Orientation ongoing for 47 new Arkansas House members

The 47 new members of the Arkansas House represent the largest class to ever come through the state capitol. There are 24 Republicans and 23 Democrats in the bunch. Their backgrounds include small business owners, retirees, attorneys and former locally elected officials.

This week, the freshmen are learning how the bill filing process works, how to maneuver through parliamentary procedure and what resources exist for legislative research, according to this report from Talk Business.

They’ve elected leaders to represent their large caucus. Mark Biviano, a Searcy Republican, will chair the freshmen group, serving as a conduit to House leadership and management.

There is a lighter side to the initiation, too. Their pictures are being taken for the large gallery frames that will grace the marble corridors of the capitol for decades to come. Through the orientation process and several social events, they are staying well-fed and building camaraderie.

Charlie Collins, a Fayetteville Republican, says the week has been helpful from a technical standpoint, but the psychology and sociology of the orientation has also been important.

"I think we’re also getting a lot of opportunity to interact with each other, so people are getting to learn a little bit about where people stand with different things and how people come to this assembly in terms of what their objectives are," Collins said.

Lane Jean, a Republican from Magnolia, has wasted little time getting to a primary requirement of his newly elected position: filing legislation.

Jean is one of several House freshmen who have already pre-filed a bill. His measure would further reduce the sales tax on utilities for manufacturers, a policy change that the business community has advocated for nearly 4 years. Others have filed bills to buck the federal mandate for businesses to provide health insurance, change the state’s nickname, or clarify illegal immigration policy in the state.

Democrat John Walker, a prominent Little Rock civil rights attorney who may be one of the more media-savvy and higher-profile freshmen, has been impressed with the organization of the week and its imparted wisdom.

"We’re basically being taught how to be legislators," said Walker. "It is important to maintain flow, especially during a busy, short period of time."

A typical legislative session will last around 90 days and involves nearly 3,000 bills being filed. Walker added that he’d be ready to hit the ground running when the General Assembly convenes on January 10, 2011.

When the week is over, the education process won’t be. New lawmakers have been given briefings, documents and rulebooks to peruse in order to master the House rules and to be effective in their short legislative terms.

The House staff conducting the training, led by veteran House Parliamentarian Tim Massanelli, received high praise from all freshmen interviewed.

Massanelli’s team seems to have communicated another important lesson to these incoming freshmen.

Rep.-elect Collins said Massanelli has given him the best advice so far: "Anything you think of, or want, or need, just remember from our perspective, it’s times 100."