1. Chair Responsibilities:

The primary duty of the chair with regard to legislation is the appointment of a Legislative Liaison. The Legislative Liaison is responsible for all legislative matters concerning your Section or Committee.

In order to be most effective in legislative matters, it is essential that the Legislative Liaison work in concert with the Director of Legislative Relations, the full time employee who is responsible for directing the overall MSBA legislative program. By keeping the Director of Legislative Relations informed of the legislative activities of individual sections and committees, the Legislative Liaison will be able to obtain extensive information about broader legislative and political developments and how they impact on the unique interests of the sections and committees. The Director of Legislative Relations will provide the Legislative Liaison with important information on key dates for legislative activity, contacts within the legislature and operating procedures of the Maryland General Assembly.

On matters of great concern, the Legislative Liaison will consult with the Director of Legislative Relations to determine whether an issue should be reviewed by the Committee of Laws for action by the Board of Governors. In the absence of an emergency or crisis, the work of the Association's legislative program will commence in the late Spring and be finalized by December.

During the annual General Assembly Session (January-April), the Director of Legislative Relations will review all proposed legislation and distribute bills of unique concern to the Legislative Liaison of all of the sections and committees. The Legislative Liaison will be responsible for reporting this information to the section or committee, and informing the Director of Legislative Relations which bills will be supported, opposed, amended or monitored.

Please carefully review Article VII, Section 5 and 16, and Article VIII, Section 4 of the MSBA Bylaws which deal with legislative activities of Committees and Sections.

2. Headquarters Staff Responsibilities

The Director of Legislative Relations is the primary MSBA staff contact on legislative matters, and serves as the legislative representative of the Association during the annual session of the Maryland General Assembly. The Director of Legislative Relations coordinates testimony and advocacy efforts on bills approved for action by the MSBA Board of Governors. On bills of specific interest to the sections or committees, the Director of Legislative Relations distributes copies of bills and hearing schedules, and serves as an informational resource to the Legislative Liaisons.

Source: Maryland State Bar Association, Inc. Administrative Procedures

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