There is established in the City a New Portlanders Policy Commission. The New Portlanders Policy Commission will advise the City on policies and practices to integrate immigrant and refugee communities’ voices and needs into the provision of City services, City decision-making and civic engagement in Portland, and to seek constructive relationships with each member of Council and the Auditor.

The Commission will consist of 25 voting members. All members will serve without compensation from the City. Appointments to serve on the Commission are for staggered terms of three years. No member may serve more than two three-year terms. The City Administrator of the New Portlanders Policy Commission recommends, the Mayor nominates, and the Council approves members to the Commission. Members will be appointed to provide representation from a reasonably broad spectrum of immigrant and refugee communities, striving to include a range of areas of expertise, advocacy experience, community involvement, profession, education, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion and geographic identification.

Members must live, work, worship or be enrolled in school within the City and/or volunteer for a nonprofit within the City. If any member of the Commission is absent more than three regularly scheduled meetings of the Commission during any 12-month period, without having notified the Co-Chairs in advance of such absence, such member will be deemed to have resigned from the Commission. The member's position will become vacant. The Mayor may remove a member from the Commission at any time, with the recommendation of the City Administrator.

Staffing for the Commission will be provided, subject to the annual City budget process.

The purpose of the New Portlanders Policy Commission is to:

1. A. Review, develop, evaluate and refine policy and practice recommendations for improving immigrant and refugee community integration in all City activities.
2. B. Facilitate constructive working partnerships between City leaders and newcomer community leadership.
3. C. Provide a forum for setting integration goals between bureaus and community organizations.
4. D. Provide technical support and policy advice to Council offices and  bureaus.
5. E. Serve as a consultant and advocate to local, state and federal agencies on policies impacting immigrant and refugee communities, as capacity allows.
6. F. Provide a report to Council on policy and practice outcomes on an annual basis.
7. G. Engage in the City’s annual budget process.

The Commission will adopt bylaws and rules of procedure, and specify procedures for public testimony. The Commission will elect each year a Chair or Co-Chairs and such other officers as the Commission may from time to time establish. The Commission will meet at least quarterly, and may meet more often. The Commission Chair(s), in consultation with the City Administrator staffing the New Portlanders program, or their designee, will set the agenda for Commission meetings.