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ABC’s
of Lobbying 2008
Appointments with your Legislator(s):
• Appointments have been arranged for you to meet with various
legislators on Lobby Day. Attempts have been made to align you with
your area’s representative. Tell the staff that you are a
constituent and what issue(s) you would like to discuss with your
representative. If your legislator is unavailable, you may have
a scheduled appointment with a member of the legislative staff.
Staff members are extremely influential and should be treated with
the same respect you would give to the legislator.
• If possible, we have put together a delegation of midwives
to attend the meeting. A number of individuals from the legislator’s
district who are concerned about the same issue will make a big
impression. Be sure to take along students from their districts
as the legislators are impressed with their participation.
Preparing for
the Meeting:
• Establish your agenda and goals. Today we will focus on
educating the legislators on the profession of midwifery, the legislation
that we would like them to sponsor, our concerns about the malpractice
insurance crisis and our interest in women’s and child health.
• Research your legislator’s stance prior to the meeting.
It is important that you know your official’s position so
that you can present your stance more effectively and have an intelligent
discussion.
• Meet with the midwifery delegation that will participate
in the lobbying. It is important that you review what each person
will say during the meeting. Select someone as the group leader
and make a list of points to be made and questions to be asked by
each individual.
• Prepare materials. Review the packet of information you
will leave with your legislator. It is important to include your
name and phone number in the packet so that your legislator will
have a contact person for more information. Leaving a business card
would be appropriate.
During
the Meeting:
• Be on time for your meeting. Be sure to mention if you happen
to live in the legislator’s district.
• Hand your legislator their prepared folder and review the
contents with him/her. Make sure to review what a Licensed Midwife
is and our role in women’s health care.
• Discuss the importance of our proposed legislation, the
Privileges Bill, Physical Therapy Bill, and our Memos of Support
for Peer Review and Emergency Contraception.
• Stress why the issues concern you and others in your district.
• Be concise and diplomatic. Keep your presentation short
and to the point.
• Be a good listener. Look for indications of your legislator’s
views and watch for opportunities to provide useful information
in order to strengthen or counter particular views.
• Thank the legislator if he/she did support our legislation
in the past, and convey gratitude for any other women’s health
care legislation that was supported by him/her.
• Don’t be intimated. Your Legislator is in office to
serve you. It is important to have a general knowledge of the issues,
but you don’t have to know every little detail. If he/she
asks a question that you do not know the answer to, simply say that
you do not know but will find out. Ascertain the best way to get
the information to him/her--either by fax, email or a follow up
phone call.
• Leave your business card.
After
the Meeting:
• Write a brief follow up letter. After your visit, write
a letter thanking your legislator for his/her time. Cards are included
in your folder for you to mail prior to leaving the legislative
building.
• Stay in contact with your legislator. Remember your goal
is to strengthen midwifery relationships with your legislators.
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