New Legislators Prepare for Office

Legislators have to get their families organized, settle business matters and get acquainted with the demands of their jobs before they can concentrate on legislative affairs, said new House member Bonner Stiller, R-Brunswick.

Though necessary preparations are overwhelming at times, assistance in preparing to enter the General Assembly comes from both sides of the aisle, said new Rep. Don Munford, R-Wake.

"Everyone is friendly," he said. "All you have to do is ask."

New senator and UNC Board of Trustees member Richard Stevens, R-Wake, is reading all he can on the General Assembly to prepare.

Stevens said officials from state political parties assist the acclimation process by holding caucuses to introduce veteran members to new members. "There's not a formal mentoring system, but you can get help from anyone."

Many legislators, including Stevens, also say they will take part in a three-day orientation sponsored by the UNC Institute of Government. The orientation, which will take place Dec. 5 to Dec. 7, will acquaint members with the nuances of the General Assembly. It is the first time the institute has hosted such an event.

"Our purpose is to get new members acquainted with the culture of the General Assembly," said sponsoring institute Professor Jim Drennan.

In the orientation, new members will be instructed on the nuts and bolts of office setup and will be given tips on how to hire legislative assistants, he said.

The new members also will meet with General Assembly clerks and record-keepers to learn the rules of the House and Senate voting sessions.

Constitutional duties -- what can, cannot and must be done -- are emphasized to new members, Drennan said.

There also will be a discussion forum featuring a panel of veteran legislators discussing a range of practical issues, including how to obtain and absorb information about pertinent issues.

New legislators are not instructed on issues the legislature is dealing with -- with the exception of the state financial crisis, Drennan said.

The initiation program is part of a perpetual process by the legislature to acclimate new members, making the first weeks of session more efficient.

"I didn't get any help," said Senate Minority Leader Patrick Ballantine, R-New Hanover, in his eighth year.

Ballantine said that when he was first elected, there was an informal orientation session held by the clerks of the two chambers. Legislators received handouts on how to perform their jobs, he said.

Serving in the General Assembly is different from anything else, though Ballantine said the new orientation program likely will lessen new legislators' shock at the fast pace of the legislature.

But, he said, whether or not new members are prepared, the pace of the General Assembly continues unabated.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.