Overview
LINCS Staff Section
The Legislative Information and Communications Staff Section is the voice of state legislatures. Its members include public information officers, press secretaries, radio and television producers, photographers, civic educators and all those who serve as the external liaisons between the nation's state legislatures and their constituents.
LINCS provides legislative communicators with a network of more than 400 professionals from around the country with whom to share ideas, war stories and experiences. The group gathers twice a year, once at NCSL's Annual Legislative Summit (held in the summer) and once at the LINCS Professional Development seminar (held in the fall).
The staff section also maintains a Listserv where members can discuss the latest in audio / video technology, social media, discover how other states handle media credentialing or discuss any other trends in legislative communications.
LINCS is open to any legislative staff whose primary responsibility is to communicate the legislative process to the general public or news media.
To become a member, please email us. LINCS is happy to help.
Purposes
LINCS is a network of legislative employees - including nonpartisan, bipartisan and partisan staff - whose work involves any of the following: the creation and dissemination of public information and educational materials; media relations on behalf of a political party, person, organization, program or policy issue; initiatives that further communications between the public servant and the public is served; special programs aimed at educating the public about their legislatures; and outreach efforts that may pertain to specific policy issues.
The purpose of this section is to:
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promote the exchange of ideas and information in the field of public information, civic education, media relations, and other such communications as they relate to state legislatures.
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promote improved and effective communications between public information and communications staff and their legislatures, staff and constituents.
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enhance the professional development and expertise of public information and communications staff; and
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promote the participation and services of this staff section to state legislatures and within the NCSL.
LINCS Membership
General membership is made up of all persons employed by a member legislature of the National Conference of State Legislatures or legislative agency in the capacity of public information; communications; media relations; television; radio and broadcast media; civic and public education; public affairs; constituent relations; capitol tour and public use functions; or other such areas related to legislative communications. Members are allowed to vote via email and in person.
Activities
LINCS aims to improve members expertise through professional development, such as training seminars at
NCSL’s annual Legislative Summit and an annual professional development seminar designed specifically for communications professionals.
Members can also communicate electronically on a daily basis with other LINCS members about legislative communication issues by subscribing to the listserv. If you receive emails from LINCS, you are already part of the Listserv. Newsletters and other materials are regularly posted to the Listserv and to the LINCS webpage. To subscribe to the Llistserv, send an e-mail message and type subscribe lincs-l in the body of the message.
Contacts
For more information, contact: Jon Kuhl, NCSL Staff Liaison, at 202-624-3557.
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