For business and community leaders, the program offers the opportunity to understand how laws are made, and how they, as citizens and professionals, can affect them. The result is an appreciation for the importance of the legislative process and active participation in public policy development. A shadowing component pairs legislators with business and community leaders, with the intent of building lasting relationships that foster ongoing dialog about issues affecting Maine's economy. Our citizen legislators represent the spectrum of Maine people with varying degrees of technical knowledge and leadership expertise. Term limits have resulted in new energy and ideas in the legislature, as well as the loss of institutional memory, knowledge about specific policy issues, and procedural expertise.
Legislative leaders can no longer build their expertise and strength over a period of years.
Further, many newly elected legislators will serve in leadership positions facing complex situations requiring more knowledge and leadership skills than ever before. The program uses guest speakers, large and small group discussion and debate, economic tours of the state, topical briefings and case studies. The opening conference presents an overview of Maine's economy in relationship to regional, national and international factors. Tours broaden participants' understanding of economic issues in regions outside their districts and provide networking among all legislators that build long term nonpartisan relationships. Briefings each week provide information on issues of importance on the Maine economy through presentations by businesspeople and experts.