Internship syllabus
Learn more about the day to day life as an intern and our expectations of the internship cohort.
Office assignments
Interns spend most of their time on work for their offices. Typical assignments include responding to constituent correspondence, conducting policy research, working on communications projects, attending committee hearings or other meetings, handling constituent casework, and similar activities.
Civic education classes and trainings
In addition to their office work, all interns participate in regular trainings and seminars on a variety of topics on the legislative process, state government, and professional development. The internship begins with three days of intensive orientation, covering the Legislature's ethics and conduct laws, research and bill tracking tools, writing guidelines, and office expectations. Throughout session, interns attend classes taught by legislative staff and other state policymakers, which typically cover the following areas:
Legislature and state government
Professional development
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How a bill becomes a law
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Committee process
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Rules Committee
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Caucus and committee staff
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Legislative ethics
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Legislative research
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Online reports and bill tracking
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Hotlines and legislative software
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Constituent casework
- Parliamentary procedure
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Amendment writing
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Introduction to the budget
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Budget balancing exercise
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Media panel
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Lobbyist panel
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Supreme Court tour and Q&A with justices
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Paging in the House or Senate chamber
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Writing correspondence, resolutions, and memos
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Respectful workplace and office decorum
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Phone etiquette
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How to take meeting minutes
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Outlook and calendering
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Writing for the media
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Grad school/law school panel
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Résumé workshop
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Networking
Mock committee and floor debate
The mock committee and floor debate are highlights of the internship. Using actual bills from the current session, interns take on the roles of legislators, staff, and advocates and hold committee hearings and a floor debate in a full-scale simulation of the legislative process that includes research, amendment drafting, negotiating, and parliamentary procedure. The mock floor debate is held in the House or Senate chamber and faculty and families are invited to attend.
Job shadowing
All interns have the opportunity to shadow a state official to learn in-depth about how law and policy are applied in a field of interest to them. The Assistant Attorneys General, the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the House, and various state agencies host shadows. Additionally, interns can participate in a group visit to a state correctional facility or the Parliament in British Columbia (interns are responsible for their own transportation and lodging).
Academic assignments
All interns are required to earn academic credit for the internship. Most colleges and universities include academic assignments as part of the credit requirement. Academic requirements vary by school and department, so interns should communicate with their school contacts about assignments and deadlines. The Legislature's internship staff do not oversee interns' school assignments.
Paging in the House or Senate chamber
All interns are required to sign up to potentially page a certain number of dates when the lawmakers are scheduled to debate on the chamber floor past 5:00 p.m. or anytime on the weekend. This is because our legislative pages (14-16 year olds) only page on weekdays before 5:00 p.m. Once session is underway, interns will be notified of these dates and how many evenings or weekends they must sign up for.
Optional educational opportunities
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TVW tour
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Governor's mansion tour
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State Archives tour
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Planning guest panels
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Page School teaching assistant
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Supreme Court hearings
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Yearbook committee
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Canadian intern exchange host committee
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Social media team
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History team
Questions?
Contact us at Civic.Ed@leg.wa.gov.