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Research and Committee Staff SectionRACSS NewsletterSpring 1996 Table of ContentsChair's Column: The Year Ahead Welcome to New Members Annual Meeting Preview LSCC International Task Force Skills Development Seminar RACSS Officers Activities of Other NCSL Staff Sections Meeting Calendar Chair's Column: The Year AheadLarry Barish Despite the fact that the snow has barely melted and Lake Mendota is still half frozen, your Steering Committee has made great headway in planning RACSS' summer and fall programs. The NCSL Annual Meeting scheduled for July 27-31 in St. Louis, Missouri promises to be a focused, fascinating and fun experience! Although the new "lite" annual meeting schedule (Saturday through noon Wednesday) provides fewer staff section program slots, we will still have a wide ranging, informative and stimulating array of sessions. The steering committee has had a number of discussions and has tentatively planned programs on legal research, creating a presence on the Internet, dealing with politically sensitive research assignments and Missouri's political traditions. In addition, RACSS will participate with the other staff sections in a concurrent session which compares and contrasts the role of legislative staff. Highlight July 27-31 on your calendar and watch for a detailed program description in the next issue of the newsletter. The Steering Committee has also been busy reviewing our bylaws with an eye on supplementing what up to now has reflected a decidedly minimalist approach towards self governance. Diane Bolender has shouldered the bulk of the work and is continuing to solicit input from the steering committee. The proposed changes will appear in the next newsletter and will be submitted for ratification at the RACSS business meeting in St. Louis. All RACSS members attending the meeting are eligible to vote. Planning has also been proceeding on schedule for the RACSS Professional Development Seminar for senior staff in Madison on October 9-12. As you may recall, we will be meeting in conjunction with the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society (NLPES), with each group hosting a seminar, but co-sponsoring selected programs, meal functions, and social events. Speaking of social events, several commitments have already had to be agreed upon. Thus choices between barbecues or buffets, hiking boots or wingtips/pumps, and train rides or line dancing have been made. I'm not going to reveal any secrets-- you will have to wait for the seminar announcement later this spring. Rest assured, however, that the skills development portion of the seminar will be designed to provide a most useful and valuable training experience. There is another opportunity for legislative staff to enhance skills and learn new ones in a campus setting, and I would like to devote the rest of this column to describe it for you. I'm referring to the Legislative Staff Management Institute (LSMI) held each summer at the University of Minnesota and cosponsored by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and NCSL. I write with the fervor and conviction of a recent graduate who is convinced that the two weeks I spent at the Institute last summer constituted the most stimulating and valuable learning experience that I ever participated in. The 1996 Institute will take place from July 8 to July 19 on the campus of the University of Minnesota. This will be the seventh annual institute. Each year's participants evaluate the program and complete a detailed assessment which is used by John Brandl, Institute Director, and Karl Kurtz, faculty member and NCSL representative, to make adjustments and fine tune the curriculum. Thus the coursework and the manner in which the material is presented has been carefully crafted. The essence of LSMI, however, is the collegial, interactive nature of the teaching and learning process which fosters an open-ended dialogue about the legislative institution and our respective roles. Participants leave their titles back home but draw upon their experiences to examine problems and work towards solutions. The Humphrey Institute faculty does a masterful job of stimulating interaction by drawing upon the participants' collective experiences to illustrate their teaching. A unique synergy develops in which the roles of teacher and student become intermingled and interchangeable. Perhaps the most valuable part of the institute is the sharing of experiences and the bonds that are formed as a result of that interaction. While the program is intellectually challenging and quite demanding, there is also ample time for socializing. Weekend and evening activities include outings to the Guthrie Theater, Mall of America and the Metrodome to observe the Twins play their version of baseball. In addition, living in a dorm and sharing mealtimes provides additional time to exchange ideas and develop what in many cases turn out to be lasting friendships. There is no question that spending two weeks at LSMI requires a considerable sacrifice. But like many things in life, the effort that you expend is proportional to the benefits that you receive. In the case of the Legislative Staff Management Institute, the rewards are priceless. If you