The New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission, where I spent much of 1977, aids the Legislature in drafting legislation, advises as to the constitutionality, consistency or effect of proposed legislation, conducts research and publishes and maintains the documents of the Legislature. It was also a riotously fucking hilarious and illicit place to work. When you volunteered on a Member’s campaign and the Member gave you a patronage job, you went to Bill Drafting. Seating was limited - you had to get there by 8 am or you’d have to stand all day. The cast of characters was Runyonesque. I worked with, among others, a defrocked priest, a bookie’s enforcer, a convicted felon and a fledgling mobster and those are guys I can talk about. Precious little advising as to the constitutionality of proposed legislation got done and nobody seemed to notice. I’d forgotten about Bill Drafting until last Saturday at a memorial service for a lawyer.
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