2015 ASLCS Professional Development Seminar Agenda

2020 Mason's Manual Commission

Presiding: Alfred “Butch” Speer, Chair of the 2020 Mason’s Manual Commission and Chief Clerk, Louisiana House of Representatives

Nominating Committee

Presiding: Suzi Lowell, Immediate Past President and Chief Clerk, Alaska House of Representatives

4-6 p.m.

Executive Committee

Presiding: Russell Humphrey, ASLCS President and Chief Clerk, Tennessee Senate

Social Event: Sunday on the Beach
Welcome from the 82nd Airborne Chorus

Breakfast Buffet

ASLCS and NCSL gratefully acknowledge the support of ThomsonReuters for sponsoring the breakfast.

Opening Plenary:  I Didn’t Sign On for This! Dealing with Constant Change in the Workplace

Today’s increasing pace of change can create a personal and work life that mirrors the experience of standing on the baseline at a tennis court and having your opponent fire balls from a tennis cannon at you. Moving through change takes time and energy; it’s extremely stressful. Learn to recognize the effects of change and discover how to use practical time and management strategies to better deal with the stress of change.

Moderator: ASLCS President Russell Humphrey, Tennessee

Breakout Sessions:

Who would know better than your colleagues in other states about the challenges and rewards of legislative work? Join your peers to discuss challenges, share strategies and solutions, and develop networks with new friends and experienced colleagues.

Principal Clerks and Secretaries
This session is designed for the chief clerk or secretary of the chamber. This session is for only currently serving principal clerks and secretaries.

Assistant/Deputy Clerks and Secretaries
This session is designed for the assistant or deputy chief clerk or secretary of the chamber.

Legislative Operations: Journal and Calendar Staff
This session is designed for staff whose work directly relates to the legislative process via the journal, calendars and agendas.

Legislative Operations: Enrolling, Engrossing and Bill Status
This session is designed for staff whose work directly relates to the legislative process via engrossing and enrolling, bill index and status, and committee operations.

Administrative and Support Services: Administration, IT, and PR Staff
This session is designed for staff whose work supports the legislative process via fiscal administration, information technology, information and public relations, and general support services.

Administrative and Support Services: Facilities, Safety and Security Staff
This session is designed for staff whose work supports the legislative process via facilities management, purchasing, printing, mail rooms, safety, and security.

Legislative Building Tours

The North Carolina State Legislative Building is the current meeting place of the North Carolina General Assembly. Opened in 1963, it replaced the North Carolina State Capitol which had served as the home of the legislature since 1840. Tour this unique legislative building, with architectural details that include a grand red-carpeted staircase leading from the front entrance to the third floor galleries for the House and Senate, roof-top gardens and garden courts at the four interior corners.

New Attendee Orientation

This session is designed for new members and first time attendees of the seminar. Learn about ASLCS, meet other new members and get some helpful tips about how to make the most of your time in Raleigh.

Presiding: Lindsey Grovom, Chief Clerk, Montana House of Representatives
Chair, ASLCS Membership and Communications Committee

Special Committee on Strategic Planning

Members of the Special Committee on Strategic Planning will meet.

Presiding: Susan Clarke Schaar, Chair; Clerk, Virginia Senate

Social Event: "Got to Be NC BBQ Cook-Off"

"Got-to-be NC BBQ Cook-Off" at the State Fairgrounds – Eastern versus Western North Carolina cook-off with all the fixings at the Holshouser Building.  Dress comfortably for an evening filled with unique North Carolina entertainment.

Hospitality Suite

Featured specialty products: Bull City Ciderworks Cider & N.C. Peanuts

Breakfast Buffet

ASLCS and NCSL gratefully acknowledge the support of Propylon for sponsoring the breakfast.

Concurrent Sessions

The Who, the What, the Huh? of ASLCS

Confused about ASLCS? Build your knowledge of ASLCS history, committee operations, and opportunities for involvement through a dynamic game of team trivia! Bring your enthusiasm, engage with your colleagues, and become an ASLCS expert using the Bylaws, Standing Orders, and your collaborative ability! If you don’t know much about ASLCS, that’s OK – this is TEAM trivia, so if you aren’t an expert now, you will be by the time you leave…and there will be prizes.

