• Mission & Governance
• Services Overview
• How to Get Involved
• Standing Committees
• NCSL Foundation

• Issue Areas: A-Z
• State-Federal Relations
• NCSL Standing Committees
• News from D.C. and the States

• About State Legislatures
• Elections, Campaigns & Redistricting
• NCSL's StateConnect Directory
• Web Sites

• Online Guide to NCSL Services
• Staff Sections and Networks
• Meetings & Professional Development
• Staff Directories

• Meetings Calendar
• Online Registration
• Meetings Home Page
• Legislative Summit

• Bookstore
• State Legislatures Magazine
• NCSL's StateConnect Directory

RACSS  Newsletter

In this issue:

Chair's Column
RACSS Goes to Annapolis
LSCC Update
Richard Strong Retires
Austin Summary
2001 Seminar
Legislatures of the Future
Looking for Writers
New Coordinators Named
Regional Coordinators
RACSS Officers
Regional News
News Briefs
Staff Section Trivia

---

Chair's Column—History, Demography and Commitee Staffing

Greetings from the Battle Born State! In case you forgot or never knew, Nevada became a Territory in 1861 and entered the Union as the 36th State in 1864. President Lincoln was desperate for a couple more votes in the U.S. Senate at that time to sustain the Union effort in the Civil War. It was for this reason, more than for its mineral wealth, that Nevada was propelled into statehood, even though it lacked adequate population to qualify for that status.

For the next 70 years, Nevada depended almost wholly on the "boom and bust" cycles of mining to sustain its scanty population. By 1931 in Nevada, mining was in another "bust" period, agriculture only existed near supplies of water (most arid state in the U.S.), the economy was depressed, and the total population of the state was 91,000 (smallest state in the U.S.). Assemblyman Phil Tobin, a freshman legislator from Winnemucca, authored a bill that year to legalize, regulate, and collect fees from gambling activities in the State. The rest, of course, is history. The 2000 Census will show Nevada's population at nearly two million, with the greatest rate of population growth among the states over the previous 10 years for the fourth consecutive decade.

Despite its growth, Nevada maintains a small legislature (21 Senators and 42 Assembly Members), meets biennially for only 120 calendar days, and receives staff services only from the central, nonpartisan Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB). The Research Division of LCB, which I am proud to manage, now has a full-time staff of 30 and provides almost all research and committee staff services required by the Legislature. Although most RACSS programs over the years have focused on topics of particular interest to research and policy analysts, I think it is a good time to place a stronger emphasis on responsibilities handled by those committee staffers in our ranks.

The current Vice Chair of RACSS, Dave Sallach of New Jersey, and I are planning several programs over the next year that should be of particular value to committee staff. For those of our readers who have not had the pleasure of staffing a standing committee or study committee of the legislature, one big difference from other research work is the need to provide good information almost immediately in a public setting. On many occasions, while we are looking up a statute or searching for information on our laptops in response to a committee question, another question will come up on a different topic.

The need to think, research, and listen all at the same time is an acquired skill and can be quite a challenge, which reminds me of 1988's Picture of the Year, "Rain Man." Tom Cruise plays the part of Charlie Babbitt, an angry young man who feels cheated out of his inheritance by his autistic savant brother, Raymond, played by Dustin Hoffman. Early in the movie, Charlie's girlfriend Susanna (Valeria Golina) tells him that he uses her, he uses Raymond, and he uses other people in general. An angry Charlie snaps, "Raymond, do I use you? Do I use you, Raymond?" Raymond, who is obviously thinking about something else, replies, "Yeah." Charlie shouts, "Shut up! He's answering a question from half an hour ago!" As a committee staffer, not only have I answered the wrong question, but I also have not heard a question while furiously researching an earlier question. Believe me, there is no graceful way in committee to say, "I'm sorry Mr. Chairman. Would you please repeat that question."

It is my hope that legislative committee staff from around the country can join RACSS for one or more of the following opportunities.

• AFI-ASI Meeting in Washington, D.C., on December 13-15, 2000.
In particular, there will be a special tour for RACSS participants to Annapolis, Maryland, to review committee staff services and other programs and facilities in the Maryland General Assembly.

• Annual Meeting of NCSL in San Antonio, Texas, on August 11-16, 2001.
It is planned that RACSS will sponsor up to five programs in San Antonio, including one that will specifically focus on the challenges faced by both partisan and nonpartisan committee staff.

• Joint Professional Development Seminar with the Legislative Research Librarians in Richmond, Virginia, in October 2001.
Among other topics, we are planning to devote approximately one half of a day to training programs that are specific to committee staff. Of course, most programs will have a general theme that is appropriate for both research and committee staff personnel.

---

RACSS Programs at the December ASI~AFI to Include a Visit to Annapolis

The Maryland Department of Legislative Services will host RACSS members in Annapolis on December 13, from 9 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., during the joint Winter meeting of the Assembly on State Issues (ASI) and Assembly on Federal Issues (AFI).

The program will include an overview of the Maryland General Assembly, briefings on committee staffing and the fiscal note process, a demonstration of the automated floor system designed for and used by legislators (and soon to be used by committee staff), and a tour of the capitol complex. Lunch will be provided at a restaurant near the State House.

Please note that the bus will leave from the Hyatt hotel at 8:15 a.m. and we'll be back in time for the ASI and AFI committee meetings on Wednesday afternoon.

Space is limited to 25 people and sign-up is required. If you are going to attend the December ASI-AFI meeting and would like to visit Annapolis before the committees convene, please sign up by contacting Jeanne Mejeur by November 30th, via email at jeanne.mejeur@ncsl.org, or by phone at (303) 364-7700, x187.

— Karl Aro, Executive Director, Dept.
of Legislative Services, Maryland

On Friday, December 15, RACSS will also present a program on recent and upcoming U.S. Supreme Court cases affecting the states. The session features Richard Ruda, director of the State and Local Legal Center, and offers 1.25 hours of CLE credit.
 

ASI~AFI Meeting Information

Master Agenda & Registration: /public/dcagenda00.htm
RACSS Agenda: /programs/lis/racss/racsshmp.htm

---

Productive Meeting of the LSCC in Aspen

On the 15th, NCSL Staff Chair Diane Bolender (a former RACSS Chair) presided over the morning session that concentrated on use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator exercise. After all participants determined their type, Dr. Linda Kirby led the group through a most helpful discussion on each of the 16 basic personality types.

