legislative affairs COMMUNICATION WITH LEGISLATORS

How a Bill Becomes a Law
Legislative Do's and Don'ts
Visiting Your Elected Representative
Public Hearing Etiquette
Writing Your Elected Representative
Preparing a Statement or Testimony
How to make an appointment with your Legislator
How to Make Appearances at a Public Hearing

LEGISLATIVE DOS AND DONT'S

Do make your legislators your friends. The cardinal rule in politics is loyalty.

Do involve your legislators and candidates in your nursing efforts.

1. Invite them to meet your leadership and members.
2. Invite them to your district meetings
3. Invite them to your state meetings.

Do invite your legislators and candidates to community events - politicians like crowds.

Do contact your legislators on your nursing concerns.

1. Meet them in the district or at the Capitol.
2. Send them an email message.
3. Call them by telephone
4. Write them short notes
5. Use a mailgram/telegram
6. Never use a form letter. Would you like to receive 100 form letters?

Do approach legislators with a professional attitude and appearance.

Do represent nursing issues effectively.

1. Understand the positions of your association.  If you are unclear as to the association's position, obtain the information.
2. Educate legislators as to those positions.  Explain your concerns.
3. Where you differ from the association's position, make that difference clear to your legislator.
4. Forward the legislator's concerns and views to the association.

Do remember no legislator will agree with you 100% of the time.

Do say thank you! letter of support and thank you after a vote or other support will be long remembers.

Do not address legislators as Mr. or Mrs. - it's Representative or Senator

Do not threaten legislators with political reprisals.

Do not infer or demand your political efforts or contributions buys a vote or legislative support - it's often illegal, stupid and will backfire.

Do not attempt to embarrass a legislator or candidate in a public forum.  It's in bad taste and may serve only to embarrass the association.

Do not "burn your bridges"� with a legislator. While they may not support you today, you may need them tomorrow.

Do not mis-state the association position on issues. The association must remain credible in the Legislature and misstated positions will only destroy that credibility.  If you disagree with the association, never represent your position as the position of the association.

Do not "insist" a legislator should vote or support a proposal. "Request"� is the proper word.

Do not contact a legislator at odd hours and times - legislators are human and they need their sleep and family time.

Do not mix your personal, political and partisan concerns with association issues.

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Visiting Your Elected Representative

By far, the best way to communicate with your representatives is to visit them.  Visits by constituents are appreciated by legislators who are aware that constituents are monitoring, which bills they have supported or opposed.  However, legislators are subject to a tremendous amount of constituent opinion so it is important to communicate effectively.

The following are a few points to keep in mind when talking to your representative:

Plan ahead.  While you don't have to be an expert, know your issue as thoroughly as possible.  Prepare a list of issues to be covered, questions to be asked and answers to be obtained.  Approach your visit with two goals in mind:

1. To learn more about the representative's views on the issue.
2. To convey your concerns, opinions and hoped-for actions.

Discuss only ONE issue during your visit.  Identify yourself by name and, if appropriate, as a constituent.  Give your occupation and other pertinent background information.

Be specific and brief.  State the issue you wish to discuss and refer to the issue/bill by name and/or number.

Devote the early part of the visit to understanding your representative. For example, has she/he had a chance to review the bill you are concerned about; inquire about their position on the issue/bill.

Briefly outline your position and your reasons for it.  Be specific and as practical as possible.  Make it a local issue.  Let your legislator know how the issue relates to her/his constituents.

Ask your legislator to agree to actually do something; talk to another legislator; sit in on up coming hearings; work for defeat/passage.  Obtain any commitment you can.

If he/she is undecided, suggest other legislators who support your position that the person might talk to. Also, offer to follow-up with additional information.

Be reasonable, non-threatening, cooperative and friendly.  Do not contact your legislators only when you are concerned about a vote.  Invite them to visit your agency or to attend meetings of your organization.

Follow-Up Actions

• When you leave your representative, spend a few minutes reviewing the major points of the conversation and summarize the representative's response/position.
• Above all, be punctual and courteous . . .and listen carefully.  Did they say, "I sympathize with your point of view ", or "I will support your point of view. "�   Only the latter is a commitment.
• Send your representative a brief letter of thanks, referring to the most significant points covered in the conversation.  Be sure to include any materials or information you said you would send after the visit.
   

Address your elected representative properly:

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20501

Dear Mr./Ms. President:

U.S. Senators  
The Honorable ____________________  United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator ______________________

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives  The Honorable _____________________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510
   
Dear Representative   ________________

The Governor:          Governor _________________________
Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin 53707

Dear Governor _____________________

State Senators:          State Senator ______________________
Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin 53702

Dear Senator ______________________

State Representatives:        State Representative ________________  
Wisconsin State Capitol      
Madison, Wisconsin 53702

Dear Representative _______________

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Public Hearing Etiquette

• Testimony should be rational, concise, and not repetitive.  It must be based on fact.
• Districts and organized groups should appoint a spokesperson.
• Written testimony is advised even for those people who will speak.   Copies should be made available for all committee members.
• Additional testimony in written form only can be addressed to the Chairman.
• Persons attending the hearing receive a slip from the Page, and can register for, or against a proposal.   It is important to know what the proposal says before you register a position.   Registration becomes a part of the history of the proposal.
• Persons who wish to speak indicate so on the hearing slip:
  • Speak for
  • Speak against
  • Speak for information only
• Demonstrations are out of place at a hearing.

