§ 1701.10 - Other activities of the Commission.

(a) The Commission devotes the necessary amount of ACIR staff time to technical assistance, publications, and education activities so as to disseminate Commission reports and encourage study of emerging public problems which may require adoption of Commission legislative recommendations. In carrying out these implementation activities, Commission members and the staff conduct and participate in press conferences, briefings for legislative and policy officials, legislative hearings, seminars and workshops, technical assistance visits to specific jurisdictions, and other activities appropriate to its statutory mandate.

(b) Support activities. In support of its implementation activities, the Chairman and members of the Commission complement the staff work by participating in press conferences and briefings for legislative and policy officials, testifying before Congressional committees and state and local legislative bodies, participating in their home states in press and legislative activities to generate interest in ACIR reports and recommendations and to advance their implementation, making speeches as representatives of the Commission, serving as a two-way communications channel with the ACIR staff, and undertaking such other assignments on behalf of the Commission as may be appropriate.

(c) Publications. ACIR reports containing legislative recommendations or Commission “findings” or “conclusions” (“A” series) and major research reports not containing legislative recommendations (“M” series) are published only after approval by the Commission. Other reports and publications may be published with the approval of the Executive Director as follows:

(d) Hearings. Whenever in the opinion of the Commission it is necessary or desirable to have a factual determination based on the testimony of sworn witnesses in an adjudicatory-type hearing, or to provide a forum for receiving statements from interested persons or members of the public, or a part thereof, in a legislative-type hearing, the Commission, or a sub-committee of the Commission (when authorized by the Commission) or any number of members thereof (not less than two) may hold a public hearing. Factors weighed when determining whether or not to hold a hearing include, but are not limited to:

(1) The extent to which all directly affected interests were represented in the critics session.

(2) Whether directly affected interests have requested a hearing with the Commission.

(3) The extent to which a report contains findings, conclusions or potential recommendations on which identifiable interests are in sharp disagreement.

(4) The extent to which hearings may be a good device for directing public attention to the Commission, the report, or both.

(5) Whether in meetings away from Washington a hearing will be a good device for calling attention to the Commission's presence in a particular community or region.