Governing Structure
SCAG is governed by the General Assembly, which includes at least one official delegate from each of SCAG’s member cities, one from each county in the SCAG region, and one from each member county transportation commission.
A regular meeting of the General Assembly is held once a year. The General Assembly is a forum to identify and address policy matters. In accordance with the procedures and requirements set forth in the SCAG Bylaws, the General Assembly determines the policy matters for SCAG; considers any proposed bylaws amendments, proposed subject(s) for study, proposed resolutions for a policy matter action, and requests for review of an action of the Regional Council; reviews and adopts the annual SCAG budget and dues assessment schedule; and announces the new president, vice president, and second vice president for the coming year. A quorum of the General Assembly consists of official representation from one-third of the member cities and one-third of the member counties.
Regional Council
SCAG’s policy direction is guided by the 86-member official governing board known as the Regional Council. The Regional Council comprises 69 districts that include an elected representative from one or more cities of approximately equal population levels that have a geographic community of interest (except the city of Long Beach, which has two representatives). Additionally, membership in SCAG’s Regional Council includes one representative from each county board of supervisors (except Los Angeles County, which has two representatives). SCAG’s Regional Council also includes one representative of the Southern California Native American Tribal Governments. Finally, all members of the Los Angeles City Council are each considered members of the SCAG Regional Council, and the mayor of the city of Los Angeles, serves as the Los Angeles City At-Large Representative.
Executive/Administration Committee
The Regional Council established the Executive/Administration Committee to deal with matters pertaining to human resources, budgets, finance, operations, communications, and any other matter referred by the Regional Council. Membership includes SCAG officers, policy committee chairs and vice chairs, the chair and vice chair of the Legislative/Communications and Membership Committee, one tribal government representative (if that person is not in a committee leadership role), and a business representative serving in an ex-officio capacity. Additional Regional Councilmembers are appointed by the president to ensure that every subregion has at least one member on the committee.
Policy Committees and Task Forces
Regional Councilmembers have a voting seat on one of SCAG’s three major policy committees:
- Community, Economic, and Human Development Committee
- Energy and Environment Committee
- Transportation Committee
Members of the Regional Council are appointed to one of the policy committees for two-year terms. Most of the discussion and debate on the “nuts and bolts” of a policy issue occurs in the committees. Issues to be considered by the Regional Council must come through one or more of the committees.
- Resources
Regional Council Policy Manual (Approved June 9, 2019 as Amended through Sept. 5, 2024)
SCAG Bylaws (Amended May 5, 2022)