The following are steps you should take to establish and maintain relationships:
Find out which legislative district you live and/or work in and which state representative and state senator represents your district. Thanks to technology, it should be relatively easy to determine this information. All state legislatures have web sites and most of them allow you to determine your district and state representative and state senator by entering your zip code. Once you have determined this information, most state legislators have web sites that provide additional information about them, including committee assignments, issues and contact information. As a constituent, you should also receive newsletters periodically that identify your representative and senator and the significant issues that they support. It is important to become familiar with your state legislators before the initial contacts are made. In addition, make your Chapter Legislative Representative aware that you will be communicating with state legislators on issues that are critical to your profession.
Establish initial contacts with your state representative and state senator.
There are two ways that initial contacts can be made – either by letters or emails. The initial contacts should do the following: 1. Establish you as a constituent who will be periodically making contact with your state representative/senator (be sure to include your return address on letters and emails);
2. Provide introductory information and important issues (no more than three);
3. Recognize legislators’ positions on any relevant committees;
4. If appropriate, acknowledge legislators for their leadership and support of issues;
5. State that you will be periodically contacting them about infection prevention and control issues.
Continue contacts during the legislative session.
During the legislative session, send one-page letters or equivalent emails to your state legislators on specific legislation. This communication should include the following:
1. Your return address;
2. Restate that you are a constituent;
3. Identify legislation by both name and number;
4. State briefly how this affects you and your patients (access to care, cost-effectiveness and quality of care are “white hat” issues);
5. Ask for their views on this legislation. This is a critical piece of information.
After letters or emails have been sent, phone calls to state legislators and/or their aides are effective as follow-up and to reiterate information that was contained in letters/emails.
Set up face-to-face visits with state legislators as part of an Advocacy Day at the state capitol or as individual appointments.
If your state legislature has an annual Advocacy Day at the state capitol, you should easily be able to set up visits with your state legislators following your initial contacts. If others who are participating in the Day are also constituents of your state legislators, go as a group for the visit. Never discuss more than three issues and be sure to leave your business card behind as further explanation of the issues. And, always send timely thank you notes following the meetings.
Continue communication with legislators when they return to their districts.
In order to get to know legislators on a more personal and on-going basis, the following are effective “grassroots” activities:
1. Attend town hall meetings conducted by legislators during recesses and when legislative sessions have adjourned;
2. Request to serve on appropriate advisory committees;
3. Host and/or attend fundraisers;
4. Work in legislators’ campaigns by stuffing envelopes, putting up yard signs, working at phone banks and the polls on Election Day, etc.
For assistance or additional information on state government advocacy, please contact Denise Graham at 202-454-2617 or email at dgraham@apic.org .