RACSS Program History

RACSS Program History
1983 - 2007

2007
Annual Meeting Boston, MA	New Legislator Orientation Programs Providing Constituent Services: Challenges and Demands Supreme Court Update Innovative Services to Members and Citizens Building Better Analytical Skills Help for New Managers
Fall Seminar Santa Fe, NM	Conveying Your Message Effectively History of Law in New Mexico Help for New Managers Legal Writing Introductory Drafting Track The ABCs of Free Trade Agreements Overview of U.S. Supreme Court Action Native American/Tribal Law Preparing Balanced Research and Avoiding Biases Pros and Cons of Legislative Oversight of Administrative Rules Unintended Consequences of Drafting Statutory Construction Developing Underperformers Legislative Intent Legislative Staff Services in New Mexico and Capitol Tour Legislative Ethics Innovations in Services to Members and the Public Legislative Services in Canada and Puerto Rico Archival Preservation
2006
Annual Meeting Nashville, TN	Exemplary Staff Services The Effect of Direct Democracy on State Constitutions Supreme Court Update Picking Up the Pieces After Katrina and Rita Legislative Documents as Public Records: Why? Why Not? Dilemmas That Go Bump in the Night Legislative Staff Diversity Crafting a Successful Diversity Strategy
Fall Seminar Burlington, VT	Trends in the Legislative Workplace: Exemplary Staff Services (Mary Quaid, Louisiana) Hiring and Retaining Qualified Staff (Jim Tamburro, Connecticut) Knowledge Management for Legislative Agencies (Maureen Hammer, Virginia) Climbing the Career Ladder (Karl Aro, Maryland; EM Miller, Virginia; Jim Tamburro, Connecticut) Legislative Oversight of State Grants (Ruth Farrell, Vermont) The Not-So-Hidden Message: Non-Verbal Communication (Jayne Bleicher, Connecticut) Demographic Trends and Their Impact on Public Policy (Will Sawyer, Vermont) State Fiscal Outlook (Ron Snell, NCSL) Archiving and Preserving Legislative Documents (Bill Russell and Greg Sanford, Vermont) Tour of Vermont State House and Reception with Vermont Legislative Staff Emerging Trends: Technology (Sharon Crouch Steidel, Virginia) Sharpening Your Research Skills (Anthony Gierzynski, Vermont)
2005
Annual Meeting Seattle, WA	U.S. Supreme Court Update Judicial Misuse of Legislative History Maintaining Your Tools for Better Legislative Construction Whistle While You Work Research and Legal Resources on the Internet Writing for the Legislative Audience Digital Information Issues for Legislative Agencies
Fall Seminar Chicago, IL (joint with RACSS, LSSS & LRL)	Work Issues in a Legislative Service Agency Media Training Evaluating Research Resources Legislative Immunity/Privilege Research Skills: Finding 50-state Compilations Statutory Construction and Statutory Drafting Legislative Documents Legislative Judicial Relations Writing Workshop: Why Most of What We Have Been Taught about How to Write Paragraphs Just Won’t Do USA PATRIOT Act Use and Misuse of Statistics Emerging Legal Issues in Campaigning Uniform Laws Distinguished Scholar Series : Whither the Constitution and the Supreme Court? Roundtable: Hot Issues in the States
2004
Annual Meeting Salt Lake City, UT	A Focus on Legislative Staff: Retaining the Best and the Brightest Reaching Out—Effective Ways to Communicate Information Dilemmas That Go Bump in the Night! Ethical Decision Making for Public Life (CLE) Preserving Institutional Memory Utah’s Political History Separation of Powers in the 21st Century (concurrent-CLE) U.S. Supreme Court Update (concurrent-CLE)
Fall Seminar Annapolis, MD	Leadership Styles and Teamwork: High Performance Teams and Leading Change Through Teams Maryland Staff Services and Information Technology Values-Based Ethics Interactions with Legislative Staff from the Lobbyists Perspective The Role of the Ethics Counsel in the Maryland General Assembly Tours of the Historic State House and Governor’s Mansion
2003
Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA	Staff Services: Maintaining Objectivity in a Partisan Arena Programming Versus Content in Building and Maintaining Legislative Web Sites Homeland Security and Civil Liberties U.S. Supreme Court Update
Fall Seminar Portland, ME	Enhance Your Working Relationships Expand Your Resources Through Collaboration Our Biggest Messes Package Your Research For Maximum Impact Staff Ethics: Trust Your Instincts Effective Use of the Interim
2002
Annual Meeting Denver, CO	Personnel Law and Legislative Liability Managing Staff Across the Generations Staff Roles in Organizing a Major Legislative Event Colorado and the Politics of Boom and Bust Developing a Tactical Plan for Legislative Staff Services: The Oregon Experience
Fall Seminar Sacramento, CA	Surviving and Thriving in Difficult Working Situations Divided Loyalties: Serving the Legislature or Serving the Public? Meet the Press: Working with the Media State Capitol Safety and Security Issues for Legislative Staff Staying Alive: Tactical Planning for Legislative Staff Agencies California Legislative Staff Services Numbers Don't Lie-Or Do They? Accurately Using Statistics and Graphics
2001
Annual Meeting San Antonio, TX	Writing for the Legislature: Write So They'll Read It! Communicating Effectively in a Changing Legislative Environment The Political History of the Lone Star State Strategies for Providing Effective Support for Legislative Committees
Fall Seminar Richmond, VA (joint with LRL)	What's Your Communication Style? Tour at LEXIS Law Publishing Team Leadership Small Team Leadership: The Art of Delegation Using Teleconferencing for Legislative Committee Meetings Dealing with Difficult People
ASI/AFI Fall Meeting Washington, DC	Staff Support for Congressional Committees International Training: Opportunities for Legislative Staff The Impact of Recent U.S. Supreme Court Rulings for the States
2000