For example, I am an ISFJ type (introverted, sensing, feeling and judging). A brief description of this type includes: friendly, responsible, conscientious, committed, steady, thorough, accurate, loyal, considerate, and concerned with how others feel. This type also strives to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home. However, this type also may fixate on the "right" facts when under stress, have difficulty accepting change unless "logical" reasons are presented, dislike brainstorming, become frustrated if a project lacks structure, and "jump the gun" to get a plan of action working. Yes, I have these tendencies! Positive steps and approaches to overcome such tendencies for each type were presented to the group. All in all, this was the best Myers-Briggs program I have
attended over the years because of the emphasis on what each type can do to reinforce positive traits and minimize those that are not so positive.

During the afternoon of the 15th, the LSCC divided into three task forces. Each of these task forces developed a plan for the coming year and then reported to the full LSCC on the following day.

Following are reports on the work of the various task forces established this year.

Task Force on Promoting Professional Development

Former RACSS Chair Karl Aro reported that the Task Force on Promoting Professional Development is continuing earlier work on recruitment and retention strategies. The group also will be examining the use of technology to provide interactive staff training without the need for travel to a central location.

Task Force on Promoting State Legislatures

The Task Force on Promoting State Legislatures is looking into ideas and guidelines for a website for children. Further, the task force will be working on current and potential programs and publications to educate all segments of the population about state legislatures.

Task Force on NCSL Services to Legislatures

The Task Force on NCSL Services to Legislatures, among other topics, will be evaluating the possible maintenance by NCSL of a 50-state bill status
clearinghouse and a multi-state message exchange. Interestingly, 14 of the 16 basic personality types are represented on this 15-member task force. It was observed that this type of diversity should ensure quality work from this task force.

The next meeting of the LSCC will be held in Savannah, Georgia, January 26-27, 2001.

— Bob Erickson, Research Director,
Legislative Counsel Bureau, Nevada
 

---

Learning About the Legislature of the Future: Summary of the Joint NLPES ~ RACSS Seminar

Texas Capitol

One of the highlights for RACSS members was a tour of the Texas State Capitol and briefings on Texas' legislative staff services. Tom Whatley, Director of House Research, and Julie Valentine, Director of Senate Research, both provided overviews of the services provided by their offices. There were additional presentations by staff from the Legislative Council and the Legislative Auditors' Office.

During the mid-1990s, the Texas Capitol underwent extensive renovations that restored both the exterior and interior to its 1888 original design and decoration. At the same time, an underground office complex, called "the Extension," was added to accommodate the needs of a modern legislature and its staff. The Extension includes two levels of sky-lighted office space for members and staff, and two levels of parking.

Future Gazing

The speaker for the opening plenary was Dr. Peter Bishop of the Institute for Futures Research at the University of Houston. The title of his talk was appropriately "Future Gazing." He noted that futurists describe change in terms of long-term trend analysis or scenarios. They look 10 to 50 years into the future to consider systemic or transformational changes that may take place, as opposed to incremental changes from existing trends. All organizations, including legislatures, need to understand the possible changes in their long-term future and respond accordingly with strategic planning and management of issues related to organizational change.

Legislatures of the Future

Dr. Bishop was followed by Max Arinder, Director of the Joint PEER Committee of Mississippi. Dr. Arinder presented "Legislatures of the Future: Implications of Change." The presentation was similar to what Max presented at the NCSL Annual Meeting in Chicago in July, and covered the study done by the LSCC Task Force on the Legislatures of the Future. The task force was charged with addressing the question of what must be done to insure that state legislatures are still relevant to the democratic process in the year 2025. Participants broke into small groups to discuss the issues faced by their legislatures and then reported back to the larger group.

Workshop Tracks

Most of the remaining time at the seminar was spent in concurrent sessions in three program tracks: New Work Demands, Changing Technology and Emerging Policy Issues. Some of the more well-received topics (by the participants) included Writing For The Future, Recruitment And Retention, New Technology To Address Challenges and Negotiating for Best Results. Overall, there were more than 20 concurrent sessions, so participants had many choices in the programs they attended.

Making It Happen

The closing plenary session speaker was Dr. John Daly, Communications Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Daily's topic was "Make It Happen: Selling Change to your Organization." Dr. Daly's presentation was a hit, according to participant evaluations. His presentation was humorous, yet provided lots of practical advice on dealing with change, from both a personal and professional perspective.

Lessons Learned for Next Year

The overall ratings for the seminar were very positive, but in looking at evaluations from RACSS members in attendance, it appeared to be the consensus that a majority of the programs were for performance evaluation/auditors. While there is some similarity in their work and ours, the topics may not have been that timely or on point for our section. With that in mind, the fall conference next year is going to be a joint venture with the Legislative Research Librarians in
Richmond, Virginia, in October, 2001.

— Mike Nugent, Supervisor, Research and Legislation Section, Legislative Services
Office, Idaho
 

---

2001 Seminar Dates Announced

While plans are still in the preliminary stages, a RACSS Planning Committee has already been formed, headed by RACSS Chair Bob Erickson, assisted by Vice-chair Dave Sallach, Karl Aro and Terry Sullivan.

The RACSS Planning Committee will be working with LRL officers to develop plenary sessions that will be of interest to both groups and to plan for separate blocks of time for each group to meet individually, which will assure an agenda that meets the needs of both staff sections.

---

Legislatures of the Future—Implications of Change: The NCSL Study on Legislatures of the Future

The focal question for the study was: What actions will be required to keep state legislatures relevant to the democratic process in the year 2025?

The task force charge was to return to the NCSL Executive Committee with observations on what can be done to ensure that the legislative institution will be prepared to face the challenges of the 21^st century.

The task force wrote four possible scenarios of the future of the legislature based on three critical uncertainties: society's use of direct democracy, confidence in the legislature as a problem-solving institution, and demand for governmentally provided services.

The four scenarios are:

• The Harassed Legislature, where direct democracy challenges the fabric of the institution;

• The Circumvented Legislature, where direct democracy initiatives dominate a weak legislature;

• The Traditional Legislature, where the legislative institution has maintained public confidence and has reduced the perceived need for direct democracy initiatives;

• The Diminished Legislature, where a loss of interest and confidence in representative government has allowed strong political personalities to assume unchallenged leadership.

Legislatures Must Take a Positive Approach to Change While Protecting the Core Values of a Representative Democracy

In the face of impending change, legislatures must be prepared to assess carefully the factors that are leading the public to a desire for change and must use the knowledge gained to bring legislatures into closer alignment with the will and needs of the people.

