARB’s latest action follows its previous ACF regulation 15-Day Comment Period that closed on April 17. Those amendments adjusted certain exemptions, allowed local governments to switch between “milestone” and “purchase” ...

High-Speed Rail Board Finalizes Plan with Tax Increment Proposal

By Morgan Leskody posted 19 days ago
By: @Marcus Detwiler Yesterday, June 1, the Board of Directors of the California High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) adopted a revised 2026 Business Plan , inclusive of references to legislative proposals related to tax increment financing and land use authority for the High-Speed Rail Project. CSDA spoke at the June 1 HSRA Board Meeting in-person under public comment stressing that tax increment financing should be limited to those affected taxing agencies that have provided their express, meaningful, and freely-given consent to participate. This testimony reinforced the concerns previously issued by CSDA, along with a coalition of local government organizations, ...

Priority Legislation Passes First House Before Key Deadline

By Morgan Leskody posted 19 days ago
By: @Ophelia Szigeti May 29, 2026 marked the State Legislature’s “house of origin” deadline — the final day for each legislative house to pass bills introduced by its own members. In the days leading up to the deadline, the State Senate and Assembly shifted their focus entirely to floor sessions in order to debate and vote on hundreds of measures before they advanced to the opposite house for further consideration. Legislators spent much of the week in extended floor sessions as they debated, amended, and voted on priority legislation into the evening in an effort to move bills forward before the cutoff date. Throughout this busy week, CSDA continued ...

Governor Issues Major Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence and Workforce Impacts

By Morgan Leskody posted 19 days ago
By: @Lilia Hernandez Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-26 on May 21, directing analysis and seeking opportunities for mitigation of impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on California’s workforce. The Governor’s Executive Order recognizes that the fast-growing role of AI in California’s workforce presents opportunities and challenges associated with how it may evolve. The expansive Executive Order covers various topics, generally grouped into the following categories: Responding to possible employment and workforce disruption and empowering workers to share in the gains made from AI adoptions. Review of safety nets such as severance ...

Negotiations Over Infrastructure Funding Restrictions Continue Following Rejection by Senate Subcommittee

By Morgan Leskody posted 19 days ago
By: @Ophelia Szigeti At its eleventh hearing of the year on Thursday, May 28, the State Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and General Government rejected Item #76 , a proposal that would have reduced or waived development related fees for certain state-funded affordable housing developments. Item 76 was one of more than 150 outstanding budget items considered by the subcommittee as part of its review of Governor Newsom's 2026–27 May Revision budget package. The hearing, which can be viewed here , was brief and concluded with votes on numerous outstanding budget items as vote only items that had been discussed in prior meetings. ...

Federal Update: Week of June 1, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 19 days ago
The House and Senate are in session. The Senate returns today to consider the President’s nominees. The House returns Wednesday to consider the FY27 Agriculture-FDA appropriations bill and legislation related to childcare and nutrition programs. FY27 Appropriations: This week, the House will take up the FY27 Agriculture-FDA appropriations bill on the floor. The House Appropriations Committee will mark-up its Transportation-HUD and Interior-Environment bills on Wednesday . The House Appropriations Committee will hold a subcommittee-level markup of its FY27 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, and Homeland Security appropriations bills ...

Grants Update: Week of June 1, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 19 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Agriculture FY 2026 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Classic Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? This program stimulates the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production across the United States. Funded projects are expected to result in the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches to agricultural producers for private-sector use. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants include non-federal entities and individuals based in the United States. TOTAL FUNDING ...

Grants Update: Week of June 1, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 20 days ago
Program Description Infrastructure Housing and Urban Development: Automated Permitting Systems Demonstration NOFO The Automated Permitting Systems Demonstration NOFO is intended to support jurisdictions that will deploy automated building code permitting systems and partner with HUD to evaluate their applicability and effectiveness within real-world operating conditions. This demonstration will test the real-world deployment of an automated permitting platform within a government permitting environment to evaluate its effects on processing timelines, workflow efficiency, staff roles, and applicant ...

