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Elected by you "the people", legislators have a duty to be aware of and respond to issues which affect or concern you. There may be existing legislation which impacts your issue or a need for legislation which addresses it. Either scenario makes a visit with lawmakers valuable. The following suggestions are offered to assist you with a visit from or to your legislator:

1. Call the legislator’s office and tell the receptionist that you are a constituent and that you live/vote in the town that he/she represents. In your conversation, tell the receptionist that you would like to discuss a specific topic with him/her.
2. Make an appointment. You can ask that the meeting be in Lansing, Washington D.C., or in the district where you reside. It will be easier to get your point across if a spokesperson is chosen ahead of time to

lead the discussion.

3. Use the attached worksheet to clarify your issue before your meeting. It will help you to explain to the legislator why the issue is important and determine what information you need to give him/her. State specifically what you want the legislator to do.
4. Practice and role play your talk with the legislator prior to the visitation.
5. Don’t let your clothes distract from your message. "Radical" button and t-shirts could take attention away from your issue or diminish your credibility. Show that you are serious and dress appropriately.
6. Arrive on time!!
7. Please be polite. Make sure you thank the legislator and their staff for taking the time to meet with you.
8. Stay on the topic at hand. It’s easy to get side tracked so use your time to talk about solutions and the help you want from the legislator.
9. Ask for something specific whether it is an action or information you need. Ask specifically for this and get a commitment that the legislator will do what you have asked.
10. Don’t be afraid to disagree – politely – with the legislator. He/she can have their opinion, but is doesn’t have to be yours. If the legislator has a different opinion, ask them how their position will benefit the long term care consumers, your community, and the state itself.
11. Clarify what the legislator agreed to do. Before leaving, make sure your and everyone in your group along with the legislator agree on any commitments made. Did the legislator agree to do more research and possibly introduce a bill or vote against a bill that is already pending regarding your issue?

 

 

12. After the meeting, write down what happened. If you have gone as a group, debrief as a group. Ask yourself if you were able to find out the legislator’s position or thoughts on your issue. Did you stay on the topic? What did the legislator agree to do and did you learn anything that could be used to make future meetings go better? What is the next step to be taken?
13. Promptly send a thank you note. Regardless of the outcome, send a not to thank the legislator for their time. Be sure to remind your legislator about the issue discussed.
14. Do a follow-up letter one month after the meeting which mentions all of the points discussed. Also, request an update on what was promised and be sure to thank the legislator again for attending your initial meeting and their work.

Rev: 04/04

Legislator’s Name__________________________________ District: ___________________________________

Committee

Assignments: __________________________________________________________

Appointment

Date/Time/Place: _______________________________________________________

Attending Group

Team Leader: __________________________________________________________

1. What we want to tell the legislator is: ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. This is important because: ________________________________________________________________

3. The solution we offer is: __________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________