lev advocacy & testimony prep sea3ed 02.07.2015

SEA3eD meetingFebruary 7, 2015

Working to improve public education in Washington State from cradle to career with ample, equitable, and stable funding

Tabor 100

AgendaAdvocacy 101

• Introduction: what is advocacy?• Who represents you?

• Practice writing messages to legislators on an issue

Legislative testimony Prep• Introduction• Pairs: write message points on index cards• Share with each other

Introduction: Advocacy 101

Who is an advocate? Communicating with legislators: message format Practice writing messages

Legislator

SEA3eD

LegislatorCommunity

Legislator

Public/ Private Sectors

HB 1541

It’s all about influence and relationships…get on a legislator’s speed dial.

• Frame your message in the positive

• 1-3 minutes• YOUR story is key

• Appreciation; Gratitude• Do not insult the opposition

• MAKE A SPECIFIC ASK

Messaging Tips

ASK

Message Point

Message Point

Message Point

Who do I contact?Local: your legislatorshttp://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Specific legislators: bill sponsor(s) and leadershipAnd how can I do this? • Phone calls• E-mails• **Personal notes

How do I communicate with legislators?

Message Format: written• Dear (Title, name): Representative Santos• My name is ______, and I am a (college

student), attending ___ school in _____• My ask: I support/please pass bill ___ • My story• My ask• Contact info

• Name• Street address• Phone number• E-mail address

Testimony

• Write out your testimony• E-mail to Joyce 1-2 days prior, she will

bring copies of everyone’s testimony to give to the committee

• Submit comments directly via legislature website

What can LEV & SEA3eD do?• Help everyone prep for testifying

• Arrange transportation carpools

• Guide people to sign in promptly before the

hearing

• Everyone writes thank you notes to 4

legislators, and we deliver to their offices after

the hearing

• Dear (Title, name): Representative Santos• My name is ______, and I am a (college

student), attending ___ school in _____• My ask: I support/please pass bill ___ • My story• My ask• Thank you for the opportunity to speak!

Testimony format

Hearing process• Arrive 45 minutes early to sign-in!• Mark on the sheet whether you will

testify, and whether you support, oppose or are neutral

• Several bills are heard at each hearing, we don’t know the order that bills will be heard

• People will be called to the podium in pairs, based on order of sign in and position on the bill

• We are there to support you!

After the hearing

• We will take the notes that you wrote to legislators’ offices:• Sponsoring legislator:

Representative Santos, thanking her for her work on this bill

• Your 3 legislators, notifying them that you attended and/or spoke about HB 1541, and your position on the bill

QUESTIONS?