Post on 25-Feb-2016
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LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
Melinda Hugdahl, Staff AttorneyLegal Services Advocacy Project
What We’ll Talk About Today
What is LSAP
A short primer on legislative advocacy
Legislative process – from idea to law
WHO IS LSAP?
What is LSAP? The Legal Services
Advocacy Project (LSAP) is the division of Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance that provides legislative and policy advocacy to legal aid programs statewide.
We advocate on behalf of low-income Minnesotans on a variety of civil legal issues such as family law, consumer law, housing law, public benefits law and health care law.
What Does LSAP Do?
Improve state laws and rules that affect our various client groups
Represent low income clients’ issues at the Legislature and before administrative bodies
Educate our clients and groups that work with our clients about laws and issues (e.g., victims of domestic violence)
How Lobbying is Like Courtroom Work
Negotiation skills
Knowledge of the law
Acting on behalf of a client
Your reputation precedes you
How Lobbying is NOT Like Courtroom Work It’s political
You must be brief – and know how to message to the mass audience as well as the individual
No level playing field
Drafting skills
Ex Parte
There are many rules, but also many exceptions
What do you know about people in poverty?
Can you buy alcohol or cigarettes with your EBT card in Minnesota? NO!
What is the average amount of time that a family receives cash safety net assistance? 27 months
What percentage of safety net assistance recipients have a serious, documented mental health diagnosis? 48% (of MFIP families – doesn’t include
chemical health)
THE LEGISLATIVE LIFE CYCLE
Five Process Phases
Identification and
Development and an
Idea
Drafting and
Introducing a Bill
The Committee Process
On to the Floor! (and
beyond)
The Governor
THE FIRST PHASE:
Identification and Development of an Idea
Identification of an Idea
Legislative proposals come from many sources
Most are from our attorneys, who tell us about problems they see in their cases
Development of an Idea1. Research 2. Input and
feedback from our practitioners
SETTING GOALS AND STRATEGY
Lobbying 101
Defining the GoalTouchdown? (i.e., Pass the bill? Stop the bill?)
First Down? (Get part of what you want this time?)
Put the Ball in Play? (Introduce the concept?)
Keys to Successful StrategyBuilding/Maintaining Relationships
Legal Aid Legislators Legislative Staff Agency Staff National Partners Local Allies Other Lobbyists
Keys To Successful Strategy Messaging, Messaging, Messaging…..
Keys to Successful Strategy
Finding and Working with Allies/Coalitions
Keys to Successful Strategy
Finding Unusual Allies
Keys to Successful Strategy
Tapping the grassroots network
Keys to Successful Strategy
Working with Opponents
STRATEGY IN ACTION - ADVOCACY
Strategy in Action - Advocacy
Keep on Keepin’ On Working with
allies Working with
Opponents Activating
Grassroots networks
Check in on your goal: Realistic? Need to change
course?
Keys to Successful Advocacy
Knowing the Process
Keys to Successful Advocacy
Knowing the Facts Bloomington and Minneapolis are the two farthest north latitude cities to ever host a World Series game.
The stapler was invented in Spring Valley.
The nation’s first Better Business Bureau was founded in Minneapolis in 1912.
Candy maker Frank C. Mars of Minnesota introduced the Milky Way candy bar in 1923.
Madison is the "Lutefisk capital of the United States".
Keys to Successful Advocacy
Making a Persuasive (Legal and Other) Argument
Keys to Successful Advocacy
USE THE MEDIA
PERSEVERANCE
THE SECOND PHASE:Bill Drafting and Introduction
Drafting the Bill
It Gets Introduced
H.F. No. 979, as introduced - 87th Legislative Session (2011-2012) Posted on Mar 09, 2011
1.1A bill for an act
1.2 relating to human services; requiring the commissioner to analyze the 1.3 establishment of uniform asset limits across human services assistance programs.
1.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. UNIFORM ASSET LIMIT REQUIREMENTS.1.6 The commissioner of human services, in consultation with county human services 1.7 representatives, shall analyze the differences in asset limit requirements across human 1.8 services assistance programs, including group residential housing, Minnesota supplemental 1.9 aid, general assistance, Minnesota family investment program, diversionary work program, 1.10 the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state food assistance programs, 1.11 and child care programs. The goal of the analysis is to establish a consistent asset limit 1.12 across human services programs and minimize the administrative burdens on counties in 1.13 implementing asset tests. The commissioner shall report its findings and conclusions to 1.14 the health and human services legislative committees by January 15, 2012, and include 1.15 draft legislation establishing a uniform asset limit for human services assistance programs.
Meeting with Key People
Legislators
Staff
Allies
Opponents/Potential Opponents
State agency officials
Governor’s staff
THE THIRD PHASE:
Committees
Committee Process After a bill is introduced, it is
sent to the relevant committee in House and Senate.
Committee Process We talk to the members to
secure their support or opposition
Committee Process We testify “Melinda Hugdahl, Legal Services Advocacy Project staff attorney, said the bill’s goal is admirable, but her concern ‘lies with the folks who don’t agree or don’t have resources to develop a parenting plan and don’t understand the ramifications.’ She is working with Anderson to address these issues before the bill receives its next hearing.”
Session Weekly
Committee Process We bring in others to testify
THE FOURTH PHASE:
On to the Floor!
On the Floor After a bill gets through all the
committees, it goes to the House and Senate floor where the legislators debate the merits of the bill.
On the FloorThen they vote!
Conference Committee For non-identical bills Keeping the good in, keeping the
bad out
THE FIFTH PHASE:
The Governor
Governor Signs (or Vetoes) Bill
The Final Product: A Session Law2008, Regular Session
CHAPTER 174--S.F.No. 2910
An actrelating to landlord and tenant; modifying expungement of eviction
records;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 484.014, by adding a subdivision.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 484.014, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subd. 3. Mandatory expungement. The court shall order expungement of an eviction case commenced solely on the grounds provided in section 504B.285, subdivision
1, clause (1), if the court finds that the defendant occupied real property that was subject to contract for deed cancellation or mortgage foreclosure and:
(1) the time for contract cancellation or foreclosure redemption has expired and the defendant vacated the property prior to commencement of the eviction action; or
(2) the defendant was a tenant during the contract cancellation or foreclosure redemption period and did not receive a notice under section 504B.285, subdivision 1,
clause (1), to vacate on a date prior to commencement of the eviction case.Presented to the governor April 2, 2008
Signed by the governor April 4, 2008, 4:07 p.m.
What Some Perceive to Be the Final Product
LSAP Accomplishments Over the years, LSAP’s work has
improved: Training and employment opportunities Food supports Health care Child support collection and enforcement Domestic abuse protections Tenants’ rights Housing opportunities Consumer protections
POST SESSION
What we do (just kidding)
IT’S NEVER OVER ------
EVEN WHEN IT’S OVER!
Post Session Work
Session Summaries
CLE Work
Task Force/Agency Working Groups/Hearings
Rulemaking/Agency/Judicial Branch Comments
Getting Ready…. After session ends, the process starts
again. We typically meet with practitioners, allies, agencies and others to start discussing issues for the next session.