think you are ready for this challenge and would like to improve your professional and personal outlook, let me know and I'd be happy to send you an application for the 1996 LSMI and bend your ear a little more about the experience awaiting you. In closing, I want to thank Suzanne Lindamood and Jeanne Mejeur for the new, sophisticated look of the newsletter. Suzanne not only edited the newsletter, but has written many of the articles and collaborated with Jeanne on the graphics and formatting the final product. Jeanne spent the better part of two days learning how to draw circles on the computer and experimenting with dozens of options to finally come up with our creative new RACSS logo and newsletter. They both richly deserve our thanks and appreciation for a job well done! Welcome to the following new RACSS members:Alaska: Maria Gladziszewski, Director of Legislative Research Services, replacing Gordon Harrison. Georgia: Alan Essig became the Acting Director of the Senate Research Office, replacing Joy Hawkins. Kentucky: Donald Centrulo replaced Vic Hellard, who retired as Director of the Legislative Research Commission. Minnesota: Tom Hanson replaced Kelli Johnson as Director of the House Republican Caucus. Oregon: David Henderson replaced Susan Wilson as Administrator of the Legislative Administration Committee. Texas: Deborah Irvine is the new Director of the Research Division Legislative Council, replacing Steve Dial. Annual Meeting PreviewThe 22nd NCSL Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for legislative staff to meet, polish skills, hear noted speakers comment on the issues of the day, and compare notes with colleagues from around the country. The RACSS steering committee has organized several special sessions to help members receive maximum benefit from this year's meeting. Be sure to stop by the staff table in the registration area on Saturday, July 27, between 11:00am. and 5:00pm. Representatives of the nine staff sections will be at the table to greet registering staff members and to answer questions about the sections and the programs. They will also have up-to-date information and directions to the informal social events, including the RACSS Dutch Treat Dinner. The meeting brochure, which contains registration, hotel, and transportation information, can be obtained from NCSL (303) 364-7700 or FAX (303) 860-8057. Ask for the meetings and seminar department. Meeting Overview RACSS SessionsDutch Treat Dinner Legislative Staff Working as a Team Research Requests: A Prickly Problem or Appropriate Project RACSS Lunch and Business Meeting Missouri Political Traditions Legislatures on the World Wide Web Legal Research for Non-lawyers General Meeting HighlightsLegislative Staff Luncheon St. Louis Street Party "Meet Me in St. Louis" 1904 World's Fair Concurrent Sessions The Cyber Room LSCC Staff Task ForcesOverview The work of the LSCC is carried out through four task forces. Each issue of the RACSS Newsletter this year features the work of one of the four task forces: Information Technology, International Activities, Professional Development, and Strategic Planning. The last RACSS Newsletter focused on the work of the Professional Development Task Force. This one features the work of the International Activities Task Force. A Brief History of the International Activities Task Forceby Kathy Brennan Wiggins. NCSL International Programs Director In 1990-91, NCSL Staff Chair Bill Russell created the International Activities Task Force as one of four task forces under the auspices of LSCC. The creation of the Task Force coincided with an influx of international parliamentarians and staff who had an interest in visiting state capitals. At the same time, the United States Information Agency, the principle financier and arranger of many professional exchanges, began to include visits to state capitals as an interesting means to acquaint international visitors, particularly parliamentarians, with the U.S. One of the first activities of the original Task Force was to publish a guide to hosting international visitors to assist legislative staff charged with planning a visit to their state capitol Shortly thereafter, the Task Force authorized the dissemination of a questionnaire to determine how states handled visitors and whether there was a specific person or office in the legislature responsible for the programming The results of the survey confirmed the informal opinion of Task Force members, which was that the international visitors were handled in an ad hoc manner in most states. Legislative staff had little notice about the arrival of visitors and limited information on the interests of the delegation or individual. There also appeared to be a wide variance in the number of visitors in certain states. States like Maryland, with its proximity to the nation's capital, and California, often the gateway for the Pacific Rim countries, reported up to 500 visitors a year. Other states only hosted 10-20 visitors a year. Over the years, the Task Force has sponsored sessions on accommodating international visitors and on developing a relationship with the local international visitors' center. In recent years, NCSL has significantly expanded its international activities as grant funds have