WHAT IS LOBBYING

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Nurse Lobby Day April 2008
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Aim

• The main purpose of this presentation is to
  introduce Florida Nurses to the Art and Science
  of lobbying

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Goals

• Educating, Informing and advising lawmakers and
  agency staff about our issues

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Objectives

• Staging the most extraordinary Nurse Lobby day
  ever seen in Tallahassee
• Influencing political outcomes

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DEFINITION OF LOBBYING
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What is Lobbying ?

• Discussing a legislative measure directly with an
  official in the executive or legislative branch
  for the purpose of promoting, supporting,
  affecting, modifying, opposing or delaying by any
  means, including the providing of information,
  statistics, analysis or testifying at a
  legislative hearing

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Why Does COPE Think You Can Lobby?
Because we all lobby all the time. Whether it is
lobbying to convince a friend to see a movie, a
child to clean their room, the boss for a raise,
a co-worker to help out on a project We all
lobby to get things we want. We list the
argument for our position, we point out the
problems with the other sides arguments
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Why Does COPE Think You Can Lobby? Cont.
We enlist the help of those who are more
powerful in the situation and we use our own
position of power in the situation to win for our
patients and our profession.. All of this is
lobbying.
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Why Lobby? Ten Reasons to Lobby four Your Cause

• You can make a difference
• People working together can make a difference
• People can change laws
• Lobbying is a democratic tradition
• Lobbying helps find real solutions

• Lobbying is easy
• Policy makers need your expertise
• Lobbying helps people
• The views of local Union members are important
• Lobbying advances your cause and builds public
  trust

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Why Lobby at a State level?

• Lobbying at a state level is important because it
  will lead to greater success and political
  influence.
• Leadership in legislative and regulatory domestic
  matters has shifted from Washington to the state
  capitals.
• All of the medicaid budget, some funding for JMH,
  Kidcare funding, and most laws governing our
  professions and healthcare for our patients
  originate in Tallahassee.

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A Few Facts About Florida Legislature

• July 7, 1838 the capital was established in
  Tallahassee -half-way between the population
  centers of Jacksonville and Pennsacola.
• The legislature is composed of two (2) Chambers
  a House of Representatives with 120 members and a
  Senate with 40.
• Schedule The Legislature meets in regular
  session every year beginning on the first Tuesday
  in March. A regular session may not exceed 60
  consecutive days, and a special session may not
  exceed 20 consecutive days, unless extended
  beyond such limit by a three-fifths vote of each
  house

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A Few Facts About Florida Legislature cont.

• Republican currently control the House (77-41)and
  the Senate (26-14).
• The Governor, Charlie Crist, and Lt. Governor
  Jeff Kottkamp, are both Republicans.
• The Senate President is the most powerful leader
  in the Senate and the Speaker of the House is the
  power in that body. Both are Republicans
• The President and Speaker appoint Council and
  committee Chairs who are key figures in the
  legislative process and play an important role in
  determining which legislation will be considered

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How an Idea Become a Law

• A legislator sponsors a bill, which is referred
  to one or more committees related to the bill's
  subject. The committee studies the bill and
  decides if it should be amended, pass, or fail.
  If passed, the bill moves to other committees of
  reference or to the full house. The full house
  then votes on the bill
• If it passes in one house, it is sent to the
  other house for review. Usually an identical or
  similar bill is already proceeding in the second
  house. A bill goes through the same process in
  the second house as it did in the first. A bill
  can go back and forth between houses until a
  consensus is reached. Of course, the measure
  could fail at any point in the process

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Type of Lobbying

• Grassroots lobbying is appealing to the general
  public to contact the legislature about an issue
• Direct lobbying is contacting government
  officials or employees directly to influence
  legislation

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Targeting Legislators

• Lobbying legislators is about persuading them to
  do what we want. There are five main categories
  of legislators to think about, each requiring its
  own special strategy
• Champions (dedicated/committed)?
• Allies (on your side but can be asked to do
  more)?
• Fence Sitters (uncommitted on the issues may be
  able to vote either way)?
• Mellow Opponents (will vote against, but not
  inclined to be active on the issue)?
• Hard Core Opponents (leading opposition)?
• It is important not to burn bridges because
  today's hard core opponent on one issue could be
  a champion on another tomorrow.

