When I assumed the office of RACSS chair last year, I used this column to set forth two goals I wished to achieve during my term. Both were related to making RACSS a useful and effective forum for the exchange of information helpful to us in our day-to-day responsibilities. One goal was to use this newsletter as a vehicle for exchanging information; the second was to vigorously pursue opportunities to provide meaningful training programs. With your help and the direction provided by an extremely capable and conscientious steering committee, we made considerable progress toward meeting both objectives. Under the stewardship of editor Suzanne Lindamood of the Ohio Legislative Service Commission and Jeanne Mejeur of NCSL, we revamped the newsletter and published several informative issues.

We also were successful in planning a number of programs designed to enhance basic skills at the Assembly on State Issues meeting in Atlanta and at the Annual Meeting in St. Louis (see meetings summary elsewhere in this newsletter). RACSS also sponsored the research track of the Skills Development Seminar in Baltimore in August (credit Allan Green of Connecticut and Karl Aro of Maryland for planning the program and serving as faculty), as well as the recently concluded professional development seminar in Madison for senior staff.

Much, however, remains to be done. By reelecting me chair for a second term, you have given me an opportunity to continue to work on achieving these goals. Good intentions alone, however, will accomplish little without support and input from the staff section. Thus, I am renewing my call for your participation in staff section activities. Although I am sure many of you read this newsletter, and some of you are able to attend RACSS-sponsored programs and seminars, the majority of RACSS members remain silent partners.

One relatively painless way in which you can participate is by submitting articles or ideas for articles for this newsletter. We are also in need of volunteers to serve as regional correspondents who will contribute news on a regular basis. Rather than designating one individual to serve as editor (although any of you are certainly welcome to step forward and assume that role), editorial duties will be shared by myself, vice-chair Diane Bolender, and NCSL staffer Jeanne Mejeur, who has offered to do the formatting and layout of the newsletter and remind us of missed deadlines.

Another way to participate is by helping to plan Annual Meeting programs and offering ideas on appropriate training at future seminars. Although we have offered a senior seminar for the past three years, attendance has not reached the level we would like to see. Your officers need your views on why more of us have not taken advantage of these training opportunities. To help us evaluate this situation, this newsletter includes a 2-page training needs survey. Please take a few minutes-and demonstrate your involvement-by completing the survey. Your input is vital.

Thus, I renew my commitment to making RACSS work for all of us. Together, we can succeed in making our staff section a valuable and supportive resource, especially as we face the challenges and opportunities that await us in a new round of legislative sessions.

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Professional Development Seminar a Success

Over 200 legislative staffers from around the nation convened in Madison, Wisconsin on October 9-12 to refresh skills, learn new ones, and share experiences. The occasion was a joint training conference for senior staff sponsored by the Research and Committee Staff Section and the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society. Both groups offered specific training geared to the needs of their respective members and also shared several plenary sessions led by nationally-known experts.

Joint plenary sessions included programs by Alan Rosenthal of Rutger's Eagleton Institute on the changing role of legislative staff, Dr. Stuart Robertshaw (a.k.a. Dr. Humor) on humor in the workplace and Dr. Donald Kettl of the UW-Madison on devolution. RACSS plenary sessions included John Turcotte of Florida's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability on "How to Make Effective Presentations to Legislators," Dr. Karl Scholz of the UW-Madison Department of Economics and Public Policy on policy analysis and UW-Madison Professor Political Science and Law Bert Kritzer on evaluating statistical information.

For those of you who were not able to join us in Madison and who would like to get an example of the focused and relevant training participants experienced, Professor Kritzer has made his program outline on "Surviving Statistical Spitting Matches: What is a Good Legislative Staffer To Do?" available on his Internet web site at: http://ps.polisci.wisc.edu/~kritzer/legstaff/start.htm.

Seminar participants were enthusiastic about their experiences and came away armed with practical advice to hone research skills, as well as a renewed sense of purpose about their careers as legislative staff supporting the work of state legislatures.

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Planning Underway for 1997 Senior Training Seminar: Any Ideas?

Although the 1996 RACSS Professional Development Seminar for Senior Research Staff ended only a few weeks ago, planning for next year's seminar has already begun. The priority right now is to select a location for the Fall 1997 seminar. The relatively long lead time is needed so that NCSL's meetings staff will have sufficient time to enter into contracts for meeting space and hotel rooms.

