In the State Capitol, Shadows Know : Program Lets Constituents Follow Legislators at Work

The old radio program used to tell us that “the Shadow knows.”

The shadows from Assemblyman Lloyd Connelly’s district will tell you that is true.

Since the Sacramento Democrat took office in 1982, he’s agreed to let constituents trail him through the halls of the Capitol Mondays through Thursdays, 10 1/2 months of the year.

By his own estimate, more than 500 people from his suburban district have followed him through floor sessions, committee hearings, dinners and receptions.

The only restrictions on the program are that the shadows must live in Connelly’s district and be at least 18 years old.

‘Some Unique Individuals’

“In my office we sometimes sit around and tell shadow stories because with no screening process you get everybody,” Connelly said. “If they call in, we take them. We take whoever comes, so every once in awhile we end up with some unique individuals.”

Most of the shadows are retired, community activists or professionals who deal with state government, Connelly said.

Ralph Nicholas, an insurance claims adjuster, said he had only a “passive interest” in state government when he got a flyer in the mail describing the program. At first, he said, he had some doubts.

“One of my first impressions when I got the flyer was that there must be some gray areas having to do with legislation and that there are lobbyists who the legislators don’t want the public to know about,” Nicholas said. “But, I thought, if he just lets me follow him around, everything must be very honest and on the up and up.”

Shadows Hear It All

Connelly said the shadows listen to all of the discussions, arguments and meetings he’s involved in and even read all of the mail that comes in and goes out of his office.

He said he encourages the shadows to follow him even if someone else doesn’t seem to want them along. Connelly said it’s important for his constituents to hear hallway discussions to understand the relationship a legislator has with a lobbyist.

“The shadow gets a real picture of the different message that advocates carry,” Connelly said. “Sometimes they carry a message that is very thoughtful and detailed for or against a bill. And sometimes they carry a message that says, ‘We’re opposed to that bill, and we’ll get you if you vote for it.’ ”

Before he became a shadow, Nicholas said he didn’t think legislators had much to do.

Changed His Mind

“I really didn’t think legislators worked very hard,” he said. “I thought they came in at 9:30 a.m. and left at 4:30 p.m., that they dictated a few letters, met a few people and wore three-piece suits.”

But after following Connelly through a day that began with a 7:30 a.m. working breakfast, included committee hearings, a working lunch with another Assembly member, constituent conferences and several receptions, Nicholas said, “I found this quite different than I visualized it.”

The Rev. R. D. Sloan said he signed up for the program because he wanted to see firsthand how the Legislature operates.

“I got involved just to see the lawmaking process,” Sloan said. “I wanted that personal involvement.”

Two Specific Issues

Sloan said he also wanted the opportunity to talk with Connelly about two specific issues--welfare reform and the homeless.

“I talked to him about alternate welfare programs that I have in mind,” Sloan said. “I thought that he might be able to do some research and see if they would work.”

Of the 120 members of the Legislature, only one other lawmaker has a shadow program.

Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-San Jose) said a shadow trails him about once a week.

All Invited

As chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, Vasconcellos meets people from throughout the state. He said he extends invitations to anyone who seems interested in learning more about the legislative process.

The program has been very successful, he said. It allows shadows to “build their confidence in the humanness of the people that are here.”

Connelly said a day at the Capitol gives the shadows a taste of how the state really works.

“The people who have done it feel very good about it,” Connelly said. “I think, by and large, that they may see a wart. But, if they see the whole day, they see enough to know that the wart is the exception.”