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Legislative Careers Website
 A new website highlighting the benefits of a career in state legislatures is now online! Executive committee director, Cory Stewart, is featured in LINCS' video!
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Interview with NCSL Executive Director Bill Pound
 Bill Pound, executive director of NSCL, discusses the crucial role of state legislatures and NCSL’s mission to help them succeed. More
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 How can state legislatures stay safe on social media? Watch this session from the 2012 Legislative Summit! More
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NCSL Legislative Summit 2013
 Join us at the 2013 NCSL Legislative Summit in Atlanta, Ga. More
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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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LINCS Bylaws
Updated Dec. 10, 2009
Name
The name of the staff section shall be "Legislative Information and Communications Staff Section" (LINCS).
Purpose
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Promote the exchange of ideas and information in the fields of public information, media relations, and other such communication activities as they relate to state legislatures;
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Promote improved and effective communication between public information staff and their legislators, legislativestaff, and constituents;
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Advance and promote civic education programs administered by state legislatures;
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Enhance professional development and expertise for public information and communications staff; and
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Promote participation in the NCSL to staff section members.
Membership
The membership shall be composed of all persons employed by a member legislature of the NCSL or an agency thereof, in the capacity of the following: public information; communications; media relations; television, radio and broadcast media; civic and public education; public affairs; capitol tours and public use functions; or other such areas related to legislative communications.
ARTICLE II.
Meeting of Members
The annual business meeting of the section shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated by the Executive Committee. On the day of the scheduled meeting, the Chair shall call the meeting to order at the designated time. The minutes of the previous meeting shall be read and approved and such business transacted as may properly come before the membership.
NOTICE - There shall be mailed to each member of the section, at least 30 days prior to the annual business meeting, a notice setting the time and place of the meeting. In case a quorum of the membership is not present, the regularly called meeting shall be adjourned to the next day at a time and place to be set by the members present and voting, at which time the members present shall constitute a quorum.
VOTING - All members attending the LINCS business meetings are eligible to vote on matters presented for decision. Business which requires approval of the staff section shall require approval of a majority of staff section members attending the annual business meeting. A quorum for business shall be established by the presence of representatives from a minimum of 20 NCSL member states.
ARTICLE III.
Officers
The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Section and of the Executive Committee, represent LINCS on the NCSL Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee, or designate an alternate, plan the agenda of the annual meeting and training seminar in conjunction with the Executive Committee and shall have general control over the affairs of the Section, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, and shall sign all certificates and other instruments for the Section. The Chair may delegate his or her responsibilities as required for the most efficient operations and functioning of the section, subject to the review of the Executive Committee.
The Vice Chair shall assist with the planning of all meetings and seminars, preside at any meeting in the absence of the Chair, or serve as the Chair's designee at other meetings when necessary, and perform such other duties as assigned by the Chair. The Vice Chair shall be the Chair-Elect of the Section.
The Secretary/Editor shall countersign all certificates and other instruments of the Section, record the minutes of all meetings of the Section and of the Executive Committee, prepare and distribute copies of minutes of all Section meetings, assist with the preparation and distribution of the Section's newsletter, the Voice; and may delegate tasks assigned with this responsibilities to others, and perform other duties as assigned by the Chair or the Executive Committee.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the elected officers of the Section, the immediate past chair of the section, and nine other communication professionals, referred to as Directors, eight of whom shall be elected by the membership at the annual meeting of the Section.
Two Directors shall serve terms of office beginning at the professional development seminar of the off-numbered year following their election and ending at the professional development seminar of the next even numbered year. Two Directors shall serve terms of office beginning at the professional development seminar of the even-numbered year following their election and ending at the professional development seminar of the next off-numbered year. One Director may be appointed by the chair from the state hosting the next annual professional development seminar, serving for a term of one year begining at the professional development seminar and ending at the following professional development seminar.
The Executive Committee shall have authority and responsibility for the general management and control of the business affairs of the Section and shall exercise all powers granted by the Section under these bylaws.
