Become a Legislative Policy Committee member

About the Legislative Policy Committee (LPC)

The Oregon School Boards Association’s primary legislative goal is to serve as the collective voice for all Oregon public school boards. Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) members play an invaluable role in this process by building relationships with the legislators that represent their LPC region, serving as a resource for the OSBA members within the LPC region, and lending an effective voice in public policy that impacts education by generally promoting the regions legislative advocacy efforts. The LPC members report to and represent the member boards in their respective LPC region, develop the OSBA Legislative Priorities and Principles, and participate in the development of the legislative workplan.

Composition of the LPC

The Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) consists of the voting members of the OSBA board of directors, 20 representatives nominated and elected by local boards (school district, ESD or community college) from 14 regions throughout the state, and a representative selected by the membership of the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus (OSBMCC). The vice president of the OSBA board serves as the chair of the LPC and directs its activities in conjunction with OSBA’s Legislative Services Team.

Essential duties of LPC members

Members of the Legislative Policy Committee have the following responsibilities:

• LPC members will attend LPC meetings in even-numbered years, with a goal of approving the legislative priorities and principles document, and participate in the development of the legislative workplan.
• LPC members will attend LPC meetings during odd-numbered years as directed by the LPC chair to discuss legislative issues and the association's position, and to receive training in advocacy techniques and strategies.
• LPC members will participate in and promote legislative advocacy and activities by attending the fall regional meeting for their LPC region, OSBA’s annual convention, the annual membership meeting held each November, and other OSBA conferences and training sessions, as possible.
• LPC members will follow legislative session activity by regularly checking OSBA’s website, reading OSBA Legislative Highlights, and attending weekly legislative session updates.
• LPC members will develop two-way communication channels with the school board members within their LPC region that will enable the accurate and timely preparation for, and response to, Oregon’s legislative sessions.
• LPC members should build relationships with the legislators that represent their LPC region and serve as a resource for those legislators on public education issues. 
• In coordination with OSBA legislative staff, LPC members will initiate contact with key legislators about OSBA legislative issues and respond to OSBA legislative alerts by contacting the appropriate legislator when critical legislative issues need a voice during the legislative session.
• LPC members will participate in the development of the Legislative Priorities and Principles and the Legislative Workplan. The Legislative Priorities and Principles encompass the overarching guidelines for OSBA’s lobbying and advocacy activities and serves as the framework for the legislative workplan. This workplan will serve as the guiding document that sits between the direction of the Legislative Priorities and Principles, and the tactical, day-to-day work carried out by the legislative team.

Eligibility

To serve on the Legislative Policy Committee, you must:

• Be an active member of your local board within the region nominating you to the LPC.

• Be a member of a local board that is a dues-paying member of OSBA.

• Be nominated by a local board in the region electing you to the LPC.

Term of office

The term of office for Legislative Policy Committee members is two calendar years. There is no limit to the number of terms to which you may be re-elected. Elections are held in the fall in odd-numbered years, at the same time as OSBA board elections. More information on how to service on the Legislative Policy Committee can be found on the OSBA Election Center webpage.