Day One of Biennial Institute Prepares Newly Elected for Challenges
The 26th Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators began the morning of December 7 with training sessions designed to prepare newly elected representatives and senators for service in the Georgia state legislature.
Twenty-six legislators will be sworn into new seats in the General Assembly in January 2009—21 in the House of Representatives and five in the Senate. The day's itinerary introduced these future lawmakers to important issues they will face when they take office.
A panel of state officials and incumbent legislators briefed its audience on legislative ethics during the morning session. They discussed proper and improper use of campaign contributions and the process of investigate ethics violations.
Vinson Institute Public Service Associate Wes Clarke spoke to the new legislators in the afternoon about the budget process and the anticipated budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2009 that await the General Assembly when it reconvenes. After Clarke's presentation, the group split for separate House and Senate budget briefings.
Finally, the newly elected officials learned about maximizing their impact as effective legislators through advice from several Georgia representatives and senators, including Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson.
Dee Dawkins-Haigler, elected to House District 93 in November, appreciated the insights into the legislative experience she got at the Biennial. "We got a good impression of what serving in the legislature will be like and what to expect on the first day." She also enjoyed spending time with both new and returning Georgia legislators before the upcoming 2009 session. "The Biennial Institute was a wonderful opportunity for the newly elected to meet with and talk to other legislators," said Dawkins-Haigler.
Incumbent members of the state legislature joined their newly elected colleagues on the evening of the Biennial's first day for the opening plenary session. The session opened with welcoming remarks from Vinson Institute Director Steve Wrigley and UGA Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Art Dunning. Speaker Richardson and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle recognized the freshmen legislators in front of the assembly.
UGA President Michael Adams introduced the keynote speaker, Capt. Ted Carter. Capt. Carter is the commanding officer of the naval aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson. Due to their shared namesake, the Vinson Institute and the USS Carl Vinson have enjoyed a collaborative partnership since November 2007.
Capt. Carter spoke to the importance of strong leadership in difficult times, drawing similarities between the operation of the armed services and the legislature. He stressed certain characteristics of effective leaders, including being oneself, leading by example, making decisions in the open, and seeking to inspire rather than intimidate.