Annual Meeting Chicago, IL	New Data on the Way: The American Community Survey Intellectual Property in a Digital Environment Illinois' Political History Staff Survival Skills for Working with the Media Reinventing Customer Service for a New Century
Fall Seminar Austin, TX (joint with NLPES)	Future Gazing Driving Forces-The NCSL Study Looking at the Future C-C-C-Changes Making It Happen-Selling Change to Your Organization Workshops (presented in concurrent 3 tracks): Excellence Panel Technology Fix: Improving Our Technology Skills Higher Education Writing for the Future Evaluating Virtual Agencies E-Government Sell It So They'll Buy It! (Effective Presentations) Data Analysis Public Safety and Criminal Justice Recruitment and Retention New Technology to Address Challenges Business and Economic Development Effective Contracting for Services Internet Health and Human Services Negotiating for Best Results Evaluating the Morphing Program Public Education
ASI/AFI Fall Mtg. Washington, DC	U.S. Supreme Court Review Maryland Legislative Services: Program and Site Visit
1999
Annual Meeting Indianapolis, IN	Indiana's Political History Legislative Staff Services to the Indiana General Assembly/Capitol Tour Managing Workplace Stress Orientation Programs for Legislators
Fall Seminar Charleston, SC (joint with LSSS)	Ethical Issues for Legislative Staff The Role of Legislative Staff Effective Presentation Skills Multi-state Document Management Project Effective Writing for the Legislature Improving Workplace Relationships Statutory Construction Legislative Staff Services: A Comparison
ASI/AFI Fall Mtg. Washington, DC	Supreme Court Cases Affecting the States Research Services at the National Archives
1998
Annual Meeting Las Vegas, NV	Politics in the Life of a Colony: The Fascinating Political History of Nevada and Las Vegas Managing Legislative Web Sites-A Learn as You Grow Proposition Thomas Jefferson Comments on the New Millennium Notions of Public Service Across Generational Lines
Fall Seminar St. Paul, MN (joint with LSSS)	Ethical Challenges for Legislative Research and Legal Staff Working Skills for the Next Century Codification of Statutes and Cases Effective Writing for the Legislature Coping with Legislative Crises Minnesota Legislative Staff Services and Capitol Tour Statutory Construction Effective Use of Statistics and Graphics The Role of the Legislature in Civic Education
ASI/AFI Fall Mtg. Washington, DC	NPR: Covering Politics From the Perspective of National Public Radio Recent and Upcoming Supreme Court Cases: How Will They Affect the States?
1997
Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA	Pennsylvania's Political History Making Effective Presentations to Legislators Research and Legal Resources on the Internet Managing Change in the Legislative Environment Ethical Challenges for Researchers and Bill Drafters
Fall Seminar Washington, DC	Effective Writing Skills Quick Decision Analysis Tall Tales From Capitol Hill Meeting Members Research Needs in the Age of Devolution US Supreme Court Report Marketing Your Research Product Tour of the US Capitol Techniques for Positive Interaction
ASI/AFI Fall Mtg. Washington, DC	Profile and Tour of NCSL's Washington Office Legislative History Term Limits and Their Effects on Legislative Services
1996
Annual Meeting St. Louis, MO	Legislative Staff Working as a Team Research Requests: A Prickly Problem or Appropriate Project? Missouri's Political History and Harry Truman Legislatures on the World Wide Web Legal Research for Non-Lawyers
Fall Seminar Madison, WI (joint with NLPES)	Legislatures Under Fire Devolution: Where Are We Going Effective Writing Skills Statistics Importance of Humor in the Workplace Policy Analysis Managing Managerial Time Stress Making Effective Presentations Legal Research
ASI/AFI Fall Mtg. Washington, DC	Current Technology in Support of Congress/CRS Tour Congressional Committee Staffing
1995
Annual Meeting Milwaukee, WI	Designing Effective Research Reports Staff Relationships With Lobbyists State Legislatures-Are They Agents of Change? Legislative Experiences With Reinventing Government Wisconsin's Political History Legislative Staff Services in Wisconsin
Fall Seminar Denver, CO	Presentation Skills Effective Writing Skills Policy Analysis The Art of Negotiation Congress and its Impact on the States Public Presentation Skills Legal Research for Non-Lawyers Effective Report Formats Colorado Staff Services and Capitol Tour Denver Public Library Tour NCSL Office Tour
ASI Fall Meeting Atlanta, GA	Public Presentation Skills Georgia Research Services and Capitol Tour Carter Presidential Library Tour
1994
Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA	Implementing the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) in State Legislatures Ethics: Always an Issue Marketing Your Services to the Legislature National Information Highway: Freeway or Tollroad? Electronic Research: The Answer's Out There Hosting International Guests Internet: Why and How? If These Walls Could Talk: Louisiana's Colorful Political History
Fall Seminar Hartford, CT	The Changing Role of Legislative Staff Effective Use of Graphics Presentation Skills Improving Writing Skills Working With Difficult People Statistics Don't Lie-Or Do They? On-Line Searching Reports Formats: What's the Big Deal? Legislative Bill Analysis Staff Roles in Connecticut's Legislative Process
AOL Spring Meeting Washington, DC	Inside a Think Tank: A Visit to the Brookings Institution A Visit to CRS: Services Provided by the Congressional Research Service
ASI Fall Meeting Salt Lake City, UT	Avoiding Research Biases Using Computers as a Researcher Draft Code of Conduct Utah Research Services and Capitol Tour
1993
