MACo Legislation & Legislative Process

(Spring/Summer Preceding the Legislative Session Year)

Resolutions can and should originate at the county level for presentation at the district meetings preceding a legislative year. Each resolution should be accompanied by statements of the problem being addressed and the proposed solution. This should include statutory references and language revisions where possible as an additional document to the resolution. They may be submitted by a member, one or more counties, a single district, or multiple districts.

After the Spring/Summer District Meetings and prior to the Annual Conference, the Resolutions and Legislative Committee. working with the MACo staff, shall attempt to consolidate similar resolutions with the consent of the originating sponsors. The committee will also identify a primary sponsor/spokesperson and refer the resolutions to their most appropriate MACo Committee for vetting and recommendations to the membership.

It is to be noted that the Resolutions Committee may propose resolutions based upon inquiries from members and/or affiliates.

A summary of the various resolutions shall be posted to MACo’s website and distributed to all member counties digitally prior to the annual conference.

(September Preceding the Legislative Session Year)

Late, urgent, or extraordinary resolution addresses an issue that threatens the health, welfare, and/or safety of the public or the counties’ resources/ability to provide necessary services and was not known prior to the Annual Conference. These resolutions may be considered at the Annual Conference if approved by the Board of Directors at their meeting prior to the Annual Conference for presentation on the floor at the general session of the Annual Conference. Such resolutions must be presented in writing, in easily read and understandable form, and in adequate numbers for general circulation. These resolutions may be mailed to MACo for submission to the Board of Directors prior to the Annual Conference. Any resolutions submitted to the Board will be considered and comments and recommendations will be made for presentation to the general assembly. In addition, the Board may, at any meeting with a quorum present, adopt resolutions pertaining to the policy or position of the Association.

MACo Committees will meet during the Annual Conference to review assigned resolutions. They will develop recommendations to amend, drop, incorporate into policy statements, and/or refer to the membership for consideration. They will also make final adjustments to their policy statements for consideration by the membership. All MACo members are encouraged to attend MACo Committee Meetings and participate in the process. Other affiliated elected official associations are also encouraged to participate in the resolutions process.

During the Annual Membership Meeting, the Resolutions Committee Chair will introduce all resolutions in their priority groupings and acted on as a whole. Any delegate may call for a resolution to be segregated from the group for consideration in regard to amendments and/or to change the committee’s recommendation. Each resolution that is segregated will be debated separately.

To ensure communications on legislative issues, MACo sponsors a meeting of the Council of County Officials specifically to share and discuss legislative issues, following the Annual Conference.

After the Annual Conference, resolutions begin to become bill drafts, with the help of the resolution sponsors. Resolution sponsorship begins at the district meetings, with the introduction of a resolution, and extends through the legislative session.

The legislative responsibilities of a sponsor include working with the assigned MACo committee and the staff to prepare testimony for the sponsoring legislator, supporting “public” testimony from local officials during the hearing phases of the bill, and to generally help monitor the legislation’s progress.

All testimony should be directed at why the bill is necessary and how it will affect local governments. Indications of or suggestions that what is being sought is special legislation should be avoided to the extent possible. Success can best be assumed when local officials are present and testify; everyone is encouraged to participate. MACo will make every effort to afford everyone with ample notice of hearing schedules and scheduled floor debates; however, it should be noted that in some instances it may be impossible to predict the timing of hearings and floor debate, especially toward the end of each session.

The goal will be to demonstrate broad general support for MACo legislation. To do this it is necessary to have a participatory process, and everyone is encouraged to “be prepared to be present.”