The future strength of the institution depends on how well legislatures of today are able to act in accord with the following nine core values and to transmit the benefits derived to their constituencies. To remain strong, legislatures should:

1. Be ethical institutions.

2. Be committed to representative
democracy as opposed to democracy by polls and other forms of direct
democracy.

3. Be responsive and open to the needs of the people.

4. Be committed to collegiality among their members.

5. Have a clear sense of themselves as institutions and be active in advocating on their behalf to the public.

6. Be committed to being independent, coequal branches of government.

7. Be committed to a deliberative
process of making public policy.

8. Be committed to being high-quality institutions, including attracting high-quality legislators and staff.

9. Value leadership that promotes the core values of the good legislature.

The implication for the legislature is that it should not fight the trend toward greater direct democracy, but should seize the opportunity to find ways to inform the people's choices, taking every opportunity to promote the core value of deliberation in the process.

Legislatures Must Help Improve the Quality of Policy Debate on Public Issues, Showcasing the Advantages of
the Legislative Arena Where Possible

Technology will make it easier for legislatures to get information out to the public about policy issues. The task will be to win the public's attention and to help citizens understand how legislatures provide a desirable arena for solving complex problems and for bringing together competing interests to arrive at solutions that are sensitive to the interests and needs of a broad range of stakeholders.

Legislatures Must Continually Reassess and Refine Their Public Policy Role

Legislatures should carefully consider the role they may be asked to play when initiative processes lead to conflicting or competing laws or, more importantly, what role they can play to keep such conflicts from arising.

Legislative leadership will be especially important in setting up communication processes and deciding when and how to provide a quick response to public
concerns.

Legislatures Must Protect the Balance of Power

The more dynamic the political environment, the more critical the legislature's role in providing an effective check on the executive and its accompanying bureaucracy. Under most scenarios, both the legislative and executive branches will face increased pressure as the "information age" reaches maturity and wide-ranging access to information has its ultimate effect.

Legislatures Need a Renewed Commitment to the Institution, Better Education for the Public and the Membership, and Expanded Communication and Technological Capability

Commitment, education and communication are the keys to whether the legislative institution remains as a major conduit for policymaking or whether it declines. As information overload threatens to consume legislators, even in part-time legislatures, the institution must find ways to compensate, giving legislators at least a fighting chance to be effective policymakers. Legislatures must provide leadership to ensure a broad public understanding of the role and benefits of representative democracy. Legislatures must find ways to communicate to the public that the legislative process is contentious because it encompasses
different and competing values, interests and constituencies, all of which are making claims on government or one another. Effective legislative performance in representing and resolving competing interests in society is the best defense of representative democracy.

Want to Learn More?

Copies of the report, "Legislatures of the Future: Implication of Change," and the companion workbook, "A Practical Guide to Futures Study," are available by calling the Publications Department at NCSL, at (303) 364-7700.
 

---

Richard Strong of Utah Set to Retire

An employee of the Utah Legislature for 30 years, Richard was appointed director of the office in 1985 and is serving his third, six-year term. During his tenure as director, the office has grown not only in size, but also in stature as a nationally recognized leader in providing quality service.

A major emphasis of Richard's work has been to enhance the technological tools in his office and to improve the effectiveness of the Legislative process. Richard's engaging personality and the genuine warmth that he shows to others have been hallmarks of his leadership style.

Richard has been active in NCSL, serving as Chair of RACSS, as well as a member of NCSL's Executive Committee. He has also served in many capacities with The Council of State Governments.

Richard's loyal staff will miss him greatly. But we also know that his wife, Cynthia, and his children and grandchildren will be glad to see more of him—especially during January and February!

— Bryant Howe, Research Analyst,
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, Utah

RACSS officers and members, along with NCSL staff, join Bryant and the staff of the Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel in thanking Richard for his many years of dedicated service to Utah, RACSS, NCSL and his colleagues in other state legislatures.

Richard's integrity, professionalism, dedication, and counsel are of the highest quality, and we have been fortunate to have worked with him. Thank you, Richard, and we wish you the very best in your
retirement!
 

---

Welcome to Two New Regional Coordinators

Hannah Shostack of the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services replaces Dave Sallach as the new coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Dave is serving
as RACSS Vice-chair for 2000-2001 and felt it would be best to give someone else the opportunity to serve as a Regional Coordinator.

David Boulter of Maine's Office of Policy and Legal Analysis is the new coordinator of the New England Region, replacing Cora Chua, who recently took a position in Maryland's executive branch.

Welcome to Hannah and Dave!! You'll find listings for all Regional Coordinators on the following page of this newsletter.
 

---

Calling All Authors for the Regional News!!

It doesn't take much of your time and it's a great way to share news about your legislature with your colleagues in other states. It's also a way to become more active with RACSS and work with your colleagues in surrounding states. No travel is required and almost all work is conducted by email. Don't have email? Not to worry, we also use phone and fax if needed!

Here's what's involved: We publish three issues a year—Spring, Summer and Fall. The Regional Coordinators will contact you by email or phone several weeks before the issue is due, asking you to provide a short article about what's happening in your legislature.

The types of stories covered in the Regional News column include:

• staff services to the legislature
• staff agency changes or reorganization
• hot issues before the legislature
• technology news
• Capitol construction/renovation
• interim study projects
• budget issues
• international visitors
• staff training
• new member orientation programs
• intern programs
• legislative web sites
• election news
• new publications
• surveys or studies

The articles are short, only two to six paragraphs and you're not required to contribute to every issue. It won't take much of your time and besides, think of the fame, the glory, the royalties!! (just kidding, you only get the fame and the glory.)

If we've convinced you, all you have to do is call or email the Regional Coordinator for your region and let them know that you're interested. When the next issue rolls around, they'll be in touch to gather your stories. The Coordinators are listed on the next page, so give them a call or send them an email. They're waiting to hear from you!
 

---

Regional News

New England Region

Each year, legislative leaders ask the Office of Legislative Research (OLR) to outline some of the important issues legislators will face in the coming session. The report is an annual compilation issued jointly by OLR and the Office of Fiscal Analysis that members of the General Assembly and their staffs look forward to reviewing. OLR staff will be surveying legislators, executive branch agencies, and colleagues in the other nonpartisan offices to determine the important issues for the session that begins January 3, 2001. The issues are selected on the basis of those nonconfidential discussions, interim studies, and research requests. The office is careful to note that the report does not represent staff suggestions or recommendations. It includes basic background on major issues and will appear on the OLR web page http://www.cga.state.ct.us/olr/ and will be highlighted on the Connecticut General Assembly site http://www.cga.state.ct.us/.

Thanks to technology, the report is a dynamic one that develops over the course of the session. As research staff complete reports related to each topic, links to those reports are added to each topic listed in the Major Issues report.

