Who is my Senator?
A. There are several ways to find the Senator who represents your legislative district:
1. call your local county auditor’s office;
2. call the Legislative Information Center Hotline at 1-800-562-6000;
3. Online at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/
Q. What is the difference between paging for the Senate vs. the House of Representatives?
A. Page duties in the Senate and House are very similar, but different. Twelve Senate pages work in the Senate chamber during a floor session, while only 6 pages work in the House chambers. More campus buildings are served by Senate pages than House pages. The Senate also requires girls to wear pants while the House allows pants or skirts.
Q. If I have paged before, in either the Senate or House of Representatives, will I be allowed to page again for the Senate?
A. No. We have a waiting list of students hoping to be accepted into the page program. For this reason, the Senate does not accept applications from students who have paged previously in either the Senate or House of Representatives.
Q. I have a disability. Will I be able to page?
A. Yes. The Washington State Senate is committed to making legislative activities and facilities accessible to all people. To meet this goal, the Legislature has taken steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities have full access to legislative activities, programs, and services. Please call the Page Supervisor to discuss your special needs before you arrive.
Q. When may I submit my application?
A. Since we do not reschedule, it makes sense to submit your application once you know your activity schedule for the school year. With this in mind, applications should be submitted no earlier than September and no later than 5 weeks before the end of the legislative session.
Q. When will I find out if I have been accepted?
A. The Senate schedules page work weeks 4 weeks in advance of the page’s arrival date. An information packet is mailed to pages the same day. The packet includes an acceptance letter, with the date of the page assignment, and other pertinent information. Everything you need to know to prepare for paging is addressed in the information packet. You may call your Senator's office to ask if you have been accepted, however, they will not be able to tell you the date of your assignment unless it is within the next 3-4 weeks.
Q. Can I page the same week as my friend?
A. Arrangements may be made for you to page with your friend if you make the request on your application. Just write a note on the application and give your friend’s name. Your friend will need to do the same, writing your name on her application. Ex: I would like to page the same week as Jane Smith.
Q. If something unexpected comes up and I have to cancel, may I reschedule?
A. No. It is very important that you let us know, on your page application, what weeks you are not available. We are frequently asked to reschedule students due to conflicts with sports activities, final exams, family obligations, etc. It is simply not possible to accommodate these requests. Please do your best to anticipate any scheduling conflicts and specify weeks you cannot work on the application.
Q. How do I get to the Capitol?
Where do I park?
A. You can get directions and parking information by calling the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000 or on the Internet at www.leg.wa.gov/WorkingwithLeg/parking.htm. If you are using Onstar navigation or Mapquest.com, the physical address of the Capitol building is 416 -- 14th Avenue SW, Olympia, WA 98504. This information will be provided in detail in the information packet mailed to you prior to paging.
Q. I don’t live close enough to the Capitol to commute? Where can I stay and how much will it cost?
A. The Senate maintains a list of local families who house pages. This list includes specific information about charges and accommodations. Charges for housing during the 2007 Legislative Session were between $95 and $125 for a 5 day week. The housing list will be included in your information packet. Housing arrangements are your responsibility. If you choose to stay in a home on the provided list, you and your parents should inspect the home as this is not done by the Senate. Staying with friends or in a hotel are also options.
Q.
How can I learn more about the Washington State Legislature?
A. The Washington State Legislature’s website is an excellent resource for information about the Legislature. You can find us on the Internet at www.leg.wa.gov. If you do not have access to the Internet, call the Legislative Information Center, 1-800-562-6000. Tell them you are a student and ask them to send you information on the legislature.
Q. I would like to find out more about the page program and what to expect before I come to the Capitol. Where can I get this information?
A. You will receive a packet of information with your letter of acceptance. This packet will include a page handbook, page housing list and other pertinent information. If after reading this information thoroughly, you have questions, please call or e-mail one of the people on the contact list on the back page of the handbook or on this website under Page Program Contacts.
Q.
Do I need to buy special clothes for paging?
A. No. Just bring clean and pressed black slacks, white blouse or shirt and black shoes (all black tennis shoes are acceptable). Make sure shoes are comfortable as you will spend much of your time on your feet. Boys are required to wear a solid black tie. Girls are not allowed to wear skirts.
Q.
What do pages do?
A. Pages perform a variety of tasks including deliveries to Senate offices, errands and working in the Senate chambers. Pages will spend 2 hours a day in page school learning the legislative process.
Q.
What do I do if I can’t find an office for a delivery?
A. Pages are an asset to legislative staff, performing duties they would have to do otherwise. You will find that Senate employees are always happy to help a page. Just look for people wearing a badge or stop and ask questions at any Senate office.
Q. What days will I work?
A. You will be required to attend a 2 hour orientation the Sunday before you are scheduled to begin paging. Your page assignment will begin on Monday and end on Friday.
Q. What are the work hours?
A. The page work day begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m.
Q. How much and when will I be paid?
A. Pages are paid $35 for each day worked and $35 for attending the orientation on Sunday. You will receive a check in the mail approximately 2 weeks after paging.
Q. What do I do if I have a problem?
A. We hope your time as a Senate page will be one of the best experiences of your life and we are committed to that end. The Page Supervisors, page school teachers and page dispatchers are here to help you. No problem is too big or too small. Please let us know if a problem exists so we can help you resolve it.