Sections have the opportunity to participate in the legislative process through the OSB Law Improvement Program. Public Affairs is available to assist sections with bill tracking, sponsoring legislation, and may also refer to sections to provide analysis on key bills relating to their area of expertise. Each bar section is encouraged to have a legislative subcommittee tracking the legislative process, as assistance from bar groups is invaluable.
Sections that wish to sponsor legislation or take a position on any bill, rule or public policy issue must comply with the OSB Bylaws and bar policy, as well as the Standard Section Bylaws. In summary, sections may not represent a position or proposal without majority approval of the Executive Committee members and the approval of the Board of Governors, through OSB Public Affairs.
If your section wishes to submit a request to take a position on current legislation, please complete the request form here and contact Susan Grabe, Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer at [email protected]. The request should identify the section’s position and supporting analysis and identify how the proposed feedback meets the Legislative Guidelines established by the Board of Governors in OSB Bylaw Article 11.1.
After the Section Executive Committee and Board have approved a proposal, the section chair or chair’s designee may act on subsequent time-sensitive legislative or policy issues, after consultation with Public Affairs, consistent with the approved proposal. In most cases, the section will be responsible for lobbying for the position or testimony of that bill. Only positions that are identified by the Board of Governors’ Public Affairs Committee as bar priorities are lobbied by public affairs staff. Public Affairs staff are available to assist with developing section proposals and appreciate being informed of executive committee or legislative subcommittee meetings dealing with legislative issues, in order to stay current on the status of projects and ensure that interested parties are connecting throughout the development and drafting process.