Introduction: 76-1

LEGISLATORS' HANDBOOK

In order for legislators to fulfill their duties and to serve their constituents, they need to be familiar with the resources available to them and with the rules and procedures of the institution in which they serve. This Legislative Handbook is designed to serve as a guide to the Iowa State Legislature. The intent of the Handbook is to describe the services offered by agencies and staff of the Iowa General Assembly and to define the various tools at the disposal of legislators. In addition, the rules and procedures which affect the members of the Iowa General Assembly are also provided. The Handbook is designed to anticipate and answer the questions most frequently asked by members of the Iowa General Assembly.

This Handbook is divided into six parts. The first part is this introduction and overview. The second describes the General Assembly in detail. The next section explains the Legislative Process and the nature of the legislative session. The fourth part describes the chambers' staffs, the partisan staffs and the services offered by each. The fifth part details the four nonpartisan agencies which serve the Iowa General Assembly. Finally, the reference section has various charts and a glossary of legislative terms which users of this manual will find helpful.

The editors of this Legislative Handbook aspire for it to be a useful document. We welcome any suggestions to improve the Handbook in future updates. Please forward those suggestions in writing to:

Diane Bolender, Director

Legislative Service Bureau

State Capitol

Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Iowa General Assembly

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Last update: 1995
URL: /DOCS/GA/76GA/LSB/LegHandbook/Introduction/Intro.html
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