Business people understand that time is money. If employees poorly manage their time and incur unnecessary expenses in getting their jobs done, the company suffers. Business people also know about re-inventing themselves or their businesses when necessary to remain competitive—or, in some cases, stay afloat. (There's a good reason no businessperson has ever felt the urge to read a book called The Seven Habits of Highly Ineffective and Wasteful People.)

Small wonder then that the private sector holds Tennessee's elected legislature in such low regard. While business people are increasingly doing more with less, and constantly evolving to remain relevant, the Tennessee General Assembly just keeps wasting time and taxpayer dollars with unnecessarily long lawmaking sessions year after year. We can do better.

There is no reasonable explanation for lawmaking sessions to drag on beyond a 90-day window from the annual Jan. 8 kickoff date, yet last year's session ended June 12. What is the cost of unnecessarily long sessions? A recent analysis of a three-week long special session of the Maryland legislature found the costs to be at least $360,873, or $17,184 daily. Costs included legislative staffs' wages, including printers, proofreaders, bill drafters, clerical and professional staff, legislators' lodging and meals, staffs' lodging and meals and copier rentals. How many former TennCare recipients could be added back to the rolls for that amount of money? How many small businesses could be given a break?

At the heart of the issue is the Tennessee General Assembly's historically slow start. Going forward, lawmakers in both chambers simply must begin to get down to business at hand on the very first day of the legislative session. At the time of the writing of this commentary in January, the State Senate had done just that, leaping headlong into debate over legislation on the session's very first day. Going straight to work in full session on a Monday through Thursday basis instead of turning an almost immediate focus to staggered work days, endless committee briefings, early session cocktail parties and horse-trading sessions with lobbyists would mean lawmakers could more efficiently govern into March and April, not May or June.

Going to biennial sessions like many other state legislatures do (Texas and Kentucky among them) is another cost-effective option. Imagine if 2007 had been an off year for lawmakers. State lawmakers spent a portion of last year deciding how and where to spend a windfall in one-time tax revenues that filled state coffers beyond budgeted estimates. Now back in session in 2008, the legislature is grappling with a budget deficit of several hundred million dollars, as recent tax receipts haven't kept pace with spending levels.

This year's session may indeed end early. But if it does, do not be fooled into thinking lawmakers suddenly have became industrious for the people's sake. As in other even-numbered years, lawmakers will want to quickly close up shop on the current legislative session—a period in which they are barred from raising campaign cash—so they can dash off to their re-election efforts. That desire is particularly acute in 2008 given that this year is a presidential election year where turnout (and available campaign money) is always at its peak. Too bad every year isn't a presidential election year. (For a truer test of the legislature's work ethic, tune in next year.)

Tell your local representatives to get active earlier, introduce fewer bills, pass fewer laws and save Tennessee millions of dollars in unnecessary costs in the process. Who better than our readership, Tennessee's highest ranking business operatives, to deliver them a lesson on how business works?

CORRECTIONS: In February's list of Top Contractors (Forecast 2008, pg. 42), we incorrectly labeled the information for #13 as belonging to Turner Universal Construction. The slot and information provided actually belongs to T.W. Frierson Contractor. We regret the error.