What is an essential characteristic of advisory committees?

Advisory committees are primarily established to provide guidance and recommendations to decision-makers. Their main function is to bring together individuals with expertise and various perspectives on a specific topic or issue. By gathering insights from these knowledgeable members, the committee can formulate well-informed recommendations that can assist organizations, legislative bodies, or agencies in making decisions. This capacity to provide recommendations is fundamental to their role, as it allows them to influence outcomes without having the power to enforce rules or pass legislation.

The other options suggest roles that are not typical of advisory committees. Legal authority to enforce rules and the ability to pass legislation denote power that is not vested in committees meant purely for advisory functions. Additionally, while government representation may be present on certain committees, it is not a universal requirement and does not define the core purpose of advisory groups.