Resources for Legislators

Compiled by Marian Rogers, January 2001
http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/tapthepower.htm

Blue Book. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. (328.3/W7c) This almanac of Wisconsin government has been published since 1853. The library has circulating copies of the 1901-1999 editions. The reference collection has a complete noncirculating set of this 84 edition series: 1853-1999. Recent Blue Books online: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/pubs/index.html#BlBk

Congratulations! You Won! 15 Tips for Being an Effective Legislator - A How To Handbook for State Lawmakers. National Conference of State Legislatures, 1995. (328.142/N212d) Offers ". . . a compilation of practical wisdom from legislators - veterans, novices, leaders and rank-and-file members." -preface.

Drawing the Line: Legislative Ethics in the States. Alan Rosenthal, 1996. (322/R72) This book aims ". . . to apply ethical principles, reasoning, and judgment to the problems that are encountered by legislators in the fifty states." -book jacket.

Encyclopedia of the American Legislative System. Joel H. Silbey, editor in chief, 1994, 3 volumes. (Ref/328.1/Si3) (noncirculating) Contains articles on legislative structure, procedure, the electoral process, committees, rules, and powers.

How to Give a Damn Good Speech Even When You Have No Time to Prepare; Including Historical Anecdotes for Each Day of the Year. Philip R. Theibert, 1997. (374.5/T34) An easy-to- use guide to speech writing.

Inside the Legislative Process. American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries in cooperation with the National Conference of State Legislatures, 1998, updated December 2000. (328.4/N21d) This publication ". . . is nationally recognized as a valuable research tool that provides some of the best information on state legislative processes and procedures." -page 1-1.

The Legislative Process in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 1993. (328.4/W7b9) Reprint of the feature article in the 1993-1994 Wisconsin Blue Book. Explains legislative organization, bill drafting, legislative procedure, and gubernatorial action. Contains a case study of a bill, a glossary, sources of legislative information, and a selected bibliography.

Legislative Staff Services: Profiles of the 50 States and Territories. National Conference of State Legislatures, 1999. (328.2/N21b) Provides details of committee, fiscal, and legal staff structures in the 50 states.

Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure. National Conference of State Legislatures in cooperation with the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries, Paul Mason, 2000. (328.4/M38/2000) This revised edition is designed ". . . to assist legislators and staff and ensure more efficient legislative bodies." -page xxxiii.

Protocol: A Handbook for Legislative Staff. National Conference of State Legislatures and National Legislative Services and Security Association, 1997. (341.22/N21b) "The purpose of this manual is to provide information on protocol at the state level and to offer legislative staff standards for developing state protocol in any areas where the information may not be available." -page 1.

Secrets of Power Presentations. William Hendricks, 1996. (374.5/H38) A guide to help the public speaker control fears, outline and organize a presentation, polish delivery and hold the audience's attention, and develop skills as a trainer.

The Wisconsin State Constitution: A Reference Guide. Jack Stark, 1997. (Ref/342.32/St2) (noncirculating) ". . . a comprehensive, convenient, and accessible resource on the Wisconsin Constitution for both lawyers and non-lawyers alike." -page xviii.

Audiotapes and Videotapes

How to Be an Effective Legislator - Advice from the Experts. National Conference of State Legislatures, 1996. (328.142/N212c) (Audiotapes and guidebooks.) Vol.1: Legislative process, managing the budget, and dealing with the media. Vol.2: Building consensus. Vol.3: Chairing a committee.

Plain Language Bill Drafting. National Conference of State Legislatures, Legal Services Section, [1994]. (328.44/N21b) A presentation at the National Conference of State Legislature's 1994 annual meeting, this 67-minute videotape discusses plain language drafting theory and technique.

Through the Swinging Doors: Wisconsin Lobbyists at Work. Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists, Incorporated, [1997]. (325.7/As7a) Although some of the persons interviewed have left the Wisconsin Legislature, this 23-minute videotape is ". . . intended to provide an insight into and an appreciation for the . . . role of the lobbyist in the process of lawmaking . . ." -tape preface.

Wisconsin Legislative Service Agencies

Joint Legislative Council: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lc/ "The Council's primary responsibility is to establish study committees to examine major issues and problems identified by the Legislature." -web page. This site has links to study committees, publications, standing committees, administrative rules, and staff contact information. A search engine is available.

Legislative Audit Bureau: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lab/ ". . . conducts objective audits and evaluations of state agency operations to ensure financial transactions have been made in a legal and proper manner and to determine whether programs are administered effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with the policies of the Legislature and the Governor." -web page. This site has links to reports, audits in progress, and staff contact information as well as general agency information.

Legislative Fiscal Bureau: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/ ". . . provides fiscal and program information and analyses to the Wisconsin Legislature, its committees and individual legislators." -web page. Has links to many of its fiscal publications, as well as information on the bureau and the Joint Committee on Finance.

Legislative Reference Bureau: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/ Created in 1901, "[t]he LRB was the first legislative agency in the nation to provide a state legislature with unbiased and professional assistance in the formal lawmaking process."-web page. This site provides links to publications, the various sections of the bureau, and the Index to legislation and Wisconsin Acts. Early in 2001, access to the Theobald Legislative Library via a web-based online public access catalog will be available.

Legislative Technology Services Bureau: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/ltsb This agency ". . . is the single point of responsibility committed to providing timely information technology services and support for the Wisconsin Legislature and the Bureaus that serve the Legislature."-web page. Has information on LTSB teams, automation projects, and the strategic technology plan.

Revisor of Statutes Bureau: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/rsb/ Provides information on Wisconsin statutes and annotations; Wisconsin administrative code and register; Supreme Court rules; opinions of the Attorney General; and information about WisLaw on CD-ROM.

Other Useful Web Sites:

BadgerLink: www.badgerlink.net/ A product of the Reference & Loan Library (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction), this database provides free access to thousands of magazines and newspapers, state and federal government sites, and other information.

Council of State Governments (CSG): www.statesnews.org/ "CSG provides a network for identifying and sharing ideas with state leaders." -web page. This site includes breaking news, a database of CSG research, and numerous other resources.

GPO Access: www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/ A service of the U.S. Government Printing Office. The goal of this site is to provide ". . .free electronic access to a wealth of important information products produced by the Federal Government. The information provided on this site is the official, published version and the information retrieved from GPO Access can be used without restriction, unless specifically noted." -web page.

National Conference of State Legislatures: www.ncsl.org The Conference ". . .is a bipartisan organization dedicated to serving the lawmakers and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. The Conference is a source for research, publications, consulting services, meetings and seminars. It is the national conduit for lawmakers to communicate with one another and share ideas." -web page. Includes links to state and legislative web sites, publications, and policy issues of current interest. The site also provides a search engine.

What's New for Government (WNFG): www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dltcl/rll/indwnfg.html A selective list of recent books, Wisconsin state documents, and audiovisual materials of interest to state employees. Materials are available for loan to state employees from the Wisconsin Reference & Loan Library.

Clippings: (Noncirculating; available for use in the library; clippings prior to 1981 are on microfiche)

  • Legislatures - Members: 328.14/W7z (obituaries of Wisconsin legislators and former legislators); 328.14/Z (biographies of Wisconsin legislators arranged alphabetically)
  • Legislatures - State: 328.11/W7z (Wisconsin); 328.11/Z (other states)

In addition to clippings on the above topics, the Theobald Legislative Library contains clippings on over 1,900 subjects. The clippings are classified by topic and are placed on the library shelves with cataloged library items about the same topic.