Moderator: Patsy Spaw, Secretary, Texas Senate

Panelists: Suzi Lowell, Chief Clerk, Alaska House of Representatives

Patience Worrel, Enrolling Clerk, Texas Senate

Janice Gadd, Journal Clerk, Utah House of Representatives

Tisha Gieser, Assistant Chief Clerk, Journal, Alaska House of Representatives

Remodeling Everything But the Process: What to do When Your Chamber is Out but Session is In

The Technology Committee will discuss the rapid advances in technology and its usage in legislative chambers across the country, specifically the challenges with aging Capitol buildings and how to plan for the future when renovating.

Moderator: Dana Rademan Miller, Assistant Chief Clerk, Missouri House of Representatives

Panelists: Susan Kannarr, Chief Clerk, Kansas House of Representatives

Tim Mapes, Chief Clerk, Illinois House of Representatives

Gina Spartz, Deputy Secretary, Engrosser, Alaska Senate

Ellen Thompson, Chief Clerk, Wyoming Senate

Concurrent Sessions

Point of Order or How I Learned to Love Mason's Manual

Members of the Society will present a scenario of parliamentary confusion from their Chamber's recent past. Members of the Commission will comment thereon and seek comments from the audience. The presenter will then announce the solution arrived at in their Chamber and the Commissioners and audience will be asked to discuss the solution and possible alternatives which may have been available.

Panelists: Alfred "Butch" Speer, Clerk, Louisiana House of Representatives

Tara Perkinson, Chief Deputy Clerk, Virginia Senate

Rob Hunt, Clerk, Maine House of Representatives

Bill MaGill, Clerk, Vermont House of Representatives

Hiring Good Session Staff

One of the major challenges of working in the legislative environment is finding highly qualified employees who are willing to work on a part-time basis. In most cases, your best and brightest applicants only want full-time employment and if they are willing to accept part-time employment, they will more than likely find full-time employment elsewhere by the time you will need them again. In this session, hear some ways in which your peers are finding qualified part-time staffers and keep them coming back year after year.

Moderator: Jay Pearson, Sergeant at Arms/Information & Communications Services Director, Virginia House of Delegates

Panelists: Julie Bochat, Assistant Secretary, Missouri Senate

Luncheon and Business Meeting

Presiding: Russell Humphrey, ASLCS President and Chief Clerk, Tennessee Senate

ASLCS and NCSL gratefully acknowledge the support of International Roll-Call Corporation for sponsoring the ASLCS Business Meeting Luncheon.

Optional Tours (Details and Registration)
Space is limited for the athletic facility tour and the technology tour, so please sign up early.

• Historic State Capitol and Museum Tour
• NCSU Athletic Facility
• NCSU Centennial Campus and Hunt Library

Dinner on your own

Downtown Raleigh offers a variety of dining experiences. Information on restaurants is available at registration or on the 2015 ASLCS Blog.

Hospitality Suite

An evening hosted by our friends in Idaho, to kick off the 2016 PDS in Boise!

Legislative Expo - What’s New with You?

Here's your chance to share your new publications, services and innovative ways of handling administrative functions with your colleagues from other states.

Bring what you have, have what you bring

The Legislative Expo is for sharing all things.

Legislative or process, ideas big, ideas small

please bring them to share - we want to see all!

Committee app or bill status, new publication or look,

If it’s only on the web or if it’s printed in a book.

We do our jobs the same and differently you’ll see,

for a great exchange of ideas, this is the place you’ll want to be!

(Thanks to Maryann Horch for the Dr. Seuss flyer and verse!)

Sponsored by the Support Staff Committee. Contact Jay Pearson to reserve a table at the Expo.

Lunch on Your Own

Downtown Raleigh offers a variety of lunch-time dining experiences. Information on restaurants is available at registration or on the 2015 ASLCS Blog.

Concurrent Sessions:

School House Rock: Welcoming Guests to the Capitol

With Schoolhouse Rock in the history books, what tip, tricks, tools, and technology does your chamber use to educate members, constituents, the general public, and the next generation on how a bill becomes a law?

