Brooks, Roger, PNCS

SERVED AS A STATE LEGISLATOR FOR THE TENTH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT OF SOUTH DAKOTA. ELECTED NOVEMBER 1992, RE-ELECTED 3 TIMES, SERVED 8 YEARS.

SERVED ON THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. 1993-2000 MEMBER (8YRS) CHAIRMAN (2YRS)

SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE. 1993-2000 MEMBER (8YRS), VICE CHAIRMAN (2YRS)


MEMBER OF NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES (NCSL) 1993-2000
SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE STUDY GROUP ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS.1997-2000

SERVED AS A MEMBER OF EDITORIAL BOARD FOR "STATE LINE MIDWEST" PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE MIDWESTERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS. 1997-2000

SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (SECOG) SOUTHEASTERN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS' 1992-2000

LESSONS LEARNED AS FRESHMAN LEGISLATOR

IN JANUARY 1993 I WAS SWORN IN AS A NEW FRESHMAN LEGISLATOR IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CAPITAL IN PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA. I WAS ASSIGNED THE SEAT IN THE CENTER ROW; IN THE VERY FRONT SEAT. THIS WAS TO BE MY "OFFICE" FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS IN MY NEW JOB AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT TEN. THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA HAS A TRUE CITIZENS LEGISLATURE IN THAT THERE WERE ONLY 35 LEGISLATIVE DAYS IN EVEN NUMBERED YEARS AND 40 LEGISLATIVE DAYS IN ODD NUMBERED YEARS AT THAT TIME IN WHICH TO COMPLETE THE WORK. NOW THERE CAN BE UP TO 40 DAYS EVERY YEAR. AFTER ADJOURNMENT YOU GO HOME AND LIVE WITH THE LAWS AND THE BUDGET YOU HAVE PASSED. DURING MY EIGHT YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, THERE WERE SOME SEVEN HUNDRED BILLS INTRODUCED AND DEALT WITH EACH YEAR.

AS A FRESHMAN, ONE LEARNS MANY NEW THINGS DURING THAT FIRST TERM. I RELATE THIS STORY ABOUT AN APPLE PIE I FOUND SITTING ON MY DESK. THIS PIE INCIDENT TAUGHT THIS FRESHMAN LEGISLATOR THAT "PERCEPTION" IS EVERYTHING. UPON RETURNING TO MY DESK ON THE HOUSE FLOOR FROM COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THAT HAD KEPT ME FROM MY DESK ALL MORNING, THERE SAT AN APPLE PIE, AN ENTIRE HOMEMADE EIGHT-INCH APPLE PIE. NOW, DURING THE SESSION EACH YEAR WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE TWO PENS, TWO PENCILS, TWO LINE TABLETS, 25 ENVELOPES AND 25 SHEETS OF GENERIC HOUSE STATIONARY. WE ALSO RECEIVED MANY, MANY SMALL GIFTS (SOME 50+ COFFEE MUGS, LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PENS AND PENCILS, NOTE PADS BY THE POUND, SWEATSHIRTS AND SWEATERS AND STATIONARY PORTFOLIOS) AND MUCH, TOO MUCH TO EAT IN THE WAY OF JUST ABOUT ANYTHING EATABLE. THERE WERE ONE HUNDRED PLUS DINNERS, RECEPTIONS, COFFEES AND SOCIALS, ALL SET UP IN THE ROTUNDA, THE PRESIDENTS AND THE SPEAKERS LOBBIES. MY DILEMMA! WHAT TO DO WITH A WHOLE APPLE PIE; EVERY DESK, ALL SEVENTY DESKS HAD A PIE SITTING ON IT. I NEEDED TO DO SOME WORK BEFORE THE AFTERNOON SESSION STARTED, AND I NEEDED SOME ROOM ON MY DESK. I SUMMONED A PAGE TO TAKE THE PIE TO MY LOCKER SO THAT I COULD TAKE IT WITH ME TO MY MOTEL THAT EVENING. THE PAGE ASKED ME IF HE COULD HAVE A PIECE, AND I SAID PLEASE DO AND IF ANY OF THE OTHER PAGES WANTED A PIECE THEY WERE WELCOME AS WELL, BUT TO SAVE ME AT LEAST ONE PIECE. I THOUGHT I WAS DONE WITH THE PIE. THE NEXT DAY I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE INDIVIDUAL THAT HAD LEFT THE PIE ON MY DESK. SHE WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. AFTER ALL THE WORK SHE HAD GONE TOO TO MAKE AND BRING THE PIE TO PIERRE FOR ME, I HAD GIVEN IT AWAY TO THE PAGES AND HAD NOT EVEN EATEN ONE PIECE; WAS UNSPEAKABLE. "A THREE-PAGE HAND WRITTEN LETTER" EXPLAINING WHAT I HAD DONE, AND THAT I DID IN FACT EAT SOME OF THE PIE, WAS NECESSARY TO SUBDUE THE PERCEPTION OF GIVING THE PIE AWAY. THE CONSTITUENT HAD BEEN SETTING IN THE GALLERY ABOVE THE FLOOR CHAMBERS WATCHING MY EVERY MOVE. TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PRESENTLY SERVING THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH DAKOTA OR SIOUX FALLS. BE MINDFUL OF THOSE WATCHING IN THE GALLERY.

IN TO DAY'S AGE WITH ELECTRONIC MAIL OF EVERY MEANS THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR NOT ANSWERING YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND DOING SO IN A CIVIL MANNER.