CHAPTER 101. LEGISLATIVE OFFICE FOR
RESEARCH LIAISONSec.
101.1. Establishment.Source The provisions of this Chapter 101 adopted March 23, 1982, Pa.H. Res. No. 155, unless otherwise noted.
§ 101.1. Establishment.
In the House of Representatives, February 8, 1982
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of Pennsylvania is faced with many complex public issues having scientific, technologic or technical components; and
WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania to provide its individual members or their staff and committees with proper resources to evaluate these public issues including sources of independent, nonpartisan information and expertise; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is blessed with many great colleges and universities and other organizations with vast scientific and technical resources; and
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in November 1976, and with partial funding from the National Science Foundation, in cooperation with Drexel University, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh established the Legislative Office for Research Liaison to provide the House of Representatives with an independent, nonpartisan source of information and expertise on public issues having scientific, technologic or technical components; and
WHEREAS, During the first five years of operation, the Legislative Office for Research Liaison has completed over 1,200 projects in response to inquiries initiated by over 200 legislators and their staff; and
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of Pennsylvania has been a national leader as evidenced by the fact that the Legislative Office for Research Liaison has served as a model for other state legislatures in Alabama, Arkansas, Maryland, Michigan, Puerto Rico and Texas, each of which has established its own research agency that is formally linked to academic institutions; therefore be it
RESOLVED, The House of Representatives of Pennsylvania does hereby establish a Legislative Office for Research Liaison, hereinafter referred to as LORL, to provide the House of Representatives with an independent, nonpartisan source of information and expertise on public issues having scientific, technologic or technical components; and be it further
RESOLVED, The operation of LORL shall be under the control and direction of the Legislative Committee for Research Liaison, hereinafter referred to as the LORL Committee, which shall consist of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, one member of the Majority Party of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, one member of the Minority Party of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker after consultation with the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and two representatives from among the participating organizations to be appointed by the Speaker after consultation with the University Committee for Research Liaison. The Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader and the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives may designate another member of their respective caucuses to be a member of the LORL Committee in their stead or to temporarily act on behalf of such officer. Members of the LORL Committee who are members of the House of Representatives shall serve during each regular session of the General Assembly and shall continue as members until the first Tuesday in January of the next odd-numbered year and until their respective successors shall qualify, provided they continue to be members of the House of Representatives. Members of the LORL Committee who are representatives of a participating organization shall serve during a regular session of the General Assembly and until their respective successors shall qualify. Such members of the LORL Committee who are representatives of participating organizations shall be chosen from the University Committee for Research Liaison, but no such member may serve on the LORL Committee for two consecutive regular sessions of the General Assembly. The LORL Committee has a continuing existence and may meet and conduct its business during sessions of the Legislature or any recess thereof and in the interim between session; and be it further
RESOLVED, The LORL Committee shall organize immediately after the final enactment of this resolution, and thereafter within 30 days after the convening of the regular session of the General Assembly. The Speaker of the House of Representatives or his designee shall be the Chairman and the Executive Director of LORL shall serve as the recording secretary for the LORL Committee. The LORL Committee shall elect a Secretary and such other officers as it deems necessary. The LORL Committee shall meet at least semiannually during each calendar year. The time and place of meetings of the LORL Committee shall be at the call of the chairman. Five members of the LORL Committee shall constitute a quorum and an affirmative vote of five members shall be necessary to pass on any matter requiring action; and be it further
RESOLVED, The LORL Committee shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To establish and operate LORL.
(2) To appoint and employ an executive director, who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the LORL Committee, and to fix the compensation for such Executive Director in accordance with the job classification and pay plans adopted by the Bipartisan Management Committee. The LORL Committee shall seek the advice of the University Committee for Research Liaison in the selection of an Executive Director of LORL.
(3) To determine the number of permanent professional and support staff deemed necessary in the performance of its duties. In addition, the LORL Committee shall establish job qualifications and descriptions for each permanent position as well as personnel policies consistent with the rules and regulations adopted by the Bipartisan Management Committee for promulgation and administration of personnel policies and procedures, and job classification and pay plans.
(4) To determine the terms and conditions for the appointment of visiting scientists and student interns and the appointment of part-time staff as the LORL Committee deems necessary in the performance of its duties.
(5) To enter into contracts for such professional, expert, or technical services as the LORL Committee deems necessary in the performance of its duties.
(6) To purchase or rent such equipment and supplies as the LORL Committee deems necessary in the performance of its duties.
(7) To make such rules and regulations as the LORL Committee deems necessary to properly fulfill its powers and duties including, but not limited to, the determination of the terms and conditions to be met by any participating organization.
(8) To receive applications and to prepare for ratification by the House of Representatives, prior to the beginning of an odd-numbered calendar year, the list of new participating organizations, if any, deemed appropriate for carrying out the purposes of this resolution.
(9) To determine the long-term research projects to be undertaken by LORL. Such determination shall be made after consultation with the University Committee for Research Liaison.
