know your power|can you advocate?|advocating tips
Follow the Ground Rules
1. Timing is Everything
The Iowa Legislature is normally in session from early January through late April or early May. To influence a bill that's been introduced, track its progress carefully and contact the legislators involved at appropriate stages. The Legislative Information Office can help you identify and track a bill's progress. Contact them at (lioinfo@legis.state.ia.us ) or call 515-281-5129.
2. Keep Track of the Committees
To influence legislators before they make decisions in the legislature's committees, you need to know the committees' meeting times and topics. For a recorded listing of committee meeting times, call 515-281-5869. For daily listings of committee meetings and agendas, e-mail the Legislative Information Office at (lioinfo@legis.state.ia.us ) or call 515-281-5129.
3. Follow the Floor Action
As bills are amended on the floor, your position on the bill may change. So it's important to follow action taken on the Senate and House floors. Each chamber's regular calendar lists all bills eligible for debate, as well as their floor manager--a good person to contact. Each day, the Majority Leader's office also issues a debate calendar where you can see if a bill you are following is scheduled for debate.
4. Stay Informed
- Stay abreast of action in committees and the legislative chambers so that you can keep timely contact with legislators. There are several tools to help:
- The Iowa Legislative News Service - a daily bulletin summarizing all of the previous day's activities in the Legislature. For subscription information, call 515-282-5926.
- Senate and House packets of materials - for current regular calendars, copies of the most recently filed bills and resolutions, clip sheets, and the previous day's journals.
- Senate and House journals - for daily records of proceedings, clip sheets of all amendments filed , votes on bills and amendments, and the number, sponsor and text of amendments.
- Single copies of calendars, bills, journals and clip sheets are available from the Senate and House bill rooms at no charge. To have a daily packet prepared for you (for a charge), or for more information, call the House Finance Office at 515-281-5879.5. Cultivate Other Allies
You're likely to find other individuals and groups sharing your views that can help you in your advocating efforts. Here are some tips:
Use the list. Look up the registered lobbyists that may represent organizations with a similar interest in your bill or issue. A list with lobbyists' names, addresses and phone numbers is available from the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Clerk of the House listed on the Web page,
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Legislators/LegislatorInfo.aspx
Check their viewpoint. Talk to the lobbyists, or the organizations' members, and see where they stand. They might provide you with advice and information as well.
Make allies at home. Share your views and information on an issue with friends, neighbors and co-workers. Urge them to write, call, e-mail or visit with their legislators.
Use the Media. Write the editor of your local newspaper or contact the news departments of local radio and television stations. Press coverage of an issue can generate public debate, and that may lead to legislative action.
