Background
NCSL is an organization of both legislators and legislative staff; staff play a key role in its governance. Three of the seven NCSL officers are legislative staff, and 20 legislative staff serve on the Executive Committee. In addition, staff serve along with legislators as members of the twelve Standing Committees of NCSL. The coordinating body for NCSL services and activities for legislative staff is the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee, composed of the officers, Executive Committee members, staff section chairs, staff chairs and vice chairs of the Standing Committees and other appointees of the staff chair. Staff sections and the Standing Committees are two of the ways that legislative staff can become more involved in the work of the conference.
NCSL Executive Committee Legislative Staff Officers
Staff Chair
Gary VanLandingham
Director, Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA)
Florida
Staff Vice Chair
Nancy Cyr
Legal Counsel, Legislative Research Division
Nebraska
Immediate Past Staff Chair
Secretary-Treasurer, NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures
Sharon Crouch Steidel
Director, Information Systems
Virginia House of Delegates
Staff Sections, Staff Networks and NCSL Liaisons
American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries (ASLCS)
ASLCS Home Page
President: Millicent MacFarland, Maine, President, ASLCS
NCSL Staff: Angela Andrews
E-Mail: angela.andrews@ncsl.org
Attracts the chief parliamentary officers and staff involved with the lawmaking and administrative processes of state legislatures. As the oldest staff section, the society hosts an annual professional development seminar, publishes a regular newsletter and a professional journal, and prints a membership directory. The society's committees often undertake special projects and surveys on legislative procedure and process. The society also maintains close relations with its Canadian, Central American and Mexican counterparts.
Leadership Staff Section (LSS)
Leadership Staff Section Home Page
Chair: Thomas Wright, Finance Committee Assistant, Office of Representative Chenault, Alaska
NCSL Staff: Brian Weberg
E-Mail: brian.weberg@ncsl.org
Attracts legislative staff who work directly for legislative leaders or legislative party caucuses on policy research, constituent services, public information and administration. The focal point of the section's activities is its annual fall training conference, which includes management skills workshops, leadership training and topical briefings. The section also sponsors a wide array of programs at the NCSL Legislative Summit and publishes a periodic newsletter, Leadership Notes.
Legal Services Staff Section (LSSS)
Legal Services Home Page
Chair: Lisa Sandberg, Staff Attorney, Legislative Service Commission, Ohio
NCSL Staff: Kae Warnock
E-Mail: kae.warnock@ncsl.org
All employees of member legislatures of the NCSL who are involved in bill drafting, legal research, statutory and administrative rule compilation and publication, administrative rules review, litigation, and other legal services are members of LSSS. It constitutes the only national legal professional organization dedicated to the needs of legislative attorneys and other paralegal legislative staff.
LSSS meets annually in conjunction with NCSL's Legislative Summit and sponsors a fall training seminar exclusively for legal staff. Legal services education sessions are sponsored by LSSS at all of its meetings. LSSS sessions generally include topics from five distinct areas of interest to LSSS members: legal; management; staffing; legal publications; and administrative rules.
Legislative Information and Communications Staff Section (LINCS)
LINCS Home Page
Chair: Michael Murphy, Senate Public Information Director, Alabama
NCSL Staff: Meagan Dorsch
E-Mail: meagan.dorsch@ncsl.org
Serves state legislative staff with public information or media relations responsibilities, including public information officers, press secretaries, broadcast staff, writers, producers and civic education directors. LINCS sponsors sessions at the NCSL Legislative Summit and hosts an annual seminar on developing communication and media trends. The staff section publishes a newsletter for members called The Voice.
Legislative Research Librarians Staff Section (LRL)
LRL Home Page
Chair: Jacqueline Curro, Legislative Librarian, Department of Legislative Services, Maryland
NCSL Staff: Heather Morton
E-Mail: heather.morton@ncsl.org
Connects librarians and information specialists in legislative agencies. The section sponsors an extensive schedule of programs at the NCSL Legislative Summit and conducts an annual professional development seminar. Each of these meetings focuses on current developments in information and library management, information technology, and legislative research. The section publishes a newsletter (LRL Newsline) and an annual directory, and is continuously developing professional tools.