become available to promote exchanges between parliamentarians, state legislators, and their staff. With the end of the cold war and the upsurge in the number of newly established legislative bodies, NCSL has focused on the legislative institution. Legislative staff activities have become an integral part of many grant proposals, The professionalization of legislative staff and staff functions have been a central component of NCSL's work in Africa and in Central and Eastern Europe. The Task Force has expanded its original focus to include reports on study tours and technical assistance projects undertaken by NCSL. A number of present and former Task Force members have participated in NCSL international activities. During the past two years, the task force drafted a policy statement to guide the activities of the international department. The Task Force also promoted the development of a special issue of State Legislatures magazine devoted to international activities. In addition, Task Force members surveyed their colleagues for foreign language skills and interest in hosting visitors or participating in overseas activities. The functions of the Task Force will most likely continue to evolve given the changes presently occurring in the State Department, USIA, and USAID as well as in state legislatures. NCSL International ProgramsRussia NCSL conducted a "Federalism in Russia" project, focusing on federalism, budget, tax, and economic development issues, and legislative management. The project included a workshop in Tomsk, Siberia, and a study tour of the U.S. for Russian legislators and staff. Moldova and Kyrgyzstan NCSL conducted a legal bill drafting institute in Moldova and Kyrgyzstan in 1995. The project was developed in conduction with the legal services staff section. The institute in each country consisted of a three and a half day intensive seminar on bill drafting for parliamentarians, representatives of the president's office, the courts, various ministries, and law schools. The faculty consisted of Dan Pilcher from the Denver office, along with legislative bill drafters Becky Lennahan (CO), Peter Watson (MN), and Susan Marshall (NH). Belarus A legal bill drafting institute was also held in Belarus. David Kramer (TX), Becky Lennahan, Susan Marshall, and Bruce Feustel from NCSL's Denver office conducted the seminar, which focused on government issues including separation of powers, and the "nuts and bolts" of drafting. Japan A Japanese delegation of Prefectural Assemblymen traveled to the U.S. in late October, and an NCSL delegation of state legislators traveled to Japan in late November. Germany Germany's Partnership of Parliaments hosted 15 U.S. state legislators and staff for a two week study tour to three German states. The delegation focused on economic development, East/West integration, and the electoral process. A group of German Speakers toured the U.S. last October. Italy A project for regional governments in Italy consists of a study tour to the U.S. and follow-up meetings with regional assembly people in Italy. Mexico An legislative exchange consisting of a delegation to Mexico and study tour of the U.S. by Mexican state legislators. Anglophone Africa A six-country workshop was held for senior level parliamentary staff in Harare, Zimbabwe. The emphasis was on key staff services such as the clerk's office, research and committees, institutional and personnel management, media relations, and staff ethics. Francophone Africa NCSL hosted a workshop for staff members, following up on concepts explored during the Francophone legislative staff study tour to the U.S. South Africa NCSL is undertaking a program that will link state legislatures with South African provincial legislatures. NCSL hosted a delegation of South African provincial lawmakers to the U.S. in February, 1996. Yemen John Phelps, Clerk of the Florida House, conducted a two week technical assistance program on documenting the minutes of the Yemeni Parliament sessions. U.S. Canada Symposium In January, NCSL hosted the symposium in conjunction with the Executive Committee and LSCC meeting. The symposium was designed to foster the exchange of information and communication between U.S. state legislative leaders and members of the Canadian provincial parliaments and ministry officials. The topic was international trade, and focused on NAFTA and GATT, including subsidy, tax and preemption issues, as well as various state export promotion activities. A representative from Mexico also attended the meetings. 1996 Skills Development SeminarNCSL will hold the 1996 Skills Development Seminar on August 14-17 in Baltimore, MD. The seminar offers training in fiscal analysis, research, bill drafting, and program evaluation. The seminar is geared towards staff with less than two years of experience, and has proven to be one of NCSL's more effective and popular staff training programs. This year's program includes a full day and a half on research, and includes Allen Green (CN) and Karl Aro (MD) as faculty. For more information, call Bruce Feustel or Julie Werner at (303) 364-7700. 