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Learning the ropes: Freshman lawmakers prepare for first session
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@starlocalnews.com
The day after his Republican primary victory over Jon Cole, Jeff Leach didn't celebrate his nine-month campaign by sleeping in.
Instead, the Plano attorney spent the morning in a meeting with District 67 community leaders.
As one of several freshman representatives in Collin County and Denton County, Leach said he has a lot to do before the beginning of the 140-day legislative session in January. That work includes meeting with constituents as well as current and former legislators who may have valuable insight into what Leach faces come the first of the year.
"This is not only a full-time job, it is an overtime job," he said. "You will find that most legislators have other jobs that they have to hold down when they are in session. I have been blessed with a law firm that has allowed and encouraged me to seek this office. I will continue to practice law and it will be an adjustment for me and my firm, but what I have heard is that it is an adjustment that can be made."
Leach, who will represent portions of Plano, Allen and Richardson, said another adjustment that he will have to make dealing with time away from his wife and two young children -- something he said will not be easy.
"My wife and children are the most important thing in the world for me, and nothing comes in front of them," Leach said. "While it will be an adjustment for our family, it is one we are all willing to make. We are going to all do this together."
In addition to meeting with constituents, freshman legislators have a number of other tasks, including hiring staffs and finding a place to put their district offices. No thought is put into these decisions during the campaign, so decisions must be made quickly after the election is won, said Pat Fallon, the former Frisco city councilman who will represent District 106 during the 83rd Legislative Session.
"During the campaign you only think about reaching out to voters and getting your message out," said Fallon, whose district will include Little Elm, The Colony and the Denton County portions of Plano and Frisco. "It hadn't even entered my mind that I would need an office."
Fallon said the decision to hire staff members is extremely important, noting that no representative can be successful if they are not surrounded by the right people.
"Staffers provide a wealth of knowledge, and that is something a lot of folks might not realize," he said. "A friend of mine once told me that Washington D.C. is run by the 30-somethings and the state capitals are run by the 20-somethings because there is so much work to do. What shocks me is how talented these people are at such a young age."
Texas taxpayers are getting a tremendous value when it comes to paying for legislative staffers, Fallon said, adding that the budget for a state representative's office is about $130,000.
"It is a balancing act to find super-talented people," Fallon said, "but fortunately there are those that are willing to work for a small bit of pay."
The $130,000 pays for a staff, which is typically three people, as well as travel expenses and office space. The money does not include the legislators' salary, which is $7,200 per year, with a $150 per diem payment each day the legislature is in session.
Neither Leach nor Fallon has an opponent in the November election, but both men said they will campaign for their fellow Republicans up through Election Day.
"I plan on encouraging my supporters and my team from a grassroots level to engage in other campaigns," Leach said. "That may include going out into the community and campaigning or making phone calls and contributing money. We will still be actively engaged to make sure we have as large a Republican majority in January as possible."
To help prepare lawmakers for the upcoming session, newly elected officials such as Leach and Fallon have been invited to the House Republican Caucus retreat later this month.
In a move that may sound somewhat odd at first, Fallon said he has been offered an internship with a sitting representative, a position that would allow him better access to the Capitol prior to being sworn in.
"I can only get into the Capitol right now as a citizen; I can't get in as a legislator until January," he said. "Citizens have no easy parking and can't get in the staff entrance. But you can do those things if you are an intern. I am exploring that opportunity so I can get down there to Austin and learn more, including really studying the state budget."
With a large number of the state House members being freshmen and sophomores, the learning curve will be steep.
While Fallon said learning how to be a state representative cannot be learned overnight, opportunities to meet with current and former elected officials will help newly elected lawmakers hit the ground running when they are officially sworn in Jan. 8.
"I was just starting to develop a fluency in municipal government after three years," Fallon said. "Now I am working to develop a fluency in state government. Just like a language, you can't learn it in one day and you won't be fluent after six months or a year, but you are getting there and moving forward."
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