Also, in preparation for next year's session, the office will have in place three new research employees hired to fill vacancies created by resignations and promotions. Fortunately, the new people will be on board early enough to complete our internal training program. Senior staff are recruited to conduct sessions in their particular area of expertise—writing reports and bill analyses, legal research, the legislative process, and committee staffing. The program includes tours of the State Library, Legislative Office Building, and Capitol. To complete our staffing needs, two legislative fellows will join us on the first day of the session.

Finally, we are working with the Information Technology Services Office to develop an expedited process for gathering the materials researchers need to write amended bill analyses. Using a customized program, the researcher will be able to print the original version of a bill, along with its analysis, the amendment, bill status, and a transmittal or tracking sheet, as soon as a chamber passes an amended bill. In years past, gathering those documents involved a complicated and time-consuming process. Eliminating the delays gives researchers more time to concentrate on the task at hand.

Maine—Interim Activities
By David E. Boulter, Director, Office of Policy and Legal Analysis

Nonpartisan Staff: The Office of Policy and Legal Analysis and the Office of Fiscal and Program Review recently published its Enacted Law Digest for legislative members. The Digest contains a summary of all laws enacted and resolves and joint orders passed by the 119th Maine Legislature during its Second Regular Session. Originally tried on an experimental basis in the 119th Legislature, it has become a handy single-volume reference of legislative actions. The Digest is now planned to be published annually at the end of each regular session.

Joint Select Committee Work: The Joint Select Committee on Joint Rules was convened this interim to consider various ways to improve the legislative process. This is in conjunction with the Legislative Council's recent study of the structure and operation of the Maine Legislature. Procedures under consideration include the following:

• Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate jointly referring bills directly to committee (rather than being placed on the calendar)
• Minor changes to ensure fully completed bill requests for drafting purposes
• Limit to the number of bills that may be filed by legislators
• Threshold showing of support for minority reports in order to be reported out of committee
• Rolling cloture date(s)
• New or re-aligned committees

Mid-Atlantic Region

New Jersey—Early Retirement Incentives For County Employees
by Joseph P. Capalbo, Lead Research Analyst, Office of Legislative Services

On September 21, 2000, Governor Whitman signed into law P.L.2000, c.126, which revises various mandates, requirements and procedures that apply to local governments and school districts in New Jersey. The law is intended to provide local governments and school districts with greater budgetary flexibility and to encourage more business-like practices so that costs, and thereby local property taxes, can be kept as low as possible.

One component of the new law is a provision allowing a county government to adopt an incentive program to encourage the early retirement of its employees. The retirement incentive program must be approved by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the State Department of Community Affairs and must conform to the retirement incentive provisions of a 1999 law (P.L.1999, c.59) which authorizes local units of government to offer a retirement incentive program when entering into an interlocal services or joint services contract. The incentive program may include one or more of the following items: up to five years of additional service credit in the member's pension system; payment of post-retirement medical benefits for employees with 20 years of service credit; payment for continuation of health benefits coverage after retirement for a limited period of time; county contributions to an approved employee deferred compensation plan; or a cash payment or the purchase of annuities.

Six months prior to the date on which a proposed incentive program is to begin, the county shall submit to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services detailed information concerning the proposed program, including the incentives to be offered and the estimated number of employees who will retire. The Director of the Division of Local Government Services must then provide sufficient information to the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury so that he can provide the Director of the Division of Local Government Services with: an estimate of the anticipated liability of the affected retirement systems; a determination of whether the incentive program is reasonably calculated to produce a reduction in the number of county employees; and an estimate of the net savings in county employment costs. If the incentive program will result in the county providing the governmental services with fewer employees and at a lower cost, and if the incentive program results in a net savings and will not increase county property taxes, then the Director of the Division of Local Government Services must approve the implementation of the retirement incentive program.

For a period of five years after the last date of retirement under an incentive program, the county government employment level must not, without the approval of the Director of the Division of Local Government Services, exceed the employment level specified in the incentive program. The director may approve an increase in the employment level if changes in local conditions, such as increased residential or commercial development or increased population, have created an increased need or demand for county government services.

This early retirement incentive program is unique in that it applies only to county government employees. It will be interesting to see if this program sparks a demand by public employees or public employers at other levels of government for a similar incentive program.

New York—Election Issues
by Kathy Wise, Director, Assembly Minority Research

While the "Subway World Series" between the Yankees and the Mets will have concluded before election day, New Yorkers and the nation will make important decisions on November 7, 2000. In addition to casting their presidential ballots, New Yorkers will decide who will represent them in the U. S. Senate and their state legislature. The outcome of the legislative races (for all 211 seats; 150 in the Assembly and 61 in the Senate) will have a significant impact upon the decisions concerning reapportionment for the 2002 races.

Despite significant reforms being enacted since Governor Pataki took office in January 1995, the issues being discussed and debated during the 2000 elections include economic development and job growth, health care, the cost of energy, and taxes. Regardless of the election outcomes, reapportionment will be among the most difficult and contentious issues for the upcoming legislative term (2001-2002).

Pennsylvania—Flurry of Enactments Prior to Recess
by Michael Gasbarre, Assistant Director, Local Government Commission

With an eye toward the General Election, the Pennsylvania General Assembly is in election recess until Monday, November 13, 2000. All 203 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs, as well as 25 of the 50 Senate seats. Currently, the Senate has a 10 Member G.O.P. advantage (30 R, 20 D), while membership in the House is tied (100 R, 100 D, and 3 vacancies).

The Legislatures was in session for a three-week period subsequent to its summer recess. Approximately 15 bills were enacted during this period, including:
 

• laws which impose new standards on persons renewing licenses as a speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or teachers of the hearing impaired;
• creation of special purpose county convention authorities for third class counties;
• requiring distributors and retailers of gasoline to make representations regarding the anti-knock characteristics of their products; and
• promoting greater development of deteriorated areas by providing alternative tax exemption schedules for improvements or construction of new developments in these areas.

When the General Assembly returns after the election, legislative business must be concluded by November 30, 2000, when it must adjourn sine die.

Great Lakes Region

Ohio—Staff Consolidation and Training
by Rebecca Fitzwater, Research Associate, Legislative Service Commission

Under a reorganization plan approved by the members of the Legislation Service Commission (LSC) in September, the Legislative Budget Office was made a division of the LSC. The resulting consolidated agency is the staff of the LSC.