(10) To monitor and evaluate the performance of LORL.
(11) To accept on behalf of LORL monetary aid or grants from the Federal Government, any college or university, or any foundation or agency. Such aid or grants shall be appropriated to LORL to carry out the purposes of this resolution; and be it further
RESOLVED, the Executive Director of LORL shall perform such duties as shall be assigned by the LORL Committee including, but not limited to, the day-to-day operation of LORL and the administration of approved personnel policies. Visiting scientists and interns may be appointed by the Executive Director in compliance with the terms and conditions applicable to said part-time positions. In addition, the Executive Director of LORL shall be responsible for:
(1) The preparation of an annual expenditure plan for the review and approval of the LORL Committee.
(2) Conveying and assigning legislative inquiries to the LORL staff and issuing completed responses/reports to the appropriate Legislators or their staff and committees of the House of Representatives.
RESOLVED, The Executive Director shall have the following minimum qualifications to be eligible for appointment:
(1) An earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution of higher learning in the physical, life, or social sciences.
(2) Direct working experience in the legislative process and experience in higher education as an administrator and teacher/researcher.
(3) The ability to translate complex scientific or technical information into language that is reasonably understandable.
(4) The tact, diplomacy, and credentials to form a good working relationship between the House of Representatives and the various participating organizations in LORL.
In lieu of the above qualifications, the LORL Committee may determine that the educational background and experience of a person is such that they are equivalent to the above qualifications and that such person is capable of performing the duties of Executive Director of LORL; and be it further
RESOLVED, The interaction of the participating organizations with LORL shall be coordinated by the University Committee for Research Liaison, hereinafter referred to as the University Committee. The University Committee shall consist of the Speaker of the House, the Minority Leader of the House, one member from each participating organization appointed by the Chairman of the LORL Committee after consultation with the chief administrative officer of each participating organization, and the Executive Director of LORL who shall serve as Chairman of the University Committee. The designated Legislators may each name another member of their respective caucuses to serve in their stead on the University Committee. Such members of the University Committee shall serve during each regular session of the General Assembly and until their respective successors shall qualify; and be it further
RESOLVED, The University Committee shall meet at the call of the chairman and shall be responsible for recommending to the LORL Committee those policies and procedures which would contribute to the objectives of LORL; advising the Executive Director of LORL on means to facilitate and make more mutually beneficial the relationship of LORL with the participating organizations in their use of resource personnel and data in responding to inquiries from LORL; and handling those matters specifically referred to it by the LORL Committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, The following shall be the initial participating organizations for purposes of this resolution:
Drexel University.
Lincoln University.
Pennsylvania State University.
Temple University.
University of Pennsylvania.
University of Pittsburgh; and be it further
RESOLVED, Within 60 days of the enactment of this resolution, the chief administrative officer of each of the above-named colleges and universities shall submit in writing to the Chairman of the LORL Committee a statement including, but not limited to,
(1) the name, title, address, and phone number of the person on his campus designated as the contact for the processing of legislative inquiries received from LORL;
(2) agreement to provide the services without cost to the House of Representatives of visiting scientists according to a master schedule for visiting scientists as developed and approved by the LORL Committee;
(3) the name, title, address, and phone number of the person on his campus designated as the person responsible for government relations between his institution and the Commonwealth; and
(4) a statement indicating that his institution is willing to continue as a participating organization during the remainder of the regular session of the General Assembly in which this resolution is enacted; and be it further
RESOLVED, The chief administrative officer of any other organization, unnamed herein, seeking membership as a participating organization for purposes of this resolution shall submit in writing, not later than August 31 in any even-numbered year, to the Chairman of the LORL Committee, an application for membership including, but not limited to, evidence of ability to meet the terms and conditions as required by the LORL Committee for any participating organization; however, no organization having an apparent advocacy interest in any public issues handled by LORL shall be considered for membership as a participating organization; and be it further
RESOLVED, The House of Representatives, not later than December 31 in any even-numbered year, shall consider for ratification by appropriate resolution the list of new participating organizations, if any, as submitted and recommended by the LORL Committee and, upon ratification by the House of Representatives, those organizations so approved by the House of Representatives shall be considered as participating members as of January 1 in the following odd-numbered year; and be it further
RESOLVED, The House of Representatives, its members or their staff, and committees may request assistance from LORL on any public issue having scientific, technologic or technical components and LORL shall have access to the Legislative Information Service of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). A response to each inquiry shall be made according to guidelines developed and approved by the LORL Committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, the comptroller of the House of Representatives shall be responsible for the processing of all payrolls and expenses of LORL as authorized by the LORL Committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, All prior unspent appropriations to LORL shall not lapse and are hereby reappropriated to LORL established by this resolution; and be it further
RESOLVED, The members of the LORL Committee and the University Committee, except the Executive Director of LORL, shall serve without compensation. Only legislators shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred while attending sessions of the committee of which they are members or any subcommittee thereof; and be it further
RESOLVED, This resolution shall take effect immediately.
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