National Association of Legislative Fiscal Offices (NALFO)
NALFO Home Page
President: Nandana Kalupahana, Committee Clerk, House Committee on Finance, Hawaii
NCSL Staff: Arturo Pérez
E-Mail: arturo.perez@ncsl.org
Brings together staff involved in fiscal analysis and budget and revenue review for state legislatures. The association sponsors research projects and professional development programs for fiscal analysts. The association provides a wide range of programs at the NCSL Legislative Summit and at the Fiscal Analysts Seminar.
National Association of Legislative Information Technology (NALIT)
NALIT Home Page
Chair: Duncan Goss, Director, Information Technology, Legislative Council, Vermont
NCSL Staff: Pam Greenberg
E-Mail: pam.greenberg@ncsl.org
Brings together legislative staff involved in the management and technical development of information systems and computer services in state legislatures. The association publishes a newsletter and has an on-line directory. The focal point of the association's activities is its annual fall training conference, which offers two training tracks--one for technical specialists and one for managers and others interested in information technology. The association also sponsors programs at the NCSL Legislative Summit.
National Legislative Program Evaluation Society (NLPES)
NLPES Home Page
Chair: Jan Yamane, Deputy Auditor/General Counsel, Office of the Auditor, Hawaii
NCSL Staff: Bob Boerner
E-Mail: bob.boerner@ncsl.org
Includes employees of state legislative agencies engaged in program evaluation or performance auditing. NLPES promotes professionalism, training, and the exchange of ideas and information about legislative program evaluation. NLPES sponsors a major training seminar annually for all levels of staff, and in-depth workshops and concurrent sessions at the NCSL Legislative Summit. Three times a year, the society publishes NLPES News on evaluation activities and studies.
National Legislative Services and Security Association (NLSSA)
NLSSA Home Page
President: Clarence Russ, Chief Sergeant at Arms, House of Representatives, Louisiana
NCSL Staff: Morgan Cullen
E-Mail: morgan.cullen@ncsl.org
Brings together sergeants-at-arms, security personnel and administrative staff for state legislatures. NLSSA also has a legislator advisory committee. NLSSA publishes a newsletter and an annual directory of its members. An annual training conference serves as the focal point of the association's professional development activities, and regional meetings offer members an opportunity for communication and training. The association also sponsors programs and workshops at the NCSL Legislative Summit.
Research and Committee Staff Section (RACSS)
RACSS Home Page
Chair: Phil Price, Legislative Committee Staff Administrator, Bureau of Legislative Research, Arkansas
NCSL Staff: Jeanne Mejeur
E-Mail: jeanne.mejeur@ncsl.org
Membership of the Research and Committee Staff Section includes staff from legislative research offices, agencies, committees, caucuses and policy offices. This section promotes information exchange among the states and offers professional development opportunities for legislative staff. The section presents programs in conjunction with the NCSL Legislative Summit (Annual Meeting) and presents an annual Professional Development Seminar each Fall. RACSS publishes a period newsletter, maintains an online directory of key research contacts, and provides a home page for staff section news, announcements and resources.
Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN)
LESN Home Page
Co-Chair (NCSL): Shirley Iorio, Legislative Analyst, North Carolina
Co-Chair (ECS): Kristopher Nordstrom, Fiscal Analyst, North Carolina
NCSL Staff: Sara Shelton
E-mail: sara.shelton@ncsl.org
This network represents all legislative staff with responsibility for education policy. LESN is cosponsored by NCSL and the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Activities include an on-line discussion group, the compiling and maintenance of a directory of legislative education staff, and 2-3 seminars per year in conjunction with NCSL and ECS meetings. An eight person steering committee (four selected by NCSL and four selected by ECS) oversees LESN activities.
NCSL Staff Contacts
You can get additional information on NCSL staff programs and services from the NCSL Denver office (303) 364-7700. Contact:
Brian Weberg
E-Mail: brian.weberg@ncsl.org
file updated November 11, 2008 | 
