SACRAMENTO - Voters elected 32 new state Assembly members this week. Now those legislators-to-be are going to school to learn the intricacies of lawmaking. They're taking classes, watching videotapes and reading briefing papers to learn when to speak during floor sessions, how to amend legislation and how to cast the estimated 5,000 votes they will make in the next legislative session.
Knowledge of the arcane parliamentary procedures can mean the difference between getting a chance to speak on behalf of a bill and being ignored by the presiding officer.
Even simple things, such as introducing special guests or honoring Girl Scout troops, have to be conducted according to the rules.
Those rules were laid out for new Assembly members in 17 binders, two videotapes and 10 days of training over the next few weeks.
"The advent of term limits, and the complexity of the issues we all face, demands that we have the skills to do this job," said Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys.
Topics covered over the next few weeks include hiring a staff, how to operate the Assembly's computers, legislative deadlines and an overview of the state's ethics laws.
At a training session Friday in the Assembly chambers, Hertzberg and the Assembly's chief clerk, Dotson Wilson, led the 32 freshmen through the process of creating laws, starting with the swearing-in ceremony that takes place on Dec. 5.
Lawmakers also received a quick history lesson on the Assembly chambers, built in 1874 and refurbished in 1974. Following the speaker's instructions, the freshmen craned their necks and peered at the ceiling to find the gargoyle hidden in the intricate molding of the chamber's ceiling.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.