Say you want to tell the Florida Legislature something. It might be a bill you want them to support or oppose. It might be an issue you think is important and they’re ignoring. But the process is confusing and you don’t know where to start. WFSU can help. This week we’re airing our Florida Legislature 101 series—think of it as a Quick Guide to the Process. Today we have tips from experts on how members of the public can make their voices heard.
Jane Johnson, Bill Montford and Karen Woodall all know the Legislature well.
Montford is a former state senator; he’s CEO of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. Johnson is retired from decades of lobbying work, mostly on health and human services issues. Woodall is executive director of the Florida People’s Advocacy Center, representing groups like the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.
All three point to the legislative staff as the first point of contact. Montford says if you want to be heard on an issue, forging a relationship with those staff members is crucial.
“We should never underestimate their value," he said. "They are just absolutely wonderful and they have a tremendous amount of power -- especially when we have term limits. When you have term limits, your staff -- and lobbyists, quite frankly -- have a lot of power. A lot of information.”
Woodall says lawmakers and their staffers need to know who you are, what you care about, and that they’ll be hearing from you.
“The staff are gatekeepers," she said. "They let you in -- or not. They deliver your message -- or not. And you need to respect them and know that they also have the ear of the member that they work for, and they can help you.”
The House and Senate have directories for finding the lawmaker or committee you want, along with their current work and history. Go to those pages to find the staff contacts.
Johnson thinks email is preferable to calling because the call volume can be really hard to manage. And she says before you reach out, think about who you’re calling or emailing and what their workload looks like.
“And the legislative aide -- they are drinking from a fire hose in the weeks leading up to legislative session and all through legislative session," she said. "So you don’t want to take a lot of their time. Convey your message as quickly as possible.”
Montford also stresses brevity. Keep it brief and factual, he says. And show both sides, explaining why yours is the better way to vote.
“’Cause again, there’s always both sides to an issue," he said. "If not, it wouldn’t be up there anyway. Do your homework! You’ve got to know your opponents out there, and you’ve got to know that they are just as genuine as you are in terms of the issue.”
Johnson recommends having your talking points written up before you make a call or write an email. She says not to attack or insult, because you could be poisoning the well for any ongoing relationship you might have with that person.
“If it’s something you’re really upset about, that’s okay," she said. "That’s good because it motivated you to contact them. But try to reach out in a positive spirit and offer some suggestions and say, ‘I’m writing to you about this. And I have some concerns about that. I think there’s another way we can go about this.’ Or, ‘I’d like to share my personal perspective about this.’ Don’t say, ‘You guys don’t know what you’re doing up there in Tallahassee!’”
And Woodall says you don’t just come to Tallahassee and walk into a committee meeting to speak without laying the groundwork.
“It’s really important to have talked with the legislator or the legislator’s staff before the committee meeting," she said. "You should already have been by. ‘I’m going to be speaking. Here’s my concern. Give them a handout. This is who we are. This is who our organization is.’ It’s that advocacy before the committee meetings that really can make a difference.”
Given the Republican super-majority in Tallahassee, Woodall says, it may feel like the vote on many bills is predetermined. But there are other advantages to showing up.
“You're not just talking to those legislators. You’re talking to the public that might be watching it on the Florida Channel," she said. "You’re talking to the press that’s in there listening. You’re talking to the leadership, who has people watching these meetings…”
And remember, you may only get 30 seconds or a minute at the podium in a committee meeting, so be ready with your elevator speech. You may even get to use it in the elevator.
