The legislative session is in full swing, and this time of year is when the Association's legislative staff will be calling on local officials to make contact with legislators about specific bills or issues. The type of contact needed could come in the form of a phone call, visit, email or letter. The Association staff knows the timing and type of communication that will be the most effective for a specific issue.
Even if you are best friends with your local senator or representative back home, there are still some key things to know before calling, writing or visiting with your legislators to advocate on behalf of an important issue.
- Know your legislators' priorities and what their big issue is this session even if the issue doesn't have anything to do with municipal government. Some might be interested in ethics reform or transportation and others agriculture or education. This insight is especially helpful when you talk with your legislator on the phone or in person so you can engage in a conversation that shows you understand his priorities.
- Make clear you are a constituent if you write or email your legislator on an issue. In a letter or email, quickly state the issue and why it's important to your mutual constituents, then ask for support. Keep the tone positive and polite, but request a response.
- Leave a phone message in the legislator's office if you aren't able to catch him on the phone. It may be difficult to catch legislators in their offices during the session, but leaving a phone message or talking with staff can still be effective.
- Understand the legislative process and where the legislators are going to be at what time of the day if you are making a visit to the State House. Typically house members and senators are in chambers at noon on Tuesday to begin the week. Schedules for Wednesday and Thursday will vary somewhat but the schedule is always available online at www.scstatehouse.gov. That's critical in knowing where to catch them and how long you have to tell them your concern and ask for their support.
- Know where the legislators' offices are located in the Blatt Building (House of Representatives) and the Gressette Building (Senate) and know where in those buildings committees hold meetings if you are invited to testify at a hearing. Local officials are often asked to attend subcommittee meetings and to testify on specific bills. The subcommittees and committee level is where the majority of the work takes place on legislation. And in many cases, subcommittee meetings are the only time amendments are accepted and testimony is allowed.