Moderator: Maryann Horch, Senior Systems Analyst, Virginia Senate

Speakers: Lisa Davis, Assistant Clerk, Mississippi House of Representatives

Norma Chastain, Assistant Chief Clerk, Arizona House of Representatives

Steve Harrison, Clerk, West Virginia House of Delegates

You Do What in Your Chamber!?

This informal, interactive round table discussion examines the unique aspects of legislative procedure in domestic and international jurisdictions. It will focus primarily on the unwritten custom and usage that is so confusing to members and visitors alike.

Moderator: Liz Clark, Secretary, Alaska Senate

Panelists: Iris Lang, Principal Clerk for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan

Andrew Young, Clerk of the Legislative Council of Melbourne

Alan Whittington, Deputy Chief Clerk of the Tennessee Senate

Concurrent Sessions:

Verbal Judo

Effective communication is the basic requirement to reach and maintain organizational goals.  Conflict management styles, such as Verbal Judo, teaches the individual techniques to focus on problem oriented  communication, as opposed to person oriented. This, along with other attributes of constructive communication,  preserves a positive relationship between communicators while addressing problems.

Moderator: Jim McElroy, Administrative Clerk, North Carolina House of Representatives

Speaker: Lt. Martin Brock, North Carolina General Assembly Police

New Member Orientation: What Other States Are Doing

Join us as panelists from various states present their orientation and training programs and learn valuable skills and ideas to use in your own member orientation. There will be an opportunity for questions so please come enjoy presentations and discussion on preparing Legislators for session

Moderator: Jennifer Novak, Secretary, Idaho Senate

Panelists: Jackie Scott, Indexing and Enrolling Director, Virginia House of Delegates

Buddy Johnson, Parliamentarian, Arkansas House of Representatives

Patty Benskin, Clerk, Wyoming House of Representatives

Reception at the City Club Raleigh

"A View of Raleigh" City Club Reception – Corporate casual dress is required for this jazzy and upscale evening in the sky.  The City Club Raleigh is just a short walk from your hotel.

Attire: Corporate Casual

ASLCS and NCSL gratefully acknowledge the support of Sliq Media Technologies for sponsoring the reception.

Hospitality Suite

Featured specialty products: Basil Lemonade & Krispy Kreme Donuts

Plenary:  The Language of Leadership

Winston Churchill's communication skills are legendary and he considered public service to be the highest calling. Listen to Rep. Craig Horn, chairman of the Churchill Society of North Carolina and a past board member and treasurer of The Churchill Centre and the International Churchill Society, address attendees on Churchill’s “Simple, But Not Easy, Rules of Communication.”

Lunch on Your Own

Downtown Raleigh offers a variety of lunch-time dining experiences. Information on restaurants is available at registration or on the 2015 ASLCS Blog.

Committee Chair Transition

Presiding: Susan Furlong, ASLCS President-elect, and Chief Clerk, Nevada Assembly

"A" Committees

• Bylaws and Standing Orders
• Inside the Legislative Process
• Site Selection
• Technology

"B" Committees

• Membership and Communication
• Legislative Administrator
• International Communications and Development
• Support Staff

"C" Committees

• Roster
• Professional Journal
• Program. Development
• Canadian-American Relations

President's Reception

ASLCS and NCSL gratefully acknowledge the support of LexisNexis for sponsoring the President's Reception.

State Dinner

Presiding: Russell Humphrey, ASLCS President and Chief Clerk, Tennessee Senate

Come celebrate ASLCS at the annual State Dinner and dance to the music of the Liquid Pleasure Super Show, an extravaganza of rock, top 40, beach and R&B.

Attire: Business

Hospitality Suite

Featured specialty products: Full Moon Rising & Salem Baking Cookies

Breakfast and Business Meeting

Presiding: Susan Furlong, ASLCS President and Chief Clerk, Nevada Assembly

Executive Committee Meeting

Presiding: Susan Furlong, ASLCS President and Chief Clerk, Nevada Assembly