Legislative Assistants support legislators in legislative drafting, legal services, and publications functions.  They edit legislations, amendments to legislation, legal memos, and other written work.  Legislative Assistants conduct policy and legal research, and draft legislative resolutions and memorials.  They help track bills, and identify and monitor specific issues.  They have many administrative duties, including maintaining office operations, handling constituent inquiries and casework, managing schedules and travel, and supervising interns or volunteers.

Legislative Assistants are generally required to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, generally in Business, Political Science, or Public Administration.  They must have keen writing skills, with a strong command of grammar.

Career Roles & Responsibilities

While each legislative assistant’s duties may vary depending upon the legislator they work for, legislative assistants typically provide administration and communication support and perform thorough research. Their primary job is to assist the elected official in the legislative process and help them create and pass laws that benefit the community.

They might amend or draft legislation while working with legislative counsel and track a bill’s advancement. Another principle duty of a legislative aide is to research current laws and proposed legislation and study its background by attending committee hearings.

From maintaining office operations like taking calls and messages to managing schedules and making travel arrangements for the legislator, legislative assistants are typically required to perform various administrative support functions.

They may be responsible for creating and maintaining electronic and physical files to ensure smooth office operations. Coordinating and attending meetings and events with constituents, interest groups, and VIPs with or on behalf of the elected member is often part of a legislative assistant’s daily job.

A legislative assistant serves as a liaison between the elected member and the people. They must be aware of the issues that the people of the constituency may be facing and convey them to the member. Another vital aspect of a legislative assistant’s job is meeting and interacting with constituents and conducting research about their needs and concerns.

Accordingly, legislative assistants must answer constituent inquiries and present reports to keep the legislator informed on all relevant matters about their constituency. The research reports presented to the legislator may significantly influence their decision-making and compel them to draft laws or policies based upon the constituent’s feedback.

Career Education Path Summary

1

Earn a Degree

To begin your Legislative Assistant career path, a Bachelor's Degree in political science or a related field is usually necessary in order to remain a competitive option for employers. Focus on industry-specific skill development during your education in order to be properly equipped when applying for entry-level positions and entering the job force. A Legislative Assistant internship may be required to earn your Bachelor's Degree and acquire necessary on-the-job skills before entering the workforce.

2

Choose a Specialty in Your Field

As an Legislative Assistant, you may be required to choose a specialty within your field. Determine which part of the Legislative Assistant field you feel strongest in, and continue taking active steps toward growing in your chosen Legislative Assistant specialty.

3

Get an Entry-Level Position as a Legislative Assistant

Once you've acquired a Bachelor's Degree in political science or a related field, you'll typically begin your career as an entry-level Legislative Assistant. In general, you can become a Legislative Assistant after completing your 4 year Bachelor's Degree in a related discipline. Depending on the type of Legislative Assistant role you’re pursuing, you may want to explore certification in .

4

Advance in Your Legislative Assistant Career

Following entry-level, there are several Legislative Assistant career path levels to advance into. It can take 2 years as an entry-level Legislative Assistant to progress to the senior legislative assistant position. Each advanced Legislative Assistant position requires approximately 8 years of experience at each level to advance in your Legislative Assistant career path. It may be necessary to receive additional education, an advanced degree such as a Master's Degree in a related field, or special certifications in order to advance your Legislative Assistant career path.

5

Continued Education for Your Legislative Assistant Career Path

Not all industries and companies require continued education to advance your Legislative Assistant career path. However, earning this degree may help you advance to higher-earning positions more quickly. Earning a Graduate Degree in political science can take 4 years to complete. People that have earned their Graduate Degree typically make $72,097 compared to $34,981 for those without that type of degree.