Descriptions of the Votes
When presenting the list of potential selections, you should be prepared to provide a complete profile of the vote and legislation. This includes a description of the following:
- Purpose of the legislation
- Support and opposition to the legislation
- Vote breakdown and stage
- Applicability of the selection criteria
The extent of a vote description provided at a selection meeting will vary greatly. Some legislation requires a more detailed description to be considered for selection, whereas some will be a very obvious choice with little discussion needed. You should be prepared to discuss the following topics.
Purpose of the Legislation
Based on your reading of the articles in the press file you should be able to present a brief description of the purpose of the legislation. Generally, you won't have to speak about any specific provisions of the legislation, although there could a specific provision of the legislation that is contentious and merits a mention. Being specific may also help other staff members understand the legislation. Keep in mind that context is often very important to legislation.
You ought to be able to provide a short explanation of the arguments for and against the legislation, but often this won't be required. This will show that the vote meets the first selection criteria (the vote should be helpful in portraying how a member of the legislature stands on a particular issue).
Applicability of the Selection Criteria
Selection criteria are important to keep in mind. Not every vote will meet every criterion, but all votes should meet at least a few. The criteria are particularly useful when everyone is unsure or apathetic or when a vote becomes contentious within the meeting.
When addressing the first selection criterion (the vote should be helpful in portraying how a member of the legislature stands on a particular issue), it helps to pinpoint the specific issue that the legislation is addressing. The issue could be a relatively conspicuous one (e.g.: abortion, income taxes, etc.), a less frequent issue that transcends state borders (e.g.: sales tax, right-to-work, etc.), or one that is limited almost exclusively to one state (e.g.: wolf population management, coal companies, drought management, etc.).
The second selection criterion (the vote should be clear for any individual to understand, meaning the intention of the "yea" or "nay" vote is understandable) should only be addressed if there is any uncertainty whether a voter will understand the intention of the vote. This can come up with omnibus or heavily amended bills.
The third selection criterion (the vote has received media attention) should always be addressed. In doing so, you should discuss how much press attention the vote or legislation received. This can be done generally (e.g.: great press, a lot of press, little press, etc.) or specifically (e.g.: three articles, national press, etc.).
The fourth selection criterion (the vote was passed or defeated by a relatively close margin, meaning there should be a sizable number of "Yea" or "Nay" votes) is more flexible. If a state's legislature is lopsided, the issue is very important, or an adviser recommends the bill, a lopsided vote can be taken.
The fifth and sixth selection criteria (if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the PVS Hotline or recommended by a Key Votes advisor) should always be mentioned, if applicable.
