FAQ for Chapter Government Relations Directors

Q. What are my most important responsibilities as the government relations director in my chapter?

A. The most important responsibilities should be:

1.Monitor current events by reading FPA’s monthly Capitol Update and participating in our monthly call for GR directors.

2.Advocate for the recognition and regulation of financial planning and our One Designation, One Profession positions.

3.Communicate important legislative or regulatory issues to chapter members that come from FPA once a month. This can be done with a short, routine update at the beginning of each chapter program, cut and paste into chapter newsletters, selecting a topic for discussion at your board meeting, and one-on-one with individual members.

4.Urge chapter members to lobby by contacting their legislator when you receive a legislative alert from FPA. Make them aware of these alerts and advisories at chapter programs, in newsletters, and on your chapter website.

5.Promote FPA’s political action committee and ask them to contribute. Set a leadership example by contributing and asking everyone on your Board to contribute, whether it’s $10 or $1,000.

  1. What other activities can I get involved in as GR director?
  1. Contact the other chapter government relations directors in other FPA chapters in your state; compare notes on what they are doing. Establishing lines of communication among chapters will enhance your ability to respond in the event of a state legislative threat such as a tax on financial services.
  • Help educate state officials about your profession by either inviting them to speak at local programs or organize a day at the state capitol for your chapter to meet with them. (See separate sheet on organizing a Capitol Hill Day for Financial Planning.)
  • Report back to FPA’s Advocacy Director with any news on possible legislation or regulatory developments in your state, either on a monthly GR call or directly to an FPA lobbyist.

Q. How much time will my responsibilities take?

A. Time commitments vary. On average, a volunteer government relations director’s time commitment may take 4-5 hours a month, primarily reading Capitol Update and reporting on issues, as well as encouraging members to give to FPA’s political action committee. FPA’s monthly call lasts one hour. If you want to have an active program, think about appointing a GRCommittee with other volunteers to share in the work. Some of the activities that you can undertake:

  • Review FPA’s regulatory reports and disseminate relevant national and state-specific information to your board and chapter members, either at chapter programs, in your newsletter, or on your website.
  • Encourage PAC contributions from your board and local members, through newsletters and in-person at meetings. (If possible, have your program person give you 5 minutes at the beginning of each meeting to give an update and pitch for the PAC.)
  • Invite a state regulator or legislator to speak on a chapter program, or invite them to attend and make a few remarks. Politicians love the exposure. Ask your state securities commissioner to give a compliance talk for one program and get CE credits for it.
  1. How do I keep current on issues?
  1. One of the most important responsibilities of a volunteer GR director is keeping members up-to-date on new legislative and regulatory trends. While most of this information is likely to come from FPA, communication is a two-way street. Each month FPA Government Relations distributes “Capitol Update” to FPA members which tracks legislative and regulatory issues on the federal level that affect your practice and the financial planning process. Specifically, we track legislation that affect you as a financial planner, and in the tax, securities, ERISA and insurance areas over the Internet. Typically, we will disseminate this information to you in monthly or as-needed reports, as well as posting similar information on the FPA web site at . No tracking system is perfect. Often we will receive more timely information from local government relations directors who are “plugged in” to their state policy makers.

Q.Should I have a budget?

A. You can recommend minimal expenses for a chapter GR budget, primarily for postage and Internet service or long distance calls associated with legislative efforts and monitoring activities. If you want to organize a “state legislative day,” where your local group leases a bus and meets with state officials, you should discuss a budget plan with your board, such as chartering a bus, the cost of a reception for legislators, etc. Increasingly, local groups are making this effort and seeing the benefits of establishing a dialogue and cultivating positive relationships with the policymakers who regulate your business.

Q. What do I do if I hear about an issue that requires immediate action?

A. Time may be of the essence. Legislation on the state level frequently moves quickly. Because many state legislatures often schedule legislative votes at the beginning of a week, we may have less than 48 hours to notify members of an important vote in a legislative committee. If the issue warrants grassroots action, we will send out legislative alerts. (Letters generally would arrive too late.) These alerts will come with specific instructions, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses and “talking points” designed to help FPA members make their opinions count in the legislative or regulatory process. We will try and copy you on these alerts so that you will be aware of anything happening that is relevant to your local group. Of course, anything that you can do to personally encourage members to take action is welcome.

Also, if you or someone in your local group is knowledgeable about the issue, we strongly encourage you to contact us with any information that is helpful, such as relationships with certain legislators on the committee taking the vote, etc.

Q. Do I need to register as a lobbyist if my chapter becomes really active on an issue in our state capitol?

A. Rarely would you be required to register. However, lobbying laws vary by state. Typically, only professional lobbyists who are compensated for their activity or who spend a significant amount of time in contact with government officials have to register. Some states allow a limited number of contacts with public officials before requiring registration as a lobbyist. Information on lobbying requirements is available from your state legislature, attorney general or secretary of state. The FPA can assist you in locating information on current state lobbying/disclosure laws.

FPA Advocacy and Government Relations Contacts:Toll-Free Number: 1.800.322.4237

Karen L. Nystrom

Director of Advocacy

1.800.322.4237 Ext. 7194

FPA Office

7535 E. Hamden Ave

Suite 600

Denver, CO 80231

Fax: 303.759.0749

Office: 1.800.322.4237

1