The Executive Committee shall be authorized to assess all members a registration fee which shall be paid as a condition for registration and participation at the annual meeting of the Section. The amount and manner of the registration fee shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Past Chairs of the Section who are members in good standing of the Section shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee but shall not be counted in determining a quorum nor be entitled to vote.
Meeting of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall meet during the annual NCSL conference, the annual LINCS training seminar, and, upon the call of the Chair, at any other time necessary for the orderly conduct of the Section's affairs. Six members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Duties of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall plan and execute a program for the annual meeting of the section, for the Section's participation in the NCSL Annual Meeting, and for all other meetings of the Section. The Committee shall keep the Section's membership informed of developments relating to their professional areas of interest, shall recommend formal actions as deemed appropriate, and shall be responsible for the continuous review and update of these Bylaws. The chair of the Executive Committee may, from time to time, appoint subcommittees of the Executive Committee as appropriate.
Any member of the Executive Committee may be assigned by the Chair to assist NCSL staff with the administrative responsibilities associated with the Section.
ARTICLE IV
Nominating Committee
No later than 120 days prior to the convening of the annual meeting of the Section, the Chair shall appoint from the membership of the Section a nominating committee of five members. The committee shall recommend to the membership persons to be elected to the offices of Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, and for the seven Directors of the Section. The name of the Vice Chair shall be submitted to the membership as the nominee for the Chair of the Section. Criteria for appointing members of the nominating committee shall include, but is not limited to, geography, job description, NCSL involvement, political/nonpartisan affiliation, race and gender. No member of the nominating committee shall be a candidate for election to the Executive Committee that year.
Not less than 90 days prior to each annual meeting of the Section the nominating committee shall mail to the membership a notice announcing the opening of nominations for candidates for the offices of Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, and the four Directors. The notice shall describe the responsibilities of each officer of the Section and of the Executive Committee. The notice also shall list the name, address, phone number, and professional title of each member of the nominating committee.
Members who wish to present themselves as candidates for Executive Committee shall submit their candidacy in writing to the chair of the nominating committee. The deadline for the receipt of such submissions shall be established by the nominating committee. Each candidate must state which position he or she is seeking, e.g., Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, or Director. A candidate also must submit a letter to the nominating committee chair from a supervisor or presiding officer which affirms that the candidate will be permitted to travel and complete the other responsibilities of a LINCS officer or director. All candidacy letters will be distributed to the members of the nominating committee.
The nominating committee shall consider several criteria when offering a slate of candidates to the full membership. The criteria shall include, but is not limited to, geography, job description, NCSL involvement, political/nonpartisan affiliation, race and gender. The nominating committee shall recommend the slate of candidates which shall be submitted for vote of the membership at the annual meeting of the section; provided, however, additional nominations may be made from the floor by the membership. Election to the office of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary/Editor, and the four Directors requires a majority vote of the member states, insular possessions, and territories present and voting.
Candidates are prohibited from seeking the endorsement of current members of the executive committee. Sitting officers or directors of the executive committee are prohibited from endorsing candidates.
ARTICLE V.
Vacancies
In the case of death, resignation, or inability to serve of any officer or member of the Executive Committee, the ranking officer shall submit to the remaining members of the Executive Committee a nomination to fill the vacancy or vacancies for the remainder of the term. A majority vote of the remaining members of the Executive Committee shall confirm appointments to such vacancies.
ARTICLE VI.
Amendments of Bylaws
These Bylaws may be amended at any annual meeting of the Section by a majority vote of the members present. Notice of the proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall be provided to the membership 30 days prior to the annual meeting of the Section.
For more information, contact: Jon Kuhl, NCSL LINCS Liaison.
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Listserv Etiquette
The Legislative Information and Communication (LINCS) listserv is an e-mail forum and information exchange for legislative staff who have partisan or nonpartisan public information, public relations, or media responsibilities. LINCS listserv subscribers post messages to the list that are then sent out (reflected) to all other subscribers to create an electronic discussion group.
NCSL staff use the LINCS listserv to distribute the LINCS Newsletter and to post meeting announcements, agendas, and other association information. Discussions on the LINCS listserv should revolve around legislative information and communication topics. Some subscribers have posted survey questions on the listserv.
