On October 26, President Obama signed Executive Order (EO) 13269 which establishes a new Homeland Security Partnership Council “in order to advance the Federal Government’s use of local partnerships to address homeland security challenges.” The new Council will have both a far-reaching impact on the overall mission of homeland security and on the interaction of both state and local authorities in their relationship with the Department of Homeland Security.

Section one of the new EO states the purpose as being “to maximize the Federal Government’s ability to develop local partnerships in the United States to support homeland security priorities.” The new Council will be chaired by the assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, or a designee of the National Security Staff. Membership of the Council will comprise “federal officials who are from field offices of the executive departments, agencies, and bureaus [agencies] that are members of the Steering Committee.”

The Steering Committee will be made up of representatives from 19 agencies. The mission and function of the Council and the Steering Committee is broken down into six sections. Section five states that “as appropriate, conduct outreach to representatives of the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, community-based organizations and State, local, tribal, and territorial government and law enforcement with relevant experience for local homeland security partnerships, and collaborate with other federal Government bodies.”

The Council will also “convene an annual meeting to exchange key findings, progress, and best practices.”