STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Government Performance & Financial Management
AGENDA DATE: September 25, 2024
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Mayor and City Council Office
EXECUTIVE: Kimberly Bizor Tolbert
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SUBJECT
Title
A resolution amending the city's policy governing the use of legislature travel funds in order to more efficiently allow for councilmembers to travel to Austin and Washington D.C to speak on legislatives matters - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
Body
BACKGROUND
The City Council approves a list of legislative priorities which serve a public purpose.
Each fiscal year funds are set aside for councilmember legislative travel.
On September 13, 2006, the City Council adopted a policy for use of legislative travel funds by Resolution No. 06-2446. In order to use legislative travel funds, Resolution No. 06-2446 requires a councilmember to: (1) receive approval from the chair of the Legislative Ad Hoc Committee, the mayor, or the city manager; (2) pursue items on the council approved list of legislative priorities; and (3) not use legislative travel funds to travel to the annual Texas Municipal League meeting or national meetings of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities.
This policy has never been updated since it was approved in 2006. There is a need to amend this policy to more efficiently and effectively allow councilmembers to participate in the city's state and federal legislative priorities by traveling to Austin and Washington, D.C. to speak on behalf of, or testify at committees about the City of Dallas' Legislative Program. The proposed resolution helps to streamline the process for requesting legislative travel funds while ensuring that council members using the funds are advancing the city's legislative priorities.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
The Ad Hoc Committee on Administrative Affairs was briefed on the “A resolution amending the city's policy governing the use of legislature travel funds in order to more efficiently allow for councilmembers to travel to Austin and Washington D.C to speak on legislatives matters” on September 10, 2024.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City.