A planning committee has been formed, comprised of prior seminar planners Allan Green of Connecticut, David Hite of Colorado, Darrell Jackson of Missouri, and current RACSS officers and Executive Committee members. The committee is looking for your ideas. If you have any suggestions as to seminar location, format, or better yet, if you would like to volunteer to host the 1997 seminar, please contact Larry Barish, 608-266-0341.

RACSS Luncheon and Business Meeting

The staff section held its annual business meeting on July 30, 1996, during the NCSL Annual Meeting in St. Louis. A luncheon was provided for staff section members courtesy of The Michie Company and Philip LaMar. Michie is a publisher of state statutes and case law and has been a generous supporter of RACSS over the years.

A full agenda included the election of officers, the ratification of new bylaws, and a discussion of how to implement the newly created Legislative Staff Achievement Award. Larry Barish was elected to a second term as staff section chair and Diane Bolender, Director of the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau, was elected vice-chair. New RACSS bylaws were approved and will take effect with the election of officers in 1997. (The bylaws may be viewed on the RACSS Home Page or may be obtained by contacting Jeanne Mejeur at NCSL).

RACSS will join the other eight NCSL staff sections in presenting Legislative Staff Achievement Awards to one or two deserving members, at the NCSL Annual Meeting next year in Philadelphia. Richard Sims, past RACSS chair and Administrator of the Arkansas Office of Economic and Tax Policy, and Dianna McClure of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, will help develop guidelines for the awards and will chair the awards nominating committee.

Other issues discussed included a proposal to institute a network of regional correspondents to report on various topics of interest in each edition of the newsletter. Volunteers were solicited and Diane Bolender agreed to spearhead the effort to implement the concept.

The business meeting concluded with remarks by the chair and vice-chair regarding the future direction of RACSS and an appeal to the membership to get involved in RACSS activities. This message and call for action is also directed to those members not in attendance. RACSS exists solely for the benefit of its members and is totally dependent on its members for its energy and vitality. (summary by Larry Barish)

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RACSS Annual Meeting Programs

Research Requests: A Prickly Problem or Appropriate Project?
The purpose of this session was to examine how the wording and nature of research requests affects a researcher's work. The panelists' goal was to offer practical suggestions that researchers could apply to help them evaluate and decide whether the research requested falls within "appropriate" scope and boundaries.

After introductory remarks by Larry Barish, Director of Library and Reference Services for the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (and RACSS chair), Pat O'Grady, Executive Director of the Illinois Legislative Research Unit, set out several hypothetical research questions, asking the audience to indicate if they would have answered the requests. Pat proceeded to describe factors that make certain types of requests more difficult for researchers to respond to. He proposed a framework for evaluating how to respond to inquiries.

David Valentine, Director of Senate Research in Missouri, related some of the difficult questions his office has faced and how the researchers dealt with sensitive or improper requests. Don Hunter, Director of Legislative Services in New Hampshire, concluded the presentations with a discussion of how the NCSL Model Code of Conduct for Legislative Staff can provide guidance when trying to deal with sensitive or difficult questions. The session concluded with several questions from audience members and sharing of additional insights by other experienced researchers in attendance.

All the panelists and commentators agreed that there are no hard and fast guidelines for determining absolute boundaries between proper and improper research requests. The appropriateness of a request is affected by variables such as the type of research office (partisan or nonpartisan), the source of the request (individual member, committee, leadership), and the reason for the request (constituent, campaign, testimony on legislation). It is important for researchers to have criteria to use when determining whether or not requests are appropriate. (summarized by Don Hunter, New Hampshire)

Missouri's Political History and Harry Truman
Speaker: Lawrence O. Chistensen, Professor of History, University of Missouri-Rolla. Missouri is characterized by strong regional differences flowing from climate, topography, ethnic settlement patterns, and strong cultural influences. The state's political history in turn ebbs and flows from this diversity as ascendancy is gained and lost by Southern traditionalists, New England progressives, and hill country conservatives. In this regard the state is a microcosm of the nation. Harry Truman came from one of these cultural groups, the Southern traditionalists, but as a politician successful statewide, he learned from and adjusted to the diversity of Missouri. This prepared him to deal as President of the United States with a diverse nation and the differing interests of its regions and political groupings. (summarized by Darrell Jackson, Missouri)

Legislatures on the World Wide Web
This session was a panel discussion moderated by Bill Behnk, California Legislative Information Systems. Panelists included Marilyn Cathcart, Minnesota Legislative Reference Library; Max Arinder, Mississippi Joint Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review; and Larry Barish, Wisconsin Reference and Library Services.

