Act, Section 4-F-5
The Electoral Trust shall organize a Hearing to receive testimony and shall convene a Deliberative Committee to deliberate on each qualified initiative. The Electoral Trust shall provide or arrange for professional Hearing Officers and Deliberation Facilitators, technical consultants and support staff and facilities as needed for the effective conduct of Hearings and Committee activities.
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Parrish Report
The Public Hearing will provide an opportunity for proponents and opponents of an initiative to make their case in testimony, to receive testimony from experts, for the public to observe, dialog with and question the Sponsor and representatives of the relevant elected legislative body. The Electoral Trust will provide a venue for this hearing appropriate to the affected governmental jurisdiction. For example, an issue that affects a small town might be held in city hall or even a school auditorium, whereas initiatives affecting a populous city, a state or the nation as a whole might be conducted via interactive TV on a network operated by the Electoral Trust. Because the Deliberative Committee will be made up entirely of citizens chosen at random from the voter rolls, many of whom may have little or no experience in such an environment, it will be incumbent on the Electoral Trust to provide process experts, skilled facilitators and subject matter experts to assist the Committee members in organizing and conducting their deliberations. The Electoral Trust must also provide administrative and clerical support, facilities and equipment that will permit the Committee to perform and record its work and its findings efficiently and effectively.