Tips for Communicating with Legislators

 

While the ACCG policy staff is at the Capitol every day during the Legislative Session, county commissioners - as elected officials - are the most effective voice for county government.  Phone calls, email, or visits from you carry tremendous weight.  Watch for ACCG Legislative Updates, Budget Updates and Action Alerts and use this information to help explain the impact of legislation on your county.

How Can You Help

 

Develop a rapport with members of your delegation.
Remind your legislators that county officials and ACCG are among the very few sources where a legislator can learn about the impact of legislation on an entire community.  Mostly, they will hear from lobbying organizations and individuals who have a very narrow, self-interest constituency.

Regular contact during the legislative session is very important.

Let legislators know how certain bills would affect your (and their) constituents.  Note that the legislative process is fast-paced.  Timeliness is critical during the session, so know how to contact your legislator by cell phone or email.  

Visit the Capitol several times during the legislative session.

Make appointments with members of your legislative delegation.  Visit with them in their offices and attend meetings of the committees on which they serve.  Make sure to confirm this information as the legislative session begins so that you will have current contact information when you need it.

 

You are also encouraged to spend a day with one of the ACCG policy staff to gain a better understanding of how the legislative process works.  To schedule a day with the policy staff, contact Kimberly Owens at kowens@accg.org or (404) 522-5022.

 

Know the best time to reach your legislators.

Ask them when they are usually in their offices.  As a rule, early mornings and late afternoons are best, but this depends on committee meetings.  Keep in mind that schedules are less predictable in the final weeks of the session.

Be specific and concise.

When discussing legislation, always provide the bill number and the author's name if possible.  Be sure to fully understand a bill before contacting your legislator about it.  Contact the ACCG staff with questions.  Also, since legislators are often inundated with letters and calls, your message should be brief and to the point. 

Offer background and support on issues you share in common.

If your legislator is carrying a bill you support, provide him or her with local anecdotes and situations that have prompted introduction of the bill, as well as the fiscal impact it will have in your area.  Factual information and local impact will help your legislator argue more effectively in committee and on the floor.

Offer to testify on a bill of interest to the county.

Testimony from commissioners can be very effective during legislative committee hearings.  Legislators appreciate other elected officials testifying in support of their bills.  Even of you can’t come to the Capitol, your phone call can be helpful, especially if you’ve already developed a relationship with your legislator.

 

Give legislators an early “heads up” call if one of their bills is going to cause problems to your county.

They will appreciate your early warning of problems with a bill as it moves through the process.  This also provides an opportunity to collaborate with you early on to work out concerns.

Maintain direct contact while your legislators are at home.
Virtually all legislators will be in their home districts during weekends and when the legislative session is out.  Make a point to visit them, arrange periodic Saturday breakfast meetings with delegation members, or arrange joint meetings with other counties in your legislator’s district during the session, as well as during the remainder of the year.

 

 

Legislative Do’s and Don’ts

Do be direct in giving your opinions

Most legislators want to know what you think about an issue.  Provide facts to the extent possible regarding the impact of legislation on the citizens in your county.

Do offer to help legislators with constituent issues.

Legislators are asked to address a wide variety of issues during the year.  Often, you may have the knowledge and background to help a legislator handle constituent issues.  Many of the constituency groups that contact you also contact legislators.  Your day-to-day local perspective can prove valuable to both legislators and constituents.

 

Do thank your legislators for the good things they do.
Complaints not balanced by appreciation can wear thin over time.  Take time to send an email or make a call to say “thank you.”

Do use the “golden rule” as your guide.
Treat your legislators as you’d like to be treated when it comes to issues of public importance.

Don’t publicly attack legislators when they take a different position than yours.

Publicly attacking legislators or questioning their motives is not an effective means of resolving differences and provides fodder for the press, which oftentimes takes great pleasure in highlighting personal disputes.  Communicating your views privately is much more effective and encourages frank discourse on the issues.

Don’t burn your bridges.

It’s natural to be disappointed if your legislator doesn’t vote the way you ask him or her to.  But don’t let one vote destroy your relationship – you will need their support on many other issues in the future.