A coalition of state agencies, including, among others, LSC, the Ohio Supreme Court, and the Department of Taxation, offer a series of continuing legal education (CLE) seminars free of charge that focus on subjects of interest to attorneys in state and local government. LSC staff members have coordinated two seminars in October. On October 5, six LSC staff members and a professor from The Ohio State University College of Law presented "Legislative Perspectives." This seminar included presentations on legislation education, privacy laws and legislative materials, and filing proposed administrative rules on the Internet. On October 26, seven LSC staff members and a member of the Ohio School Boards Association presented "123rd General Assembly: A Survey of Enactments." At this seminar, each speaker reviewed selected laws of the 123rd Ohio General Assembly, including those pertaining to identity rights and theft, government on the Internet, and school law.

Wisconsin—Partisan Control at Stake in Elections
by Gary Watchke, Senior Legislative Analyst, Legislative Reference Bureau

With redistricting looming on the horizon and control of both houses up for grabs, the November elections have been fiercely contested.

Partisan control of the legislature is currently split, with the Republicans controlling the Assembly by a 54 to 45 margin and the Democrats holding a 17 to 15 edge in the Senate, with one vacancy. All 99 state assembly seats and 16 of the 33 state Senate seats are up for election at the November 7, 2000 election.

All incumbent senators but one are running for reelection this November. A total of 9 incumbent members of the state Assembly have decided not to run for reelection. Political party strategists from both parties are targeting key Senate and Assembly races with the hope of controlling both houses of the state legislature.

The majority party in the legislature will have a distinct advantage in redrawing legislative and congressional districts, which may determine the partisan makeup in Wisconsin throughout the decade. An additional factor is the distinct possibility of Wisconsin losing one congressional seat thereby raising the stakes regarding partisan control.

For more legislative news, visit Spotlight on the Wisconsin Legislature at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/spotlight/spotl.htmlb.

South Region

Kentucky—Voters Decide on Annual Sessions; State Mourns Legislator
by Jamie Franklin, Committee Administrator, Legislative Research Commission

On November 7th, if the voters do not give the Kentucky General Assembly the ability to start meeting in annual sessions, Kentucky Governor Paul Patton has said that he will be calling the legislature into special session by February to address the state's problems with Worker's Compensation and Solid Waste Management, which includes litter abatement, recycling, junkyards, universal garbage collection, and illegal disposal.

Also, on October 12th, 2000, Kentucky House of Representatives member Pete Worthington died in a traffic accident. He had been a legislator for 22 years. A mechanical engineer and farmer, Worthington held one of the House's top posts, the office of Speaker Pro Tempore, from 1985 to 1992. In 1991, he made an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor. Worthington was well known for his work in cleaning up a nuclear-waste disposal site in his district, his early involvement in bringing state government into the computer age, and most recently as an advocate for struggling tobacco farmers. Representative Worthington was chairman of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation. He also served on the Appropriations and Revenue, State Government and Transportation committees.

South Central Region

Arkansas—Teacher Pay Raises A Top Priority
by Tony R. Minicozzi, Jr., Committee Staff, Bureau of Legislative Research

The Governor, the State Board of Education and a number of legislative leaders (including the Speaker-designate of the House of Representatives) can all agree on at least one thing: that during the next Regular Legislative Session, scheduled to begin in January of 2001, an increase in teacher salaries will be the number one priority.

The House and Senate Interim Committees on Education have gone a step further to recommend at least a $3,000 raise per teacher over the next Biennium, providing that funding can be found. The cost of the proposal, which would bring Arkansas' average teacher salaries (currently around $33,000) close to the regional average salary of about $36,500, is estimated to be $125 million.

Therein lies the rub. Due to a number of complex and interrelated factors such as a sagging stock market, higher energy costs, lackluster farm commodity prices, tension in the Middle East and elsewhere, the General Revenues forecast in Arkansas suggests little growth. In addition, a number of Constitutional Amendments have been proposed which could decrease General Revenues significantly, as well as a pending lawsuit, ("Lakeview School District vs. State Board") which challenges the constitutionality of the present school funding formula. If the plaintiffs prevail, it could cost the state hundreds of millions of additional dollars.

So, you can see it will be a challenging session for the members of the 83rd Arkansas General Assembly. On the one hand, members will be striving to improve public education, as well as other services delivered to the citizens of this state, such as health and human services, higher education, correctional institutions, county and municipal aid, etc. On the other hand, resources are finite and unlike the federal government, deficit spending is prohibited by law (Revenue Stabilization Act). More than ever, policy-makers will be asked to "do more, with less," to "think outside of the box," and to creatively enhance public education and therefore the very quality of life in Arkansas.

Louisiana—Major Proposals Face Voters
by Anne Dunn, Division Director, Governmental Affairs Division, House Legislative Services

Louisiana voters will decide two major issues on the November 7 ballot. A proposal advocated by Governor Mike Foster to replace the state's Department of Economic Development with a corporation to serve as the principal economic development organization for the state, free from many restrictions applicable to state agencies, and two amendments that would affect the state's tax structure, are among proposed constitutional amendments to be considered by Louisiana voters that day.

Legislation that creates Louisiana, Inc., an economic development corporation to be responsible for the state's economic development functions, will become effective only if voters approve a constitutional amendment that permits the legislature to except the corporation from civil service provisions of the constitution. Opponents of the corporation succeeded in attaching the amendment making the law's effectiveness contingent upon voter approval of the constitutional amendment. Under the Louisiana, Inc. legislation, the corporation is to act as a "One Stop Shop" for state economic development, working with new businesses and expanding existing ones. It has many different responsibilities: marketing the state; managing training and research; and creating, retaining, and expanding jobs and businesses. The proponents anticipate that the corporation will employ cluster developers with expertise in particular industries, who will be responsible for developing their respective industries and related companies and who will be paid based upon their performance. The legislation exempts the corporation from a number of state laws in order to allow the corporation to act quickly to provide for economic development. These include laws relative to public contracts, lease of public lands, administrative procedure, procurement of professional and consulting services, in addition to civil service provisions. Opponents question the necessity of abolishing the department to accomplish what is intended and point to the potential for abuse.

The two tax proposals on the ballot, neither of which can become effective unless both are approved, would constitutionally exempt food and utilities (natural gas, electricity, and water) from state sales taxes, while providing for an increase in state income taxes. The proposed income tax changes would repeal the state income tax deduction for federal taxes paid and certain other credits and deductions, and it also would increase state income taxes by replacing the current limitation on income tax rates with new income tax rates and brackets, as contained in enabling legislation which will become effective if the constitutional amendment is adopted. The legislation would provide for use of the new income tax revenue (above current income tax collections, plus a factor based on inflation and growth of the individual income tax base) for education, with at least 80% to be used for pay for public school teachers and support personnel and post-secondary faculty and support personnel and up to 20% for public education instruction and research needs.

