Item A: Role of IGR Committee and Process to Establish Legislative Policy

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ATTACHMENT A INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE PROCESS Eugene .City Council PURPOSE: The Intergovernmental Relations Committee (IGR Committee) exists to make recommendations to the full City Council on State and Federal issues affecting Eugene, and on City' applications for funding from outside agencies. A primary responsibility. is to ensure that th~~e is prior City Council approval of legislative policy positions and grant applications. .: MEMBERsmp: The Committee consists of three City Council members, appointed by the Mayor. Two members constitute a quorum for th~ transaction of Committee business. MEETINGS: The Committee meets as needed. The Committee meets more often when the Oregon Legislature is in session, usually twice a month. STAFFING: The Office of Intergovernmental Relations provides staff support to the Committee. However, all City departments are involved in preparing and presenting analysis and recommendations on specific issues. PROCESS: State: Regular sessions of the Oregon Legislature convene in JanuaIy of every odd-numbered year, and continue for approximately six months. As each session approaches, the Intergovernmental Relations Committee ~eviews' and updates, for recommendation to the full Council, the City's Legislative Policies document,' based on Council goals for the community. I The City frrst adopted a formal set of legislative policies prior to the 1985 session, recognizing from past sessions that many staff recommendations were repeated from session to session, and that a great ' percentage of a session's legislative proposals could be anticipated. Given that the City staff routinely analyzes about 1,000 bills during a session, the adoption of policies prior to each session has led to a significant workload reduction for the Co~mittee and the Council, and also has enabled more timely l efforts in Salem. Legislative advocacy is done on' the basis of a priority system. Bills considered to have a potentially high policy or fiscal impact on the City are given a priority 1 position. Bills with moderate but still significant impact are priority 2 bills. Priority 1 bills are those staff actively work on and priority 2 bills are ones staff monitor in Salem. During the session, bills that affect the City are analyzed by staff in the appropriate City department, and a priority recommendation (along.with a recommended position -- support or oppose) is presented to the Intergovernmental Relations Committee: When priority I and 2 issues are not covered in the Legislative Policies, a staff memo is attached recommending a legislative position and included in the Committee's agenda packet. Staff is present at the Committee's meetings to discuss the issues. Bills covered by legislative policies are listed on the Committee's agenda. Minutes of the Committee's meetings are submitted to the full City Council for ratification. These routinely appear on the Council's consent calendar. However, items may be scheduled for ~ll Council consideration separately from the minutes when the Committee is not. unanimous or at the request of a .Committee or Council member. . (over)