 Here are some hints on how to properly use the LINCS listserv. They will help keep the group user-friendly for everyone.
When sending your message:
Think before you press "REPLY". Remember that when you press "reply" to a listserv message, you are sending your message to the entire listserv, not just to the author.
To reply just to the author, address your email to the individual's personal Email address.
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Use descriptive titles in the subject line.
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Be brief. As you know, legislative information and communication staff have busy schedules and may not have time to read your version of War and Peace. Also, the computer police like small e-mails because they take up less space.
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Include your name and your e-mail address. This will enable someone to respond directly to you, instead of the entire listserv.
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When responding to a posting, summarize the message to which you are responding in the first part of your message.
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Please be considerate of others. For example: do not SHOUT (e.g. use ALL CAPS) at people; do not post message correcting someone else's spelling or grammar; be careful with humor and sarcasm as e-mail is easily misinterpreted. In short, remember the golden rule.
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Proofread your message. Once a message is sent, it can't be retrieved. So, make sure you proofread it before pressing "send."
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Be patient. There is a learning curve for people who have not used a mailing list before. If you want to post a response to an error, send them a message using their personal e-mail address. Do not post your response to their error to the entire listserv.
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Most importantly...never forget that you are communicating with human beings, not computers.
Subscribe
To subscribe to the LINCS Listserv, send an e-mail message to press-room@ncsl.org. In the body of the email, please identify yourself, your legislative affliliation, your address and phone number. Please make note if you would like to receive the LINCS newsletter and information on the annual Professional Development Seminar for legislative information and communication staff. You will receive an e-mail message confirming your subscription and describing how to post messages and unsubscribe.
Posting Messages
To post a message to the LINCS Listserv, send an e-mail message to LINCS-ALL-L@NCSL.ORG with your questions or comments about legislative information and communication (describe the message briefly in the subject field). Please include your name and contact information at the bottom of every message so others can contact you individually if they choose. Your message will be sent to all subscribers on the list.
Remember that replies to messages posted on the LINCS listserv will also be sent to all other subscribers. To reply privately to the person who posted a message, do not reply to the listserv message, but send a new message to the sender's personal e-mail address.
To Unsubscribe
To be taken off the LINCS listserv, send an e-mail message to LINCS-ALL-L-REQUEST@ NCSL.ORG and in the body of the message put only one word: unsubscribe.
For more information, contact: Jon Kuhl, NCSL Staff Liaison.
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LINCS Awards
Beginning in 1993, each of the ten NCSL staff sections were given the opportunity to recognize among their membership two legislative staff or agencies who have made outstanding contributions to their legislatures and to the staff section. The award was established through the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee as a means of recognizing excellence in service to state legislatures. In addition to the staff section honorees, the NCSL Staff Chair may select up to two additional award recipients.
Legislative Staff Achievement Award
This Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee award may be awarded to an individual and/or office from each staff section of NCSL who has been recognized for excellence in legislative work. Two recipients may be nominated each year to receive this award. The selection process must be equitable and open to all NLSSA members. "Excellence" can be defined as; top-quality, distinctive, of merit, outstanding, first-class, or expert. This can be awarded to a group as well as an individual.
LINCS Legislative Staff Achievement Award
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Location Awarded |
Recipient |
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2012 |
Chicago |
Jay Pearson, Virginia House of Delegates |
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2011 |
San Antonio |
Chuck Truesdell, Kentucky Legislature |
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2010 |
Louisville |
Gwen Bailey, Virginia Legislature |
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2009 |
Philadelphia |
Mike Murphy, Alabama Legislature |
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2008 |
New Orleans |
Wendy Madsen, Wyoming Legislature |
Online Democracy Award Selection Comittee
LINCS/NALIT Online Democracy
The Online Democracy Award is sponsored by NCSL’s Legislative Information and Communication Staff Section (LINCS) and the National Association of Legislative Information Technology (NALIT). Each year, the Selection Committee considers nominations from official legislative sites developed and maintained by or under the authority of (a) a state legislature, (b) a legislative chamber, or (c) an officially-recognized legislative partisan caucus.
