Nuts and bolts of the legislative session

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Nuts and bolts of the legislative session
Wednesday, January 07, 2009

How to contact your legislators:

In person: Look for legislators in the House or Senate chamber or in their offices. Volunteer pages (usually schoolchildren) will carry messages to legislators in the chamber. The public is not allowed on the House or Senate floor. Legislators will often leave the chamber to meet with anyone who summons them via a page, especially if its one of their constituents. Page desks are directly in front of the main doors leading to both chambers. Legislators offices are inside the Capitol and across Mitchell Street in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building. Be prepared to pass through metal detectors.

Online: The General Assembly's home page links to House and Senate members by name and by district. The directory lists the legislators office phone and e-mail. Some legislators also list home address and phone.

The White Book: Has photographs and bios of all 236 legislators. Download a copy from www.legis.state.ga.us (click on picture book at the bottom of the page).

Who are my legislators?
Use the Secretary of States poll locator service to learn your House and Senate districts and who represents you: www.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/Locator.asp.

How to track bills:

In person: Find copies of bills in the House clerks office (Room 309) and the secretary of the Senates office (Room 353). Each has a desk where you can request a bill. Committee hearing notices are posted daily on a bulletin board outside both offices.

House clerks office: 404-656-5015; Secretary of the Senates office: 404-656-5040.

Online: Go to www.legis.state.ga.us and click on the legislation icon under either the House or the Senate, depending on where the bill you are tracking originated. This allows you to view the bill in its entirety, track it through committees and see roll call votes. How to watch the action:
Business begins most days in the House and Senate chambers at 10 a.m., but legislators often arrive before that time. If you want to catch a legislator before the days session, try waiting at the velvet ropes outside the chamber. Each chamber also has a gallery on the fourth floor of the Capitol overlooking the floor. The hallways on the third floor have TV monitors that carry live feeds from the House and Senate. You will have to jockey with the lobbyists crowding the hallways for a good spot. The live video feeds are also available online at www.legis.state.ga.us.

How to follow the money:
At the State Ethics Commissions Web site - ethics.ga.gov - click on report search to see campaign finance disclosures, lobbyist disclosure reports and lawmakers personal finance disclosures. You can also request hard copies at the commissions offices in the James H. Sloppy Floyd Building. Call 404-463-1980 or 1-866-589-7327 for information.

How to speak at hearings:
The real work on bills is done in committees, and thats the place to weigh in on them. Contact committee members by phone, mail or e-mail to make your voice heard. Speaking in person before a committee, though, is one of the most effective ways to reach legislators. The experience can be a little daunting, but legislators sometimes appreciate hearing from the little guy. Most committees have a sign-up sheet for speakers. Try to keep your remarks short and to the point.

Cool stuff to see:
The Georgia Capitol Museum, fourth floor. History of the Capitol and the state.
The Capitol grounds feature more than a dozen monuments, including statues of several former governors, and a replica of the Statue of Liberty.

Find this article at: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/01/07/georgia_legislature_guide.html