Approximately 35 states currently have a presence on the Internet. Panelists discussed many issues legislative staff face as they create and maintain legislative Web sites. In Minnesota, the Legislative Reference Library is actively involved in putting information out on the Internet. Marilyn Cathcart said there are ten librarians in the library who devote time to this project. They have taken on the challenge with enthusiasm and enjoy their new roles as technologists. Their Web site contains a unique link entitled, "Links to the World." It provides access to Internet sites on about 40 different topics. The librarians evaluate the sites and include only those they deem valuable to the legislative audience. Marilyn indicated that they strive to make their Web site as uniform and user-friendly as possible. Those who add the information to the Web site are responsible for maintaining it.

Marilyn pointed to several lessons they have learned along the way. One is that there are always costs associated with this type of endeavor, and they have devoted a lot of staff and work time to it. Another is that some data is now available only on the Internet. If a librarian, for instance, wants the information, he or she must know how to access it and make decisions regarding distribution of the material to patrons. Also, those developing a Web site must be willing to take risks. There are a lot of difficult choices involved. Lastly, Marilyn encouraged people not to be afraid of new technology. She noted that creating and maintaining Web sites is easier than one might think.

Max Arinder also stressed the relative ease of developing a Web site. He indicated it was a "short step" to get his PEER Committee on the Web. Executive summaries of all their reports are now accessible through the Web, and their newest reports are available in full text.

Larry Barish explained that the Wisconsin Legislature took its first step by putting printed materials on the Internet. In addition, they developed two working groups of legislative staff to work on this emerging technology. One group focuses on the policy issues involved in developing a Web site and the other works on the actual content of the sites. There are five legislative service agencies in Wisconsin, and each of them will have its own Web site. Larry also discussed some of the problems associated with using the Internet as a research tool. One problem is that often the appearance of a Web site takes precedence over its actual content. Therefore, a Web site that looks very enticing may not have the level of content the researcher expects. Also, the quality of the information available is variable, and there is so much out there that the researcher never really knows what he or she is missing. In addition, statistics show that only a small percentage of individuals have access to the Internet, so the targeted audience is comparatively small. Lastly, the Web lacks an archival function. Thus, what is here today may be gone tomorrow. Due to these problems, Larry suggested the best use of the Internet is as a supplement rather than a replacement for traditional resources. (summarized by Clare Cholik, South Dakota)

Concurrent: Legislative Staff Working as a Team
Bill Pound, NCSL Executive Director, moderated a panel of nine staff section representatives who discussed their roles in the life of a bill. The purposes of the concurrent session were the promotion of team building, increased understanding of the importance of staff work in the process, improvement of communications between staff, and sharing interstate resources. Panelists were: Lynda Davis of Maryland, Legislative Research Librarians Staff Section; Pat Chumbley, Arizona, Research and Committee Staff Section; Paul Dlugolecki, Pennsylvania, National Association of Legislative Fiscal Officers; John Fellows, Utah, Legal Services Staff Section; Jim Greenwalt, Minnesota, National Association of Legislative Information Technology; Ramona Kenady, Oregon, American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries; Phil Leone, Virginia, National Legislative Program Evaluation Society; Anne Murray, New Mexico, Leadership Staff Section; Carleton Turner, Texas, National Legislative Services and Security Association. Upon the conclusion of the panel, the audience and the panelists broke into small groups for informal discussions about staff roles. (summarized by Debbie Tavenner, Ohio)

Legal Research for Non-Lawyers
Becky Lennahan, Deputy Director of Colorado's Office of Legislative Legal Services, gave a concise overview of legal research concepts, legal resources, and constitutional requirements, and how they all affect the process of doing research and drafting bills in state legislatures.

