OAHCA Legislative Breakfast Meeting and Advocacy
Panel Discussion
April 26, 2005

Our legislative breakfast reception and advocacy workshop was held April 26. We want to thank Rep. Dale Miller, Rep. Merle Grace Kearns, and NAMI-Ohio Executive Director Terry Russell for their participation in our meeting and a special “thank you” to all legislators and legislative staff who attended the reception.

During a panel discussion, Rep. Miller and Terry shared their experience and advice on techniques that work well when advocating health care access issues to the General Assembly and to administration officials. Following are some highlights from their discussion:

From Rep. Dale Miller:

• Don’t politicize your issue. Approach your advocacy in bi-partisan fashion and position it in ways that it will appeal to both sides of the political fence.

• Know your issue thoroughly. Know your mission what you’re trying to accomplish through lobbying.

• Lobby your issue top-down – make sure the leadership is aware. The most efficient way to move an issue is to get leadership on board first, and work from there.

• Build a full, statewide, grassroots organization that reaches into rural, urban, suburban bases. Reach legislators through supporters in their own districts.

• Make your information concise. Legislators receive enormous amounts of information to read. Summarize your issue to one, no more than two, pages and make a cogent, concise argument.

• Make your issues personal. How does your issue affect a legislator’s district? How does it affect people in their district?

• Invite legislators to tour and visit facilities or agencies that illustrate your issue. Respect the legislator’s schedule for such invitations. Be willing to help teach the legislator about your issue with first-hand resources.

• Be realistic in your expectations for public policy changes.

• Recognize those issues that have an impact on your subject matter. For example, the current proposal for a constitutional amendment to limit taxation and spending should be studied and addressed by healthcare advocates.

From Terry Russell:

• Have a plan for advocacy. Know your goals and know your issue. Know who you need to have as fellow advocates and how to best reach individual legislators.

• As much as possible, join with fellow advocates that have similar advocacy goals. Speak with one voice and a common agenda for a more powerful, unified approach.

• Maintain relationships with legislators at all times. Even with legislators who don’t support your issue.

• Maintain relationships with administrative officials. This is important to get key supporters in departments such as Ohio Dept. of Job & Family Services, Ohio Dept. of Health, Ohio Dept. of Mental Health, etc…

• Know your numbers:

• Money helps; support key legislators when you can;

• Turn out numbers of advocates to contact legislators – the more the better;

• Turn out numbers of constituents within a legislative district to advocate on your behalf;

• Make frequent contact with legislators, the number of contacts you make will make a difference.

• Do advocacy well. Legislators notice when lobbying is done well; when it is done poorly, it also gets noticed.

• Be passionate about your subject matter. Do your homework and know your issue thoroughly.

• Bring forward people who are affected by your issue. Help legislators to get to know these people and their stories.

• When dealing with legislators:

• be realistic;

• be timely;

• be polite; and

• be respectful.

• Say thank-you. Send a brief follow-up thank-you letter.

• Be able to answer these questions when lobbying:

• Who are you?

• What do you want?

• Who’s it going to affect?

• Have a precise message. Give the legislator nothing over two pages; consider writing your information as bullet points. You can provide more detail when you meet in person.

During a question and answer period with the panel, additional guidance was provided:

• Do not parade too many witnesses before a legislative committee.

• Testify often, in sub-committees and full committees. Legislators have full schedules with many demands on their time, they don’t attend every hearing. It is best to deliver your message through testimony many times.

• Term limits are here. Get to know legislators and educate new ones on your issues.

• Pay attention to elections and get to know candidates. Build a foundation with them as candidates and help them to know your issues. Get to know their positions on issues important to you.

• It is best to interact directly with a legislator but also provide information to their staff members. Educating staff is important.

• Keep good relations with Governor’s staff and other administrative officials. Provide numbers and stats to them.

• Personal letters get the most attention by legislators. Mass mailings of pre-printed cards or letters are not as effective.

• Phone calls to legislators before votes can make a difference.

• Grassroots supporters are the most effective advocates. Legislators need to hear from the grassroots in their districts.

• Most legislators are okay with phone calls and letters to their homes. Saturday and Sunday phone calls are okay with most. In-district meetings are effective.

• Don’t ignore legislators in the legislative minority.

• Always show respect to legislators, even if they disagree with you on an issue. Don’t get angry.

• Do the work and know your issue.

• Be realistic.

Tips for Working With Legislators
by Gayle Channing-Tenenbaum (.pdf)

Click on a thumbnail to view the full image in a new window:

Members of the 126th General Assembly and partners of OAHCA discussed health care access issues in Ohio at the April 26, 2005 OAHCA legislative breakfast reception..

Representative Dale Miller served on a panel, Lobbying on Human Services Issues – What Works and What Doesn’t, explaining how best to build strong relationships and effectively communicate with legislators about human services issues.

Serving on the panel, Lobbying on Human Services Issues – What Works and What Doesn’t, Terry Russell – Executive Director for NAMI Ohio shared his advocacy experiences with OAHCA partners and offered advice on how to approach legislators and successfully lobby issues of importance.

Terry Russell and Representative Dale Miller answered questions from audience members, moderated by Carol Zimmerman of OAHCA.

Representative Merle Grace Kearns, serving on the Health Committee and Human Services Subcommittee, gave a legislative update to members of OACHA during the April 26th meeting. She covered a range of topics, including the budget process, tax reform and other health and human services issues currently facing the 126th General Assembly.