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27 <br /> 1 Commissioner Bedford thanked Brenda Bartholomew for the presentation and for the rX <br /> 2 card option for employees. <br /> 3 Commissioner McKee thanked staff for these cost-saving options. He said the resulting <br /> 4 increase is more reasonable. <br /> 5 Chair Hamilton said she thinks it is important to invest in employees and help them do the <br /> 6 best job that they can do for the county. <br /> 7 <br /> 8 b. Orange County's Proposed 2026 Priority Legislative Issues <br /> 9 The Board reviewed and discussed the proposed Orange County 2026 Priority Legislative Issues <br /> 10 as developed by the Legislative Issues Work Group (LIWG), and approved the Top 5 Orange <br /> 11 County 2026 Priority Legislative Issues and the full list of twenty-one (21 ) Priority <br /> 12 Legislative Issues for submittal to Orange County's legislative delegation. <br /> 13 <br /> 14 BACKGROUND: Orange County's Legislative Breakfast with Orange County's legislative <br /> 15 delegation, in conjunction with the 2026 North Carolina General Assembly session, is scheduled <br /> 16 for March 23, 2026. The Board of Commissioners has historically approved a set of priority <br /> 17 legislative issues each year for presentation to/discussion with the delegation. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 The Board historically has designated two members to work with staff on a Legislative Issues <br /> 20 Work Group (LIWG) to develop a proposed legislative priorities document. Based on the work of <br /> 21 the LIWG, the BOCC has then reviewed and approved a package of legislative items to present <br /> 22 to Orange County's legislative delegation. Commissioners Phyllis Portie Ascott and Marilyn Carter <br /> 23 are serving on the 2026 LIWG and have worked with staff on the attached 2026 legislative <br /> 24 materials. <br /> 25 <br /> 26 As the LIWG considered its approach for this year, the Group determined to identify a list of <br /> 27 Legislative Priority Issues in conjunction with: <br /> 28 • The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Legislative Advocacy <br /> 29 Goals; and <br /> 30 • Orange County's Strategic Plan Goals/Priorities. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 During its review, the Group identified twenty-one (21) Priority Legislative Issues (Attachment 2). <br /> 33 From that list, the Group determined its "Top 5 Priority Legislative Issues" (Attachment 1). It is <br /> 34 recommended that the Board review the proposed Top 5 Legislative Issues as well as the full list <br /> 35 of twenty-one (21) items, consider modifying both documents as may be necessary based on <br /> 36 discussion, and consider any other potential revisions. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 It should also be noted that the LIWG has been developing an expanded document regarding the <br /> 39 Orange County 2026 Priority Legislative Issues that provides background information and talking <br /> 40 points for the priority issues. Upon completion, that document will be shared with Board members <br /> 41 and staff for use as pursuit of the Board's adopted Legislative Priority Issues moves forward. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 Following discussion of and any amendments to Attachments 1 and 2, the Board is asked to <br /> 44 approve both documents. Staff will then work with the Chair to share the approved documents <br /> 45 with Orange County's legislative delegation in preparation for discussion at the March 23, 2026 <br /> 46 Legislative Breakfast. <br /> 47 <br /> 48 The work of the Legislative Issues Work Group to this point is based on the current information <br /> 49 available for the 2026 General Assembly Session. The issues addressed by the Group may <br />