ThissemesterIwasluckyenoughtospendtwoorthreedaysoftheschoolweekatthe

bestplaceonearth.Or,whatIthinkisthebestplaceonearth.Toclarify,thatplaceisthe
VermontStateHouse.IwasaninternwithZatz&RenfrewConsulting,whichisanesteemed
lobbyfirmthathasbeendoingcommendableworkattheVermontStateHousesince1998.
VirginiaRenfrewwasmymentor,andeverydayIwasattheStatehouseIwasworkingsideby
sidewithherandherfellowpowerhousecoworkers.Ihaveneverbeensoinspiredorhadso
muchrespectforagroupofpeoplethatIvemetasIdoforthewomenwhoIworkedwith
duringmyinternship.

WhenIwalkedintotheStatehouseformyfirstdayofmyinternshipIwasbuzzingwith
excitement.Icouldfeelthepoliticalcommotioneventhoughthelobbywassparselypopulated.I
didntknowwhatbillsIwouldbefollowingorwhoIwouldmeetorwhatIwoulddothatday,
butIdidknowthatIwantedtoskipacrosstheshinymarblefloorsallthewaytothecafeteria
whereIwouldmeetupwithVirginia.Iheldbackfromtheskipping,andsettledforabriskwalk.
IfoundVirginiainthecafeteria,andwithherweretwootherwomenwhoIdidntrecognize.I
foundouttheywereeachPublicPolicydirectorsfromtwoofthefirmsbiggestclients,Cara
CooksonfromtheCenterforCrimeVictimServicesandAuburnWatersongfromtheVermont
NetworkagainstDomestic&SexualViolence.AboutthreeweeksintomytimeattheStatehouse
EleaBeckerLowe(aU32gradandmyformermathtutor)startedworkforZatz&Renfrew.
Thatwasthedreamteam,aseitherAuburnorCaradubbedus.

IwasblownawayattheworkethicoftheteamIwasnowapartof.AuburnandCara
seemedtoknoweverythingaboutthebillspertainingtotheirorganizations,andatthedropofa
hatcouldbreakdownthelanguageinabilltoseeifitwouldaltercurrentlaworwhattheywere
lobbyingfor.Eleahadneverhadanylegislativeexperiencebeforethissessionbutdemonstrated
hercompetenceinawaythatIcanonlyhopetohavewhenIamanadult.AndVirginiaknew
everythingabouteverything,soIsecretlyreferredtoherasMasteroftheUniverse.The
organizationssherepresentsandthewayshethrowsherselfintoherworkandcaresabouther
clientsjustifiesherreputation.Ihadnevermetanybodylikethesewomen,andnowIwas
workingsidebysidewiththem.

Iwentintotheinternshipknowingthelegislativeprocessprettywell.Asin,Iknewbills
getdraftedincommittee,passedthroughHouseorSenate,discussedonthefloor,andifthey
passovertotheHouseorSenate.Butafterspendingfourmonthsfollowingbillsinandoutof
committeeandonthefloor,Irealizeditsmuchmorethanthat.Obviously,Iknewtherewould
bemorethanjustlegislatorsdiscussing.InordertodescribewhatIlearnedthatIdidntknowI
shouldprobablyjustdescribewhathappenedwhileIwasfollowingcertainbills.
IstartedofffollowingS.241,whichwasthesenatebillproposingthelegalizationof
recreationalmarijuana.Thiswasatthebeginningofthesession,sotheyweretakingtestimony

fromvariouspeoplewhiletheyweredraftingthebill.ThiswaswhenIlearnedaboutallthe
publichearingstheyhadforthisbill,andallthepeopletheyheardtestimonyfrom.Frompolice
officers,toschoolcounselors,andpeoplefromCommunityConnections.Iknewthatthe
opinionsofthepublicmattered,butIwasalsowearyofwhatthelegislatorstookinto
considerationandIlladmititwasmorethanIexpected.Andthenafterallthetestimonyhad
beentakenfromthecommitteemembers,thebillwaswrittenIguesswouldbethecorrect
term.ThatsdonebyLegislativeCouncil,andwhenIwaspagingIjustknewitasanelusive
bunchoflawyerswhowereinthebackofthestatehouse.ButwhenS.241wasbeingdraftedor
amended,apersonfromLeg.Councilwouldcomeanddiscussthecurrentlanguageinthebillor
theproposedamendmentandwhatitwoulddo.Sobasically,thepeoplewhoworkinLeg.
Councilknoweverythingaboutbillsandcaninterpretthelanguageinthem,andrewriteitata
moment'snotice.