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Different kinds of lobbying activity

• Inside lobbying is a form of lobbying that takes
  place in the Capitol. It included a mix of the
  following
• 1. Meetings with lawmakers and legislative
  staff
• 2. Providing analysis and information to
  committees and legislative offices
• 3. Testifying in committee
• 4. Negotiating with policy makers and other
  lobby groups

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Different kinds of lobbying activity cont.

• Outside Lobbying is activity outside the Capital,
  aimed at shifting the politics and pressure
  around the issue. Some of these activities
  included
• 1. Media activity including news conferences,
  editorial board visits, and assisting reporters
  with stories
• 2. Local lobbying visits by constituents to
  their legislators
• 3. Building broad and diverse coalitions
• 4. Letter writing campaigns to legislators
• 5. Grassroots activity such as rallies, etc.

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How to Lobby Your Legislator or Elected Official

• Establish your agenda and goals
• Listen well answer the questions they have.
• Be prepared, but dont feel that you need to be
  an expert
• Dont stay too long
• Remember you are there to build a relationship
• Follow-up is important

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What Influences a Legislator?

• The Issue
• Political Considerations
• Media
• Legislative Considerations
• Personal beliefs
• Outside Influences

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Lobbying Etiquette

• Be on time, prepared, and polite
• Start with a concise introduction containing the
  following information
• Who you are
• Where you are from (City or County) What
  your organization does
• What you need from your legislator
• A reference to the fact sheet you have
  with you Make sure the legislator has a copy of
  the fact sheet
• .

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Lobbying Etiquette cont.

• Do address your Senator or Representative
  properly
• Identify yourself immediately at each contact
• Know the status of the legislation. Refer to a
  bill by number whenever possible
• Use your own words
• Be brief, explicit, courteous and reasonable
• Establish your own credentials or expertise on
  the subject of legislation under consideration
• If you do not know the answer to a question, say
  you will find out and get back to him/her and
  follow through
• Before you leave, ask how you can be of help to
  him/her
• If the representative is not available, ask to
  speak to his/her legislative assistant
• Thank him/her for their time

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Etiquette DONTs

• Dont begin, As a citizen and tax payer
• Do not use technical terms or acronyms, unless
  you are certain that your legislator will
  understand them
• Do not attack the legislator for his/her record
  on your issue(s), and do not disparage government
  or politics
• Dont apologize for taking his or her time
• Dont make notes of a conversation while talking
  to a legislator
• Do not answer your phone while in the
  legislators office. Put it on vibrate/silence

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The Issues and Bills

• Our highest priority at this point is the Safe
  Patient Lifting and Moving Bill (SB 508, HB 471).
  This bill has passed the Senate and has passed
  its first house committee. It may be discussed
  April 8 in the House Healthcare Council. The bill
  would require hospitals to develop evidence based
  plans for safe patient lifting and moving to
  avoid back injury.
• SEIU Healthcare Locals 1991 1999 also agreed to
  support legislation to require reporting of
  staffing levels. Unfortunately this bill has
  stalled this year.
• Every year we support a safe staffing bill and
  want to educate on the issue of requiring actual
  safe staffing levels.
• We support numerous bills giving RNs ARNPs
  appropriate authority and respect.

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BUDGET CONCERNS

• This Year the legislature has been dominated by
  news of devastating budget cuts. These cuts
  threaten the health of our patients and the
  financial health of JMH and other safety-net
  hospitals.
• Medically Needy Program threatened with
  elimination for everyone but pregnant women and
  children.
• Seniors eyeglasses, hearing aids eliminated.
• Direct funding for Jackson threatened.
• Medicaid payments cut by 10 for Doctors,
  Hospitals
• Center for Nursing threatened with elimination.
• It is important to speak up against the horific
  cuts to healthcare.

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Conclusion

• It is imperative for nurses to petition and
  monitor governmental bodies to ensure good
  outcomes for their profession. A few of the
  basic fundamentals of legislative and executive
  lobbying presented here give a sense that to win
  with the government you must know how its operate
  .
• Self interest is the engine of government
• - James
  Madison

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Questions
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References