Oklahoma—Ballot Questions; New Capitol Dome
by George Humphreys, House Research Director

Considerable attention is focused this election season on state questions. One legislative initiative of major consequence has already been approved by voters during the August primary election. This question lowered the high costs of motor vehicle tags in the state to a maximum $85. Opponents of the proposal attempted to point out that the changes in the bill, which will cost the state more than $20 million in revenues, will result in higher taxes paid for used car purchasers when they buy their vehicles. The issue may not be completely resolved, as the Governor has promised voters that he would fight for further cuts in motor vehicle taxes.

There are six more legislative proposals on the general election ballot. The most significant one deals with the tobacco settlement. An agreement was reached in the last week of the 2000 session between the House and Senate leadership over how Oklahoma should use its future tobacco settlement revenues. As a result of a gubernatorial veto over a simple measure in the 1999 session, a considerable portion of the state's initial tobacco receipts were deposited in the state's general fund. The Legislature early in the 2000 session managed to set aside, pending expected voter approval of the state question, future tobacco settlement receipts. Part of those were used to fund a major health care initiative in the 2000 session.

The tobacco settlement state question would establish a constitutional trust fund into which a significant portion of the state's tobacco settlement revenues will be deposited and invested. Beginning with FY-02, at least 50% of the revenues will be deposited into the trust fund, increasing to at least 75% over a five-year period. The earnings from the trust fund will be spent by a constitutional board appointed by legislative leaders and statewide elected officials for health and other programs aimed at enhancing the well-being of the state. This was an interesting feature in that it removes the Legislature from deciding how these funds can be used. It was enthusiastically received by the various groups which had been fighting to see that the tobacco settlement is used for public health purposes. The Legislature is left with the remaining funds that are not deposited into the trust fund. These receipts go into a special fund that the Legislature must create and can be used as the legislature chooses.

Two other very controversial state questions, both of which are popular initiatives, will not be on the ballot this November due to legal challenges. One proposes to ban cockfighting. Oklahoma is one of only a few states that does not make cockfighting illegal. Groups supporting the industry are challenging the sufficiency of the petition's signatures. The other question would add Oklahoma to the list of states making English the official state language. Opponents are challenging the question's constitutionality.

A matter of interest to legislative staff arising from the passage of the tag state question is the decision not to present the measure to the governor for his signature. As a statutory state question, past practice suggested that it should have been sent to him. However, legal research unearthed an obscure Attorney General opinion indicating that presentment was not required. Given that this governor had vetoed similar legislation to that in the state question, it was decided that this measure would be sent directly to the voters. This may result in a clear break from past legislative procedure in the way statutory state questions are handled.

One of the important developments of the past several sessions in Oklahoma has been the Legislature's use of "moral obligation" bond issues. In 1998, the Legislature authorized a $350 million, two-phase bond issue that neither required voter approval as a general obligation bond issue or pledged specific tax revenues for retiring the bonds. The issue was challenged in the state's Supreme Court where the Legislature won in a close vote late in the 1999 session. Therefore, the Legislature enacted legislation in the 2000 session to appropriate the second half of the bond issue. Much of the money will go to a variety of state and local projects. More than $50 million was set aside for projects that the Governor would designate by executive order.

The Governor designated a portion of these revenues as part of a $5 million match for nearly $18 million in private match for the construction of a dome for the state capitol. Oklahoma's capitol, built in 1917, was designed for a high dome, but it was not added. Plans are for the high dome to be completed by statehood day in 2002. There has been considerable interest in what would be placed on the top of the dome. It has been decided that Oklahoma (meaning Land of the Red People and created by the joining of Oklahoma and Indian Territories) should have a Native American statue atop its capitol. Six Native American Oklahoma artists were invited to submit proposals. The winning design was submitted by State Senator Enoch Kelly Haney, who is chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a five tribes master artist. Senator Haney generously waived the $50,000 artist's commission that was included in funding for the project. It is believed that Oklahoma will be the only state with a Native American sculpture rising above its capitol dome (the United States' capitol has the Statue of Freedom with her helmet encircled by stars and features a crest composed of an eagle's head, feathers, and talons, a reference to the costume of Native Americans).

The dome and much more is part of the state's preparation for its centennial in 2007. Legislative leaders were at the NCSL annual meeting in Chicago attempting to attract the 2007 annual meeting to Oklahoma.

Speaking of the annual meeting, Oklahoma is very proud that our Senator Angela Monson was elected Vice President of NCSL at the Chicago meeting. She started in the Oklahoma Legislature in 1981 as a staff member working on legislative oversight of federal funds.

Northern Region

Nebraska—Voters to Decide on Marriage Laws and Term Limits
Kate Gaul, Research Analyst, Legislative Research Division

A successful initiative petition drive has drawn Nebraska into the national debate over legal recognition of same-sex relationships. The Defense of Marriage Amendment (DOMA) Committee gathered more than 156,000 signatures (105,000 were required) in a six-week petition drive to place a ban on so-called same-sex marriages in the Nebraska Constitution. Nebraska law already defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Initiative 416, as it is called on the ballot, is one of seven proposed constitutional amendments that will face Nebraska voters in November. Another, Initiative 415, which is also the result of a petition drive, would impose term limits on Nebraska state senators.

Initiative 416 would add the following language to Nebraska's Constitution: "Only marriage between a man and a woman shall be valid or recognized in Nebraska. The uniting of two persons of the same sex in a civil union, domestic partnership, or other similar same-sex relationship shall not be valid or recognized in Nebraska." The language contained in the second sentence is believed to be unique among the 32 states that have enacted same-sex marriage bans in the past few years. Supporters of the proposed amendment say such language was necessary after Vermont passed legislation recognizing same-sex civil unions and granting same-sex couples legal benefits previously allowed only to married couples.

Initiative 415 would prohibit state senators from seeking more than two consecutive four-year terms. Senators could run for more than two terms as long as they were not consecutive. According to an analysis by Speaker of the Legislature Doug Kristensen, half of the current legislators would be out of office in 2006 if the measure were approved by the voters. Previously, Nebraska voters have approved three term-limit measures, all of which have been declared unconstitutional. Initiative 415 is the first term-limits initiative that would not also apply to federal officeholders.