WhenIwasapageIsawlobbyistsaround,butIwasntreallyclearaboutthespecificsof
theirjobs.Iknewtheywouldtryandgetcertainbillstopass,andthatwasaboutit.Iobviously
learnedmoreaboutlobbyingandhowmuchworkittakestogetthroughthesession.Virginiahas
closerelationshipswithcertainlegislatorsoncertaincommittees,usuallypeoplewhohavehad
herbillsdraftedincommitteeorareintheareathatregardsthebill.Virginiawouldknowwhat
billswouldchangeforherclientsandwoulddiscusswithcommitteememberswaystheycould
amendthebillorwaystheyshouldnt.Ialsonoticedlegislatorsaskingherquestionsalotas
well,sothatwasinterestingtosee.Ihadknownthatpoliticaldecisionswerentallonlegislators
butIlikedbeingabletowitnessthediscussionsbecauseitshedlightonhowmuchlobbyistsdo.
Virginiaseemedtoknoweverythingaboutallupcomingbillsandpastlegislationthatwasbeing
changed.IguessworkingintheStatehouseforthepast18yearsgaveherthatdisposition,but
shealwayshadananswertoallofmyquestionsandwasabletoexplaineventhemostconfusing
bills.

Ithinkthelegislativeprocessinanamazingyetridiculoussystem.Somethingsalways
changing,orbeingproposedforsomebill.Andforeveryproposedamendment,theresalways
anotherpersonreadytorefutetheproposal.Ihadntknownwhattoexpectfromcommittee
meetings.Mostlytheyranprettyroutinetheroomswouldbepackedwithpeopleandatleast
threelegislatorsweretenminuteslate.Memberswouldhaveabriefdiscussionoftheagenda,
andthentestimonywouldbegin.Andhereswhereitgotunpredictable.Forthemostpart,there
wouldbepeoplefromstateorganizations,likeonH.171theDepartmentofHealth
Commissionertestified,andpeoplefromtheAmericanCancerAssociationVermontchapter.
Sometimestherewouldbecommunitymemberswhowantedtosharetheiropinion,orpeople
fromoutofstatethatthecommitteecontacted.Ineverreallyknewwhatpeopleweregoingto
say,soitwasalwaysinterestingtotakenotesonthetestimonyandthecommitteediscussion
afterwards.WhentheHouseandSenatewereonthefloorthereweresomeinstanceswhereIwas

shockedathowchildishsomeoftheLegislatorscouldbewhenthingsdidntgotheirway.Asit
gotdeeperinthesession,themoreithappened.OnedayontheHousefloorarepresentative
threwaminitempertantrumandstompedherfeetinfrontofthewholehousechamberbecause
shedidntgettheanswershewantedtoaquestion.IalsowitnessedSenatorsflickrubberbands
ateachotherwhileabilltheyobviouslyhadnothingtodowithwasbeingreadonthefloor.So
essentially,legislatorsarechildrenwhodiscussanddecideonStatewidedecisions.
ThisinternshipwasanexperienceIwillneverforget.Ilearnedsomuchabout
politicsandthelegislativeprocesswhichdeepenedmyloveforit.Iwasshownwhatit
looksliketobeastrongandhardworkingwomaninpoliticsinreallife.Idseeninon
variousTVshowsbutlearningitinpersonfromfouramazing,inspiringwomenhas
showmehowIwanttobewhenIamaworkingadult.Ifoundmoreofmyinterestsliein
HealthcareandHumanServicesbyalwayshopingIwouldgetsenttothosecommittees.
AnotherthingwasIfeltlikeIwasactuallybeingtakenseriouslyinwhatImpassionate
about.Itscompletelydifferentthanbeinginschoolandtalkingtoateacheraboutmy
interestsbecausethereisstilltheseparationbetweenteacherandstudent,oneperson
clearlyhasmorestatusorprivilegethantheother.ButattheStatehousewhenIwas
talkingtoadultsIwasntonthesamelevelexperiencewisebutIwasntjustthoughtof
asastudent,Iwasgainingexperienceearlyonandpursuingmyinterests.Idefinitely
knowmoreaboutthelegislativeprocessthanIeverwouldhavelearnedthroughschool
andIreallyhopetocontinuebeinginvolvedattheStatehouseinsomewayoverthenex
fewyears.