Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Counsel topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Legislative counsel reorganizes into teams to improve coverage for health and human services
Summary
Office of Legislative Counsel attorneys told the House Health Care Committee that a new team structure, led by Director Brynn Haire, groups attorneys by topic to provide better coverage and continuity for health- and human-services-related bills.
The Office of Legislative Counsel told the House Health Care Committee on Jan. 16 that it has organized its attorneys into topic teams to improve coverage during the session.
The change, announced by Director Brynn Haire and described by Legislative Counsel Jen Kirby and Legislative Counsel Katie McClendon, groups five attorneys into teams that share portfolios such as health care, human services, education, education finance and tax. "We are an office of 18 attorneys," Kirby said. "The idea is not that Jen and I are going to become experts on education finance this session ... but the idea is that we have some familiarity with the portfolio of the members of our team."
Committee members were told that Kirby and McClendon will remain the principal contacts for the Health Care Committee but that other team members can step in if one counsel is unavailable. Kirby listed other members of the team by name: Beth St. James (education), John Gray (education finance) and Kirby Keaton (tax). The office said the team structure is intended to allow coverage when attorneys need time off and to provide mentorship for newer attorneys.
Counsel also reviewed their services: drafting bills and amendments, preparing section-by-section summaries on request, following bills through committees and into the Senate, and doing legal and policy research for all 180 legislators. Katie McClendon reminded committee members that one-on-one communications about legislative work are treated as confidential by the office unless a legislator says otherwise.
On logistics, counsel said email is the fastest way to reach them and noted the office moved its physical location over the summer; attorneys are now in the green building near the State House. Kirby encouraged members to continue directing most questions to her or McClendon but to expect other team attorneys to appear when necessary.
The reorganization is intended to maintain continuity for the committee’s work during the session and to make it easier for members to find the right attorney for technical drafting and research needs.
The office did not propose any changes to committee authority; it described internal staffing and contact procedures only.
