Board of Equalization adopts rules requiring memo for bill support, drops per-member bill limit

The Board of Equalization on April 20 approved new guidelines requiring any board member who asks the board to support or oppose legislation to submit a memorandum explaining how the measure is within the board's jurisdiction, the policy issue it addresses, fiscal and administrative impacts, and links to the bill text and any available committee analyses.

The change, proposed by Vice Chair Susan Lieber and approved after debate, is intended to give the board more information and limit consideration to measures that are germane to the agency's property-tax and related constitutional responsibilities. Vice Chair Lieber said, "what you have before you is a proposed, addition to our governance policy that would, foster a system by which each request for action on legislation would include a memorandum submitted by the board member requesting the action." The board also agreed that "Spot bills should not be included for Board support or opposition."

Board members said the written memorandum requirement should help the board…