Cal Cities policy resolutions are due July 22. Here’s how to submit one
Members will vote on resolutions at the General Assembly, which will be held during the Annual Conference and Expo on Sept. 22
Every year, Cal Cities convenes a member-driven General Assembly and resolutions process. This is an important opportunity for all members to directly participate in the development of Cal Cities policy and engage on a range of policy issues that impact local control. Here is what you need to know about the submission process.
How can I submit a resolution?
Any elected or appointed city official, city council, division, department, caucus, policy committee, or the Cal Cities Board of Directors may submit a resolution for consideration at the Cal Cities Annual Conference and Expo. Resolutions must be germane to city issues.
Resolutions must be emailed to Meg Desmond no later than 60 days before the opening session of the annual conference.
Submitted resolutions must have the concurrence of at least five or more cities, or city officials from at least five or more cities. Written documentation of concurrences – in the form of a letter from the city or the city official in support – must be submitted with the resolution. For concurrence by a city official, the official’s city and office held must be included in the letter.
The deadline to submit resolutions and concurrences for the 2023 annual conference is midnight, July 22.
Who reviews the resolutions?
The Cal Cities president assigns resolutions to policy committees, which review, debate, and recommend positions for each resolution. Policy committee recommendations are then sent to the Resolutions Committee. Resolutions received by July 22 will be sent to all member cities for council review.
Resolutions Committee: Appointments and consideration
The Resolutions Committee meets during the annual conference to consider all resolutions. The Resolutions Committee consists of one representative from each caucus, division, department, and policy committee, as well as up to ten additional individuals appointed by the Cal Cities president.
Each caucus, division, department, and policy committee representative is appointed by their president or committee chair. If you are interested in serving on the Resolutions Committee, reach out to your caucus, division, department, or policy committee president/chair.
When does a resolution move to the General Assembly?
The General Assembly considers resolutions approved by the Resolutions Committee or all referred policy committees. If a resolution is not approved by the Resolutions Committee and at least one referred policy committee, the resolution does not move to the General Assembly.
The Resolutions Committee may amend the resolution before moving it forward for consideration by the General Assembly. Resolutions approved by the General Assembly become Cal Cities policy.
Petitioned Resolutions
During the annual conference, a designated voting delegate of a member city may introduce a resolution by petition. A petitioned resolution must be signed by 10% of the voting delegates and submitted by 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 21, at least 24 hours before the beginning of the General Assembly.
All qualified petitioned resolutions are forwarded to the Resolutions Committee and the General Assembly for consideration. The Resolutions Committee can disqualify a petitioned resolution that does not meet the signature threshold, is not germane to city issues, or is identical or substantially similar in substance to a resolution already under consideration.
New this year
The General Assembly is now scheduled for earlier on the final day of the annual conference. This will allow for additional debate and discussion time during the General Assembly. Improvements have also been made to the General Assembly process to make it easier for voting delegates to discuss and debate resolutions.
For questions about the annual conference resolution process, please contact Meg Desmond.