Annual Meeting San Diego, CA	Emerging Technologies: The Legislature of the Future LEGISNET Training and Demonstration NCSL Information Services: LEGISNET and the BBS Ethical Issues for Legislative Staff Strategies for Managing a Diverse Legislative Workforce Partnerships With Academia: Benefits for Legislative Research Staff California Legislative Research, Committee and Bill Drafting Services Legislative Libraries and Research in the New Democracies of Eastern Europe Update on the NCSL Bulletin Board System Committees and the Clerk's Office
AOL Fall Meeting Phoenix, AZ	Working With the Academic Community: Results of the RACSS Survey Mentors: Using the Buddy System to Help New Staff Learn the Ropes Arizona Legislative Research and Committee Services/Capitol Tour
1992
Annual Meeting Cincinnati, OH	Is There Still a Career Ladder for Legislative Staff? Orientation and Training of New Legislative Staff Strategic Planning and Problem Solving Access to Public Records: Policies for the Information Age Ohio Research and Committee Staffing Writing in the Legislative Environment Aid to Newly Democratizing Legislatures
AOL Fall Meeting Raleigh, NC	Eliminating Sexism in Bill Drafting Working With Legislative Staff in Other States, Without Traveling Legislative Staff and the Academic Community: Creating a Productive Relationship Research, Committee and Bill Drafting Services in North Carolina
1991
Annual Meeting Orlando, FL	Negotiating to Survive: Strategies for Legislative Staff Styles of Communication: Techniques for Positive Interaction Motivating Staff During a Budget Crisis A Question of Ethics: Issues Confronting Legislative Staff International Update: The Role of State Legislatures in the International Community Florida Research and Committee Staffing Adjustment of the 1990 Census: What Does it Mean for the States? Alternatives to the Traditional Redistricting Process Census Bureau Update and Update of Redistricting-Related Litigation
AOL Spring Meeting Lincoln, NE	Understanding the Unicameral Legislature A Look at Research and Legal Services Operations in the Nebraska Legislature Census Bureau Update The Legislative Institution: Progress, Problems and Possibilities
AOL Fall Meeting Portland, ME	An Overview of Bill Drafting Processes for Research Analysts Policy Manuals for Legislative Staff Maine Research and Committee Staffing
1990
Annual Meeting Nashville, TN	Developing Legislatures in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union Conflict Resolution for Legislative Staff NCSL's Legislative Staff Management Institute: A Status Report Effective Evaluation of Legislative Staff Offices Briefing: Tennessee Offices of Legal and Legislative Services Issues Forecasting: The Role of Legislative Staff Using the New Census Data: Economic & Demographic Forecasting for State Legislatures
AOL Fall Meeting Chicago, IL	Legislative Staff Ethics US Supreme Court Ruling in Rutan v Republican Party of Illinois: Party Affiliation & Legislative Staff
1989
Annual Meeting Tulsa, OK	Personnel Law: Avoiding Employee Lawsuits Staff Organizational Trends Strategic Planning for Legislative Staff Professional Development for Legislative Staff: Your Own In-House Programs Legislative Staff Ethics Uniform and Model Acts: Versatile Tools for Legislative Action Information and Research Support for the Legislatures of Australia, New Zealand and the Southwest Pacific
AOL Fall Meeting Santa Fe, NM	Sharpening Presentation Skills: How To Do a Better Job of Providing Oral Testimony Briefing on the New Mexico Legislative Council Service/Capitol Tour
1988
Annual Meeting Reno, NV	Staff Wars - Relations Between Partisan and Nonpartisan Staff Managerial Skills for Staff Wars Tapping the Resources of Academia Legislative Staffing for Scientific Topics Effective Staff Communication With Legislators and Committees Searching Statutory Databases Graphics: Effective Presentation of Statistical Information
AOL Spring Meeting Sacramento, CA	Staffing the California Legislature
AOL Fall Meeting Annapolis, MD	Recent and Pending Supreme Court Cases Ethics for Legislative Staff Structure and Operation of the Maryland Dept. of Legislative Reference
1987
Annual Meeting Indianapolis, IN	Presentation Skills Workshop: Audio/Visual Techniques for Effective Communication Performance Evaluation for Legislative Employees Privatization of Federal Government Information Managing the Research Process: A Look at Tracking Systems for Legislative Information Requests The Indiana Legislative Services Agency
AOL Fall Meeting Hartford, CT	Continuing Education Opportunities for Legislative Staff The Connecticut Office of Legislative Research
1986
Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA	Personnel Management: Successful Strategies for Motivating Employees How to Make Effective Presentations to Legislators Stress Management Workshop
AOL Fall Meeting Charleston, SC	The Congressional Research Service - An Overview of its Organization and Operation
1985
Annual Meeting Seattle, WA	Computers and Communications in State Legislatures: A Look at New Trends Legislative Staff: What Does the Future Hold?
AOL Spring Meeting Frankfort, KY	Briefing - Kentucky Legislative Research Commission Building Effective Relationships Among Central, Partisan, Committee and Other Legislative Staff Operations
AOL Fall Meeting Williamsburg, VA	NCSL Structure, Staff and Services
1984
Annual Meeting Boston, MA	Conflict Management in Group Decision-Making Staff Development in State Legislatures
AOL Spring Meeting Salt Lake City, UT	The Application of Computer Technology to Research Agency Management
AOL Fall Meeting Sacramento, CA	Gann - The Staff Response California's State-of-the-Art Office Automation and Legislative Information Systems
1983
AOL Fall Meeting Tallahassee, FL	Rewarding Performance in a Time of Diminishing Resources Managing the Research Process and Committee Personnel Applying Computer Technology to Research Agency Management

