Legislative Handbook

The Legislative Handbook is prepared by the Legislative Service Office under the direction of the Management Council.

It is intended to serve as a quick reference to answer a myriad of practical questions about the day to day operations of the Wyoming legislature.

The Table of Contents provides a quick summary of the contents of this Handbook. There is also a detailed Index which contains references both to this Handbook and to information contained in other related publications.

Suggestions for changes or improvements to the Legislative Handbook should be addressed to the director of the Legislative Service Office.

There exist a number of other publications which contain important information for legislators relating to the operation of state government generally and to various aspects of the legislative process in particular. This Handbook is not intended to duplicate or replace those publications but to fill in some gaps in information not previously available in a formal published format.

Appendix 1 to this Handbook provides a directory of a number of other related publications and includes a brief synopsis of the type of information contained in each.

Introduction

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I. THE LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OFFICE

1. Creation

2. Operation Under Direction of Council

3. Office Functions

4. Office Structure

5. Office Philosophy and Operation

6. Legislative Budget

7. Bill Drafting

8. Administrative Services

9. LSO Update

CHAPTER II. CLERICAL/ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

1. Clerical Assistance/Typing

2. Distribution of Bills

3. Fax

4. Keys

5. Legislative Directories

6. Lobbyist Registration

7. Mail and Postage

8. Parking

9. Photocopying Services

10. Photos

11. Seating Assignments

12. Supplies and Materials

(a) Desk Plate and Name tag

(b) Parking Stickers

(d) Stationary and Business Cards

(e) Wyoming Statutes & Mason's Manual

13. Telephone Services

14. Information Technology (Computer) Services

CHAPTER III. COMPENSATION/TRAVEL EXPENSES

A. FINANCE & TRAVEL GUIDELINES

1. Required Forms

2. Legislative Compensation

3. Session Compensation Policies

4. Interim Compensation Policies

5. Out-of-State Travel Policies

6. Payroll, Taxes, and Voucher Information

B. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONCERNING TRAVEL EXPENSE

VOUCHERS

C. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONCERNING OUT-OF-STATE

MEETINGS

CHAPTER IV. BILL/AMENDMENT DRAFTING

1. Requesting a Bill Draft

2. Finding Sample or Model Legislation

3. Bill Drafting Priorities

4. Confidentiality of Bill Drafts

5. Sponsor Approval of Bill Drafts/Cosponsors

6. Fiscal Notes for Bill Drafts

7. Prefiling and Assignment of Bill Numbers

8. Limit on Number of Bills

9. Bill Introduction Deadline

10. Amendment Procedures

(a) Requesting an Amendment

(b) Amendment Drafting Priorities

(d) Sponsor Approval of Amendments

(e) Amendment Cosponsors

11. Resolutions

(a) Formal Resolutions

(b) Informal Resolutions

CHAPTER V. MISC. SESSION PROCEDURES & OPERATIONS

1. Rules and Manuals Governing General Operating Procedures

2. Legislative Ethics and Conflict of Interest

3. Lobbyists

4. Press

5. Monitoring Progress of Bills

6. Presentation of Bill to Standing Committee

7. Legislative Interns-Aides & Clerical Assistants

(a) Student Intern Program

(b) Legislative Aides

8. Contacting Legislators During Session

9. Visitors to House or Senate

10. Session Staff

11. Courtesy Fund

12. House and Senate Coffee Rooms

13. Committee Meetings - Compliance with ADA

CHAPTER VI. INTERIM ACTIVITIES & OPERATIONS

A. INTERIM COMMITTEES

1. Formation and Function

2. Interim Studies

3. Assignment of Committee Staff

4. Interim Committee Meetings

5. Compliance with ADA

B. CONSTITUENT SERVICES

C. SPECIAL INTERIM EVENTS

1. School for New Legislators

3. Budget Briefing

CHAPTER VII. BUDGET/FISCAL INFORMATION

1. Budget Process-Executive Branch

(a) Budget Period

(b) Standard, Exception & Expanded Budget Requests

(d) Supplemental Budget Requests

2. Budget Process-Joint Appropriations Committee

(a) Staff Analysis

(b) JAC Budget Hearings

3. JAC Interim Work

4. LSO Budget/Fiscal Staff Responsibilities

(a) Education Finance-Fiscal Profiles/Analysis

(b) Revenue Projections-Revenue Committee

5. Consensus Revenue Estimating Group (CREG)

(a) CREG Membership

(b) Development of CREG Estimates

(d) Contents of CREG Reports

6. LSO Budget/Fiscal Reports

(a) Budget Books

(b) Fiscal Profile

(d) Quarterly Revenue Update

CHAPTER VIII. PROGRAM EVALUATION

1. What is Program Evaluation?

2. Who Chooses the Topics?

3. How Does Staff Do the Research?

4. But don't Evaluators have biases?

5. How are Agencies protected during the process?

6. What about Confidentiality?

7. What Happens After a Report is Released?

8. Why Did the Legislature Create the Program Evaluation Function?

9. What's in it (Program Evaluation) for Legislators?

10. Recent Program Evaluations

CHAPTER IX. ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

1. Agency Rulemaking Authority

2. Legislative Rule Review Process

(a) LSO Rule Review Report

(b) Management Council Action on Rules

3. Notice to Legislators Concerning Pending Rules

CHAPTER X. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

1. Membership in National Organizations

2. Legal Opinions on Pending Legislation

APPENDICES:

1. Directory of Related Publications

2. LSO Organizational Chart

INDEX