As stated in previous blogs, there are a whole bunch of issues to contend with when lobbying for legislative change. It is a long and difficult road to travel, but having knowledge about the system and nuances regarding how the system operates can put you light years ahead of others and really solidify your chances at getting your advocacy goals realized. Here are some assumptions that can cause pitfalls in your efforts and some strategies to ensure more success.
Assumption 1: Legislators know who you are, know what your organization is and know what your profession does.
Legislators, even ones that oversee your profession, are typically interested in the field, but are not necessarily experts in it. Don't assume that since the legislator is on a mental health committee that they know anything about the specifics about it, including your license, professional name, or what you can and cannot do.
Strategy: Be very specific when speaking to a legislator. Don't just use your acronym use that plus your full name. Get the legislators acquainted with the profession through exposure to who and what we are and repetition to ensure that we are on their mind. This allows more insight into who we are and what we do. Let them know about your professional organization. Use official letterhead when writing or emailing them. Ensure they recognize the brand and be specific with your mission. I'm not kidding when I say I've had interactions with legislators who were on certain committees who have actually said to me "What is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor? What is MaMHCA?" This was a real eye-opener for a lot of us. Prevent it from happening to you.
Assumption 2: Assuming that they know what your bill is.
Most legislators have literally hundreds of bills come across their desks over the course of a legislative cycle and although it's incredibly important to us as providers, they may not be so passionate about it. In fact, even if they do care about it, it could have been placed in a stack waiting to be remembered again.
Strategy: When speaking about your bill use the bill number, not the nickname you gave the bill. For example, when lobbying your bill don't say (this is a MA bill for example) "I'm calling about the Section 12 bill" say "I'm calling about bill H1787." The legislators keep a folder about your bill and put support and decent in the file. They don't write down nicknames for it. They speak in numbers, not your label for it.
Assumption 3: THIS IS A BIG ONE!!!! Assuming that just because someone told you they called, doesn't mean that it actually happened, or that it was written down.
I can't tell you how many times I've been told by a room full of people that they had contacted their legislator only to find out when I asked the legislator if anyone has called to find out that nobody has. Don't assume that just because people want something to pass, or fail and seem passionate about it that it actually happened.
Strategy: Call with the people who say they will call. Get proof that they had contacted the legislator. Write out statements for your supporters to fill out and pass back into you. Prepopulate flyers and documents that can be signed on the spot and send them in yourself. This ensure that it was done. And keep copies in case you have to make more and send them in if they get lost in the mail.
Assumption 4: Remember that file for the bills discussed in Assumption 2, well don't assume that the file is full because you emailed/called/mailed something in. Sometimes even though you reached out it doesn't mean that your efforts made it into the file.
Strategy: Call often and specifically ask for "Support Testimony and Decent Testimony." If you send in letters of support, specifically ask if they received them. Sometimes if you send a form to the House Chair of the Joint Committtee it goes in the House Chair's file, but that doesn't mean it will be seen by all if you call the Senate Chair, per se. Make sure to be specific when inquiring about your legislation.
Also, make sure to check for dates. Most committees have specific deadlines for decisions to be made. Make sure you are on top of that and pay close attention to it. Don't assume they have until the legislative cycle or that you only have to file your bill once. Make sure you know when the 2 year cycle is over. If no decision is made in that time you will have to resubmit the legislation.
I hope this helps with legislative initiatives with your state chapter. These are some tips and tricks learned along the way. If you have any other tips or strategies that worked for you, please share.