BOSTON – Senate President Stanley Rosenberg is once again seeking prospects for a seminar educating participants on state government and the legislative process.

The 77th Citizens’ Legislative Seminar (CLS) is set to be held Oct. 17 and 18 at the State House in Boston. Geared toward interested adults of all ages, the seminar is held semi-annually.

For two days, participants will have the chance to attend presentations by senators and staff on their daily experiences in government. Seminar topics will include the history and the process of the Legislature, the parliamentary roles of the clerk of the Senate and the future of the Legislature.  Attendees will be walked through the process of how bills are introduced, debated and passed.

Rosenberg said in a statement this week that the seminar is an opportunity to “gain an insider’s perspective” regarding how legislature works. 

“The Citizen’s Legislative Seminar is part of the Massachusetts Senate’s ongoing effort to increase civic engagement and open up the democratic process,” he said. “I encourage those interested to contact their senator.”

Chris Joseph of Greenfield attended the seminar last fall to better understand state level politics compared to his own experience in local politics.

Joseph has served as a Greenfield town councilor in the past and currently works on the town’s zoning board and Franklin County Technical School Board.

He said it was surprising to learn during CLS how many bills come up in a year and how few of them get acted on.

“It’s a matter of prioritizing,” he said, explaining that his experience with the seminar showed him that the Senate must decide which items are worth their limited time.

“Essentially, it’s the idea that the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” Joseph said. He noted that all seminar staff seemed to know which bills to prioritize based on the related calls, emails, and amount of discussion they received.

Joseph said learning about the legislative process in this way helped him to understand why it takes so long at the state level to bring forth changes that deeply impact a local region.

CLS was established in 1976 by means of a collaborative effort of the Massachusetts Senate and the University of Massachusetts. As a way to provide participants with  first-hand experience, the event will culminate with a simulated legislative hearing and Senate session in which participants will use their knowledge as “Senators.”

Rosenberg described the two-day seminar as an “excellent learning experience.”

Interested residents of Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District are invited to contact Rosenberg’s district office at 413-584-1649 by Aug. 12 in order to be nominated by the senate president. Seats are limited and nominations are take on a first come, first serve basis.

Sarah Crosby can be reached at scrosby@gazettenet.com.