Lengthy debates, committee meetings and floor sessions where legislation is passed are what most people envision when they think of a state Legislature. West Virginia’s Legislature is authorized, under the State Constitution, 60 days a year to meet and pass laws necessary to govern our state. Special sessions can be called by the Governor if deemed necessary and interim meetings are held throughout the year, but the visible realm of the Legislature exists in those 60 days. Yet when these two months are up and the media’s attention is drawn elsewhere, the job of a legislator is not finished.

West Virginia has a citizens’ legislature, one that is comprised of our neighbors and colleagues, who are compelled to enter a life of public service. Because they serve in a part-time Legislature, lawmakers have other occupations outside of the Capitol. And from bus drivers, farmers and coal miners to attorneys, nurses and insurance agents, lawmakers truly represent the diverse population and personalities of all West Virginians.

When lawmakers leave the Capitol to return to their communities and jobs, their commitment to public service does not end. In many ways, it begins over again. Connecting with their constituents is at the heart of a legislator’s job, offering a pleasant break from the strict rules of procedure that govern committee meetings and floor sessions.

“You could stay on the road just attending meetings,” said one Senator, who has served in the Senate for 25 years.

Attending local governmental meetings, school functions, receptions, and visiting senior centers and the Boys and Girls Club, to mention a few, are a big part of how lawmakers stay involved in their communities and connect on a personal basis with their constituents.

According to one of the longest serving members of the House, there are numerous council meetings, boards of education meetings and special issue meetings on a local level that state legislators from the area attend throughout the year.

The Delegate views answering constituents’ questions and addressing their problems as the biggest part of a legislator’s job once he/she has left session.

“If a person takes the time to stop and talk to me about a problem, I certainly have the time to talk to them. Or if they take the time to write to me I certainly have the time to answer that letter, whether I call or write back. That is just a part of my job,” said the Delegate.

Both lawmakers have noticed the changes in the Legislature during their years of service. The advancement of technology and the prevalence of Internet use have allowed people to be connected daily to legislative activities, eliminating many questions about the status of measures. They both see the increased ability for quick communication and information as a positive improvement. But the Senator points out that while it removes frequent inquiries on the status of legislation, it opens new avenues of questions as constituents want to know the reason for a bill’s status.

“The [legislative] process is a thorough one, but it is not a quick one,” the Senator said.

The public sees some bills pass in a day, such as with the mine safety legislation this year. But under normal legislative circumstances, following rules of procedure would mean at least a week for a bill to pass one chamber, after it has left a committee.

Another change the Senator observed is that the public seems to feel more connected to their lawmakers with the increased use of e-mail and the Internet.

Legislators are not just the representatives of the districts they serve, but are frequently the only face of government people see. “The public see us as the go-between from them to all governmental agencies,” said the Delegate.

Legislators are public figures, a persona they do not leave in the Capitol when session ends and they walk out the doors and down the steps.

“You do get approached when you are just out with your family. But it just goes with the job. As the elected representative for our areas, we are the voice for the people of our district, and people want to make sure that voice is echoing their thoughts,” the Delegate noted.

When working with constituents, one of the largest misconceptions lawmakers run across is a general lack of understanding of the entire legislative process. Many people, when they come to observe the floor session, are taken aback by the lack of debate on individual bills, not realizing that the serious debate, work and reworking of bills happens in committees, observed the Delegate.

“Constituent relations is almost an educational process too,” said the Delegate, a former educator.

“In general people don’t realize the necessary collaborative process between the House and the Senate,” the Senator observed. “The Senate is not responsible for making all legislation nor is the House.”

“The public often seems to think that the job of a legislator is only part-time, which technically it is, but it is part-time through the entire year, not just 60 days a year,” said the Delegate. “It is commonly thought that we only work 60 days and the rest of the time we have nothing to do.”

The year round aspect of a lawmaker’s job is a time of preparation, allowing them a chance to live and experience the problems in the areas they represent, talk with constituents and gain important insight on issues. Then, when the yearly session rolls around, lawmakers have a clear vision of the agenda for their area.

The year-long commitment by delegates and senators is not something that is entered into lightly. Many of the lawmakers are drawn to these positions from the love of working with the public on a daily basis.

After retirement from a career as an educator, “I just wasn’t ready to quit,” said the Delegate. “A lifetime as an educator gave me a good background to work in the Legislature. In education you feel that you are a servant, helping young people solve their problems. That is what I do now, just on a larger basis.”

Each day while the House and Senate are in session, lawmakers follow parliamentary procedures, sometimes so routinely, they do so without thinking about the specific rules and structure involved in holding a floor session.

However, House Clerk Gregory Gray and Senate Clerk Darrell Holmes think more about this process during each session than anyone else, not only because it is their job, but also because of their love for the legislative process and their role in it.

“Rules of procedure provide a road map, a framework for the sessions,” House Clerk Gray said. “Someone has to direct the process for people to follow.”

Gray and Holmes lead the members of the House and the Senate during each session by serving as custodians of the official records, keeping the Journal, preparing the electronic voting systems, assisting in taking the count of votes and supervising the clerical business of the houses.

Both Clerks are nominated and elected every two years by the members of the chamber they serve.

Members of the House of Delegates first elected Gray in 1996 and have continued to elect him for 10 years. Gray first came to the West Virginia Legislature in 1973, when he worked under former House Clerk, C.A. Blankenship. His duties included a variety of tasks, including file clerk, messenger, proofreader and gopher.

“Something I will never forget about my responsibilities was that I had to make sure the coffee pot was always fresh,” Gray said.

In his first years of service, Gray was greatly influenced by the House Parliamentarian Oshel Parsons, who took him under his wing. Parsons stressed the importance of the record, proofreading, committee assignments and, according to Gray, he instilled the importance of respecting the House as an institution.

“He [Parsons] told me once that it didn’t matter what they did on the floor, as long as the record is correct,” Gray said. “Because when we’re long gone, it’s the record that stays here – not us.”

When Parsons passed away in 1978, Gray became the House Parliamentarian. Upon his election to House Clerk in 1996, Gray combined the two positions into one because he said he believes the two positions are important to the duties of the House Clerk.

Gray is responsible for 75 part time employees during the regular session and special sessions. When the Legislature is not in session, he oversees 49 full time employees.

Another major responsibility for Gray when the Legislature is not in session is preparing, organizing and distributing the Acts of the Legislature – one of the largest publications printed by the West Virginia Legislature. Published each year, the book is the official record of all bills passed by both houses that have become law and resolutions adopted.

While the House Clerk is responsible for proofreading the bills and resolutions published in the Acts of the West Virginia Legislature, Gray said they only perform grammatical edits, never making a correction that would change the meaning of the law.

Senate Clerk Holmes also has a long history of service in the West Virginia Legislature. Before being elected to the position in 1989, Holmes had 15 years of legislative experience.

In 1974, he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates as a representative from Kanawha County. After serving in the House for eight years, Holmes continued his political career in the Senate, where he served until 1989.

While Holmes had served as a lawmaker from 1974 to 1989, his passion for the legislative process lead him to becoming the Senate Clerk, a position Holmes says he has truly appreciated over the years.

“It has been an experience I have enjoyed,” Holmes said. “After serving in the Senate I thought it would be interesting to be here full time.”

One aspect of the job Holmes says he loves most is meeting lawmakers from different districts across the state.

“Each member comes from a different environment and has their own personality,” he said. “It makes each session unique and memorable.”

Holmes explained he has enjoyed learning the positive and negative effects about proposed measures. He also said that all legislation that passes might not have a direct impact on the entire state, but it does have an important effect upon a certain district.

“I can read legislation and have my opinion, but it is enjoyable to hear both sides,” he said. “No matter what legislation is introduced, someone is influenced by it tremendously.”

While the Senate is in the regular session or a special session, Holmes oversees 110 part time employees; however, when the Senate is not in session, he is responsible for 39 full time employees.

The Senate Clerk also is responsible for the other major publication printed by the West Virginia Legislature. Each year, the West Virginia Blue Book is produced by the Senate Clerk’s Office. It is a detailed guide of the year’s officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state and federal government. The book includes the Constitutions of both the United States and West Virginia, as well as information on state and federal agencies, counties, municipalities and other organizations.

Holmes said he also enjoys his duties when the Legislature is not in session, including arranging visits for groups and meeting with them once they arrive to discuss the legislative process.

For more than 30 years, both Holmes and Gray have played a role in the legislative process, an experience neither one would change.

“It has been tremendous to have been here since 1974,” Holmes said. “Very few people have the privilege to serve the Senate.”

As Holmes continues to perform a duty he considers a privilege, Gray also continues to be grateful for his position as House Clerk.

“I like my job a lot,” Gray said. “I cannot imagine anything I would rather have done.”