West Virginia is one of a handful of states that still operates under a part-time, citizen legislature model. Our lawmakers pack into Charleston for 60 days, most Januarys. Many are balancing full-time jobs, families, and hometown responsibilities. It is a model that many say keeps representatives closer to the people they serve.
While there is a lot of truth to that, there is something else that will always be true, the ones who keep the wheels turning every day during the session are not the part-time legislators. They are the full-time staff. They are the per diem workers hired for session. They are the quiet professionals who make the process work.
Walk through the Capitol during the heat of session, and you will see elected officials moving briskly to committee meetings, floor sessions, and constituent events. But look a little closer, and you will see who is really making it all happen. From the clerks who track every amendment, to the bill drafters burning the midnight oil, to the security guards standing at every door, it is the staff who are the steady heartbeat of state government.
The lawmakers may debate and vote, but someone makes sure every proposed bill is formatted properly, legally sound, and delivered to the right place at the right time. Someone ensures the committee rooms are ready, the microphones are working, the agendas are posted. Someone must answer the phones and explain to a confused constituent why a bill they heard about on the news has not made it to the floor.
That “someone” is often a per diem clerk who took a leave of absence from their regular job or a legislative aide who has worked every session since the late ’90s and can recite the House rules better than half the delegates.
These folks may not have their names on campaign signs, but they are the ones who show up every day and stay until the job is complete.
One of the most unsung roles in the building is the legislative attorneys, whether assigned to various committees or in the bill drafting office. Some of them are young lawyers just out of school who spend their winter months translating lawmakers’ ideas into the actual language of the law. Others are retirees, who want to keep their skills fresh and do not mind returning to work through West Virginia winters.
They work quickly, quietly, and precisely, often under intense pressure and tight deadlines. Mistakes are not an option. If a bill gets passed with a technical flaw, the consequences can be far-reaching. These attorneys work weekends, evenings, and early mornings, never seeking the spotlight. They are just doing their jobs.
The same can be said for the administrative staff who staff the front desks, who greet everyone with a smile (even on the busiest days), and who manage a chaotic parade of paperwork, constituent calls, media inquiries, and last-minute changes to schedules. Their work is both invisible and indispensable.
We cannot forget the Capitol police, doorkeepers, and sergeants at arms, who manage access, maintain order, and help keep everyone safe. They learn hundreds of faces and names each session and often know more about who’s who than the elected officials do. They are friendly, professional, and sometimes the first to spot a problem before it becomes a crisis.
What makes this workforce even more impressive is that many of them do it for a short season each year. They show up in January, hit the ground running, and are expected to operate at full speed from Day One. There is no easing-in in this job. There is no time for a learning curve. Some are full-time state employees whose jobs shift dramatically for 60 days.
Others are brought in on a per diem basis and are expected to perform like they have been there for years. And they do.
Behind every polished floor speech, there is a staff member who helped research the talking points. Behind every major policy shift, there is a team that managed the organization and communications. Behind every successful committee meeting, there is a clerk who made sure the documents were in order and the process followed to the letter.
The citizen legislature model works in large part because it is supported by a professional infrastructure that does not get enough credit. The staff under the gold dome do not just support the legislative process, they are the process. Without them, the whole thing falls apart.
Once the session ends, those staffers do not just disappear. The full-time staffers continue working through the interim periods, preparing for the next session, following up on legislation that passed, and serving as the institutional memory in a place where turnover can be high.
Legislators come and go. Staff are often the ones who train the new arrivals and guide them through their first bewildering weeks. They know the rules, the procedures, the personalities, and the pitfalls. They are the stewards of the process.
If you ever get the chance to sit in one of the Capitol Galleries, in either the House or the Senate, or attend a committee meeting, take a moment to look past the nameplates and microphones. Watch the staff. Notice how many are working quietly in the background, making sure the bills move, the systems function, and the democratic process plays out smoothly.
It is easy to focus on the lawmakers, the votes they cast, the speeches they give, the deals they strike. But if we really want to understand how policy is made in West Virginia, we need to recognize the full-time professionals and seasonal staffers who carry the load day after day.
They may not be elected. They may not make the headlines. But they are, without a doubt, the true ones getting things done.