Legend:

ASI: Assembly on State Issues
AFI: Assembly on Federal Issues
AOL: Assembly on the Legislature
NLPES: National Legislative Program Evaluation Society
LSSS: Legal Services Staff Section
LRL: Legislative Research Librarians Staff Section

Background:

Annual Meeting: Since its inception, RACSS has met in conjunction with the NCSL Annual Meeting.

Spring and Fall Meetings: Beginning in 1983, RACSS periodically met in conjunction with the Assembly on the Legislature (AOL), NCSL's standing committee structure on state legislative issues. In 1994, the AOL committees were reorganized into the Assembly on State Issues (ASI), while the federal committees, formerly called the State Federal Assembly (SFA), were restructured as the Assembly on State Issues (AFI). NCSL's dual state and federal committee system was merged into a single entity in 2002, the NCSL Standing Committees, with joint Spring and Fall Forum meetings. RACSS traditionally met in conjunction with the fall committee meetings, but rarely in the Spring, because of conflicts with legislative sessions. RACSS ceased meeting with the Fall meeting concurrent with the reorganization of NCSL's standing committee system, in 2002.

Fall Seminar: In 1994, RACSS began presenting an annual professional development seminar for senior legislative research and committee staff. RACSS has occasionally cosponsored its fall seminar with other staff sections, including NLPES, LSSS and LRL.

RACSS Program History1983 - 2007

RACSS Program History
1983 - 2007