CAPITOL UPDATE – February 16, 2023
By Chris Wysocki
Bill Introductions Underway and Increasing Daily
This Friday is the deadline for legislators to introduce their bills for 2023, and there have been 1,766 bills introduced – up from the 947 bills reported in last week’s update.
By Friday, it is anticipated that more than 2,000 bills will have been introduced and WMA staff is currently in discussions with several legislators who have either introduced or may introduce legislation affecting the manufactured housing communities industry.
If you would like to review all the bills that have been introduced in the Senate and Assembly, please click on the following link:
Current Bills of Interest
As of today, WMA is tracking over 50 introduced bills that may affect the manufactured housing communities across the state in one way or another. This number will certainly increase over the next week. To view the most up to date list of legislation WMA is monitoring, please click on the following link:
Next week’s update will provide a list of priority bills as we anticipate a very busy year ahead. Most of the bills introduced will be referred to a policy committee over the coming weeks, and please keep an eye out for e-mails from WMA’s Voter Voice program. We will ask parkowners to weigh in with their legislators on measures coming up for votes, and your help will be greatly appreciated.
California Continues to Lose Population – Legislators Face Budget Concerns
California’s state budget is heavily dependent on personal income taxes paid by taxpayers, and legislators are taking notice that between April of 2020 and July of 2022, California lost over 508,000 people. According to the Los Angeles Times, the primary reason for people leaving is the state’s high housing costs. To read the article, please click on the following link, but keep in mind that the article may require a subscription to read:
Lawmakers who are responsible for creating a balanced state budget are taking notice that taxpayers are the largest group of people leaving the state. Without an adequate number of people who pay personal income taxes, legislators will face significant challenges to maintain existing programs.
Frank J. Evans Scholarships Awarded to 56 Students
This week, our Executive Director Doug Johnson informed 26 Assemblymembers and 24 Senators that the WMA-supported Frank J. Evans Scholarship Foundation awarded 56 students who live in manufactured housing communities that are members of WMA received a $1,000 scholarship to help them in their educational endeavors.
In writing to legislators, Doug Johnson said, “WMA is extremely proud of the generous funds our members contribute to the foundation and the academic achievements of these deserving college-bound students.”
Thank you to everyone who has supported this important program. To learn more about how you can become involved, please click on the following link:
www.wma.org/fje-scholarship-foundation
Thank you for the opportunity to serve, and please feel free to e-mail me at chris@wma.org or call me on my direct line at (916) 288-4026 with any questions.
