Those who’ve been elected to the General Assembly can start working on legislation even before they are inaugurated.
 
The Legislative Service Commission works with freshmen state senators and representatives on crafting bills before they formally join the body in January.
 
LSC Director Mark Flanders said incoming members are treated as current members.
 
“They can start using us to develop their bills since we work only for the members of the General Assembly, even though they won’t be sworn in until January, we are available to them for working out ideas,” Flanders said, adding that the commission writes the bills much like it does for sitting members.
 
Working with the commission is part of a candidate’s training to become a lawmaker.
 
“We don’t have a formal training class or anything, but we will eagerly meet with any of them to help them develop their ideas,” Flanders said, adding that legislators ask the commission for advice on how to achieve the desired effect for their idea for a bill. The commission first explains what current law says about a particular subject, then offers direction for how to change it, Flanders said.
 
State Representative-elect John Carney (D-Dublin) has set up a meeting with Flanders this month to begin working on health care and workforce training legislation.  
 
“As representative-elect, you can actually start working on drafting legislation now, so there’s really no reason to wait in trying to get up to speed on the process, as well as getting a better understanding of the staff you’re going to be working with,” Carney said.