She used an example that Colorado legislative staff had actually dealt with: trespass and premises liability. In researching the issue, she showed the various resources that staff used to develop an understanding of the common law principles of trespass and the duties of landowners to various classes of guests. Resources include legal encyclopedias, such as American Jurisprudence and Corpus Juris Secondum, and American Law Reports, various law reviews and digests. Taking the example through the actual process of drafting the bill, Becky reviewed session law versus codified statutes and explained annotations and statute updates.

Because the Colorado law became the subject of a court challenge, Becky was able to discuss caselaw, constitutional requirements, how cases are reported, and the National Reporter system. Again showing samples of documents, she led participants through the legal process used to challenge the law and how the issue was finally resolved.

In a very short time-frame, she covered the types of legal and quasi-legal resources available to legislative staff to help educate themselves on unfamiliar topics. Becky also helped staff in understanding the relationship between caselaw and statutes, and how the American legal system works together with the legislative process. (summarized by Jeanne Mejeur, NCSL)

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LSCC Task Force Reports on NCSL Services to Legislative Staff

At the 1996 Annual Meeting, John Turcotte, Chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force, presented its report, "NCSL Services to Legislative Staff: Assessment of Current Services and Future Directions," to the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee.

The report caps a two-year Task Force effort to draft the first iteration of a strategic plan to allow NCSL to respond effectively and efficiently to the future needs and changing demands of legislative staff. The Task Force was directed to emphasize the two NCSL roles that most affect legislative staff: delivery of information and professional development.

The report assesses NCSL's on-line services, staff support to staff sections, publications, information request services, and overall budget. In addition, it provides a three-to-five year vision statement describing the types of products NCSL should offer; the market for NCSL products and services; the resources available to NCSL to provide those products and services; and the outcomes associated with the products and services.

The 1996-97 Strategic Planning Task Force will monitor progress in implementing the July report, copies of which are available from NCSL. For more information, contact Rich Jones in NCSL's Denver office, 303-364-7700, extension 122. (summary by Joyce Honaker, Kentucky)

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RACSS to Meet at the Fall ASI

RACSS is planning two programs in conjunction with the joint Fall meetings of the Assembly on State Issues (ASI) and the Assembly on Federal Issues (AFI) in Washington, D.C., December 11 - 14.

On Wednesday, December 11, from 9:00 to noon, RACSS is offering a program at Congressional Research Services, on Current Technology in Support of Congress. The presentation will demonstrate the resources and information technology used to provide research services to congressional committees and members of Congress. RACSS members who plan to attend should meet at 8:45 a.m. in the hotel lobby for transportation to CRS. RACSS chair Larry Barish is planning the program and will serve as moderator. For more information on the CRS program, contact Larry Barish at 608-266-0341.

On Friday, December 13, from 10:30 to noon, RACSS members will hold a program on Congressional Committee Staffing. U.S. House and Senate staff leaders will discuss congressional staff organization and focus on staff services they provide to support the work of congressional committees. The session is being planned by RACSS vice-chair Diane Bolender, who will serve as moderator. Manus Cooney, Senior Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary; Anthony Cole, Staff Director of the U.S. House Banking Committee; and Janice Mays, Minority Staff Director of the House Ways and Means Committee, will serve as panelists. For information regarding the Congressional Committee Staffing program, contact Diane Bolender at 515-281-3566.

RACSS members may also attend any of the ASI and AFI committee programs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, including special plenary briefings on Implementing Telecommunications Deregulation and Implementing Welfare Reform.

For those involved in redistricting issues, the ASI Redistricting Task Force is planning several sessions throughout the meeting. Contact Tim Storey at NCSL's Denver office, 303-364-7700, extension 143, for more information about Task Force programs on redistricting.

For general information about the ASI or AFI programs, or for meeting registration, contact Joyce Johnson in NCSL's Denver office at 303-364-7700, extension 119. A brochure and preliminary master agenda is available through NCSL's Fax on Demand service by calling 1-800-380-7280.

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In Memory of Vic Hellard, Jr.

1939 - 1996

Longtime Kentucky Legislative Research Commission Director Vic Hellard, Jr. died of a heart attack at his Versailles home on September 17, a little over a year after his retirement from the agency he led for over 18 years. A public servant in the truest sense of the word, Hellard served three years as state representative for Woodford County and as chief counsel for House Speaker William Kenton before accepting the LRC post in 1977.

