some of this is probably redundant...but oh well I don't want to type it all out again
Hello,
I started last Tuesday for training and then today was the first day of session.
I'll start with the who part. I am working for the House of Reps Democratic
Staff, specifically Liisa Laikko. She is an analyst for the Transportation
Committee and the Counties, Municipalities, and Miltary Affairs Committee.
Therefore, I will be working with those two committees as well. I got to meet a
few of the Reps today which was interesting. They are all really nice.
What: When bills come up with these issues Liisa and I split them up and we
summarize them. We summarize either what the bill does if it's a new bill or
what the changes are and include any additional information that the Reps might
need. We give these to the Democratic members on the committees at a
Pre-Committee Briefing one or two days before the committtee meets. Then we go
to committee and I sit there and take notes on what happens with my bills. We
hear public testimony and lobbyists and other people. After committee I
summarize any amendments that are proposed and make a caucus report. The
following Tuesday I make a presentation at the Democratic Caucus with all the
Democratic representatives. I present the bills that I summarized (sometime
more than one and sometime none) and answer questions about the bills. Sometime
the Reps will propose more amendments at caucus in which case, I go write the
amendment (yes, I write the amendment) and get it to the rep before it goes to
the floor for a vote. As far as I know that is pretty much all I do.
I have already summarized a real bill for the transportation committee. It was a
change to redundant bill so it wasn't very exciting, but it did require a phone
call - my first one and I think the first one by an intern. They were all
pretty impressed when I got off the phone. Speaking of which...
There are 8 Dem staff interns each assigned to our own analyst. We all work in
the same room, however it is shaped like and L, so there are 3 of us back in
our own litte corner. We have a great time over there. Everyone is really nice
though and we all get a long really really well.
I was able to attend the Inauguration of Governor, Sec of State, Treausrer,
Superintendant of public schools, and Attorney General. This was especially
interesting because the Superintendant got up there and said that AZ students
are consistantly above the national average (that is all his speech was about)
and then the Treasurer talked about how we are graduating students that can't
make change at a cash register. I turned to the other two interns standing
there with me and asked them that if above average students can't make change,
what kind of shape are the below average students in? I also went to the State
of State events today at the House. There were some interesting happenings, but
it would take much too long to tell you about in this already lengthy entry.
I started last Tuesday for training and then today was the first day of session.
I'll start with the who part. I am working for the House of Reps Democratic
Staff, specifically Liisa Laikko. She is an analyst for the Transportation
Committee and the Counties, Municipalities, and Miltary Affairs Committee.
Therefore, I will be working with those two committees as well. I got to meet a
few of the Reps today which was interesting. They are all really nice.
What: When bills come up with these issues Liisa and I split them up and we
summarize them. We summarize either what the bill does if it's a new bill or
what the changes are and include any additional information that the Reps might
need. We give these to the Democratic members on the committees at a
Pre-Committee Briefing one or two days before the committtee meets. Then we go
to committee and I sit there and take notes on what happens with my bills. We
hear public testimony and lobbyists and other people. After committee I
summarize any amendments that are proposed and make a caucus report. The
following Tuesday I make a presentation at the Democratic Caucus with all the
Democratic representatives. I present the bills that I summarized (sometime
more than one and sometime none) and answer questions about the bills. Sometime
the Reps will propose more amendments at caucus in which case, I go write the
amendment (yes, I write the amendment) and get it to the rep before it goes to
the floor for a vote. As far as I know that is pretty much all I do.
I have already summarized a real bill for the transportation committee. It was a
change to redundant bill so it wasn't very exciting, but it did require a phone
call - my first one and I think the first one by an intern. They were all
pretty impressed when I got off the phone. Speaking of which...
There are 8 Dem staff interns each assigned to our own analyst. We all work in
the same room, however it is shaped like and L, so there are 3 of us back in
our own litte corner. We have a great time over there. Everyone is really nice
though and we all get a long really really well.
I was able to attend the Inauguration of Governor, Sec of State, Treausrer,
Superintendant of public schools, and Attorney General. This was especially
interesting because the Superintendant got up there and said that AZ students
are consistantly above the national average (that is all his speech was about)
and then the Treasurer talked about how we are graduating students that can't
make change at a cash register. I turned to the other two interns standing
there with me and asked them that if above average students can't make change,
what kind of shape are the below average students in? I also went to the State
of State events today at the House. There were some interesting happenings, but
it would take much too long to tell you about in this already lengthy entry.