LINCS Members:
Rob Weber, Kentucky (Term of office: Contest years 2010 & 2011)
Erich Ebel, Washington (Term of office: Contest years 2011 & 2012)
Jennifer Waldref, Washington (Term of office: Contest years 2011 & 2012)
Virginia Beck, Hawaii (Term of office: Contest years 2012 & 2013)
LINCS Executive Committee
LINCS Executive Committee: 2012-2013
The terms of officers commence at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected and continue through the next ensuing annual meeting.
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Chair
Bladen Finch
Senate Page Program Director, Civics Coordinator
Office of Senate Legislative Information and Constituent Services
Senate Clerk’s Office
Virginia General Assembly
Term of Office: September 2012-September 2013
Vice Chair
Morgan Blanchard
Senate Communication Specialist
Louisiana Senate
Term of Office: September 2012- September 2013
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Secretary
Lauren Russell
Communications Specialist
Louisiana House of Representatives
Term of Office: September 2012 - September 2013
Past Chair
Jay Pearson
Virginia House of Delegates
Information & Communications Services Director
Virginia General Assembly
Term of Office: September 2012-September 2013
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LINCS Directors
2011 - 2013
The terms of office of the Directors commence at the close of the annual meeting at which they are appointed and continue two years until the annual meeting. Directors with terms expiring at the 2013 annual LINCS annual fall meeting.
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Cory Stewart
Deputy Communications Director
Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana Legislature
Term of Office: September 2011 - 2013
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Amy Rose Karr
LRC Public Information Office
Kentucky Legislature
Term of Office: September 2011 - 2013
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2012 - 2014
The terms of office of the Directors commence at the close of the annual meeting at which they are appointed and continue two years until the annual meeting. Directors with terms expiring at the 2014 annual LINCS annual fall meeting.
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Sharon Scarborough
Director of Senate Media
Texas Senate
Texas State Legislature
Term of Office: September 2012-September 2014
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Dennis Yoder
Legislative Technician at The Texas Senate
Texas Senate
Texas State Legislature
Term of Office: September 2012-2014
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Past Chairs
(ex-officio members of the Executive Committee)
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2012
Jay Pearson
Virginia House of Delegates
Information & Communications Services Director
Virginia General Assembly
2011
Chuck Truesdell
Assistant Public Information Officer
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
Kentucky Legislature
2010
Gwen Bailey
Deputy Clerk
Senate of Virginia
2008-2009
Mike Murphy
Public Information Director
Senate of Alabama
2007
Wendy Madsen
Legislative Information Officer
Wyoming Legislative Information Office
2006
Mike Sunseri
Director of Photography
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
2005
Mac Gordon
Public Information Officer
Mississippi House of Representatives
2004
Barbara Fellencer
Democrat Communications Director
Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee
2003
Bruce Smith**
Radio News Director
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
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2002
Mitch McCartney
Nebraska Unicameral Information Office
2000
Susan Swords
Senior Coordinator
New Jersey Office of Legislative Services
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* According to LINCS Bylaws, one director from the state hosting the next annual professional development seminar may be appointed by the LINCS chair. The appointed director shall serve for a term of one year beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31.
**Mr. Smith has retired from legislative service.
LINCS Membership Overview
LINCS Membership Overview
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.
Are you a new public information officer, press secretary or information specialist and not receiving information about LINCS? Please email us and we'll get you involved! You're already a member!
Q and A about why you should join LINCS Executive Committee
We know you have questions and we have answers on how to become involved in LINCS executive committee. Ask away!
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Issues & Resources
Find the NCSLstaff member who handles the issue in which you are interested.
NCSLprovides access to current state and federal legislation and a comprehensive list of state documents, including state statutes, constitutions, legislative audits and research reports.
Members
As legislators and legislative staff, you are part of the nation's largest, most influential and only bipartisan organization of state legislators and staff.Learn about the resources NCSL has for you.
NCSL offers an array of services for legislative staff. Find out what's available.
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