Operating Procedures

Mission Statement
The mission of the Government Affairs Council (GAC) is to provide a basis for the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) to act and influence on local, state and federal government issues and have a good working relationship with its elected officials thus creating a favorable and profitable business climate.

Composition
GAC will consist of 15-17 voting members. Composition shall be representative of the general Chamber membership. The GAC Chair position will be appointed by the incoming Chair of the Board of Directors, with the recommendation of the Vice Chair Governmental Affairs, each year. GAC membership is open to all Chamber members in good standing. GAC meetings are open to all members of the Chamber. All elected officials representing Fresno and the region or their designees are ex officio, nonvoting members of the GAC.

Policy Platform
Beginning in October of each year, the GAC shall develop a policy platform consistent with GAC’s mission statement of local, state, and federal legislative issues (Policy Platform) for the following year. The Policy Platform shall be recommended to the Board of Directors no later than its January meeting for discussion and approval.

Legislation Position Authority
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall be updated each month of any legislative positions approved by GAC. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to modify any position of GAC. 

GAC
GAC shall have the authority on behalf of the Board of Directors, to approve any legislative positions that align with the approved policy platform consistent with GAC’s mission statement.

Executive Committee of GAC
By a majority vote of the President/CEO, GAC Chairman, GAC Vice-Chairman, and two GAC voting members appointed by the GAC Chair serving as the Executive Committee of GAC, the GAC Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on behalf of the GAC to approve any legislative positions that align with the policy platform consistent with GAC’s mission statement. The GAC shall be notified of this action within 48 hours (or no later than the end of the first working day should the GAC action be taken on a Friday or day before a holiday). The GAC shall have the authority to modify any decision of the Executive Committee of GAC at its next scheduled meeting.

Voting Members
GAC members will serve two (2) year terms beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of the following year with a maximum of 3 terms. GAC members shall be appointed by the Chamber Chair of the Board in consultation with the GAC Chair and President/CEO subject to approval of the Chamber Board of Directors. The voting members will always include the President/CEO, Incoming Chairman of the Chamber Board, and the Vice Chair of Government Affairs. These positions are only good for their one year tenure.

Appointment of New Members
Applications for GAC membership are due to the GAC Chair by December 1 of each year. All applications will be available on the advocacy website by November 1 of each year. The GAC chair, in consultation with the GAC vice chair, and vice chair of Government Affairs will determine voting membership for applicants based on, but not limited to, the following qualifications

1.       Knowledge of local, state and/or 
      federal public policy issues.

2.       Industry representation.

3.       Past and current Chamber   
      involvement.

4.       Past and current political involvement

Voting Membership Vacancies
Prospective GAC members can apply for openings by notifying the GAC Chair.  The GAC Chair in consultation with the Vice Chair of Government Affairs will appoint voting members to fill in vacancies during the year subject to approval of the Board of Directors.

 Attendance
GAC meets second Wednesday of each month at noon. If a GAC member accumulates more than three (3) consecutive or 4 absences throughout the year, the member loses GAC membership.

Minutes
Minutes will be kept of all GAC meetings.

Quorum
A quorum shall consist of fifty percent plus-one voting members in attendance at any regularly scheduled meeting. If a quorum cannot be assembled, the Executive Committee of GAC is empowered to act on behalf of the GAC.

Amendments
The authority to approve or modify the Government Affairs Council Operating Procedures shall be vested in the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.