NCSL ON-SITE TRAINING

(For veteran Legislators)

This session will address legislative intent and statutory interpretation, plus cover ways to draft bills in an artful manner. In addition to scrutinizing language, we will discuss common errors. We will examine terms of art; ordinary meaning vs. dictionary meaning vs. meaning as a whole; and “versus or”; and “shall versus may”. And find out what are some of the judicial considerations to consider when drafting artfully?

Different ways to approach drafting when considering different topics.

What happens if you play soccer or baseball without knowing the rules? You’ll get lost – and you’ll lose. The same goes for legislating. This crash course provides a basic understanding of the legislative rules of procedure, why you need to know about them, and why they area building block of legislative institutions. We walk through frequently asked questions about the rules, who can answer them, and where else you can turn for guidance.

Traditional business and legal negotiation practices have centered on an oppositional, zero-sum game approach that seeks clear winners and losers.  But negotiation in the legislative realm is different in many ways, with multiple stakeholders, complex interests, and both policy and political considerations to balance. In this workshop, legislators will learn to identify their primary interests, and the interests of their negotiating partner, develop creative options to circumvent roadblocks, preserve relationships with their negotiating partners for future interactions and more. Participants will engage in negotiation simulations designed specifically for the legislative setting. The goal of this hands-on training is to develop the skills and creativity necessary to engage in successful negotiation practices that produce more optimal outcomes.

Location: Port Authority Conference Room

·       Communication Styles

·       Managing Generational Differences