A legislative director usually works with a specific legislator at the state or federal capitol, keeping track of all issues and proposed legislation, and then making recommendations based on his or her boss’s political leanings. These supervisors are usually supported a team of legislative assistants, each of whom is responsible for one or more issues, such as job creation, health care, or the environment. Legislative directors are also hired various labor unions and lobbying groups to perform similar functions for organizations with a specific interest in government.
A legislative director’s politics are often similar to those of the legislator or organization he or she represents. A legislator or lobbying organization with conservative goals, for example, is likely to hire a legislative director with conservative political beliefs. Similarly, liberal politicians will favor legislative directors who share their viewpoint.
Each member of Congress — in the Senate and House of Representatives — has a legislative director who monitors all legislative activity and coordinates the legislator’s positions and votes in Washington, D.C. It would be impossible for legislators to read every bill proposed because they are frequently pressed for time. Legislative directors are responsible for keeping up with these developments and informing their bosses about the key elements of each proposed law.
To keep track of new legislation, each member of Congress is given a staff of legislative assistants. The legislative director supervises these assistants, who divides each of their schedules to devote time to different issues. For example, one legislative assistant could be assigned to keep track of all defense-related developments. Another might be solely concerned with insurance and health-care issues. Not only does this entail reading proposed legislation, but it also entails researching issues as they arise.
State legislators have legislative directors to coordinate their efforts, despite the fact that their staffs are much smaller at this level. Often, a political party will pool its resources to hire one or two legislative directors for its members of Congress. The state executive branches also hire a legislative director on a regular basis to monitor federal activity and report on issues that directly affect the state.
Legislative directors are often employed lobbying groups, national unions, and even corporations with direct governmental ties to protect their interests at the state and national levels. This usually does not entail lobbying, but rather acts as a watchdog. These professionals are often referred to as an organization’s “eyes and ears” in legislative matters, but they also frequently develop a network of contacts with state and federal legislators in order to stay informed about upcoming changes.