KFTC’s appraoch to grassroots lobbying
How and why we make our voices heard in Frankfort
What is grassroots lobbying?
Why is being involved in the legislative
process important?
When have our voices
made a difference in Frankfort?
Tips for effective lobbying
•
Take a long-term view of issues and relationships with legislators.
•
Tell personal stories. Why does it matter to you and other Kentuckians, esp. in their district?
•
Know basic issue facts, the bill number and sponsor(s), and where it is in the process.
•
Remember your #1 job is to educate lawmakers about issues & bills they may not know well.
•
Be prepared to deal with distractions and keep the conversation focused on your objectives.
•
Ask directly for support. “Will you vote for this bill?”
•
Ask questions. “What would it take for you to be able to support this? What are your concerns?”
•
Say thank you, no matter the response. Send a note as follow-up.
•
Don’t threaten or make disrespectful statements. (Be the most reasonable person in the room.
Stay calm, respectful and firm.)
•
Don’t make stuff up. If you don’t know the answer to a question, let them know you will follow-up.
Then be sure to do it!
•
Write down key points from the conversation and share with KFTC so we can track progress.
Overview of 2014 KY General Assembly
•
•
•
•
100 members (54 D, 46 R)
19 women
6 African-American men
Key players: Speaker Greg
Stumbo, Majority Floor Leader
Rocky Adkins, Minority Leader
Jeff Hoover
House
•
•
•
•
38 members (14 D, 23 R, 1 Ind)
6 women
2 African-American men
Key players: President Robert
Stivers, Majority Floor Leader
Damon Thayer, Minority
Leader RJ Palmer
Senate
The 2014 KY General Assembly session runs 58 days from Jan 7 to March 31.
They break for 2 weeks and then return April 14-15 for 2 final days.
What’s the General Assembly’s Job?
How a bill becomes law
Sponsor
Committee
• Someone brings idea to legislator (sponsor). He or she works with staff and lobbyists to draft a bill.
• Bill gets filed, given #, assigned to a committee by leadership.
• Chair of committee decides which bills to call up.
• Committee hears testimony on those bills, and can offer changes.
• There may be a vote on the bill or amended version (called a committee substitute).
Chamber
• Leaders in that chamber decide which bills to call up for debate and when.
• Lawmakers may offer amendments and debate each other.
• Eventually there may be a vote on the bill and any amendments.
Process
Repeats
• If the bill is approved by a majority in one chamber, it goes to the other side. There it is assigned to
a new committee. That chair decides whether to call bill up for discussion and vote. If it passes the
committee, it goes to the full chamber for debate and vote.
Negotiation
• If different versions of the bill are passed by each chamber, a conference committee is formed to
negotiate a compromise. Each chamber must approve the compromise version of the bill for it to
go to the Governor for his signature. Then it becomes law.
KFTC Issue Overview
Voting Rights
Tax Reform
2014
Clean Energy
A just transition in EKY
(protecting land & water,
& investing in future)
Other possible (likely) issues
Budget
Pipeline
Minimum
Wage
Gambling
Phone
deregulation
Fairness
Various Tax
Proposals
Death
Penalty
Budget
Ways to make your voice heard in the
2014 KY General Assembly
• Use toll-free message line: 800-372-7181
• Email
legislators:http://www.lrc.ky.gov/Legislators.h
tm
• Lobby with KFTC almost any Tu, W, Th. We
meet in Annex Cafeteria around 9 am. Confirm
in advance with lisa@kftc.org.
• Write letters to the editor of local/statewide
papers.
Join us for any of these “big” days
(www.kftc.org/calendar)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jan 15th: Voting Rights Day, Rally (9 am-2 pm)
Jan 21st: Economic Justice Day (12 - 4 pm)
Feb 5th: Clean Energy Lobby Day (9 am - 2 pm)
Feb 12th: I Love Mountains Day (9 am - 2 pm)
Feb 19th: Fairness Lobby Day (9 am – 2 pm)
March 5th: 50th Anniversary of MLK Jr March
on Frankfort, March and Rally (10 am – 2 pm)
Monday night @ 7 pm EST
KFTC KY Gen. Assembly Webinars
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jan 13: Voting Rights
Jan 20: Tax Reform and Economic Justice
Jan 27: Appalachian Transition
Feb 3: Clean Energy Opportunity Act
Feb 10: I Love Mountains Day issue overview
Feb 17: Pipeline
Feb 24: Overview of session so far
March 3: Voting Rights
March 10: To be determined
Resources, Info
about KY Gen.
Assembly 2014
WWW.KFTC.ORG
WWW.LRC.KY.GOV
KET (KY Connections
nightly at 11 am; KY
Tonight Mondays at 8
pm; Comment on KY
Fridays at 8 pm)
#kyga14 (Twitter)
Don’t go it alone!