I came across this information on Wikipedia, but I verified it on the official website of the Oregon Legislature, which I'll quote here:
Making legislatures have normal jobs sounds good to me. Of course they couldn't be completely normal as they do have to worry about the session and special sessions. But still, it could be better than "professional lawmakers." I don't know how many people realize that Congress originally wasn't in session as long as it is now (and yet now people complain about all of the Congressional vacations).
Who was it that said the government that governs best is that which governs least? Founding Fathers and others in the early 1800s were concerned that there were too many laws. What would they say about our gargantuan legal code (lets not get into tax law!) today?
~Matt
The State of Oregon has a Citizen Legislature consisting of the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms, and the House of Representatives, which has 60 members elected for two-year terms. The assembly convenes every two years in regular session on the second Monday in January during odd-numbered years, a date set by statute. Oregon Constitution does not specify a limitation on session length, however most sessions last approximately six months. During the interim, legislators serve on interim committees and task forces that study issues likely to be faced during the next legislative session.This hearkens back to the spirit Revolutionary idea that one year (or sometimes six month) terms were too long. While I think that the expense and duration of modern campaigns negates any argument to return to such a system, the Oregon system doesn't sound half bad to me.
Making legislatures have normal jobs sounds good to me. Of course they couldn't be completely normal as they do have to worry about the session and special sessions. But still, it could be better than "professional lawmakers." I don't know how many people realize that Congress originally wasn't in session as long as it is now (and yet now people complain about all of the Congressional vacations).
Who was it that said the government that governs best is that which governs least? Founding Fathers and others in the early 1800s were concerned that there were too many laws. What would they say about our gargantuan legal code (lets not get into tax law!) today?
~Matt
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