ADVOCACY
Ways to Continue Advocacy Outside of Legislative Sessions With many state legislative sessions now behind us, consider strategies that can guide your advocacy efforts all year long.
By CJ Powell
E ach state’s constitution de- termines the length of their legislative sessions and dates for when those sessions must occur. Perhaps surprising to some, not all state legislatures meet every year — Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas meet in odd number years, un- less a special session is called. Many state legislative sessions take place within the first quarter or half of the year, leaving a significant portion of the calendar year for advocates to prepare for the next session, reflect on the most recent session, and focus advocacy away from the legislative branch. Check out some ideas of how you can make sure your advocacy happens year-round. Draft legislation to share with policymakers: If there is a spe- cific policy you would like to see introduced, take a pass at drafting legislation to share with potential champions in the legislature. Use this resource to find your state’s drafting manual. Don’t feel pressure to get the legislation exactly right — that’s the policymaker’s job — but if you can PREPARE FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Many state legislative sessions take place within the first quarter or half of the year, leaving a significant portion of the calendar year for advocates to prepare for the next session.
16 • THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator