State lawmakers in Louisiana will be going through what has been called a “crash course” in the craft of lawmaking.

Be sure to read “Newest Louisiana legislators will get crash course in their new roles” by Ed Anderson in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The article says, “[House Clerk Alfred] Speer said the House’s agenda will include mock committee meeting and floor sessions, as well as discussions of ethics laws, parliamentary procedure, introduction to legislative staff, key dates for filing bills, and one called ‘Norms of Behavior or How to Operate within the House and Keep Your Integrity and Sanity.'”

You can find the Web Portal for the Louisiana State Legislature here.

Photo of the Louisiana State Capitol by Bluepoint951 on Wikipedia.

NORTH CAROLINA:  A special session of the North Carolina General Assembly convened Sunday evening.

The session is scheduled to adjourn on Tuesday, November 29, 2011.

The session was called to consider bills vetoed by Governor Bev Perdue, revise redistricting plans, and address election law bills.

Photo of the North Carolina State Legislative Building by Jayron32 on Wikipedia.

The special session of the Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die on November 22, 2011.

The session, which began November 1, 2011, concerned the Keystone XL crude-oil pipeline project’s intended route through the state. The special session was called by Governor Dave Heinemen to focus on proposed bills intended to reroute the pipeline around a region of the state rich in groundwater. As a result of the session, two measures in relation to the pipeline were passed.

For more information about the measures passed and the special session, you can read the Legislature’s official news release, “Two pipeline measures approved; Legislature adjourns” on the Unicameral Update page.

Photo of the Nebraska Legislative Chamber by ensignbeedrill on Wikipedia.

North Dakota lawmakers wrapped up a special session on Friday after providing millions of dollars in additional disaster relief and repealing a law requiring the University of North Dakota to keep its Fighting Sioux nickname.

The five-day special session also produced a new redistricting map and items related to the Environmental Protection Agency in an attempt to defend hydraulic fracturing in the state.

The Rhode Island Senate and House will both convene this Thursday, November 17.

The two bodies will be meeting at different times in the afternoon to consider Senate Bill S1111A and House Bill H6319A.

The bills concern contributions and benefits related to the retirement system for public officers and employees.

The West Virginia Legislature convened for a special session on November 13, 2011 to certify election results.

The house has adjourned sine die.

The senate will reconvene at 6 p.m. on November 14, 2011.

Photo of the West Virginia State House by Analogue Kid on Wikipedia.

The special session of the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned on Monday evening.

A joint resolution is expected to pass the House and Senate that would schedule a three-day special session on November 27.

It also sets special sessions in 2012 for February 16-18 and April 23-25 before the standard May 16 short sessions begins.

Photo of the North Carolina State Legislative Building by Jayron32 on Wikipedia.

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has called a special session to be held on November 13, 2011.

The purpose of the session will be to certify and declare the results of the October 4, 2011 special election.

Map of West Virginia by Jim Irwin on Wikipedia.

A one-day special session of the Arizona Legislature was called by Governor Jan Brewer yesterday to impeach the chairwoman of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

The Senate vote to impeach Chairwoman Colleen Coyle Mathis passed with the required two thirds majority. The chairwoman, a registered independent, was ousted with a party line vote of 21 Republican senators in favor of the removal and 6 Democratic senators opposed.

Governor Brewer alleges gross misconduct by Chairwoman Mathis in her role in the independent commission, which also has two democratic members and two republican members.

Photo of the Arizona State Capitol building by 2candle on Wikipedia.

The North Dakota Attorney General issued an opinion on November 1 suggesting a special legislative session may be necessary to remedy an accidental retroactive effective date of Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 2. The measure, which would eliminate property taxes, is scheduled to appear on the June 12, 2012 primary election ballot.

State Representative Dan Ruby argued that the intention was to have an effective date of January 1 following the passage of the measure, despite the clear and unambiguous effective date listed in the text of the measure: January 1, 2012.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem noted the possible difficulties for political subdivisions that rely on property taxes but declined to ignore the plain language of the measure. A special session could address the need for replacement revenues if the measure passes.

Anonymous and unsolicited text messages are being sent against democratic candidates in Virginia. Here is the Washington Post article “Anti-Democratic text messages in Northern Va. prompt lawsuit, complaints” by Anita Kumar.

Government Technology discusses the tension between the demands of government transparency and the realities of state bugdet constraints in “Transparency Demands Cost Governments Money” by Sarah Rich.

NCSL has updated their 2012 Legislative Session Calendar.

Judicial races are getting expensive. PoliticsPA.com posted “Pa. Rated as Second Costliest Judicial Elections; Candidates Weigh in” by Sari Heidenreich. Here is the recent study by the Brennan Center For Justice, “The New Politics of Judicial Elections: 2009-10” that ranks judicial elections in the states.

Photo of texting by Alton on Wikipedia.

During this very week in 1930, the Washington Post began running stories about George Cassiday, a bootlegger who was selling alcohol to lawmakers from rooms in the House and the Senate office buildings. According to the U.S. House Office of the Clerk, Cassiday operated his operation from 1920 until 1930 – most of the span of prohibition.

The article says: “From a New York supplier, Cassiday routinely transported 35 to 40 quarts in two large suit cases by train. A Member, he claimed, secured basement office space for him that suited his illicit trade.”

After five years of investigating – one must wonder how hard they were trying in their investigation – the Capitol Police discovered Cassiday’s operation and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Cassiday was wearing a green felt hat and that hat became his distinguishing characteristic as he made headlines.

The Washington Post reported that Cassiday said, “You find a more general spirit of good fellowship and conviviality in the House.”

Indeed.

You can read the article, “The infamous House bootlegger known as the ‘Man in the Green Hat‘” at the Office of the Clerk website.

Here is a fun video about George Cassiday and his exploits on the WETA TV website.

Photos courtesy of the Office of the Clerk Website and the Library of Congress.

Missouri’s special legislative session on economic development ended Tuesday, October 25, 2011 without an economic bill.

The Senate passed a motion to adjourn sine die.

The Seals of the Missouri House of Representatives and Senate by Tom Lemmens on Wikipedia.

Governor Dave Heinemen has called for a special session of the Nebraska Legislature to focus on proposed bills intended to reroute the Keystone XL crude-oil pipeline around a region of the state rich in groundwater. The session is scheduled to begin November 1, 2011, and is expected to last at least two weeks.

The call for a special session comes after weeks of debate as to whether such a session was necessary, as well as whether passing legislation pertaining to the pipeline would be constitutional and legal at this point in the process of planning the project.

For more information, you can read “Gov. calls for pipeline session”  by Paul Hammel in the Omaha World-Herald.

Photo of the Nebraska Legislature Chamber by ensignbeedrill on Wikipedia.