INDISTRICT/CAPITOLLEGISLATIVEVISITS

FourStepstoLegislativeVisits

Findthenamesandcontactinformationofyourlegislatorsat

STEPONE:MakeanappointmentwithyourStateLegislators

1.CalltheDistrictorCapitolOfficeandask tospeak totheMember’sscheduler.Beclear aboutthetopicyouwanttodiscussandthenumberofpeoplewhowillbeattending(nomorethanfive).

2.Trytocallatleastafewweeksbeforeyou’dliketohavethemeeting—theearlierthebetter.Bepreparedtobeflexiblewithtimes,especiallyifyouwanttomeetwithyourMemberdirectly.

3.Takenoteofthescheduler’snameandemailaddress.Onceyouarefinishedwiththecall,sendanemailtotheschedulerthankinghim/herforhis/hertimeandsummarizethe detailsyoudiscussedonthephone.

4.Givethescheduler2-3daystogetbacktoyouaboutthemeeting.After3days,calloremailthescheduleragaintofollow-upandconfirmatime anddateforthemeeting.

STEPTWO: Prepareyourdelegationfor themeeting

Beforethelobbyvisit,scheduleameetingforallstudentswhowillbeattending.Everyoneshouldagreeontheagendaforthemeeting.Makesurethateveryoneisdressedappropriately andthattheyhavenotepadsandbusinesscardstoleavewiththeMember.

Beforethemeeting,itiscrucialtounderstandsomegeneralinformationaboutyourlegislators.Suchas,theireducationalbackgrounds,theirvotesonimportanteducationissues,knowifshe/heisamemberofaneducationorfiscalcommitteeand/orsubcommitteeintheLegislature.Thesedetailshighlighttheroles/hecanplayinsupportingtheprogressofyourissue.UponrequestCSSAcansendoutbiographiesofyourrespectivelegislators.

STEPTHREE:MeetingProcedure

1.BePreparedtoControltheMeeting

Beforeyourappointment, selectastudentinyourdelegationtobethefacilitator. Thisis animportantrole,asMembersmayshifttheconversationtoasubjectoftheirpreference.Havethefacilitatordecideeachperson’sroleforthemeeting.Remember,youmayonlyhave 10-15minutestopresentyourcase,soyouwillneedtobeefficientandprepared.

2.IdentifyYourselfandtheGroupYouRepresent

“Hello,mynameisandIamastudentatCSUherein/nearyourdistrict.Thankyousomuchformeetingwithustoday.We’reheretoday totalktoyouabout (localissues/campusissues/state-wideissues,etc.) .

3.StateYourPositionClearly

Onceyouhaveintroducedyourdelegation,explainyourissuesof concernclearly.Whetheryouarediscussingcampus/communityrelationsortuitionincreases,besuretouseclearargumentsandrelevantstatisticstobolsteryourargument. Also, personalizetheissueanddrawonyourownexperiences,andthoseofstudentsonyourcampus,toillustrateyourpoints.

4.AskInformedQuestions

Itisimportantthatyouarepreparedtoaskappropriatequestionsofthemember.Thismeetingisauniqueopportunityforyoutoaskthoughtfulandsubstantivequestions.Ifyoudon’tthinkyourmember’sanswertoaquestionissufficient,respectfully pushback oraskafollow-upquestion.

5.ProvideInformation

Alwaysleavebehindtangibleinformationthatsummarizesthemeeting’stopicsandyourprioritiesfortheyear,bothon-campusandlegislatively. Thisensuresthatthememberandstaff willunderstandyourpositionswhenyouleave.

STEPFOUR: Follow-up.

1.ImmediatelyDebriefand add meeting to Leg Visits Tracker

Afterthemeeting,sitdownasagrouptodebrief.Thisisagoodopportunitytoreflectonthesuccessesofthemeeting,areasuponwhichtoimprove,anddiscussnextsteps. Report your meeting to the Legislative Visits Tracker 2018: bit.ly/legtracker18

2.MaintainYourNew Relationship

Afterthelobbyvisit,itisimportanttosendathankyounoteoraletterhighlightingthemaintakeawaysfromthemeetingandthankingthememberforhis/hertime.Also,includeanyinformationthatyoupromisedtofollow-uponinthemeeting.Afteryousendafollowupletter,thinkofwaysthatyoucancontinuetobuildarelationshipwiththeMemberandstaff.Makeplanstoinvitethemembertoyourcampusforatouroraneventwithin1-2months ofyourvisit.

DO’SANDDON’T OFLOBBYING

DO’S

  • EstablishaGoalorPurpose–Focusonaspecificthemeforyourvisitandplanyouragendaaccordingly.Makesurethateveryoneinyourgroupunderstandsthepurposeofthevisits.
  • BePrepared–Doyourhomework.Providinglegislatorswithorganized,useful,clearandconciseinformationwillassisttheminmakinginformeddecisions.
  • Selecta SpokespersonandAssignRoles–Appointamemberofyourgrouptointroduceeveryoneandbegintheconversation.Giveeveryoneinthegroupanopportunitytospeak,ifdesired.Itisalsoimportantforeachpersoninyourgrouptotakenotesfordebriefing.
  • GiveAnecdotes–Sharespecificexamplespertinenttoyourcampusregardingyourchosentopic.
  • DressAppropriately–Asuitwithamatchingjacketisappropriateforbothmenandwomen.Menmayalsowearadressshirtandslackswhilewomencanwearslacks,askirt,oradress.Wearcomfortableshoesifalotofwalkingisinvolved.[MMA1]
  • LeaveSomethingTangibleWithYourLegislator–Afactsheetoracopyof abill(ifapplicable)–anythingthatwillvisuallyremindyourlegislatorofyourvisitandyourpositionontheissues.
  • Send aThankYouLetter–Itisimportanttosendathankyounoteoraletterhighlightingthemaintakeawaysfromthemeetingandthankingthememberforhis/hertime.

DON’T

  • Do NotBeLate–Membersareoftenonatightschedule,berespectfuloftheirtimeandarriveatleast5 minutesearly.
  • Do NotBeUnprepared –Thisisyouropportunitytoeducatethememberontheimportantissuesfacingyourcampusandthestudentsintheirdistrict.Thebetteryouunderstandyourmember,thebetterthemeetingwillbe.Presentyourpointsfromtheperspectiveofyourcampusanditsneeds.
  • DoNotBeDisrespectful–Alwaysaddresslegislatorsrespectfully(Assemblyman/womanor

Senator).Duringdiscussions,ifyoudisagree,saysoinapoliteway.Rememberthatlegislatorsareprivytomuchmoreinformationthantheaveragepersonand,whetheryouagreewiththemor

not,madethedecisionbasedonwhattheythoughtbest.Focusyourargumentsonfacts andreasonsbehinddisagreements –notpersonalities.

For any questions or concerns please contact:

Jared Giarrusso, Assistant Director of Government Affairs

(916) 441-4514

[MMA1]What do you think about this language? I think it is too specific. Especially when some of us do t-shirts with a coat/blazer