Advocacy Basics: Understanding Missouri

Friday, January 16, 2015

D. Scott Penman

Penman & Winton Consulting

Create a basic understanding of the legislative funding and policy making process in Missouri

Provide insight into points along the process that can maximize advocacy efforts

Highlight key components of process and strategy to maximize advocacy effort

Objectives

Senate Composition, Post-Election

Democrat Republican Total0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Male Female

Senate Members: 34Democrats: 9 Republicans:

25Female Democrats: 5 Female Republicans:

1Male Democrats: 4 Male Republicans:

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House Composition, Post-Election

Democrat Republican Total0

20406080

100120140160180

Male Female

House Members: 163Democrats: 45 Republicans:

118Female Democrats: 20 Female Republicans: 23Male Democrats: 25 Male Republicans: 95

Republican veto-proof supermajorities in the House and Senate

Just 5 new Senators and 35 new Representatives mean a majority of legislators have legislative experience

Amendment 10

Election Results: What You Need to Know

I’m Just a Bill

What are your priorities and issues?

Senate and House websites◦ www.senate.mo.gov◦ www.house.mo.gov◦ Committees◦ Calendars◦ Bill Reporting System

Monitoring Legislation

Bill is assigned Bill is heard

◦ Proponents◦ Opponents◦ Cost◦ Alterations

Voted upon Returned to speaker

Committee: Process Points

Does the chair of the committee support or oppose the legislation?

Talk to committee members before the hearing◦ Ask for their votes◦ Learn why they do/don’t like it (personal and professional)

Testimony: make the case◦ Is legislation needed?◦ How does legislation work/what does it do?◦ Diversity in testimony: what and who◦ Costs◦ Be respectful

Determine if it could be combined with other legislation Preempt opponents

Committee: Strategy Points

Key Players◦ Presiding Officer: Places your bill on the calendar,

or not Senate: President Pro Tem House: Speaker

◦ Majority Floor Leader: Chooses to take the bill up for debate

◦ Sponsor speaks on bill◦ Legislative champions speak on bill

Amendments Length of time

Floor Action

Vote Count Short and Sweet Resolve Differences Prior to Debate Prepare Your Sponsor and Others

◦ Talking points◦ Cost estimates◦ Purpose/goal◦ Evaluation

Floor Action: Strategy

or

Conference Committee

Governor’s Desk

Bill Process: TAFP & Beyond

The State Fiscal Year (SFY) begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th

The process by which funds are appropriated is similar to the process by which laws are made

Appropriations: A Uniquely Similar Process

Appropriations: Important Vocabulary

Core: 90% of the budget

Cost to Continue: 5-7% of the budget

New Decision Items (NDI): 0-3% of the budget

Appropriations: Legislative Process

Similar to legislative process for policy except: Budget Bills introduced in the House by the

Budget Chair Budget goes through two tiered committee

process in the House Department recommendations are considered

(even if administrator is of a different political affiliation)

Historical and economic trends are considered More tolerant of federal interaction, federal

dollars, restrictions, directions

Additional Differences A final budget is due on the Governor’s desk

one week prior to the end of session Budget bills have a one year sunset and

begin on July 1st Line item vetoes/withholding of funds Amendment 10 Cost/benefit analyses Cost savings projections Discussion with state department

Final Tips Very difficult to get a bill passed All about the majority party One member of a party supporting your bill does not

mean the rest of the party supports it Legislative actions are rarely taken because they’re

“the right thing to do” During floor votes, there may be “confusion” on the

dais There is no compassion in politics; “deities,” however,

may have some Never take anything for granted Coalitions are vital

D. Scott PenmanPenman & Winton ConsultingEmail: scott@penman-winton.com

Website: www.penman-winton.com

Phone: 573.635-6044

Twitter: @scottpenman

Advocacy Basics:Crafting Your Message

Nonprofit Success: Achieving Impact Through Advocacy

Presented by Paul KincaidJanuary 16, 2015

Communication

• Communication is key to successo The messages you communicate matteroHow you communicate the messages mattersoWho communicates the messages matterso The timing of the communications matters

