Maybe they should have taken training in how to draft legislation - 3 Archives

Maybe they should have taken training in how to draft legislation - 3

When Governor Deval Patrick unveiled his casino plan last month, he said three destination resort casinos would generate $100 million to help host communities and their neighbors ease traffic and fight crime, and to pay for public health programs like compulsive gambling treatment and prevention.

But when the bill appeared last week, the amount of money earmarked for community mitigation and public health programs was only a fraction of what the governor promised: $27 million.

Patrick aides said the discrepancy was a mistake, an error committed during long days of drafting and revising the 77-page, landmark bill.

"Programs face gap in casino payouts: Error in bill means a fraction of funding," by Andrea Estes, The Boston Globe, October 17, 2007

How could this have been avoided? Maybe Massachussetts Governor Deval Patrick's staff should have attended the training program from TheCapitol.Net on “Drafting Effective Federal Legislation and Amendments” or read the “Legislative Drafter’s Deskbook” by Toby Dorsey.