“LEGISLATE” WORKING GROUP CHARTER

GOALS:

• To design one or more practical and effective tools that will empower the NCBA and NCBA members to be heard in the N.C. General Assembly on public policy matters, including funding for Legal Aid of North Carolina and other legal aid organizations.
• To identify for approval by the NCBA Board of Governors a standard or standards for deciding which public policy matters are of sufficient importance to lawyers and the legal profession to justify deploying the new tools in support of them.
• To advise the NCBA’s Office of Governmental Affairs and any consultants the NCBA retains on these matters.

BACKGROUND:

For many years the NCBA has successfully lobbied the General Assembly on matters that may generally be characterized as substantive legal reforms. NCBA sections have prepared draft legislation intended to improve and modernize North Carolina’s statutory law in specific areas. With the approval of the Board of Governors, draft legislation from NCBA sections has become part of the NCBA’s legislative platform, and the Office of Governmental Affairs has sought bill sponsors and shepherded legislation through the General Assembly with considerable success.

The NCBA needs practical, meaningful tools that will empower our members to engage in the legislative process with respect to broad public policy issues. As part of the “4All” Task Force, the “Legislate” Working Group is being asked to consider first and foremost how to build legislative support for increased legal aid funding. It’s anticipated, however, that the Working Group’s recommendations on legal aid will serve as a pilot effort for NCBA legislative initiatives in other areas.

Last Update: Tuesday, January 15, 2008