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Philosophy

• Develop and have a solid philosophical foundation from which to work – you won’t have time to make it up as you goo Professionalism, honesty and integrity alwaysoHave respect for alloNever say anything you don’t want repeatedo Always express appreciationo Accept “Legislators are always the legislators”o Avoid high-highs and low-lows – be steady

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Philosophy to consider

• View governmental relations within public relations

• Treat legislators as “donors”

• Seek first to understand

• Respect the profession

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Public relations function

• I view governmental relations as a specialty area within public relations

• Therefore, I approach governmental relations by applying all public relations best practices

• Others will approach governmental relations with a different mindset

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“Donor” rather than “public servant”

• The implications:o Request rather than demando Persuade rather than insisto Build long-term relationshipo Listen more than talko Find common groundo Have frequent, quality communicationso Respond promptlyo Provide excellent customer service

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Seek first to understand….

• See the world from the elected officials’ perspectiveoWhy were they elected?oWho elected them?oHow can they get elected again?oWhat are their priorities?

• Elected officials have difficult jobs, work long hours, and do their best for their constituents

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Show respect for the profession

• Show respect for government, service, legislature by learning:o Ruleso Practiceso Traditionso Terminology

• Take the work as seriously as the elected officials do

• Be a quick study and never stop learning

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Helpful advice

“A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity.” 

Baltasar Gracian

Spanish Jesuit, writer

philosopher in the 1600s

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More helpful advice

“Look out the window, not in the mirror.”

Peter DruckerManagement consultant,

educator and author

• Eliminate preconceived notions• Base your analysis on facts and actual situation• Don’t permit “wishful thinking”

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Keys to consider

• Be accurate• Be positive• Be compelling• Be repetitive• Be visual

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Lead with what you believe

• Your organization’s purpose is the most powerful, compelling message you haveo Example: We believe no child in Greene

County should go to bed hungry.

• What is your organization’s belief statement?

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Follow with your mission

• Transition from belief to your organization’s mission to act on the beliefo Example: My organization’s mission is to

provide healthy meals to children and their families.

• Most organizations have and use this kind of mission statement

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Then make your request

• Based on the belief and the mission, you can make your requesto If statutory bill, request might be: We would like

your support to pass HB 123 because it will help us accomplish our goal by X, Y and Z.

o If budget bill, request might be: We ask for your support of this line item allocation because it will allow us to meet our goal by funding X, Y and Z.

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Summary

• Belief

• Mission

• Request

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Tips for success

• Be succinct (high ratio of words to ideas) – try to keep written pieces to one page

• Use bullets, callouts, charts, graphs, photos, other graphics/visuals to make reading easier

• Provide context and comparisons• Make the request clear and precise• Don’t be afraid to adapt and revise based on

feedback• In person, be aware of body language

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Prepare your advocates

• Help your advocates succeed• When asking members of your team to

make contact with legislators, prepare and review bullets with them in advance

• When assisting legislator who is advocating, ensure they have the background information they need when they need it

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Create feedback loops

• Be an attentive listener• Be an excellent observer (“look out the

window”)• Have multiple sources of information to

cross-check• Seek and get feedback from all who have

contact with legislators• Make adjustments accordingly

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Reminders

• It’s all about relationships• Don’t wait until you need something to

communicate – have regular contacts throughout the year

• Say “thank you” and/or express appreciation every time you have contact

• Ask “What can I/my organization do to help you?”

• Give credit to the elected officials for success

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Good resource

• Missouri State Government website:http://www.moga.mo.gov/oHouseo Senateo Statewide elected officialso Live debate from House and Senate

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Helpful advice

You rarely advance/pass legislation as a result of media coverage/exposure.

• Respond to media if asked• Focus on beliefs/goals, not strategy, tactics, timing• Refer media to appropriate elected officials for

expert/definitive statements• If you do talk to media, always give credit to legislators

for successes – but do not blame for failures

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Thank you

Paul Kincaid, APR, Fellow PRSA

Kincaid Communications, LLC

www.KincaidCommunications.com

Paul@KincaidCommunications.com

@KincaidCom

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Q&A/Discussion

• What have we missed?• What was unclear?• What would you like to discuss further?• What comments do you have?• What experiences would you like to

share?

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