1996 RACSS Officers and Steering Committee MembersChairperson: Larry Barish, Director Vice-Chairperson: Suzanne Lindamood, Attorney Steering Committee Members: Diane Bolender, Director Patricia (Pat) Chumbley, Legislative Research Analyst Joyce Honaker, Committee Administrator Donald Hunter, Director Darrell Jackson, Director NCSL Staff Section ActivitiesLegal Services Staff Section The Legal Services Staff Section is again providing faculty for the institute. David Kramer of Texas, Ann Burastero of California, and Scott Hubli of Wisconsin will serve as the faculty, and Bruce Feustel of NCSL and a former LSSS member will join them. The faculty team left in late May and is due to return in June. The institute is being held in Tashkent for members of parliament, staff of parliament with drafting responsibilities, and certain employees of the ministries. The faculty will also assist a German Parliamentary delegation that is putting on a one-day drafting seminar in Tashkent. Meeting sessions. LSSS is planning programs on negotiation, legislative history, research technology, code contracts, confidentiality, legal research on the Internet, bill drafting software, and international experiences. National Legislative Services & Security Association Meeting sessions. NLSSA has planned several sessions for the NCSL meeting that are of interest to all legislative staff. The group has extended an invitation to the Secret Service to present a program to assist states in preparing for presidential candidates. Another session will examine the psychological makeup of militia groups and the constitutionality of the issues they advocate. The session will feature an advocate for militias, an opponent of militias, and an expert on constitutional issues. There will also be a session on utilizing the Internet without compromising the security of computers, a session related to dealing with bomb threats, and a session related to technology innovations in historic buildings. Legislative Research Librarians Professional Development Seminar. The LRL Professional development seminar will be in Washington, D.C., from October 17-19. It will include a visit and briefing about electronic services and sources at the Congressional Research Service; a visit and briefing about the electronic services and sources at the Government Printing Office; discussion of state legislatures' uses of the Internet and other electronic sources; discussion of legislative librarians contributions to the legislative process; and a visit and briefing at the Annapolis, Maryland Legislative Library and Information Services. Legislative Intent Research. LRL has developed a 50-state guide to researching the history of specific laws in each state. The guide contains step-by-step procedures for researching legislative intent, legislative organization, available services, descriptions of materials available, and agency contacts. The guide is available only on a high-density 3.5 floppy disk for IBM compatible computers, and is available from NCSL for $35. (Item #9373). American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries In A Unicameral Legislature, Patrick J. O'Donnell, Clerk of the Nebraska Legislature, discusses the history and the advantages of the nation's only unicameral legislature. William E. Behnk, the Legislative Information Service Coordinator for the California Legislative Data Center, gives an overview of a new system of laptop computers that will reduce paperwork and increase access to information for the California legislature. In California Assembly Installs Laptops for Floor Session, Behnk discusses. the design features anddecisions in the development of the system, the information that is available to legislators, and the training that makes it all work. The new system helps facilitate the floor debate process, and is designed to be user friendly, with each laptop automatically scrolling to the bill under consideration, but allowing other information to be produced upon request. John F. Dwyer, Secretary of the Iowa Senate, discusses the issue of confidentiality of telephone records. In Iowa Senate's Management of its Telephone Records is Upheld by State Supreme Court, he discusses the history of the issue in which open records laws were used to challenge the Senate's right to implement a rule governing its telephone records. As the title states, the Supreme Court upheld the rule as within the Senate's authority. Douglas G. Brown and Dan Cartin, Office of Legislative Legal Services of the Colorado General Assembly, discuss the various roles and duties of a legislative attorney in The Attorney-Client Relationship and Legislative Lawyers: The State Legislature as Organizational Client. Calendar of EventsContact NCSL Meetings and Seminars Department, (303) 364-7700, for information and registration materials. Legislative Staff Management Institute NCSL Annual Meeting Skills Development Seminar Senior Fiscal Analysts Leadership Staff Seminar Jackson, New Hampshire Professional Development Seminar for Senior Research Staff National Legislative Program Evaluation Society Seminar Legislative Research Librarians Prof. Development Seminar Assembly on Federal Issues/Assembly on State Issues NCSL Research and Committee Staff Section Newsletter NCSL Staff Section Contact for RACSS: Jeanne Mejeur, 303-364-7700, or e-mail jeanne.mejeur@ncsl.org. |
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