His 18-year tenure as LRC director was marked by the emergence of a truly independent Legislature. As agency head, he envisioned and then put in place the professional staff and resources necessary to serve a strong and independent Legislative Branch.

Vic Hellard, Jr. was a powerful force for good government in Kentucky. His positive impact on life in this Commonwealth cannot be overstated. The warmth, affection and high regard all who met Vic Hellard felt and still feel for him is testament to his stature as a human being. He brought pride, humor and a sense of high mission to public life, and those privileged to work for him or with him always responded in kind to his example. (from the Kentucky LRC Home Page)

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RACSS Officer Biographies

Larry Barish worked for the Wisconsin Legislature as a Legislative Analyst for over 20 years and has served as the Director of the Reference and Library Services of the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau since 1987. Mr. Barish is editor of the Wisconsin Blue Book, the biennially-produced compendium of information about Wisconsin state government. Larry specializes in redistricting issues and has assisted the Legislature and the federal courts following the 1980 and 1990 censuses. Larry has served as a member of the NCSL Reapportionment Task Force since 1984, and currently is the Chair of the Research and Committee Staff Section. Mr. Barish received his Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his Masters Degree in Government from the University of Arizona.

Diane Bolender currently serves as Director of the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau and has served in that capacity since 1989. Prior to that she held various positions in the Legislative Service Bureau for twenty years, including Deputy Director and Research Division Chief. She has been active in NCSL activities for many years, serving as a member of the NCSL Executive Committee from 1990 until 1992, and during 1994, and as a member of the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee from 1990 through 1994. She has served as the Staff Vice Chair and Staff Chair of the Assembly on State Issues (formerly Assembly on the Legislature), and as both a member and chair of the NCSL Staff Nominating Committee. Ms. Bolender holds a degree in history and government from Iowa State University.

Karl Aro is the Deputy Director of the Research Division of the Maryland Department of Legislative Reference, a position he has held since 1985. Karl began working for the Maryland General Assembly in 1979 and has served as the key staff person for redistricting and reapportionment. He has also been responsible for providing oversight of health care regulation and policy and worker's compensation and has provided staff support to special joint committees, standing committees and subcommittees. Prior to joining the Legislature, Karl work for the government of Prince George's county and for the American Public Health Association. Mr. Aro holds a B.A. in government from Monmouth College and an M.A. in government and public administration and A.B.D. in policy sciences, both from the University of Maryland. Karl has been an active member of NCSL's Research and Committee Staff Section.

Donna Davis began working at the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research in 1971, assigned to the Joint Budget Committee. Since 1979, she has been a legislative analyst in Research and Committee Services for the House and Senate Standing Committees on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs and the Joint Interim Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. Since 1984, in addition to the interim and standing committee work, Donna has been the staff coordinator of the committee that conducts state agency rules review, the Subcommittee on Administrative Rules and Regulations. Donna holds a B.A. and M.P.A. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Joyce Honaker has worked with the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission since 1971 and is currently State Government Committee Staff Administrator. Prior to that she served as a teaching and research graduate assistant at Indiana University. Joyce received her Bachelor of Science degree in International Studies from Miami University in Ohio and her Masters degree in Political Science from Indiana University. Joyce has served on the NCSL Executive Committee and is a past chair of the Research and Committee Staff Section.

Donald Hunter is the Director of the Office of Legislative Services for the New Hampshire Legislature and has been with the office since 1979. Prior to that he served as a research assistant for the University of New Hampshire, Department of Political Science and as a legislative intern for the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Don holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of New Hampshire. Don has served on the executive committee of the Research and Committee Staff Section for the last several years.

William S. Montgomery was appointed Director of the Delaware Legislative Council, Division of Research, in June, 1995. Previously, Bill served for ten years as the Legislative Staff Director for the City Council in Wilmington, Delaware. Bill holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in public administration, both from the University of Delaware. He serves on the boards of the Grand Opera House, the Delaware Theatre Company and Sister Cities of Wilmington, Inc.

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Regional News

Regional Correspondents provide news from research staff and offices around the country, coordinated by Diane Bolender of Iowa.

New Hampshire, by Myla Padden
With the 1997 legislative session rapidly approaching, the Research Division has been busy analyzing a variety of issues including the establishment of a restricted and graduated driver licensing system for individuals under the age of 18. Young drivers would be required to demonstrate responsible driving techniques in established stages before being a granted a full motor vehicle license. Researchers are also busy assisting lawmakers in preparing legislation to improve the quality, quantity, and affordability of child care in the state. Much of this research has focused on improving the quality of daycare services for children with special needs.

The Division is also working with lawmakers interested in amending the involuntary civil commitment statutes in order to improve the quality of outpatient involuntary mental health treatment. The research is focusing on broadening the statutory definition of emergency to include gravely disabled individuals, those who are unable to provide for basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health and safety.

The New Hampshire Legislature has switched over to a PC network-based computer system. Although it will take several years to complete the conversion of the old WANG applications, we are already seeing benefits. Researchers should have desktop access to the Internet by the end of this year.

Virginia, by Jack Austin
The Division of Legislative Services has relied upon a series of publications, ranging from a Session Summary book to a brief session highlights newsletter, to meet the demand at the conclusion of the legislative session for analysis and review of major session developments and accomplishments. In 1995, the Division developed an additional offering, a day-long seminar presented by our staff entitled, Recent Developments: 1995 Session. Division staff members, both attorneys and research professionals, analyzed major legislation in their substantive policy areas and identified significant policy changes resulting from the session. The program proved popular with administrative and regulatory officials, lobbyists, and several legislators who opted to attend. The first program was offered in Richmond and drew over 100 participants. In 1996, the program was extended to include a second seminar in the urban Tidewater area, and other areas of the Commonwealth may be covered in the future. The seminar is approved for continuing legal education credit, and the Division's staff attorneys earn CLE credit for preparation and presentation of the course material. A reasonable charge for the seminar also helps meet a requirement that a nominal part of the Division's budget come from enterprise funds.

Iowa, by John Pollak
Developing a new publication for legislators and citizens has been a primary focus of the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau staff during the 1996 legislative interim. In addition, staff have been busy with usual interim activities of summarizing legislation enacted in the 1996 Session, writing briefings on meetings and court rulings of legislative interest for publication in a weekly calendar, and providing background research and other staffing assistance to legislative interim committees. The scope of information available through the Iowa General Assembly's home page on the Internet will be expanded to incorporate the new publications.

The new publication is a series of legislative guides, each providing a general survey of a particular area of the law, including court rulings and fiscal information, where appropriate. The legislative guides will be distributed to legislators and legislative staff in a binder format. Single copies will be available to the general public in print form and on the Internet. Plans call for publication of new guides annually with biennial updates of previously issued guides to reflect statutory changes and court rulings. Examples of the legislative guides ready for distribution in the 1997 Legislative Session are:

State Taxation
Iowa's Gambling Law
Federal Indian Gaming Law
Iowa's Education Finance System
Iowa's Business Franchise Law
Requirements for Legalizing Acts
Analysis of the Separation of Powers Doctrine in Iowa Government
Local Government Initiative and Referendum Powers

The Iowa General Assembly's Internet home page provides an extensive array of interim and session legislative information (http://www.legis.state.ia.us). A partial listing includes the following:

Interim committee charges, membership and staffing
Interim committee briefings, minutes and final reports
Legislative bills and amendments updated daily
Bill histories, chamber calendars and journals
Search system for bills, amendments, and the Iowa Code
Legislator profiles
Virtual tour of the Iowa State Capitol

Kentucky, by Patrice Carroll and Joyce Honaker
In August, 1996, the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission implemented a new Committee Staff Associate program, which LRC Director Don Cetrulo views as a way to recruit new talent into legislative staff service and to smooth fluctuations in staffing needs in different parts of the agency.

The LRC is a centralized legislative staffing agency serving both chambers and political parties of the Kentucky General Assembly. The General Assembly meets in biennial sessions in even-numbered years. During the nineteen-month interim between regular sessions, the Senate and House standing committees meet as interim joint committees to conduct studies and hearings, develop legislation, and exercise oversight responsibilities. In addition, several statutory committees provide year-round oversight and evaluation of executive branch programs. An LRC team of legislative analysts headed by a committee staff administrator provides professional services to each committee.

The Committee Staff Associates will be trained and prepared to work anywhere they are needed within the LRC. The committee staff associates' training is particularly tailored to address committee staffing needs during an interim or legislative session. Each associate is expected to remain in that position at least through the next regular session following his or her employment. After the regular session, the associates may apply for vacancies in legislative analyst positions or continue in the associate position and "float" where needed.

The first class of committee staff associates will complete 16 months of training and committee work prior to the 1998 Regular Session. Each associate will have approximately two months of hands-on committee work with at least seven of the busiest committees. Training will include bill drafting, legal research, research design and tools, and assignment to the LRC offices of Constituent Services, Public Information, Economists and Education Accountability. Three of the associates attended the NCSL Skills Development Seminar in August, 1996.

The associate position was advertised in all of Kentucky's public and private colleges and universities and Harvard University. A total of 430 applications were received and reviewed by two teams of LRC professional staff who made the final hiring recommendations. Four associate offers were made to applicants outside the agency and two current Commission employees were promoted to the position.

Connecticut, by Allan Green
For more than 20 years, the Connecticut Office of Legislative Research and the University of Connecticut have co-sponsored a pre-session legislators' issues conference. This year's conference will be held December 3 and 4 on the UConn campus. Its purpose is to give new and returning legislators in-depth briefings on major issues of the forthcoming session.

A major focus of the conference will be on the legislative response to the state supreme court's decision holding racial imbalance in the Hartford area public schools unconstitutional. Economic change is the other focus, with a close look at the effects of the new federal welfare policy, options for workforce development, and the future of the electrical power industry.

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Nominations Sought for Legislative Staff Achievement Award

The first annual Legislative Staff Achievement Awards will be presented this coming summer at the NCSL Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. The NCSL Staff Chair will present the awards at the annual Legislative Staff Luncheon.

Each of the nine NCSL staff sections and the staff chair of the Assembly on State Issues may nominate up to two individuals or offices in recognition of their excellence in support of the work of a state legislature and strengthening the legislative institution. The nominating process, as well as the criteria used to evaluate nominees, are to be decided independently by each staff section. The RACSS Executive Committee will be meeting at the joint meeting of the ASI and AFI in December to discuss these issues, and how they will be implemented for our staff section.

Our next newsletter will include more information about the nomination process, selection criteria, and nomination deadlines for RACSS members. However, members are free to submit nominations for the award at this time. Nominations should include a brief description of the accomplishments of the individuals or office to be considered and why they deserve recognition.

For more information on the Legislative Staff Achievement Award, or to discuss your ideas on criteria or the nomination process, contact Larry Barish at 608-266-0341.

To submit a nomination, contact:

Richard Sims
Office of Economic and Tax Policy
Bureau of Legislative Research
Little Rock, AR 72201
ph: 501-682-1937 or fax: 501-682-1936
or
Dianna McClure
Legislative Research Commission
State Capitol, Room 300
Frankfort, KY 40601
ph: 502-564-8100 or fax: 502-223-5094

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RACSS Directory of Key Research Contacts, 1997

RACSS will publish its annual research directory in early 1997. The pocket-sized guide serves as a reference to the research offices in all fifty states and the territories. Each member of the staff section automatically receives a complimentary copy.

NCSL staff will update the directory in early January by conducting a phone survey of all members listed in the current directory. Beginning with the 1996 edition, the directory listed e-mail addresses, where available. The 1996 edition included e-mail addresses for one-third of the staff listed. This year, it is anticipated that more than two-thirds of the listings will include e-mail addresses. Additional copies of the directory will be available by special request, starting in February, 1997, as long as supplies last.

If you're not sure you're on the RACSS mailing list, please contact Jeanne Mejeur at NCSL, 303-364-7700, extension 187. Members automatically receive the RACSS Newsletter, directory, and meeting notices, and can participate in all RACSS activities.

NCSL Research and Committee Staff Section Newsletter
Editors: Larry Barish, WI and Diane Bolender, IA

NCSL Staff Section Contact for RACSS: Jeanne Mejeur, 303-364-7700, or e-mail jeanne.mejeur@ncsl.org.

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Research and Committee Staff Section

RACSS Newsletter

Table of Contents