TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH:
FROM: City Council Legislative Committee
SUBJECT:
title
City’s legislative activities during the 2019 session of the Oregon State Legislature.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
end
ISSUE:
End of 2019 Legislative Session report.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
body
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
On July 23, 2018, the Council adopted a set of legislative policy statements (Attachment 1) to guide the City’s response to bills during 2019 Oregon Legislative Session, set to begin in January 22, 2019. The policy statements provided guidance to public officials and the City's contracted lobbyist in responding to and formulating positions on issues expected to come before the Oregon Legislature, and positioned the City to respond more expeditiously to moving legislation. The statements address broad topics of economic development, financing and revenue, human resources, land use, telecommunications, public safety, land use and the environment.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The City Council’s Legislative Committee met seven times during the session to consider positions on bills before the Legislature. The Council’s Legislative Committee is comprised of Mayor Bennett and Councilors Andersen, Hoy and Nanke. Councilor Kaser serves as an alternate.
Through the work of City Council’s Legislative Committee and the City’s contracted lobbyist, Perseverance Strategies, Inc. the City tracked more than 125 pieces of high priority legislation. Bills determined to be of significant interest by the City Council’s Legislative Committee were recommended to Council for adoption as a 1 or 2 priority based on the following assessment:
1. Very High Priority - Major fiscal or policy impact. Mayor, councilors, and/or staff should work to support or oppose the bill.
2. High Priority - Moderate Impact. Staff should be involved in supporting or opposing the bill.
Perseverance has provided the attached 2019 Legislative Session summary (Attachment 2), which describes the Legislative Session, in general, and features a brief summary of key issues of interest this session. The outcome of priority bills to the City is featured in the attached report. In addition, this Session, the City was able to secure $20 million to support drinking water infrastructure improvements.
Courtney Knox Busch
Strategic Initiatives Manager
Attachments:
1. 2018-9 Salem Legislative Policy Statements
2. City of Salem, 2019 Legislative Report, as submitted by Perseverance Strategies, Inc.