DATE: February 10, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Joe Prado, Director, Department of Public Health
John Zanoni, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with the California Department of Justice
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Retroactive Revenue Grant Agreement with the Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Tobacco Grant Program, for the period beginning January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028 ($1,998,231).
REPORT
There is no additional increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action which will allow the Department of Public Health (Department) to execute a competitive revenue grant agreement, Number DOJ-PROP56-2025-26-1-014, with the California Department of Justice (Cal DOJ) to support local enforcement efforts to reduce the illegal retail sales of tobacco products to minors and youth, limit exposure to tobacco products and increase compliance among tobacco retailers with existing local, state, and federal tobacco control laws. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the departments will be unable to carry out the grant-mandated activities that support local enforcement efforts aimed at reducing illegal retail sales of tobacco products to minors and the competitive grant award would be forfeited.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended competitive grant award notice was received from Cal DOJ on November 20, 2025. The recommended revenue agreement is retroactive to January 1, 2026, to align with the recommended grant agreement start dates and is being brought to your Board in accordance with agenda item processing timelines.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The grant allows a five percent (5%) cost recovery for Administration costs that has been factored into the totals for each budget period. If approved, the grant will provide a maximum total of $1,998,231, over a term of 36 months as follows:
Term 1 Jan. 01, 2026 - June 30, 2026 $324,921
Term 2 July 01, 2026 - June 30, 2027 $652,863
Term 3 July 01, 2027 - June 30, 2028 $666,444
Term 4 July 01, 2028 - Dec. 31, 2028 $354,003
Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Public Health’s Org 5620 FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget and will be included in future budget requests for the duration of the grant award.
DISCUSSION:
On August 19, 2025, your Board approved the Department’s submittal of a competitive grant application to the Office of the Attorney General, Cal DOJ for the Tobacco Grant Program to support local enforcement efforts to combat illegal retail sales of tobacco products to minors, limit exposure to tobacco products, and increasing compliance among tobacco retailers with existing local, state, and federal tobacco control laws.
In past years, the Sheriff’s Office received state tobacco grant funding to help enforce the state and federal tobacco control laws by conducting compliance checks, also known as tobacco decoy operations, to prevent unlawful sales of tobacco products to persons under the age of 21.
The acceptance of the recommended grant award allows the Department to collaborate with the Sheriff’s Office to conduct annual compliance checks, provide retailer and/or officer educational activities on tobacco laws and ordinances, and conduct routine inspections of tobacco retailer establishments.
The Department is in the process of developing a tobacco retailer permitting program for your Board’s consideration that promotes public health and provides regulatory protection for the County’s youth from harmful tobacco and nicotine products. This new tobacco permitting program aligns with the recommended Cal DOJ grant funding priorities that support stopping the illegal retail sales of tobacco products to our youth and minors. The Department will return to your Board in spring 2026 to present the corresponding tobacco retailer permitting ordinance and the associated fees for your Board’s consideration. The Department will return with an alternative scope if your Board does not approve the tobacco retailer permitting program ordinance in the spring of 2026.
The recommended action supports prioritizing funding for local compliance enforcement efforts of the Sherrif’s Office and the Department which target retailers for illegal sales of tobacco products to minors. Additionally, approval of the recommended Cal DOJ grant award will offset expenses in the Department’s tobacco retailer permitting program, which in turn reduces the total cost of the annual tobacco retailer permit fee.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #53, August 19, 2025
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with the Cal DOJ
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander