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Fall, 1999 Editor: Bob Erickson, Nevada Be Sure to Attend RACSS' programs at the ASI~AFI Meeting Joint Meeting of the Supreme Court Cases Affecting the States (CLE) This may be your only chance to learn how recent Supreme Court decisions will impact your state. Be sure not to miss Richard Ruda's overview of recent decisions and cases coming up next term that will affect the states. This program qualifies for continuing legal education credit. Speaker: Research Services at the National Archives The Research Room at the National Archives offers unique opportunities for research. Learn about the research and preservation services offered by the National Archives and participate in their "behind the scenes" tour. Buses will leave the hotel at 9:45 a.m.
by Bob Erickson Research Director Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau 1999-2000 RACSS Chair Greetings from Carson City, Nevada! For those of you who either attended NCSL's 1998 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, or have visited that city for a little recreation, Nevada's state capital in Carson City is located some 436 miles to the north. While the Las Vegas climate remains very pleasant throughout the winter months, here in Carson we're preparing for another cold and snowy winter. But, what else do I have to offer or share with you as the new chair of RACSS. First of all, I still can't get used to having a professional staff from NCSL serve our group with the same kind of quality work and diligent efforts that we provide to our legislators back home! After working for a number of years with Jeanne Mejeur, our primary RACSS staff from NCSL, I am continually impressed with her expertise and efficiency. It is a real comfort knowing that Jeanne is always there to make sure that RACSS keeps moving ahead, regardless of who might be its chair at the time. Next, I'd like to take a quick look at RACSS and the types of legislative staffers that participate in its meetings and programs. A memorable scene from the movie "Stripes" has Bill Murray giving the leaderless troops a pep talk. He advises them that because their forefathers came from a variety of other countries, they could be compared to "mutt" dogs. But, he reminded them they all were Americans now, the greatest assemblage of people in the world. Well, RACSS also is made up of staffers from a variety of backgrounds - research and policy analysts, committee staffers, personal and house staffers, constituent services specialists, attorneys, legislative staff managers, and so on. And it's our diversity that makes RACSS such an exciting group with which to participate. (Whether we are "mutts" is probably debatable.) At the recent Senior Professional Development Seminar in Charleston, South Carolina, the enthusiasm of the RACSS participants was such that the last program element went beyond the closing time because the group was so involved in sharing ideas and experiences. Further, we had a "full house" for the annual RACSS luncheon at NCSL '99 in Indianapolis. Again, the participation and interest were just great. As you browse through this newsletter, I'm sure you'll find the shared information from around the country to be of interest. Also, this and subsequent newsletters will profile a number of upcoming programs and meetings for research and committee staff. For example, you can attend the ASI-AFI in Washington D.C., December 1-3, 1999. RACSS will be sponsoring two programs at that meeting: 1) research opportunities at the National Archives, and 2) updates on U.S. Supreme Court decisions over the past year. If you are going to Washington, please try to attend these two programs! The next opportunity is the NCSL Annual Meeting in Chicago, where RACSS will be sponsoring approximately four programs and a staff luncheon. RACSS also will be co-sponsoring a Skills Development Seminar for newer staff members, with next year's location and dates still to be determined. The Legislative Staff Management Institute will be held again in Minneapolis next summer, from July 31st through August 11th. I participated in this program a number of years ago and found it to be the best training available for legislative staff. The next Senior Professional Development Seminar for RACSS members will be held in Austin, Texas, October 7-10, 2000, in conjunction with the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society (NLPES). The theme of that seminar will be preparing research and committee staff and program evaluators for the legislature of the future. In closing, I would like to thank a number of my colleagues from other states who will be assisting RACSS in an official capacity this year. First, our RACSS Executive Committee will be served by vice-chair Debbie Terlip (OK), immediate past chair Karl Aro (MD), Cora Chua (CT), David Ortbahn (SD), Dave Sallach (NJ), and Mike Nugent (ID). Our regional correspondents for the RACSS Newsletter also should be recognized for their efforts in obtaining updates from around the states and territories. They are: Cora Chua (CT), Dave Sallach (NJ), David Lovell (WI), Jamie Franklin (KY), Willa Black Sanders (AR), David Ortbahn (SD), David Hite (CO), Anne Tweedt (OR), and Tony Cabrera (MP), who joins us as the coordinator for the territories. Thanks again to all!
RACSS would like to extend a special thank-you to Philip "Satch" Sachtleben, Acting Executive Director of the Indiana Legislative Services Agency, who served as our unofficial host and who was a resource to RACSS members and NCSL staff in planning RACSS programs. Thank you Satch!! Following are reports on RACSS sessions at the NCSL Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. Indiana's Political History Using "picture postcards" of scenes from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Professor Hadley composed letters describing the events depicted in the postcards and commenting on the politics of the era through the eyes of an average citizen. This style of presenting the past offered guests a very personal picture of events and how they affected the growth and development of politics in Indiana. Covering both state politics and Indiana's role in the national political scene, Professor Hadley showed that the Hoosier state has been a hotbed of political activity since the nineteenth century. With a number of candidates for national office and some famous favorite sons, Indiana continues its political traditions today, as a viable two-party state. - Diane Bolender, Iowa
Indiana Legislative Staff Services The Host State staff services program consisted of two parts: a general discussion in the House Chambers and an extensive tour of the Indiana State House. The program was attended by close to 100 persons. Philip Sachtleben, Executive Director of the Indiana Legislative Services Agency, explained that the nonpartisan staff was primarily responsible for bill drafting, legal research, amendment preparation, fiscal notes, fiscal research, and publication of all legislative documents. There is no separate research staff-the same persons who draft bills and fiscal notes have research responsibilities. The staff has 26 attorneys, 16 fiscal analysts, and about 20 support staff. The Legislative Information Center, with five employees, and Census 2000 team, with two staff, are also part of the Agency. Following several questions on a wide range of topics involving the operations of the Indiana General Assembly, the audience was divided into groups for professionally led tours of the 100-year old State House, which was completely renovated 10 years ago. - Philip Sachtleben, Indiana
Many legislative staff agencies are responsible for providing orientation programs for new and returning legislators at the beginning of each new term. This session examined the efforts of Colorado, Maryland, and Michigan to make these orientations interesting and informative without either overwhelming or boring the participants. Dianne Odrobina, Administrator of the Michigan Legislative Council, noted that in order to have a successful orientation it is necessary to prioritize what the new members need to know, primarily because they are overwhelmed by interest groups and other interested parties to the legislative process. The orientation program in Michigan is typically scheduled for two and a half days, with staff invited for the last half of the last day. Also, immediately after the election, each new member receives an introductory video, along with a bag of microwave popcorn and a congratulatory, introductory memo. Michigan also employs personal contact staff teams. These teams visit with each legislator and his/her staff to talk about what staff services are available. The teams act as "silent mentors" and seek to convey three key messages: professional competence; a "service" ethic (a willingness to go the extra mile); and trustworthiness. Teams often check back with members to see if any further assistance is needed in navigating the legislative environment. David Hite, Deputy Director of the Colorado Legislative Council, stated that it is necessary to constantly re-evaluate your orientation program because the audience changes, and even though the questions stay pretty much the same, the answers may change. He noted that the orientation in Colorado has four phases, which are presented at separate sessions. Starting after the party organizational caucuses, procedures for requesting bill drafts are discussed. This is followed by Phase 2, a session on what happens in chambers. Effective use of nonpartisan staff resources is explained. At this time the staff conducts a mock session for the members, complete with scripts. This is done to give the new members the feel of a session and to get them used to speaking on the floor and familiar with procedures and decorum. Following the mock session new members are provided with information relating to pay and benefits. Phase 3 provides an overview of policy issues, tax structure and fiscal impacts. Phase 4 is computer training. David also noted that each class has its group photograph taken as a way to commemorate its arrival. Tom Lewis, Legislative Assistant to the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, said that in addition to the usual three day orientation for new members conducted in Annapolis, the new members are taken on a tour of Maryland, using a combination of buses, trains and boats. The tour takes about 6 days and is designed to make the members familiar with the problems and issues of other areas of the state. The idea is to give the new members a broad perspective they can use when voting on issues during the upcoming term. He noted that it is very important to include veteran legislators on the tour and to have an advance team, equipped with cell phones, to ensure that everything is ready for the members at each "whistle stop." Members of the advance team must also have the authority to make changes on the fly and should include those individuals who planned the itinerary. - Karl Aro, Maryland
Though working for the legislature is very rewarding, it can also be a very stressful career. Finding ways to control and cope with stress is key to avoiding stress-related illnesses and enjoying greater job satisfaction. Sue Ann Specht, head of Specht Consulting Services and a trainer in stress and lifestyle management, presented a practical and entertaining session on handling personal and professional stress. Understanding different types of coping skills can make that easier. Transformational coping involves altering or facing the situation to reduce stress. Thinking about the event optimistically, rather than negatively is helpful. Taking decisive action and interacting with the situation are positive steps that will reduce the stress surrounding the situation. Both offer a sense of greater control over the situation and how you respond to it. On the other hand, regressive coping involves evasive behavior to avoid stressful events and situations. In using regressive coping, people tend to think about the situation pessimistically, and try to avoid interacting or becoming involved with the event. They take action to distract themselves, often through alcohol use or other unhealthy behaviors. Using medications or alcohol to relax tends to cover up the symptoms of stress but not the impact of stress on the body. Regressive coping can become a trap that creates more stress of its own. Interacting positively with a situation requires focusing on solutions, rather than on problems: Solution-Focused Coping Strategy
Problem-Focused Coping Strategy
She closed with a quote from Marilyn Furguson to illustrate the power of solution-focused coping: "If I continue to think as I have always thought, I will continue to act as I have always acted. If I continue to act as I have always acted, I will continue to get what I have always gotten." Solution-focused coping makes it easier to change, whether you choose to change the situation, change your response or change the way you think about the situation.
Business Meeting and Elections The 1999 RACSS Business Meeting was held on Tuesday, July 27, in conjunction with the NCSL Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. RACSS Chair for 1998-99, Karl Aro of Maryland, presided over the meeting, with more than 60 RACSS members in attendance. Guests were treated to a luncheon sponsored by LEXIS Law Publishing. Karl reviewed RACSS activities over the last year, including the 1998 Senior Professional Development Seminar held jointly with the Legal Services Staff Section in St. Paul, the RACSS programs presented in conjunction with the joint Fall Meeting of the ASI/AFI in Washington, D.C., the Skills Development Seminar held in Burlington, Vermont, and RACSS electronic and print publications. He also thanked members of the RACSS Executive Committee for their assistance and support throughout the year and for all their hard work in planning activities for the staff section. Also recognized were RACSS members who served on committees during the past year: Larry Barish (WI), Dave Sallach (NJ), Cora Chua (CT) and D'Ann Mazzocca (CT), who served on the Awards Committee; and Bob Erickson (NV), Diane Bolender (IA) and Joyce Honaker (KY), who served on the Nominating Committee. RACSS members approved an amendment to the RACSS Bylaws, clarifying the term of office for directors appointed to fill a vacancy on the RACSS Executive Committee. Copies of the amended bylaws can be viewed online at the RACSS home page at http://www.ncsl.org/ programs/lis/racss/racsshmp.htm. RACSS members also approved a slate of candidates for RACSS offices for 1999-2000. Under the bylaws, RACSS vice-chair Bob Erickson, Research Director for the Nevada Legislature, automatically succeeds to the office of chair. Debbie Terlip, Assistant Director of the Research Division for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, was elected as vice-chair for 1999-2000. Cora Chua, Legal Research Attorney for the Connecticut Commission on Children, and Michael Nugent, Supervisor of the Research and Legislation Section of the Idaho Legislative Services Office, were both elected to two-year terms as directors on the RACSS Executive Committee, each serving until 2001. David Ortbahn, Principal Research Analyst for the South Dakota Legislative Research Council, and David Sallach, Principal Research Associate in the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, continue their two-year terms on the RACSS Executive Committee, which expire in 2000. Karl Aro, Executive Director of the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, joins the Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chair. Karl Aro also presented the 1999 Legislative Staff Achievement Awards, to Diane Bolender of Iowa and David Hite of Colorado. Both David and Diane have served as chair of the staff section and are eminently deserving of the awards, both for their contributions to RACSS and for their legislative service. Bob Erickson, RACSS chair for 1999-2000, outlined his plans for the upcoming year and encouraged more members to become involved. It was noted that more legislative staff having been participating in RACSS activities and that the staff section continues to grow. Outreach efforts include RACSS programs, directory, newsletter and home page. NCSL staff chair John Phelps and vice-chair Diane Bolender also made brief remarks regarding their plans for legislative staff activities through NCSL, and the work of the various task forces of the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee. 1999-2000 RACSS Officers Chair: Vice-chair: Immediate Past Chair Directors Cora Chua Michael Nugent David Ortbahn David Sallach
The 1999 RACSS Legislative Staff Achievement Awards The Research and Committee Staff Section is proud to present the 1999 Legislative Staff Achievement Award to two most deserving staff: Diane Bolender of Iowa and David Hite of Colorado. The dedication they have shown in their legislative careers is reason enough to recognize them, but RACSS also owes a particular debt to both David and Diane. Each has served as chair of RACSS and both did unparalleled work in strengthening the staff section, increasing the variety of professional development opportunities available to research and policy staff, and enhancing the publications and services offered by RACSS. Having two such deserving candidates made the work of this year's Awards Committee an easy task. The 1999 Awards Committee was chaired by Larry Barish of Wisconsin. Committee members were Cora Chua and D'Ann Mazzocca, both of Connecticut, and David Sallach of New Jersey. Diane and David were honored at the NCSL Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, at the Legislative Staff Luncheon and at the RACSS Business Meeting, where 1999 RACSS Chair Karl Aro presented them with plaques and certificates, the text of which is reprinted below.
This Year's Senior Professional Development Seminar a Success!! by Cora Y. Chua, Legislative Counsel Connecticut Commission on Children Thanks to the hard work and dedication of both NCSL's Legal Services Staff Section (LSSS) and the Research and Committee Staff Section (RACSS), the Senior Professional Development Seminar was once again a success. The seminar was both informative and enjoyable. Ninety-three legal and research staff attended the conference in Charleston, South Carolina, representing a number of state legislatures. Though we all anxiously watched Atlantic storms in the weeks before the seminar, the weather cooperated and we were able to squeeze the seminar in between two hurricanes. Charleston sustained little damage from either of the storms, and we enjoyed wonderful early Fall weather. The meeting kicked off on Thursday morning, September 30. One of the best ideas at the seminar was giving attendees assigned seating at small-group tables. Each day, attendees sat with different people, and no one from their state, so they were easily able to meet colleagues from a number of other states. It was a great way to meet new friends and created a sense of camaraderie that carried throughout the seminar. The opening session was on ethical issues for legislative staff. A panel of experienced staff members (Nancy Cyr, Legal Counsel, Nebraska Legislative Research Division; Bob Erickson, Research Director, Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau; and Bruce Feustel, Senior Fellow, NCSL) provided guidance on resolving conflicting responsibilities of researchers and bill drafters to legislators, colleagues and members of the public. Conference participants worked in small groups to analyze ethics case studies and discuss how sample ethical dilemmas should be resolved. Each group reported back to the whole group, with a lot of lively discussion on their decisions. It became apparent that ethical situations often have many shades of gray and straightforward answers aren't always apparent. A good start is always a great indication of a successful conference. A session Thursday afternoon on effective legislative presentations by John Turcotte, Director of the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, proved to be enlightening. The session explored the key factors in making effective presentations to legislators. Mr. Turcotte described what could go wrong in presentations, how to convey a message, how adults learn, and how to follow a Power Briefing technique for short presentations. Some attendees also participated in a round table discussion lead by John Phelps, Chief Clerk of the House, Florida and NCSL Staff Chair, 1999-2000, on the multi-state legislative document management project. This project was created in response to the need to develop a replacement for TextDBMS software and provided information about the purpose and status of the project. On Thursday evening, participants enjoyed a unique social event, which was sponsored by West Group. With the help of the South Carolina Senate Sergeants-at-Arms, guests were treated to a coastal cookout at the Ft. Johnson Wildlife Refuge. The evening started with freshly steamed oysters. Novices in the group quickly learned the art of shucking oysters, including wearing gloves and handling an oyster knife. The dinner menu featured frogmore stew and it should quickly be pointed out there are no frogs in frogmore stew!! Instead, it is a savory blend of shrimp, sausage and corn. The stew was cooked on-site in giant kettles, followed by fabulous homemade cookies. It was a pleasure to enjoy a relaxed evening outdoors, with a beautiful sunset over Charleston Harbor, and everyone was refreshed by such a wonderful evening. The sessions that were offered on Friday further sharpened our skills and gave participants the opportunity to explore new ideas. A session with Stan Stenersen, a former legislative staffer now with GAO in Seattle, Washington, examined the critical considerations and unique concerns associated with writing for legislators and committees. Mr. Stenersen helped staff understand how to frame issues and write focused reports, memoranda and bill analyses that will better help legislators evaluate options and make policy decisions. Kevin Kruger, Associate Executive Director of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators in Washington, D.C., lead a session to help attendees explore their own personalities and those of their coworkers. It was interesting to see how we assessed ourselves through a Myers-Briggs analysis. We learned a great deal about ourselves and of those around us. We learned how different personalities could co-exist in any work environment. Interestingly, the extroverts in the group were outnumbered by introverts by about four to one, but realizing that each personality type has strengths, comfort zones and styles was helpful in working better together. Saturday morning, the last day of the conference, offered participants a choice of two outstanding workshops. Dr. Buck Melton, Jr., Clinical Associate Professor of Law, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, lead a workshop session on statutory construction, which was geared towards bill drafters. A second workshop was directed more towards research staff, with an overview of staff services in several states. I was honored to have been a part of an esteemed panel for this workshop, that compared research, drafting, caucus and leadership staff services in four states. I outlined the staff services available for members of the General Assembly in the state of Connecticut. Panelists from three other states included Gerry Cohen, Director of Bill Drafting, North Carolina Legislative Services Office; Jeff Deland, Chief Deputy, California Legislative Counsel Bureau; and Bob Erickson, Research Director, Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau. It was interesting to see how staff offices among states provided an interesting contrast, which helped highlight the resources available to other states. Both programs received positive ratings and comments. The Senior Professional Development Seminar is an experience that I feel that each member of LSSS and RACSS would value. It not only develops and sharpens skills, but also fosters working relationships among the states, and collaborations and friendships among legislative staff. Click here for Senior Seminar Slideshow!
RACSS is already making plans for the 2000 Senior Professional Development Seminar. The Seminar will be held in Austin, Texas, October 7 - 10, 2000, cosponsored with the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society (NLPES). The seminar will be held at the Omni Austin Hotel, in downtown Austin. Preliminary plans call for some joint sessions, and separate workshops for researchers and program evaluators. Seminar planners for both groups are focusing on the skills staff will need to be effective and productive in the legislature of the future.
by John Phelps Chief Clerk of the House, Florida 1999-2000 NCSL Staff Chair As the 1999-2000 NCSL Staff Chair, John Phelps attended the joint RACSS and LSSS Senior Professional Development Seminar in Charleston. He spoke to the group during one of the luncheons, on the role of legislative staff. His remarks were very moving to the assembled group and several staff have asked for copies of John's comments, which are reprinted below: 
"I am John Phelps, Clerk of the Florida House, and serving this year as Staff Chair of NCSL. Over the past six weeks it has been my pleasure to travel to meetings of the staff sections of NCSL. These visits have given me some fresh insights into our business. Meeting attendance is at an all time high and programs are becoming increasingly valuable. I believe something is building for legislative staff, something important. But before getting into that let me place it in context. NCSL was created in 1975, a time when state legislatures were minor players in the fabric of American government. Over the past 30 years there has been a dramatic change. Our legislatures today are increasingly influential at home and in Washington; and our government has begun to return to the state/federal balance intended by its founders. I believe NCSL is due considerable credit for this transformation. It worked hard to bring together the resources state legislatures needed to reassert their proper constitutional authority. We are now beginning to see the fruits of that labor. At the very beginning NCSL recognized that effective legislative staff would be a key to state legislatures realizing their potential. It was then that legislative staff work began taking on the properties of a profession. What are some of these properties?
Let me give you an example of how this works in practice. Those of us in term-limited states have heard for years that staff and lobbyists will soon be running our legislatures. That is nonsense and everyone in this room knows it. Staff today know where the line is drawn for us. We honor it because doing so conveys respect for the legislature itself and our proper role within it. That doesn't mean we are passive, it just means we know when and under what circumstances to be assertive. It is one of our key professional values. We don't even think about it, we just do it. Some veteran colleague cared enough to pass along this insight to us. That is what professions do, they pass along their skills and values to the next generation. If we believe our jobs are important enough to do well, then we should be similarly concerned that our successors do them well. If we care about the future of the legislature we have to care about future legislative staff. Many of the "old legislative foot soldiers" like me who got in on the early ramping-up of legislative staff are approaching retirement age. It is time for us to acknowledge that much of this work isn't learned at the university. It is learned in the trenches, under fire. We need to begin devising programs in each of our states so the young people joining our ranks are given the benefit of our experience and do not become discouraged or overwhelmed. We need to look out for them during those early skirmishes that we know are bound to come. The first step in this process is to identify their frame of reference. Namely that new staff know about the legislature what they have been taught by the media. This can be dangerous for them and for us. Dangerous for them because it can threaten their employment and dangerous for us because when any staff person fails, the credibility of all staff is diminished. New staff need a more factual perspective. They need to understand a few imperatives. 1. They need to know that legislatures are made up of many fine and decent people, members, staff and lobbyists alike who often look upon what they do with a kind of reverence, as much a commitment as a career. This attitude is formed when lawmaking is experienced as a player, in a first-hand, personal way. People so engaged come to realize that for all its complexities and frustrations, there is certain majesty in the democratic process. They come to appreciate that something larger than their narrow interest is at stake. They come to accept the process itself as a thing to be cherished and preserved. It would be naïve to say that everyone in the business holds this view, but that so many have over the years is remarkable. More than constitutions, they have been the foundation on which the legislative institution has been built. 2. New staff need to know the legislative process is fairer than they have been led to believe, but not perfect; that conflict over deeply held beliefs always gets personal. Lawmaking is not an Oxford-style debate; it has real consequences for real people. It is disorderly and there will be an occasional fistfight. But when the dust settles, the "process" will right itself as it has done for over 200 years. 3. They need to know legislatures do a much better job than the media would admit and that, for most issues, very responsible policies are developed. Legislatures were never expected to produce perfect laws; they were only expected to achieve the possible within the context of their time. 4. They need to believe in the power of ideas. Obviously, influence matters in politics, but so does solid factual analysis. If it didn't a lot of staff would be out of work. We all know that legislatures make their worst decisions when they act with inadequate information. Our job is to see that never happens. They need to know a good idea is a good idea, even if it comes from a scoundrel. There is, of course, the corollary that a bad idea is still a bad idea even if it comes from a statesman. 5. They need to know lawmaking is not about winning or losing, it is about best guesses. It involves taking the facts at hand and making a decision, in the full knowledge that history will likely judge you wrong. That is how our government was intended to work. It was not founded upon fixed ideas; it was based instead on the common sense notion that policies will change when experience requires them to. There is no such thing as the "final word" in lawmaking. 6. New staff need to respect a person's right to hold his or her own views. Lobbyists represent people asserting their constitutional right to petition their government. Neither their motives nor anyone else's should be questioned. Staff should be willing to trust that the merits of every proposal will be fairly judged through the twin cauldrons of analysis and debate. 7. They need to know they don't have to be experts in politics. For most of us, that is not what we were hired to do. That doesn't mean they should ignore politics. It just means the politics of our work should not become an obsession. 8. They need to know there is a line past which staff do not carry an issue. It is the point at which they have to hand the ball to a member and let them carry it. It is necessary to know where that line is drawn and not to step over it. A veteran can help them understand where that line is. 9. They need to know not to personalize outcomes. Their ideas will not always prevail. That doesn't mean they were wrong. It just means they need to go on to the next issue. They should be inspired by the knowledge that they will one day be able to point with pride to the statute books and say they had a hand in writing some of those laws. 10. They need to know the votes are not always as certain as one may think. It is now a truism that special interests control every action of the legislatures. I don't believe it. I think everyone in this room has seen powerful interests faced down and defeated by the simple testimony of an ordinary citizen. That is how the system is supposed to work. 11. They need to respect the process. It is more important than any bill or any member. All of us are asked how to get around this or that rule or procedure. Usually, there is a way within the rules to address the problem, the questioner just isn't aware of it. If it is plainly against procedure, just say so and let that be the end of it. 12. We should encourage new staff to take pride in what they do not just because it is right, but because one day a person affected by a law will be grateful someone took the time to do a good job crafting it, even though they may never know who that drafter was. 13. New staff need to be prepared for the fact that they will not be immediately trusted. They should not become discouraged when their advice or recommendations are not immediately accepted. They have not failed. It just takes time in this business to build relationships and establish a reputation for good work. 15. They need to be encouraged to speak up for the legislature, not to be silent when it is maligned. As "insiders" they have a special knowledge of how our system works. That knowledge carries with it a special responsibility to speak up for the legislative institution. They need to understand that what they say - good and bad - about the legislature has a real impact. They need to just tell the truth. Democracy can handle that. Finally, I would like to close with a final observation. We talk a lot about the "Legislative Institution." But what exactly do we mean? I do not believe it is bricks and mortar or some abstract, lofty idea. To me it is very real and surrounds us everyday like the grandeur of our legislative halls. It is you and the person sitting next to you. It is the honor we pay our rules and traditions. It is the courtesy and deference we pay members and one another. It is preserving our chambers and keeping them safe. It is our special ceremonies and traditions. It is a well-written bill or report. It is the record kept and verified with such care that it is beyond legal challenge. It is research so vital when the time comes to vote. It is NCSL and its extraordinary staff. It is these and many other things, but most of all, it is the love that each of us holds for our precious democracy and the understanding that our work and our conduct has real consequences for its future. Over the past thirty years you and your colleagues in other staff sections have built a profession. This profession has become a pillar upholding the legislative institution and allowing it to do its work in a modern republic. It is an obligation we bear with pride. And if at the end of the day we have kept faith with that responsibility, we can take satisfaction in the knowledge that our legislatures, our states and our nation have been made stronger. Thank you."
Diane Bolender Elected as NCSL Staff Vice-Chair RACSS would like to congratulate Diane Bolender of Iowa, who was elected as Staff Vice-Chair at the NCSL Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. Under the NCSL Bylaws, the vice-chair automatically succeeds to the office of chair the following year. John Phelps, Chief Clerk of the House, is the 1999-2000 NCSL Staff Chair. Diane will become chair for 2000-2001. RACSS is particularly proud to have a former staff section chair now serving in the highest level of staff leadership for NCSL. The energy and vision Diane brought to RACSS as chair, and the impact she had on increasing participation in the activities of the staff section, will also serve her well this year as NCSL Staff Vice-Chair and next, as Staff Chair. Congratulations, Diane!!
Why Do You Work for the Legislature? The Task Force on Staff Development Wants to Know by Karl Aro and John Phelps Recruiting and retaining highly qualified staff continues to be a challenge for legislative managers. In an effort to address this concern, the NCSL Task Force on Staff Development is creating resources to help decision-makers attract talented individuals who may favorably consider a career in public service. The Task Force on Staff Development is chaired by RACSS' own Karl Aro, who is working with NCSL Staff Chair John Phelps and members of the task force to draft two brochures for states to use in the legislative hiring process. The first will promote the special nature of a career in legislative service-the unique culture, commitment and community which characterize our profession-with a positive focus on the distinctive position that legislatures hold in our society. The second brochure will contain strategies useful for retaining and recruiting skilled, dedicated employees in our legislatures. During our deliberations, Task Force members realized we need better information on what inspired current staff to pursue legislative careers, and what motivates them to stay in our field. To this end, the Task Force has developed a short online survey, and we ask that you encourage your staff to take a few minutes to complete it. Your responses will provide us with useful data to help focus our efforts. The survey is being hosting online by the Virginia Legislature and can be accessed at: http://tellncsl.state.va.us /ncsl/LSCCStaff.nsf. Also, there will be a link to the survey from the NCSL homepage for legislators and staff for a limited time. In addition, there will be a link to the survey from the homepage of the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee at http: //www.ncsl.org/legis/lscc/lscc.htm, accessible from the NCSL homepage for legislators and staff. That link will exist until January 22, 2000. Questions on the survey include:
Please take a few short minutes to complete the survey and encourage your colleagues to respond, too. Your responses are important to us and it will also help you think about your career in public service. We realize that the results of the survey can be of interest to other legislative staff as well; so we will make them available early next year. On behalf of the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee and the Task Force members, thank you for your assistance with this important project.
Legislator and Legislative Staff Exchanges NCSL's Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee (LSCC) has endorsed a project to collect information on legislator and legislative staff exchanges. Steve Klein, Fiscal Officer for the Vermont General Assembly, and Ron Snell of NCSL are staffing this project, and are asking for information from legislative staff in all the states. A number of state legislatures have made use of legislators and staff from surrounding states. These exchanges typically center on a particular issue or legislative activity. In an effort to see how widespread this phenomenon is and develop an article for State Legislatures magazine, we ask that you let us know of any staff or legislator exchanges that have occurred in your state. Examples of staff exchanges are: Vermont has sent staff to Montana to study a finance and management information system. Their legislative clerk's office worked with the Louisiana clerk's office on changing a word processing system. North Carolina and Ontario, Canada, exchanged legislative staff to compare procedures, operations and legislative services generally. North Carolina is sending staff to Louisiana to look at electronic voting systems. Virginia's Senate Clerk may ask staff in nearby states to observe and comment on procedures. Alabama's legislative staff visited Mississippi and Alabama to look at chamber automation. Legislator exchanges are numerous, often to testify on legislation, or to assist in other ways, such as Vermont brought in a legislator from Michigan to help with committee chair training. We are interested in any examples of interstate exchanges among legislators or staff. Please respond to Ron Snell at ron.snell@ncsl.org, with examples from your state.
Multi-State Legislative Document Management Project A new NCSL steering committee was recently created to consider the possibility of a multistate effort to develop a replacement for TextDBMS software. TextDBMS is used in about a dozen states for bill drafting or other legislative applications. Document Sciences Corp., which recently purchased TextDBMS, will no longer carry the product or support new users. A discussion on the NALIT listserv prompted interest from a number of states looking to upgrade existing bill drafting or document management systems. This discussion continued at the NCSL Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee (LSCC) meeting in Asheville, North Carolina in April 1999. Members of the LSCC decided to create an NCSL steering committee to explore the idea further. A steering committee was selected, made up of representatives from several NCSL staff sections. Mark Allred, Research and Systems Analyst with the Office of Legislative Research & General Counsel of Utah, serves as co-chair of the steering committee, along with Don Schneider, Chief Clerk of the Wisconsin Senate. The Steering Committee held its first national meeting in Chicago in June 1999. At the Chicago meeting, the group discussed the idea at length and was very positive about the desirability of continuing the project. The group came to the following conclusion about goals and immediate next steps for this project: Goals 1. Develop a document and information model for legislative documents. Methodology The consensus of the Chicago meeting was that legislative documents should be based on Generalized Markup Language (GML) and the GML should conform to a standard. A working group has been established to re- search legislative documents in the fifty states to determine whether a common markup language or standard format can be developed. Jeffrey Blanchard of the Florida Legislature will head the project. At the end of six months, the group hopes to have a document model and markup for the states. If possible, a proof of concept for a multi-state application will be developed. (A proof of concept is a sample application used for testing and evaluation.) An initial project report was presented at the group's second meeting in Indianapolis in July 1999. A proposed document model was presented and discussed at the Fall meeting of the project. Steering committee members will meet again in December at the ASI/AFI meeting, to discuss the document model and to determine next steps for the project. These documents and additional information on the project are available on NCSL's website at www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/multistate.htm.
LSCC to Publish State Capitols Book by John Phelps The Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee's (LSCC) Promoting the Legislative Institution Task Force has embarked on an ambitious project to document state legislatures at the turn of century. Plans are under way to research, write and publish a "coffee table" book about state legislative chambers to provide constituents with a clearer picture of how state legislatures operate. This historical document will allow future generations to see what their legislative chambers looked like at this moment in time. It will include background information about each state capitol and document interesting historical facts about the legislature. Since this is destined to be a one-of-a-kind (and likely once-in-a-lifetime) publication, the task force wants to make sure the book captures important details about your legislative chambers. Photographers will be instructed to take photos of each capitol, legislative building and each legislative chamber. However, the task force also wants to include architectural details of other items of interest within the chambers that would have appeal to a national audience. If you know some historic details about items in your chamber, the task force wants to hear from you so that the photographer can include it on the items to photograph. Also, there may be points of interest about your Capitol or chamber that should be included in the book's narrative. The task force, chaired by Jenifer Noland of Kentucky, welcomes any comments or suggestions about this project and looks forward to seeing your state represented in this unique publication. If you have any questions or comments, please contact NCSL's Director of Public Affairs, Gene Rose, at (303) 364-7700, extension 136, gene.rose@ncsl.org.
David Hite, Deputy Director of the Colorado Legislative Council, will be retiring at the end of this year. He ends a career of some thirty-four years with the Colorado Legislative Council at the end of December. Although he intends to remain in contact with a different phase of the political process as a volunteer, retirement will also allow more time to travel (a return to Nepal and perhaps a trek in Patagonia), and pursue a variety of other interests. David recalls that he came to work for the legislature because of an attraction to public policy issues and he leaves public service with the greatest memories being those of people he has worked with over the years. RACSS and NCSL are extremely grateful to David for his many years of leadership and service, and wish him the very best in his retirement. We'll miss you, David!
This year's Skills Development Seminar for Junior Legislative Staff was held in Boulder, CO, and marked a new era for RACSS. The seminar offers four tracks, including research and policy, bill drafting, fiscal and program evaluation. Each track has had a faculty team of experienced legislative staff who have worked with the seminar for many years. RACSS needed a new team to provide leadership for the track and found that in Bryant Howe, Senior Research Analyst with Utah's Office of Research and General Counsel, and Kirk Mlinek, Principal Analyst with the Colorado Legislative Council. Both have many years of legislative service and teaching experience. Bryant and Kirk spent many hours in developing a new focus for the track and are continuing to work in making the research and policy track better in future years!
Following are stories from around the states, gathered by our network of RACSS Regional Coordinators and State Contacts. Thank you to all who contributed articles to this edition of the Regional News!! We'd also like to welcome two new Regional Coordinators. Jamie Franklin of Kentucky has taken over the duties in the South Central Region and Tony Cabrera of the Northern Mariana Islands has come on board to serve as Coordinator for the Territories. If you have a news article you'd like to contribute, please contact your Regional Coordinator:
New England Region Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont Connecticut-Drafting Computer Conversion Training-The Interim is also the time that everyone in LCO has the opportunity for training, which we value highly. All attorneys participate in LCO's Bill Drafting Workshop, with exercises that provide all attorneys with the opportunity to review various ways of approaching special drafting issues. Also, all staff is encouraged to attend the courses that OLM offers, for which Jim Tamburro is doing such a super job, and computer training for the new rollout of computer equipment, as well as outside subject matter training in the subjects addressed by the committees. The further into the Interim that we proceed, the more we start to look forward to the next legislative session. This coming session should be very exciting and challenging for us, what with the new and improved bill drafting system, three new people on staff (one attorney and two secretaries), the challenges of new committee assignments for some of our attorneys, and the continual excitement that each legislative session entails.
Mid-Atlantic Region Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Maryland-"One Maryland" Speaker Taylor is a conservative Democrat from rural Western Maryland. He had envisioned the One Maryland concept for some time, but his vision finally culminated in the passage of two pieces of legislation in the 1999 Session that will seek to equalize economic development throughout the State and promote regionalism and the sharing of wealth. One Maryland is touted as a good example of pragmatic, regional politics, as it encompasses an economic development program designed to bolster the State's most distressed counties. The initiative is actually a two-pronged package, including tax credits and a loan fund. Companies that move to or expand in counties where unemployment is 50 percent or more of the State's average and create 25 or more new, full-time jobs will be eligible for tax credits. The credit may also be used for start-up costs for specified categories of businesses that establish or expand business facilities in the distressed areas. The loan fund will be used to finance economic development projects including infrastructure, in the chronically depressed counties. The loan fund may be used to finance costs incurred for the acquisition or construction of a building or real estate or acquisition, construction, or installation of machinery, equipment, furnishings, fixtures, leasehold or site improvements, or working capital. Loans may made be from $10,000 to $100,000. Additional requirements for assistance include net revenues less than $1 million annually and an employee base of less than 100 full-time employees. One Maryland understands the problems of unemployment and poverty. It acknowledges the fact that social problems that derive from these conditions do not recognize county lines and that the wealthier parts of the State cannot continue to turn their backs on less wealthy sister counties. One Maryland is an attempt to erase those boundaries with incentives intended to garner results that will buoy the State as a whole. New Jersey - Staff Panel Discusses State Sovereignty In a decision which may have a significant impact on states' rights and our federal system, the Supreme Court barred, on state sovereignty grounds, suits against states by individuals in state courts to enforce federal statutory rights. A 1996 Supreme Court decision, Seminole Tribe v. Florida, had previously barred such actions against states in federal court. Although the Alden court recognized certain exceptions (consent by state to suit, suit by the federal government, exercise of Congress' 14th Amendment power, injunction, or suit against state officials personally), in the wake of Alden, private right of action provisions in many federal laws may be subject to challenge and the ability of individual citizens to sue a state to enforce a right conferred by Congress is more limited. From a public policy perspective, the Alden decision raises issues with respect to whether states should consider enacting laws consenting to suits by individuals seeking to enforce federal laws or granting citizens protections similar to those previously available under federal law. In some states, the effects of Alden may be mitigated by existing state laws which grant individuals the same protection as federal laws. The Alden panelists examined the justices' reasoning in both the majority and dissenting decisions, as well as in two related cases handed down the same day, and tried to place the arguments in both historical perspective and in the context of a recent series of Supreme Court decisions which, based on considerations of state sovereignty, have limited the ability of Congress to impose mandates on the states. The panelists also pointed out that several cases accepted for review by the court during its current term offer the justices the opportunity to address and continue this trend. New Jersey's Alden panel discussion was attended by legal, research, fiscal and administrative staff from the nonpartisan OLS as well as by staff from the majority and minority offices of each House of the Legislature. In addition to drafting legislation and staffing committees, OLS professionals provide members of the Legislature and their staffs with information, research and advice on a broad range of legal, fiscal and public policy issues. The Alden presentation was part of a continuing effort by OLS to conduct forums and presentations at which members and staff acquire information and discuss current trends and developments which are of relevance to the New Jersey Legislature. Pennsylvania-Assistance to Agricultural Producers The House passed a four-bill package, which would establish both an Agricultural Disaster Prevention Program and an Emergency Drought Relief Act. The package also would provide grants to farm producers to refund a portion of premiums for multi-peril crop insurance purchased and paid for by producers for the 1999 crop year and 50% of the insurance premium to be paid for the year 2000. The fourth bill of the House package would provide additional grants to persons producing an agricultural commodity by creating an Agricultural Technology Assistance Fund to provide matching grants for the installation of irrigation projects and for the implementation of water conservation methods. In addition, the latter Fund would provide loans to purchase or update equipment or technology which is intended to increase productivity or provide entrance into new product markets. When the Legislature reconvenes on November 8, after a short election recess, it is thought that the Senate and House will compromise on a relief package that will address the concerns of the agricultural community. Two other legislative proposals also appear ready to be enacted or considered this Fall. The first would establish a uniform construction code that would apply to the construction, alteration, repair, and occupancy of most buildings in the Commonwealth. The 1999 BOCA National Building Code would be adopted as the statewide uniform construction code. Currently, Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that has not enacted a uniform construction code that is applicable to all municipalities. This legislation, Senate Bill 647, has already passed the House and the Senate. The second initiative, Senate Bill 800, now pending in the Senate, would create the Watershed Protection and Environmental Stewardship Fund, by redirecting existing programs for the use of qualifying counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, conservation districts and certain nonprofit organizations. This program, also known as "Growing Greener," could be utilized for watershed improvement, mine drainage abatement, forestry management, farmland preservation and protection of open space, and for water and sewer projects.
South Region Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee No stories were submitted from the South Region. Come on South, we want to hear from you!!
Great Lakes Region Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin Indiana-Staff News Bob Bond and Craig Mortell have rejoined the staff of the Legislative Services Agency. Both attorneys worked in the private sector for a number of years before returning to the Agency. Bob will draft bills and do legal research on environmental and property tax issues. Craig has joined the Office of Code Revision as a Deputy Director. The legislative drafting manual and the Indiana Administrative Code are now on the legislative WEB site at http://www.state.in.us/legislative/. The drafting manual is in HTML format and the IAC is in WordPerfect 8 format. The IAC is updated monthly. The IAC will be converted to HTML format in the first quarter of 2000. Michigan-State Library Since then, the makeup of an implementation council has been approved and the 36 or so work areas at the end of the conference were merged into 7. Workgroups are already meeting to accomplish goals set by the participants of the conference. This multi-type planning and cooperation on a statewide basis is a "first" for the Library of Michigan. The Board of Trustees and the staff of the Library of Michigan are thankful to the groups that supported this effort. Those groups include the Michigan Library Association, Michigan Association for Media in Education, Michigan Library Consortium, Council of Academic Library Directors & Deans, Special Libraries Association Michigan Chapter, and Special Libraries Association Western Michigan Chapter. Wisconsin-Stute Retires After 31 years of service to the Wisconsin Legislature, as Staff Attorney, Chief Staff Attorney and Director of the Legislative Council Staff, Dave Stute has taken a well-earned retirement. Over his career, Dave made diverse contributions to the Wisconsin Legislature and the Legislative Council Staff. He staffed standing committees and special study committees on topics ranging from agriculture and natural resources to local government to judiciary and insurance. His staff work was instrumental in developing major legislation on numerous topics, notably including the protection of consumers in their dealings with creditors; the formation of lake districts to protect inland lakes; the regulation of industrial waste water discharges; and the regulation of mining. Reflecting his agricultural roots (born and raised on a southeast Wisconsin farm, B.S. in meat and animal science and a stint with the Patrick Cudahy meat packing company before law school), Dave staffed the Assembly Agriculture Committee over most of his legislative career. To stay in touch with the realities of day-to-day staffing (and because he liked it), Dave continued to staff that committee even after his appointment as Director. In the words of a joint resolution adopted by the Wisconsin Legislature on the occasion of his retirement, Dave was "a great friend and fair minded confidant to members of the Legislature since 1968, [who] led the Legislative Council Staff with dignity, exemplary character and utmost professionalism..." He was also a valued mentor to the members of his staff, providing insight and guidance on the intricacies of the institution we serve and the complex and controversial issues that come before the institution and the staff. Dave now looks more relaxed than any of us have seen him in a long time, as he continues his search for the perfect place in the country to raise a few animals, cut some fire wood and enjoy life. Wisconsin-Session Highlights Pension Bill Passed-The legislature has passed a major pension bill (Assembly Bill 495), which is designed to use unrealized gains (i.e. "paper gains") in employee trust funds to fund increased benefits. Participants in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) are affected. The WRS includes most state, county, and local government employees and all teachers and school districts employees. The bill was passed by the legislature on October 6. Governor Thompson has indicated he will not take action on AB-495 until he evaluates actuarial information on the financial effects of the bill. The Department of Employee Trust Funds has provided a summary of the bill on the Internet at http://badger.state.wi.us/agencies /etf/new/ab495summary.htm 1999-2001 Budget Passed-Governor Tommy G. Thompson signed the 1999-2001 budget as 1999 Wisconsin Act 9 on October 27. This is one of the latest budget passage dates in the last 30 years. The Legislative Session-The next regularly scheduled floorperiod begins on January 25, 2000. This is a continuation of the 1999-2000 legislative session. All bills carry over to the next floorperiod. Criminal Penalties Study Committee-The Final Report of the Criminal Penalties Study Committee is available on the Internet at http://www.doa.state.wi.us/secy/index.asp The committee was established by the 1997 Legislature as part of "Truth-in-Sentencing" legislation.
South Central Region Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Arkansas-Term Limits Affect Staff Workload The Arkansas House of Representatives had 57 new house members, out of 100, due to either term limits, resignations or election defeats prior to the 1999 session. Approximately 25 house members and 15 Senators will be term limited out prior to the 2001 session. As staff, we can only speculate what the impact of term limits will be this next session. In all our discussions prior to being impacted by term limits this 1999 session, we did not envision the increased workload, the increased friction between the two houses, and we underestimated the change in the level of cooperation between the executive branch agencies. We look now with wonder and professional curiosity to see how things will work out in 2001. We trod on unknown shores, but no one can say it hasn't been interesting.
Northern Plains Region Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota Iowa-Technology News * The Iowa Administrative Code is now available on the Internet in a searchable format and a regularly updated CD-ROM version is now being produced on a subscription basis. The Administrative Code and many other legal publications can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.legis.state.ia.us/ * Iowa's statewide interactive television system, the Iowa Communications Network, is slated for increased legislative usage. Currently, schools can sign up their classes for Capitol tours utilizing the two-way capacity for questions as well as video presentations. There is increasing demand for these tours. In addition, the Legislative Council has authorized funding for a legislative meeting room in the Capitol to be connected to the network. Up to now, legislators have utilized facilities outside the Capitol for public hearings and video conferencing. * The Executive Branch is preparing a proposal for creation of a technology department . Interim Committees. Legislative interim committees are meeting on a variety of topics, including criminal sentencing, school finance, aviation transportation, community college governance, volunteer fire and emergency services, ethanol and other motor fuel oxygenate enhancers, and improving school facilities. In addition, a citizen commission has begun meeting to develop recommendations on campaign finance issues. Most interim committees are to report to the 2000 Legislative Session. Capitol Complex Projects. Iowa state government is nearing completion of a multi-year effort to renovate buildings at the Capitol Complex. The Capitol building itself is being extensively overhauled to improve interior fire-safety and disability access conditions and to restore the Capitol's interior and exterior. The most publicly visible project has been regilding of the gold dome. The Supreme Court is working on the construction of a new building for the Judicial Branch on the Capitol Complex. In addition, legislative leadership has authorized a study of the need for additional legislative space. Minnesota-Going Unicameral? First, the conversion of the Minnesota Legislature to a unicameral institution is a high priority of Governor Jesse Ventura. An active citizens' organization is promoting the idea, which is also supported by some current and former members of the legislature of both parties. Needless to say, there is also significant opposition to the idea from a variety of sources. To accomplish a change to a unicameral form of legislature, the people would have to adopt a Constitutional amendment. The proponents of the unicameral provision hope to place that amendment on the ballot in November 2000. The Minnesota Constitution does not provide for initiatives, so this would require a majority vote of the House and Senate. Proponents argue that a unicameral body would be more understandable to citizens and would be more accountable for its actions, citing conference committees and "backroom deals" as flaws in the current system. Proponents also argue that the state would save money by reducing the number of legislators and legislative staff. The opponents of the unicameral system contend that the legislative process needs the checks and balances that are inherent in a two-house system. They argue that the legislative process should not be "efficient." Instead, it should be difficult to pass bills and require some work on the part of advocates. Many contend that services to constituents would be harmed it there were fewer legislators to represent them; this seems to be a particular concern of rural legislators. A second potential public policy issue that was much discussed during the interim may not surface during the 2000 legislative session. For the past several years, the Minnesota Legislature has dealt with a variety of proposals to provide some public funding for a new stadium for the Minnesota Twins. While this issue has been simmering for several years, the most concentrated attention was paid to it during the 1997 Session when several plans emerged during the regular session and a special session was held in the fall for the purpose of continuing to consider those plans. However, none of the alternatives were able to garner a majority of votes in the legislature. Over the past several months, the mayor of St. Paul had entered into an agreement with the owners of the Minnesota Twins to provide public financing for a stadium to be located in the city. A referendum was held in St. Paul on November 4, 1999 on the issue of increasing the city sales tax by one-half of one percent in order to provide funding for a stadium in the city. The proposal was defeated by the voters of St. Paul, and leaders of both houses of the legislature have indicated that in view of that outcome, it is unlikely that the issue of sports facility financing will be dealt with in the 2000 Session. Nebraska-Surplus Funds One issue state lawmakers will consider during the session is whether to spend an "extra" $38 million dollars in state funds or send the money back to taxpayers in the form of direct property-tax relief. The "extra" dollars are a result of a drop in state aid to local school districts in fiscal year 2000-01. It is believed that higher-than-expected increases in assessed property values across the state resulted in the drop in state aid. While state law currently requires the money be set aside to help pay for an anticipated increase in state aid in 2001, when property-tax limits drop from $1.10 to $1 per $100 of assessed valuation, discussion has already begun on what to do with the money. Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns said he does not want the funds to be used on new programs, and he supports returning the money to taxpayers in the form of property tax relief. Some state senators are suggesting that the money be placed in reserve or used to fund agricultural property-tax relief or other programs. In other interim news, the Legislature established a Redistricting Task Force, composed of nine senators, for purposes of laying the groundwork for redistricting after the 2000 census. The task force has designated the Legislative Research Division as staff for the 2001 redistricting process. North Dakota-Interim Issues Another committee is looking into the harmonization of pesticides and other chemicals used in the United States and Canada. It has been found that some firms charge more for chemicals sold in the United States than those firms charge for the same chemicals sold in Canada. Also, some chemicals that are banned for use in the United States are applied to crops in Canada and those crops are then exported to the United States. South Dakota-Juvenile Corrections Incident
Mountain Region Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming Colorado-Early Observations on the Impact of Term Limits Here are some quick observations. 1. There was greater reliance by legislators on the nonpartisan staff than in the past and less attention paid to lobbyists. The staff had done its homework in anticipation of the term limit turnover: new reference notebooks for new leadership and new chairpersons, establishment of one-on-one relationships between staff and legislators, and a fine tuned new member orientation program. This resulted in staff winning the trust of many new legislators. Although trust and reliance does not necessarily equate to power and influence, one new legislator was heard to refer to staff from Legislative Council as the "arcane priesthood." On the other hand, lobbyists struggled to establish relationships with new leaders, chairpersons and other members. 2. Less partisanship. There were fewer party line votes in committee and in the chambers as divisions within the majority party increased new alliances among legislators. 3. Despite 2. above, the role of leadership was generally strengthened rather than diminished. Members paid attention to and generally followed the newly elected legislative leadership and committee chairs. 4. Predictably, legislators got themselves into more procedural thickets than in the past. As a result, legislators leaned on staff not only in committee but in the chambers as well. 5. Despite these discernable characteristics, it is too early to get a clear picture of the impact of term limits. It will take observers another legislative session, the 2000 session, to gain a greater understanding of the impact of term limits on the Colorado General Assembly. Idaho-Capitol Renovations Construction of the Idaho State Capitol Building began in the summer of 1906, sixteen years after Idaho became a state. The major external construction material was sandstone, obtained from a quarry on Table Rock just east of Boise that the state purchased for use on the capitol. Labor in cutting and moving the stone came from inmates at the state penitentiary, which was just below the quarry. The capitol's central section was completed late in 1912, and offices were moved over at that time. The east and west wings were added in 1919, and the whole capitol was completed by the end of 1920. The final cost was $2,098,455.05 for the structure and $130,833.10 for interior furnishings. The building houses the Idaho State Legislature and serves as the office complex for legislative staff year round. The offices of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer and Secretary of State are also located in the Capitol. The Master Plan/historic renovation project is a two-stage project. First, the architect will assemble a team of professionals qualified to prepare a Master Plan and conduct detailed analyses of the building, including a study of current and future use of space and plans for improved mechanical, electrical, data and communications systems. For example, every effort will be made to restore the historical features of the House and Senate chambers, while providing for the use of laptop computers at every legislator's desk. The Master Plan, to be completed by January 2000, will provide a cost estimate for the total renovation project, and sequence of phases of work. The renovation team will work in collaboration with the Idaho State Capitol Commission, the Capitol Architect, Department of Administration, and several statewide public subcommittees consisting of citizen volunteers. This is a complex project and differing levels of historic sensitivity will be needed for different aspects of the project. Exterior work will be done while preserving the original materials whenever possible and selecting replacement materials which are compatible with the original appearance. Interior infrastructure work will be done in a historically sensitive manner, with every effort to enhance the historic appearance of the building's interiors while meeting the budgetary constraints and modern usage of the building. The construction project will be phased subsequently over a number of years with a proposed completion date of June 2005, the Centennial Anniversary of the beginning of the building's construction. Preparation for the various aspects of the restoration and funding limitations may result in dividing the project into phases. For fiscal year 2000, the legislature has appropriated $600,000 for exterior masonry cleaning and repair. An appropriation of $175,000 was made to the for light fixture replacement. This effort will concentrate on the public corridors on the first and second floors. Approximately 30 brushed aluminum fixtures installed in the 1960's will be replaced with replica antique lighting. This work is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2000.
West Region Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington Nevada-Interim Issues Study of Air Quality Programs in Clark County To address this situation, the 1999 Session of the Nevada Legislature enacted Senate Bill 432, which directs the Legislative Commission to appoint an interim subcommittee, consisting of three Senators and three Assembly members, to study the programs for air quality control in Clark County. The bill also directs the Legislative Commission to appoint a 16-member advisory committee, representing specific entities and interests, to assist the subcommittee in the study. As part of its responsibilities, the subcommittee is directed to contract with a qualified, independent consultant to conduct a study of air quality in Clark County. Among other topics, the consultant's study must review:
Senate Bill 432 requires the consultant to submit a written report to the subcommittee before June 30, 2000, and requires the subcommittee to review the report before October 15, 2000. The bill also requires the Legislative Commission to submit a report of the subcommittee's findings and recommendations to the 2001 Legislature and that the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety (DMV&PS), in consultation with the State Environmental Commission and local air pollution control agencies, to implement an improved program to determine whether a motor vehicle that uses diesel fuel complies with emission controls. Among other items, the DMV&PS is required to begin conducting roadside tests of emissions from motor vehicles that are operated on highways in Clark County. Study of Encouraging Businesses to Organize and Conduct Business in Nevada Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 directs the Legislative Commission to appoint a subcommittee to conduct an interim study of ways to encourage corporations and other business entities to organize and conduct business in this state. The resolution further requires the Commission to appoint an advisory committee to assist with the study, which must include one representative each from the Office of the Secretary of State, the Commission on Economic Development, and the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Nevada. The study must include consideration of whether any laws should be revised to facilitate business activities in this state. In addition, the study must review administrative fees charged to business entities and the need for expanded use of technology in the Office of the Secretary of State. The study also must include consideration of whether a court of limited jurisdiction should be established to resolve litigation and contractual disputes relating to business entities and the possible organization of such a court. Finally, S.C.R. 19 requires the Legislative Commission to submit a report containing the results of the study and any recommendations to the 2001 Legislature. For more information on these issues or other studies being conducted this interim, please visit the Nevada Legislature's website at www.leg.state.nv.us.
The Territories American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Northern Mariana Islands-Election Results As predicted, the Republicans won by a comfortable majority to continue to maintain control of the House and Senate. However, the incumbent Republican senator for the Third Senatorial District (Saipan and the islands north of it) was unseated by the first-ever candidate of the newly-formed Reform Party. Also, the Democrats were successful enough to increase their membership in the House from three to six. In addition to voting for legislative candidates, voters also elected not to retain a Superior Court Judge for a second term, and ratified one of two legislative initiatives to amend the Commonwealth Constitution. Approximately sixty percent of registered voters voted in this year's election.
Please make the following updates to your copy of the RACSS Directory: page 22-Nevada new phone: (775) 684-6825 page 33-Tennessee
Future NCSL Annual Meeting Sites 2000 Chicago, IL
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