The campaigns for both Initiative 415 and 416 have attracted substantial amounts of out-of-state money. Of every $5 spent to collect petitions to put term limits on the ballot, $4 came from donors outside Nebraska. And, although the DOMA committee relied on Nebraska resources for its successful petition drive, a second group, the Nebraska Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, has become active in the campaign against gay unions. The coalition had raised $476,019.75 in cash contributions from individuals through October 3. All but six percent ($28,185.50) came from non-Nebraska sources.

South Dakota—Ballot Issues May Affect Revenue
by Dave Ortbahn, Principal Research Analyst, Legislative Research Council

The highlight of the election year in South Dakota thus far has been the attention given to a couple of constitutional amendments and the one initiated measure which appear on the general election ballot.

Constitutional Amendment C would repeal the state inheritance tax and Constitutional Amendment D would repeal the state video lottery. Both of these constitutional amendments are being vigorously debated because of the potential impact to state revenues. The repeal of the inheritance tax has no organized opposition and it has a good chance of passing. The repeal of the video lottery is a very close race that will draw people out to vote. Both sides of the video lottery issue are well organized and financed. Consequently, we have been inundated for the last month with television, radio, and newspaper advertisements touting the benefits provided or the problems caused by video lottery. Recent polls show the race to be very close.

Initiated Measure #1 would raise the maximum bet limit for gaming in Deadwood from five dollars to one hundred dollars. The gaming businesses in Deadwood claim they need higher bet limits to remain competitive with gaming in surrounding states. Proponents of the measure have spent a lot of money on
advertising to get their point across. The opposition, while not spending a lot of money on advertising, has made the point that the measure is not just limited to Deadwood but also affects the tribal gaming establishments located elsewhere in the state. While this issue takes a back seat to the video lottery issue, the vote on this issue will also be close.

Mountain Region

Idaho—Task Force on Health Insurance Premiums
by Caralee Lambert, Senior Legislative Analyst, Legislative Services Office

In 1999, the Idaho Legislature established the Health Insurance Premiums Task Force to study the causes for the dramatic increases in health insurance premiums. In its course of meetings, the Task Force has heard extensive testimony from health insurance representatives and health care providers, including physicians, hospitals and pharmaceutical company representatives. Based on this testimony, the Task Force identified the following as factors leading to increases in health insurance premiums:

1. New and more expensive technological advances in medical care;
2. Rising pharmaceutical costs;
3. Consumer demand and increased utilization of health care services; and
4. Young and healthy individuals opting out of the health insurance market.

In recent meetings, the Task Force has heard testimony regarding the implementation and administration of the 2000 legislation. Testimony has also been provided regarding the role of pharmaceuticals in the rising costs of health care, and how insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry are addressing these costs.

The Task Force has not yet determined whether it will recommend legislation, and what form such legislation might take, for the 2001 Legislature's consideration.

West Region

California—Energy and Utilities
by Elisabeth Kersten, Director, Senate Office of Research

Energy and electricity were some of the hottest topics before the Legislature toward the close of the 1999-2000 session, and many of the bills signed in this area attempt to address the intricate problems of energy delivery and electricity supply and demand.

This year's hot summer weather, coupled with continued economic growth throughout, the state contributed to dangerously high demand for electricity in California. Surrounding states such as Arizona and Nevada _ that have historically supplied up to a quarter of the state's power _ are now dealing with their own escalating populations, and greater demand for utility infrastructure such as water and electricity.

The resulting squeeze on the regional electricity system caused huge spikes in electricity prices in July and August.

At the same time, ratepayers in San Diego, who were no longer under the rate freeze imposed as part of the AB 1890 electricity-deregulation legislation of 1996, saw their monthly electricity bills double (and in some cases triple), as the market price for electricity rose with demand.

The Governor signed eight key bills designed to cap rates in San Diego, speed up the siting of new power plants and promote energy conservation and renewable energy. For further details see California website www.sen.ca.gov/sor.

Nevada—Study on School Safety and Juvenile Violence
by Marsheilah D. Lyons, Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Research Bureau

In the wake of episodes involving violence within schools across the nation, the 1999 Nevada Legislature created the Commission on School Safety and Juvenile Violence (Assembly Bill 686, Chapter 607, Statutes of Nevada 1999). This 11-member commission is composed of legislators, law enforcement, school administrators, teachers, and parents.

The commission was charged with two major responsibilities: (1) developing a statewide plan of emergency response to incidents of school violence; and (2) recommending intervention and prevention programs to reduce and treat youth violence. Recommendations from this committee will be presented to the 71st Session of the Nevada Legislature in 2001.

During the interim period, the commission held meetings throughout the state, where members received extensive expert and public testimony regarding school safety and juvenile violence. In the commission's effort to develop Nevada's plan, local and nationally recognized school emergency response plans were reviewed. The commission also examined exemplary national and loca l prevention and intervention programs, as well as related laws and policies from other states.

Through the course of seven meetings and a review of an abundance of reports and information, including those provided through NCSL, the commission adopted three recommendations for consideration by the 2001 Legislature.

The first recommendation addresses the codification of the statewide emergency response plan to incidents of school violence. Generally, the plan would require each school district, and charter and private school, to adopt and follow a model crisis response plan. Each school would be directed to form a committee to develop the plan and a site-based team to implement the plan.

The second recommendation is to draft a concurrent resolution urging nonprofit organizations, businesses, state and local government agencies, and school districts to implement or expand upon prevention and intervention programs to reduce the incidence of school and juvenile violence.

The final recommendation advocates changes in the law to require school police and certain school administrators to report violent crimes committed on school property or at school activities to local law enforcement agencies.

For more information on these recommendations or other issues related to the Nevada Commission on School Safety and Juvenile Violence, please visit the
Nevada Legislature's web site at www.leg.state.nv.us.

Oregon—Committee Information Available On-Line
by Jim Stembridge, Committee Administrator, Committee Services

The Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Development is the first Oregon legislative committee with its own Web-page. Information includes a member list, links to agendas and meeting summaries, and the current edition of the news compilation, "Economic Indicators for Oregon". Follow the "Committees" link at http://www.leg.state.or.us/.

Oregon—New Position Promotes Public Access
by Chane Griggs, Oregon Legislative Liaison

Oregon's Legislative Administration provides greater public access to the legislative process with the recently established position of Legislative Liaison. The Legislative Liaison facilitates this participation in the legislative process for the legislators, the public and all state agencies. The position responds to inquiries from the public, legislators and state agencies by mail, email (help.leg@state.or.us), phone (503-986-1000) or in person.

Most inquiries, such as "Who is my Legislator?" or "How do I find the text to the Oregon Revised Statutes?" are easily handled by the Legislative Liaison. In situations where the answer is more difficult to ascertain, the Liaison acts as a referral source.

