Legislation & Recognition

Legislative Proposals 

The Pierce County Council considers legislative proposals that fall into two categories:

  • Ordinances, which have the force of law; and
  • Resolutions, which confirm or reject executive appointments, make declarations of policy that do not have the force of law, and request information from other county government agencies (see Pierce County Charter, Section 2.55).

Note: Approved ordinances are often codified in the Pierce County Code. 

How to Provide Comment on Council Legislation

The County Council encourages comments on proposed legislation either in person at a Council meeting, in writing or remotely through Council's hybrid meeting format. Read how to provide remote public comment at a hybrid Council meeting.

You have several options for making your voice heard: 

  • Comment electronically through the Council's Comment on Legislation option available on each legislative item scheduled.
  • Contact the Council with the online comment form.
  • Attend a Council or Committee meeting where the proposal is on the agenda as an action item (see Calendar), and speak to the proposal when open for testimony. The Chair will usually limit testimony to 3 minutes per person.
  • Provide written comments at the Council or Committee meeting. If possible, provide 10 copies of any written testimony and hand it to the Clerk for the meeting.
  • Provide written comments via postal mail or email. See Contact Us bar for postal mail address. To be effective, these comments need to arrive for Council consideration before the final hearing.
  • Contact your Councilmember.

Tips for effective testimony: 

  • Give your name for the record.
  • Reference the Ordinance or Resolution number, and the topic of the proposal.
  • Be clear about what you support or oppose in the legislation.
  • Provide an email address on written testimony or on the sign-up sheet outside the Council Chambers if you would like to be notified of any possible future actions on a proposal. 

Council recognition opportunities

The Pierce County Council celebrates and recognizes awards, accomplishments, and achievements of Pierce County residents, as well as local, state and national awareness campaigns in multiple ways.

Formal recognition includes:

  • Adoption of a proclamation, signed by members and presented during a televised regular meeting.
  • Certificates signed and presented by a member or members to acknowledge achievements.
  • Social media graphics which can be displayed on individual council member social media accounts as well as the Pierce County Council accounts, as appropriate.

If you have an accomplishment or annual awareness campaign that you would like considered for formal Council recognition, please submit your request a minimum of three weeks before your preferred recognition date to allow for review and approval on the agenda. Regular Council meetings are held every Tuesday at 3 p.m. (Official council meeting calendar). 

For certificates of recognition or social media sharing, please complete the Pierce County Council recognition form. Requests are processed as received and must be requested annually. Please make sure to include whether the item to be recognized is specific to one of the seven Council districts or countywide, and include what makes it noteworthy and a date, if applicable.

If you have questions about certificates or social media sharing, please email [email protected] or call 253-798-7777.

For proclamations, a representative must be in attendance in person or remotely through Council’s hybrid meeting format to accept the proclamation. Council staff will contact you with date and time the proclamation will be read.

Meetings are held in Council Chambers, located in the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 1046 in Tacoma. Proclamations are read and presented during the Council's regular, hybrid meeting and mailed to recipients who are unable to attend in person.
 
To request a proclamation, please complete the proclamation request form. Proclamations are processed as requested and must be re-requested annually.

If you have questions about the proclamation process, please email [email protected] or call (253) 798-7777.