The non partisan attorneys in the Legislative Commissioners Office (LCO) have been churning out legislative language at a record pace this session. Although the short sessions used to turn out significantly fewer pieces of legislation than the five month long session, the past several years it seems volumes of work are being squeezed into three short months. The sheer number of bills has gotten so out of hand that speculation has it that legislative leaders asked LCO to ease up on the pace of releasing language.

We are about mid session at this point, right in the heart of public hearing season with committee JF deadlines beginning to hit this week and committee meetings popping up all over the building. It is not out of the ordinary at this point to hear a bill on Monday in a committee and then find out Tuesday morning that the bill will be up for a final vote on Wednesday.

Because of the close proximity of committee deadlines, a vast majority of approved bills are being sent to either the House or Senate Chambers to keep them alive for the time being. It not uncommon to lose a very important bill in a committee because it got lost in the transfer or it fell through the cracks because a committee clerk assumed that the other committee clerk knew how important it was to the originating committee.

Each chamber's screening committees, in turn, are working overtime to get bills back into the process as quickly as possible so that the next committee of cognizance can take action. We expect to see bills bounce back and forth this year like at a Pilot Pen Tennis game since the days are long and weeks are short. Shortly, the House and Senate will convene to tackle the stacks of committee bills. Right after the Easter break (which is very early this year) we expect to see several session days scheduled each week with a full schedule by mid-April.

The real kicker will be the volume of substitute language (amendments) that committees will adopt and the ability of LCO and the other non partisan offices of fiscal analysis and legislative research to analyze and comment on the underlying bill as well as the substitute language.

Now is the time the familiar phrase - a work in progress - begins to be a common refrain. And then it's rock and roll time as lobbyists and legislators square off on which bills will take the next step, what the exact amendments language will say, and ultimately when the bill will be scheduled for debate.

If history repeats itself, nearly half of all legislation introduced this year will not pass either chamber and about one third will find its way to the Governor's desk. With an election year coming up for all House and Senate members, it will be interesting to see how the tough negotiations will work between Senate and House majority and minority leaders and Governor. We all remember some very tense moments from the 2007 session around the issue of bond authorization and final budget allocations to mention a couple.

This year we are privileged to have three bright and accomplished seniors from the University of Connecticut interning at Sullivan & LeShane. They get a chance to see the inner workings of a lobbying firm, experience the ins and outs of the legislative process, and provide valuable assistance to Kate Mulligan, our Legislative Coordinator. Their participation in bill tracking, document retrieval, and client participation in the public hearing process makes it all happen at S&L!

Let us introduce you:
Ciara Bradnan, a political science major, interned at the Alliance for Aging Research in Washington, D.C. and was an intern in the General Assembly last spring for Rep. Thompson (D - Manchester).

Jana Lanza, also a political science major, is currently Vice President of the Student Government and a Community Assistant in her residence hall.

Drew Rosenberry, another political science major, interned in the State Audit Bureau - New York State Office of the State Comptroller and at U.S. Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

I'm sure you would agree this is a well rounded and accomplished Class of 2008! We asked Ciara, Jana, and Drew to contribute to our newsletter and here's their tale! Hope you find it interesting and a peek inside the day-to-day activities at our office.

To an outsider, it would appear that the Sullivan & LeShane internship experience begins at the steps of 287 Capitol Avenue. The real journey begins on I-84 West traveling from the University of Connecticut to Hartford. We must brave early morning road construction on the way to break-of-dawn public hearing sign-ups or strategically placed speed traps during rush hour. Luckily, we arrive unscathed and are ready to conquer the multitude of assignments the lobbyists have for us at Sullivan & LeShane.

The lobbyists trust us with jobs that are essential to the every day operation of the firm and we look forward to the challenge. We don't just make copies and print agendas, we are engaged members of the team following press conferences, coordinating client participation in public hearings, monitoring committee agendas, and covering meetings. At the end of these meetings, our notes have turned into transcripts of information vital to the success of the lobbyists' efforts to protect and advocate for the clients' interests.

Our minds, as well as our feet, are constantly tested while we shuttle back and forth from the office to the LOB to hold the coveted first spots in line for public hearing signups, pass bills along to the lobbyists, and gather testimony from the different committees.

Despite the fast-paced nature of the business, there is always an opportunity to ask questions. The Capitol is a wonderful, hands-on learning environment and the lobbyists seem to have all the answers! The experience has not only given us insight into the entire legislative process, but also made us a small player in the process as well. We're not just learning, we're doing by providing the foundation for the rest of the lobbying team.

Each morning that we get ready to head off to Hartford, we are certain a challenging yet exciting day lies ahead. More importantly, we are certain that the tests we will face will end up making us stronger, more capable people. It is for this reason that we are truly proud to be a part of the Sullivan & LeShane team. We can't wait to learn even more in the next 46 short but hectic days!

Every fourth Thursday of the month, a whole lot of attention focuses on the State Bonding Commission (SBC). With a change in philosophy, Governor Rell has focused on using the bond authorizations to further define her most important initiatives. One month it was to assist local schools with construction projects, another to improve the quality of our environment and enhance open spaces, and once in a while it's to help municipalities with local projects that need state assistance in order to get started or completed.

While the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) oversees the State Bonding Commission (SBC), the commission is responsible for two important functions of the state:

• Approve project funding requests on an agenda submitted by the Governor.
• Approve the amount and timing of bond sales as requested by the State Treasurer.

Types of Bonds

General Obligation Bonds - Finance the construction of buildings, grants and loans for housing, economic development, community care facilities, school construction grants, state parks and open space. Some bonds provide bond holders with an exemption from federal and state taxation for interest earnings. The repayment source for all GO bonds is the general taxing power ("full faith and credit") of the State of Connecticut.

Special Tax Obligation Bonds - Finance the state's portion of the cost of highway and bridge construction and maintenance. The repayment source is a dedicated revenue stream from the state's motor fuels tax, motor vehicle registrations, licenses and fees.

Revenue Bonds - Finance a project or program with a pledged revenue stream, which is then used to pay debt service on the bonds.

The following are members of the SBC:
Honorable M. Jodi Rell, Governor and Chairman

Honorable Robert L. Genuario, Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management

Honorable Denise Nappier, State Treasurer

Honorable Nancy Wyman, State Comptroller

Honorable Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General

Honorable Raeanne V. Curtis, Commissioner of the Department of Public Works

Honorable Eileen M. Daily, Senator and Co-Chair Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee

Honorable Cameron C. Staples, Representative and Co-Chair Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee

Honorable William H. Nickerson, Senator and Ranking Minority Member Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee

Honorable Craig Miner, Representative and Ranking Minority Member Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee

SBC meetings are held once a month in the Legislative Office Building Room 1E at 10:30 AM. To view upcoming agendas as they are released, please click the link below.