The GLBTRT always needs a representative and an alternate to Legislation Assembly (ALA Committee on Legislation).  The position requires:

• conference and midwinter meeting attendance
• knowledge of relevant issues
• commitment to maintaining communication with membership and the board throughout the year
• annually establish the GLBTRT legislative agenda with the board and membership around the Midwinter Meeting

Legislation Assembly Procedures

The Legislation Assembly (LA) acts in an advisory and resource capacity to the ALA Committee on Legislation (COL). It is comprised of representatives of ALA membership units, including Divisions, Round Tables, ALA Committees, and COL Subcommittees, the representative are each appointed by his/her respective unit.

The LA serves as the major point of communication between ALA Units and COL to facilitate an exchange of information on legislative and policy issues. The Assembly provides one of the main opportunities for units to communicate legislative concerns to other units and participate in ALA’s policy discourse. LA representatives in turn keep units apprised of pending legislative actions and policies issues of interest and concern.  It is important for every unit to send a representative to the LA meetings in order to hear more about current issues, possible policies and how their units and the ALA Committee on Legislation are approaching legislative priorities and policies.

The Assembly meets two times during each conference:

• Friday afternoon from 1:30-3:00 p.m., in a joint meeting with COL and
• Monday morning from 8-10 a.m. 

Responsibilities of Legislation Assembly Members:

• keep abreast of developments on the legislative front;
• participate in conference calls and webinars about legislative actions and issues;
• attend Committee on Legislation and Legislation Assembly meetings at conferences;
• consult with unit members about issues; consider what other groups within ALA need to be part of the conversation;
• become a legislative resource and advocate for unit members 
• bring members' concerns and ideas to a broader ALA audience; and
• get involved; attend legislative days; call and write representatives; speak up and educate

The Legislation Assembly is an important ALA venue for legislative policy discussions and sharing of information.  Information about meetings, unit legislative agendas, and relevant notices are posted on the LA ALA Connect site at: http://connect.ala.org/node/64157.  The purpose of the LA is to:

• Broaden participation both within and across ALA units; 
• Help establish ALA legislative priorities;
• Make decisions and develop and articulate in conjunction with units;
• Communicate clearly and effectively; and 
• Learn about existing policies and procedures.

During the ALA Midwinter Conference, units are strongly encouraged to set their Legislative Agenda for the year. Each unit’s representative to LA will have an opportunity to hear from other ALA units at the LA meetings on how each unit’s agenda and priorities were set. 

As your unit develops its Legislative Agenda, consider the following questions.

1. What issues does your unit already work on?
2. Who are you working with on these issues? And, whom else might you work with?
3. What other legislative or public policy issues are of concern to your unit? And, 
4. who else within ALA might be interested in this issue?

Some additional questions to consider when developing legislative issues:

1. How does this issue fit into our legislative agenda/priorities?
2. Who else or what other ALA units should be involved, may be interested in our issues or are already working on these issues?
3. Do we need to seek compromise or consensus or common ground in reaching a decision on this issue?  
4. What do we need to discuss or resolve?
5. How will we share with others information about our issues and our activities - and who will do this?
6. Do we need to reach out for further discussion with such groups?
7. What venues can we establish to facilitate this dialogue?
8. Who from this group will take responsibility for these outreach steps?
9. How can your members be involved in advocacy on these issues?
10. Does my Unit have a process by which we can have our Executive Board, Member and others contribute to such an agenda?

For more information about the ALA Committee on Legislation Legislative Assembly, contact: Lynne Bradley lbradley@alawash.org or Jeff Katz, jkratz@alawash.org in the ALA Washington Office, or Vivian Wynn, vwynn91@bellsouth.net 2012-13 Chair of the ALA Committee on Legislation.