Monica,  You asked me to give a summary of the happenings in Concord in case I was late for the Wednesday Meet-up.  Here it is.
 
The week before Thanksgiving a three day orientation for newly elected legislators was held in Concord.  On Tuesday we picked up our orientation packets with enough reading material to last us for a month.  Then after coffee and donuts we gathered in the LOB (Legislative Office Building) for our official welcome conducted by the Hon. Sheila Fancoeur, Speaker Pro-Tem and chairman of the orientation committee.  We heard speeches by Gean Chandler, Speaker of the House and Thomas Eaton Senate President.
 
Then we had a lecture o n the mechanics of researching, requesting and drafting a bill.  Carol Holahan Director of Legislative Services told us how her department assists us and does the research for putting together the draft form of the bill and all the steps it takes before it is ready to present to our committees.  Attornerys also check the language and make sure it is correct before it is ready to present for a vote.
 
Next we heard about committee responsibilities, process, protocol and procedures and the role of lobbyists.  Committee members from Commerce, Criminal Justice, Education, Judiciary, Public Works, and Recources, Recreation & Development took each of us assigned to that committee into the committee rooms and we held a mock meeting with a lobbyist in attendance.  My committee assignment was Public Works.  The lobbyist presented his appeal to get a contract on part of the 10 year NH bill to build and repair roads and bridges.  That particular bill was an inch and a half thick.  The committee members and chairman told us as Representatives we were entitled to receive a copy of every bill presented during the session.  There can be as many as 1,000 bills presented in a year.  They recommended not to request each and every bill as it was almost impossible to read every bill.  Instead they recommended that we request only those bills of particular interest to us or our constituents.
 
We were also informed that we don't have offices.  What we do get is a deep drawer in the table in the room of our committee assignment.  Also we can apply for a locker (just like high school lockers) but that there are only 340 lockers and 400 legislators.  so if we were willing to share our chances would be better of getting one.  I volunteered to share with a Rep from the Grantham area.
 
Then came lunch during which we were informed that in addition to our responsibilities to our districts, we were also responsible to the County.  A delegation from the counties hosted our lunch and told of their functions and the role we played in voting on their budgets etc.  After lunch we were given a tour of both the LOB and the State House.  Later that afternoon we got a briefing from the media and computer information group.
 
That evening we had a social at the Upham Walker House.  Got to meet many people and found out that we had picked up 30 new Democrats in the recent election. 
 
Wednesday we had talks on Legislative Essentials.  This included the duties and responsibilities of the Speaker of the House, the House Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms, Protective Services, Legislative Accounting and a long talk from the Ethics Committee.  I thought it ironic that the Speaker of the House was there while we were lectured about the need to declare everything and emphasized over and over the House Rules.
 
Next we continued the tour of the LOB and State House.  After lunch in the House cafeteria we got another lecture on professional conduct.  This included a speech on Legislators and Professionalism from the Hon. Walter E. Freed Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.  Other topics discussed were Perspectives on Professionalism, Sexual Harassment, and What are the Standards of Professional Conduct for You?  Standards included procedure in addressing the House in session, proper protocol and proper conduct in chambers.
 
That evening we had another social.  Here there was lobbying for another Rep. running for the role of Speaker of the House against Gene Chandler.  All of the sessions and committee meetings so far had been conducted by Republicans since they still hold a majority in both the House and the Senate.  The new Representatives were not identifiable as to party affiliation unless you engaged in conversation and asked.  The people conducting the orientation all wore brass lapel pins in the shape of the state of NH and were Republicans.
 
Thursday we met in Representatives Hall for a mock opening of the House.  It was a joint session with the Senate.  A runner was sent to invite the Senate to join us in the House.  He came back saying they had accepted.  Then we all stood as the 24 Senators joined us.
 
Next we had speakers explaining the role of the Legislator regarding lawmaking, committee work, constituent services, county delegation responsibilities and a general oversight of all State Government functions. Then came an explanation of defferent leadership positions and titles; what they mean and do.  We were told what caucuses are all about and the importance of partisan politics.  Then there was a joint wrap-up by Gene Chandler, Sheila Fancoeur, and Thomas Eaton.
 
We Democrats went to lunch.  Our newly elected Governor John Lynch came by to greet all of us newly elected Reps.  That meant a lot to us. Afterwards we re-convened at 2:00 PM to hear each of the 4 candidates running for Party Leadership speak and answer questions.  They were all good candidates and gave compelling reasons of why we need strong leadership as a minority party.  They also expressed a very positive outlook compared to what had been happening these past two years with Gov Benson and the Republican majority running roughshod over everyone.  Now with 30 additional House Democrats, 2 new Senators and finally a Democratic Governor everyone was really hopeful that we could really accomplish things in the coming session. While we were listening to our 4 candidates the Republicans were nominating their Speaker of the House.  As it turned out in spite of his being investigated by the ethics committee and all the publicity about Gene Chandler and his accepting $64,000 from lobbyists and friends, he got 187 out of 253 votes.  His opponent only got 36 votes which means there were 30 blanks or no confidence ballots cast.  This ended our orientation.       
 
We were called back to Concord on Saturday to vote for our Minority Leader.  The full House was asked to attend. 134 were there.  The balloting was done in secret.  My candidate was Representative Terie Norelli from Portsmouth.  She had done a fabulous job in recruiting and sponsoring people to run for office all over the state.  She chaired the Committee to Elect House Democrats and traveled everywhere helping, advising, and giving support.  I also looked at her record and she sponsored significant legislation last session and has served 3 terms.  Her bill last session to raise the minimum wage was killid by one vote which was cast by the Speaker of the House since the legislature was equally divided 200 to 200.  On the first ballot she got 51 votes which was not enough to be the majority.  On the second ballot one candidate dropped out but there was still not a majority.  On the third ballot another candidate dropped out and in the final vote Terie lost by one vote.  So Jim Craig became our new Democratic Leader.
 
This past Tuesday I was called back to Concord for an interview with the new Leader.  We discovered that we had something in common having both lived in Munich for a number of years.  During the interview I expressed my preferences for committee assignments.  My first choice is Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs.  Second choice is Resources, Recreation and Park Services.  Though it has a strange title, it has to do with water and air pollution.  My third choice is Education.  There are a total of 20 committees and 20 members to a committee.  Members are selected in proportion to the majority and minority parties.  Thant means all committees are chaired by Republicans and they have 14 members to 6 Democrats.
 
That brings us up to date.  I will be in Concord for the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday 1 December.  At that time we will also elect the Speaker of the House.  Things will be quite different than we anticipated since on Monday we heard that  the Ethics Committee met and that Gene Chandler has resigned.  I hope to attend our regular Meet-up and report the results Wednesday night.        Marcia