Our syllabus is due tomorrow.

Senator Shelly Hettleman and I co-teach the Legislation classes at the University of Baltimore and University of Maryland law schools.

We teach for four hours each week in the fall semester.

I can’t imagine the preparation that a full-time K-12 teacher must make for a week of classes.

What do we try to teach?

How a bill becomes a law.

Always consult with the supporters of your bill, and in many instances, do the same with the opponents.

Concentrate on the members of the committee that will hear your bill.

How you draft a bill can determine which committee it will be referred to.

Legislation that amends the Real Property article will be heard by the House Environment and Transportation committee.

If the same bill would affect the Courts and Judicial Proceedings article, it goes to the House Judiciary Committee.

Several former students now serve with me in Annapolis, most notably Bill Ferguson, the Senate President.

In addition, I take a special pride in the former students who’ve worked for the General Assembly’s non-partisan professional staff.

I also hope that you’re learning about the legislative process by reading my blog posts.