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Taking a More Active Role in the Legislative Process

Rules of the Road

Cardinal Rule 1: It’s all about relationships! Life at the Legislative Plaza can be a lot like high school. The more people you know and the better you know them, the greater the influence you can have. Just like in high school, there are certain movers and shakers who you really want to build a good relationship with and these might include party leaders and chair persons of key committees.

Cardinal Rule 2: It’s always better to build a relationship with a legislator before you need to ask their help with legislation. It’s not unusual for an organization to spend time building relationships a year or more before they have a bill that they want to introduce.

Cardinal Rule 3: Don’t mix issues. If you are working with a legislator, then you want to focus on a single issue or bill. Don’t risk confusing or alienating a legislator by bringing up unrelated legislation.

Meeting with your legislator  

• Always be courteous to the staff members. When speaking to the legislator or staff member, quickly identify yourself, who you are representing, the issue you would like to discuss, and the fact that you are from the legislator's district.

• Use repetition . If a legislator senses that an issue is of great importance to many of his/her constituents that issue increases in importance to the legislator.

• Be reasonable . Recognize there are legitimate differences of opinion. While you may differ on one piece of legislation, you may agree on others.

• Don’t show disdain for politics: Communicating to legislators that certain bills, campaigns, or politics in general are not worth while or are dishonest will not build a good relationship.

• Don't condemn your legislators as being too far to the left or to the right in general or on an issue. Politics involves the art of compromise.

• Write down questions or points for your legislator before you go to your appointment.

• Don’t forget to listen. The appointment is for both of you to talk and share ideas.

• Say what you want to say at the start of the meeting. Your appointment will not last long.

• Say Thank You. Then send a Thank You note after you return home.

• HAVE FUN! Take pictures, shake hands, make memories.

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