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Writing to Your Elected Representative

Why write a letter? Your representatives in Congress and in the state Legislature want and need to hear from you.  One of the most effective ways to communicate with your representatives is by writing a letter. Letters are a significant measure of political attitude back home.  Someone in the representative's office personally reads all letters, and the vast majority receives a reply.

What makes an effective letter? You don't have to be an expert on the issues to write to your representative.  It is your interest and concern, rather than your knowledge about the issues, which counts.  However, the way you write DOES make a difference.

The following tips will increase the impact of your letter:

• Identify yourself as a constituent; include your occupation and other pertinent information.
• You will be more effective if you write as an individual.   Individual citizens' views count.
• Be brief and to the point - one page or less.   If necessary, you can include supporting data such as a fact sheet or a newspaper article.
• Discuss only ONE issue in each letter.
• Be specific - refer to a bill by name and/or number, the representative who introduced it and what it proposes to do.
• Briefly outline your position on the issue/bill and how you reached that position.
• Make it a local issue by relating the bill to your district.   The representative's primary concern is how the bill affects her/his back-home constituency.
• Ask for specific action.   For example, you may want the representative to co-sponsor a bill, vote for it, or work actively against it.
• Ask your representative to relate her/his position on the bill.   This places responsibility on the representative to take a stand on the bill and to account for that position to you, the constituent.
• Follow-up with a letter of thanks if your representative acts in support of your position.   Since thank you's are few and far between, you will probably be remembered the next time you write.
   

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Preparing a Statement or Testimony

You have researched your topic, talked with affected parties and formed your own opinions on a particular issue.  Now, how do you put it all together in the form of a statement or testimony?

You are striving for a statement that will provide background on an issue and support that position with persuasive arguments.  If possible, offer alternative solutions or raise points not previously considered.

Effective Statements

Effective statements often use the following formats:

    Opening paragraph: State the issue and your (or organization's) position.

    Second and third paragraphs: Present arguments pro or con, background, possible ramifications, how this would improve or hurt the current situation.

    Fourth paragraph: Present alternative solutions, or points the committee should consider when looking at this issue.

    Closing paragraph: Briefly reiterate your position.   Thank the committee for its time.

Other Suggestions

The following suggestions may be useful to you when you sit down to put your sentences together.

• Be definite, specific and concrete.   Don't repeat slogans or buzzwords.   Avoid jargon and emotional generalizations.   Don't use name calling or threats.   In other words, be polite, informed, and thoughtful in your writing.   You will impress not only the elected representative but your audience as well.
• Use definite, specific and concrete language rather than vague and abstract language.
  Don't say: The funding was changed in a negative direction.
  Say:  The funding was cut dramatically.
• Put statements in the positive form:
  Don't say: "He was not very often on time."
  Say:  "He usually came late."
• Use the active voice.   It is more direct and shortens sentences.
  Don't say:   "There were a great number of youth who were angry about the decision."
  Say:  "Most youth were incensed by the decision."
• Avoid jargon and using nouns as verbs.
  Don't say: "We are in a prioritizing mode."
  Say:  "We are setting priorities."
• Omit needless words.   There are many common expressions that violate this principle.   For example "owing to the fact that" should be "since"� or "because"�.   "Call your attention to the fact that"� should be "remind you."�     "There is no doubt that"� should be "no doubt."
• Stick to one idea per paragraph.   A statement is easier to read when the paragraph and sentences are short and to the point.   No one wants to wade through enormous blocks of print.
• Read the statement aloud.   People often write more formally than they speak.   Listen to how the words flow.   You may be able to spot a poorly structured sentence more easily if you hear it.
• Have someone else read your statement.   Don't be offended by criticism, however.   It is always easier to edit someone else's work than to write an original.
• Talk with others who might be providing testimony on the same issue.   Try to coordinate your statements or testimony so each person can provide her/his unique perspective on the issue.

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How Do I Make An Appointment with My Legislator?

To make an appointment with your legislator or his/her legislative aide follow the steps below.

1. Click on the Wisconsin Legislature link below
   http://www.legis.state.wi.us/
2. Click on "Who is my Legislator"
3. Fill in your address and zip code and then click on submit
4. The name of your legislator and his/her contact information will appear on the screen.
5. Contact the legislator's office and request to speak with the scheduler.
6. Inform the scheduler that you are attending Nurses Day at the Capitol on March 4, 2003 and that you would like to schedule an appointment with either Rep___ or Senator___.   Inform the person that you would need an appointment between 11:15-12:00.   If the legislator is unavailable to meet with you, you can request to meet with one of the legislatives aide who handles healthcare issues.   If the scheduler inquires as to the reason for the meeting, inform him/her that you want to discuss issues affecting nurses today.
7. If there is a group of participants from the same area, please arrange your visits together and have one-person call to make the appointment.   Making a group appointment will decrease the amount of phone calls coming into the offices and will allow for more individuals to meet with their legislators.  

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