Most bills do not pass out of committee upon their first introduction, much less the whole legislature, but they do often introduce new ideas.
of committee upon their first intro- duction, much less the whole legis- lature, but they do often introduce new ideas. Building public support for these new ideas may take anywhere from one to several more sessions. Analyzing bills that were introduced but came close to passing can help you develop a legislative strategy to get the bills you like across the finish line and prevent the bills you oppose from getting out of the starting blocks. CONSIDER ADVOCACY THAT ENCOURAGES EXECUTIVE ACTIONS Highlight actions for your gov- ernor to take: Are there activities or practices the governor’s office can spotlight? For example, you could ask the governor to highlight College Application Week in your state. Or you could ask your governor to create a task force to explore a specific topic related to your policy agenda. These sorts of actions can create positive attention or more research on topics you care about. Respond to notices for public comments: State departments of education often are required to seek public input on various policies, such as grant implementation. If your policy agenda includes the equita- ble distribution of resources across the state, there may be an opportu- nity to share that perspective during the public comment phase of a grant implementation. Track your state’s department of education website for more information on which policies require public input.
left out of any potential policy to earn your support. Find allies: Use the time in between legislative sessions to iden- tify other like-minded advocates. Building a network that can share information, expertise, and resources to advance a common goal can be an efficient use of time as you prepare for future legislative sessions. Perhaps you want to form an official coalition that’s known for advocating on a spe- cific topic, such as support for school counselors and college advisers. It could also be a great time to recon- nect with other advocates who you may not have worked with in a while. REFLECT ON THE PREVIOUS SESSION Write a blog or letter to the edi- tor: Write a public reflection on the previous session. Highlight policies that were good, explaining why they will benefit key constituencies, as well as less favorable policies, articulating how they miss the mark. This helps you voice your approval and disap- pointments while showcasing your expertise. The ability to communi- cate statehouse happenings in plain language can be incredibly helpful in building a pool of people that you may want to activate and engage later. Analyze bills that came close to passing: Most bills do not pass out
get them some of the way there, you are certainly making their job easier and increasing the likelihood they take your recommendation. If taking on a whole bill seems like too much, you can draft policy principles that are related to your topics of interest and lay out what must be included or
CJ Powell is the director of advocacy at NACAC.
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