The position also coordinates resources to provide legislative process workshops for the public. The most recent presentation was "How the Public can Participate in the Legislative Process." As part of the workshop, a panel of Legislators and Lobbyists offered their advice on presenting effective testimony in committee.

The position is also responsible for maintaining current content on the Legislative web site and for general web page modifications. The Liaison is looking at changes to the web pages that will enable easier navigation of the pages. One example is the revision of the site index to a single portal format. The alphabetical listing of information is more accessible for the layperson.

For more information, contact Chane Griggs, chane.d.griggs@state.or.us or 503-986-1385.
 

---

Regional Coordinators

Mid-Atlantic Region
Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia
Coordinator: Hannah Shostack, New Jersey
phone: (609) 984-0231 or e-mail HShostack@njleg.state.nj.us

Great Lakes Region
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Coordinator: David Lovell, Wisconsin
phone: (608) 266-1537 or e-mail David.Lovell@legis.state.wi.us

South Region
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Coordinator: Jamie Franklin, Kentucky
phone: (502) 564-8100 or e-mail Jamie.Franklin@lrc.state.ky.us

South Central Region
Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas
Coordinator: Willa Sanders, Arkansas
phone: (501) 682-1937 or e-mail willa@arkleg.state.ar.us

Northern Plains Region
Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Coordinator: David Ortbahn, South Dakota
phone: (605) 773-3251 or e-mail Dave.Ortbahn@state.sd.us

Mountain Region
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
Coordinator: Kirk Mlinek, Colorado
phone: (303) 866-3521 or e-mail kirk.mlinek@state.co.us

West Region
Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington
Coordinator: Jim Stembridge, Oregon
phone: (503) 986-1813 or e-mail jim.stembridge@state.or.us

The Territories
American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
Coordinator: Tony Cabrera, Northern Mariana Islands
phone: (670) 664-0991 or e-mail tonysc@netpci.com
 
 

---

RACSS Officers 2000-2001

Chair: Robert Erickson
Research Director
Legislative Counsel Bureau
Nevada
phone: (775) 684-6825
e-mail: erickson@lcb.state.nv.us

Vice-Chair: David Sallach
Principal Research Associate
Office of Legislative Services
New Jersey
phone: (609) 984-0231
e-mail: DSallach@njleg.state.nj.us

Immediate Past Chair:

Karl Aro, Executive Director
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland
phone: (301) 970-5200
e-mail: karo@mlis.state.md.us

Mary Janicki, Assistant Director
Office of Legislative Research
Connecticut
phone: (860) 240-8400
e-mail: mary.janicki@po.state.ct.us

Elisabeth Kersten, Director
Senate Office of Research
California
phone: (916) 445-1727
e-mail: elisabeth.kersten@sen.ca.gov

Michael Nugent, Supervisor
Research and Legislation Section
Legislative Services Office
Idaho
phone: (208) 334-2475
e-mail: mnugent@lso.state.id.us

Terry Sullivan, Director of Research
Legislative Research Division
North Carolina
phone: (919) 733-2578
e-mail: terrys@ms.ncga.state.nc.us

RACSS Secretary: Jeanne Mejeur
phone: (303) 364-7700, x187
e-mail: jeanne.mejeur@ncsl.org
 
 

---

News Briefs

RACSS to Visit Annapolis

RACSS members will be guests of the Maryland General Assembly for a program and site visit during the Joint ASI~AFI Meeting, December 13-15, 2000, in Washington, DC. See page 2 for more information.

2001 Seminar Plans Announced

RACSS will present its 2001 Senior Professional Development Seminar, October 11-13, 2001, in Richmond, Virigina. The seminar will be jointly sponsored with the Legislative Research Librarians staff section. See page 4 for more details.

Calling All Writers!

They say we all have a novel in us, but most of us won't get around to writing it down. How about a short story instead? We're looking for writers for the Regional News column and this could be the beginning of a whole new career!! See page 6!

We've Been Busy

RACSS presented more than 150 professional development programs during the 1990s. You can find a complete list of RACSS sessions all the way back to 1983 on the RACSS home page at /programs/lis/racss/racsshmp.htm.
 

---

Staff Section Trivia

Can you name the ten NCSL staff sections?

• American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries (ASLCS)
• Leadership Staff Section (LSS)
• Legal Services Staff Section (LSSS)
• Legislative Information and Communications Staff Section (LINCS)
• Legislative Research Librarians Staff Section (LRL)
• National Association of Legislative Fiscal Officers (NALFO)
• National Association of Legislative Information Technology (NALIT)
• National Legislative Program Evaluation Society (NLPES)
• National Legislative Services and Security Association (NLSSA)
• Research and Committee Staff Section (RACSS)

Did you know?

• ASLCS is the oldest staff section, founded in 1943.
• LINCS is the newest staff section, established in 1999.
• Leadership was the first staff section formed after the founding of NCSL.
• NLSSA is the smallest staff section, with 215 members.
• RACSS is the largest staff section, with 1,700 members.
• Four staff sections-ASLCS, LRL, NLSSA and NLPES-are older than NCSL.
• Joseph Beek is the longest serving staff section officer, having served as the president of ASLCS for 25 years beginning in 1943.
• The oldest newsletter is The Legislative Administrator, first published by ASLCS in 1969.
• Alan Rosenthal was a speaker at the first professional development seminar sponsored by the Leadership Staff Section.
• ASLCS had 16 members at its first professional development seminar in 1967.
• LRL members served as an integral part in the establishment of LEGISNET, NCSL's first online data base.
• NLSSA members have written a book on legislative protocol and etiquette, Protocol: A Handbook for Legislative Staff.
• Only two staff sections charge dues: ASLCS and NLSSA.
• LSSS is the only national legal professional organization representing legislative legal staff.
• Leadership is the only staff section to have a seminar disrupted by the eruption of a volcano, Mt. Spur, in Anchorage, Alaska, 1992.
• ASLCS is the only staff section to hold a meeting while under tsunami warnings, in Monterey, California, 1994.
• NALIT is the most recent staff section to begin holding an annual professional development seminar.
• Four staff sections-LSSS, NALFO, NLPES and RACSS-jointly sponsor NCSL's annual Skills Development Seminar.
• In 1993, ASLCS celebrated its 50th anniversary.
• In 1997, LRL celebrated its 25th anniversary.
• In 1998, NLSSA celebrated its 25th anniversary.
• In 1999, RACSS celebrated its 20th anniversary.
• The newest staff section, LINCS, held its first formal meeting at the NCSL Annual Meeting in Indianapolis in 1999.

RACSS Home Page