Your May California CLASS Investor Update

By Morgan Leskody posted 26 days ago
Inflation Reaccelerates Your May California CLASS Investor Update Economic data released in April highlighted ongoing inflation challenges, with rising energy prices driving stronger-than-expected increases in consumer costs. While inflation remains well below the peaks of recent years, elevated oil and gasoline prices, combined with persistent pressure in housing and service sectors, have slowed progress toward the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. As a result, the Fed is expected to maintain its cautious, “wait-and-see” approach, keeping interest rates higher for longer while monitoring future inflation and labor market trends. Markets now anticipate that ...

Healthcare Leaders Unite to Protect Eastern Sierra Access to Care

By Morgan Leskody posted 26 days ago
Gathering in Bishop to discuss rural healthcare access were: Erasmo Viveros of the California Special Districts Association; Valerie Spake for Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil; Alison Murray and Alison Partridge, NIHD executives; Austin Gilbert for Asm. David Tangipa; local healthcare CEOs Christian Wallis (NIHD), Earl Lent (Toiyabe), and Dr. Kevin Flanigan (SIHD); Toiyabe CFO Ray Verin; NIHD Board members David Lent and Laura Smith; and Inyo County HHS Director Anna Scott and Assistant County Administrator Meaghan McCamman. Photo by Barbara Laughon/Northern Inyo Healthcare District By: @Erasmo Viveros Christian Wallis, CEO of Northern Inyo Healthcare District, ...

Examples Requested for Revived Information Practices Act (IPA) Mandate Bill

By Morgan Leskody posted 26 days ago
By: @Marcus Detwiler Despite having failed passage last year in the Senate Judiciary Committee, a significant mandate bill opposed by CSDA is once again active and moving forward. Assembly Bill 1337 (Ward) would revise the Information Practices Act of 1977 (IPA) , a comprehensive privacy statute that currently only applies to the State, to newly obligate special districts to observe the IPA. On April 27, 2026, AB 1337 was withdrawn from the Senate Judiciary Committee , where it had fallen one vote short in 2025, and on May 6 it was re-referred to the Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection . The IPA prescribes ...

Members Help CSDA Score Early Wins to Preserve Workplace Tech Flexibility

By Morgan Leskody posted 26 days ago
By: @Aaron Avery CSDA and its coalition partners have continued to lead the way in preserving public agencies’ flexibility in using workplace technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automated Decision Systems (ADS), Workplace Surveillance technology, and other legacy and emerging technologies. On May 14, the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees dispensed with their Suspense Files, determining which fiscally-impactful bills will advance to the floor, and which will be held on suspense (bills held on suspense are dead for the year). CSDA members advocated against two of the measures to their representatives at Special Districts Legislative ...

Federal Legislative Updates: Week of May 26, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 26 days ago
The House and Congress SNAP: Manatt invites local leaders to a webinar to discuss the changing federal and state landscape on SNAP benefits and food and nutrition policy. The session will feature speakers who have deep experience in emerging health care and food and nutrition policy. Join us on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, for this timely discussion. Congress: Members were sent home for the Memorial Day recess and will return the first week of June Appropriations : The House Appropriations Committee advanced its Energy and Water bill, along with the Legislative Branch measure, on Wednesday. The committee also advanced its ...

NSDA Grants Update: Week of May 26, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 26 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of the Interior FY 2026 Coastal Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to conserve and restore habitat for fish and wildlife by supporting voluntary, locally led conservation projects in coastal watersheds across the United States and its territories. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are local government, academic institutions, Native American tribes, non-profits, private sector, schools/school districts, state government, and Tribal organizations/institutions. TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $6 million WHEN IS IT DUE? Rolling Department of the Interior ...

CSDA Takes Action in Cases Related to Eminent Domain, Public Records Act

By Morgan Leskody posted 05-19-2026
By: @Mustafa Hessabi , CSDA Chief Counsel The year is off to a busy start, and that includes CSDA efforts to represent the voice of special districts in the courts. CSDA represents the interests of independent special districts wherever law or policy is made – including the courts – and has acted in key cases described below that may influence the how public agencies operate. CSDA receives insights on its amicus efforts from the Legal Advisory Working Group , comprised of attorneys throughout the state with experience serving the unique needs of special districts and the communities they serve. You can find more information on cases from 2025 by reviewing ...