Fresh-faced Nevada legislators schooled on everything from diet to lawmaking

CARSON CITY – Before the nitty-gritty of lawmaking begins in February, newbie Nevada legislators fresh off the campaign trail need to know the basics.

Orientation began last week for 17 freshman Assembly and Senate members who’ve never served in the Legislature. It was a three-day crash course on everything from learning where the restrooms are and how to use the Legislature’s computer system to tips on dealing with constituents, the press, lobbyists — and one another.

REQUIRED COURSE

A bill passed by the 2011 Legislature made the crash course mandatory for all new lawmakers. The mandate came as a result of term limits imposed by voters in 1996 that restricted legislators to 12 years of service in both the Assembly and the Senate.

As longtime lawmakers were barred from returning, they were replaced by fresh faces with no experience. In the past, they would learn the ropes by observing the process and from legislative veterans.

“Once term limits kicked in a significant percentage of seats were filled with legislators who were new to the legislative process, and it became clear that they would not be able to take time to learn the process on their own,” said Rick Combs, director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

“With session limited to 120 days, the learning curve is short, so leadership at the time believed that training would help make new legislators as productive as possible once a session convened,” Combs said.

Last week’s training also introduced lawmakers to the resources available through the LCB, the nonpartisan staff of legal, fiscal and research experts who keep the legislative process running.

ADVICE FROM COLLEAGUES

Some helpful insight came from colleagues who were freshman themselves not long ago.

“You’re going to gain weight,” Democratic Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson of North Las Vegas advised.

Long days that often stretch late into the evening means hours of sitting. The abundance of candy and other goodies, plus lots of dining out, are a prescription for expanding waistlines.

“Love the new you,” Thompson quipped.

State Sen. Patricia Farley, a newly nonpartisan lawmaker from Las Vegas, and Assemblywoman Robin Titus, R-Wellington, stressed the need to exercise.

Titus said she strives to get in a morning run. Both say exercise will help control weight gain and reduce stress.

“Take a walk,” Farley advised. “Join a gym.”

Another word of caution: You will get sick. It happens every session. It’s winter, it’s flu season, there is contact with lots of people. The Legislature building is a germy place.

Titus, a physician, stressed the importance of frequent handwashing and use of sanitizer. “Please wash your hands because people will be shaking them all the time,” she said.

If someone does feel ill, Titus keeps a blood-pressure cuff and a stethoscope in a drawer in her office.

When it comes to bills and the legislative process, the three returning lawmakers say it’s important to build relationships with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and to reach out to lobbyists on opposite sides of an issue.

“Don’t hold grudges. Don’t get upset,” Farley said.

When presenting a bill before a committee, its best to write out your testimony beforehand instead of trying to wing it.

Other advice from Thompson:

“Learn to say no in a nice way,” he said.

And be prepared for disappointment.

Not every bill will pass. Some end up in the committee chairman’s drawer and never get a hearing. Others are used as bargaining chips in the final frantic days before sine die, a Latin term that refers to an indefinite adjournment. They might survive, they might not.

“Get yourself ready to swallow that pill,” Thompson said.

MORE TRAINING TO COME

The November orientation session was the first of three that freshman lawmakers will attend before Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval gives his State of the State address in January and the 2017 Legislature convenes on Feb. 6.

A policy briefing session will be held in December. The incoming legislators will visit state agencies to meet with administrative staff, learn about what they do and hear about challenges they face.

A third session will be in January and is called the academy phase. That training includes learning how bills are enacted, an overview of the budget process and hands-on exercises on how committee hearings and floor sessions are conducted.

Though their terms began Nov. 9 — the day after Election Day — they will be sworn in as members of the 2017 Legislature on Feb. 6 with pomp and well-wishes. After that, it’s a marathon that won’t end until midnight June 5.

Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3821. Follow @SandraChereb on Twitter.