10 steps to pass your non-profit's state level legislation

by Zach Knowling

category: HowTo

Published June 19, 2009 @ 11:23AM PT

So you just got hired at a state-level environmental non-profit just as they are about to launch a campaign to pass a transportation bill that would reduce climate change through the state legislature.

 

How the heck are they gonna do that?

 

Well, there are a lot of different strategies and tactics they can employ but the basics are pretty much the same for nearly every campaign.

 

First

 

Several months prior to the start of the legislative session the group must work with their closest allies in the legislature, often referred to as champions, to put together the piece of the legislation, often referred to as “the vehicle,” that will contain the proposed code, spending, etc that will hopefully be enacted in to law.

 

Second

 

Still prior to the session, the environmental organization should come up with a set of messages they think will cast the bill in the best light. They will also want to test negative messages that the opposition to the bill will likely use to try to defeat the bill.

 

In today’s world with the economy in such a bad shape, the non-profit would be wise to work out messaging that will resonate with people in that mindset. I would suggest using economic messaged (often referred to as pocketbook issues), quality of life, cost savings, local control of enactment and choices – giving people more options to get with new transportation.

 

If the non-profit has the money, they ought to test the messages with a state-wide poll. These can be expensive, like $20,000 expensive, so not all non-profits can afford them.

 

Third

 

Once the key messages are finalized (still prior to session) the campaign now must put together a coalition of allies, spokespeople and unlikely allies – spokespeople who many people, legislators and the media may not expect to see aligned with an environmental bill and will help to recast the legislation in the frame best suited to a victory. These would include businesses from around the state, local elected officials at the state and county level, regular citizens, developers, chambers of commerce, etc. Remember, we are going after an economic message for this bill even though it is essentially an environmental bill by nature.

 

Fourth

 

Reach out to reporters, introduce the legislation and show that your non-profit is the go-to resource for questions about the issue. That way, once the bill starts to move through committees, etc reporters will come to you for a quote. Also, put together teams of spokespeople and a policy expert to meet with the editorial boards of key papers to introduce the issue. You want them to opine favorably about the bill to show higher-level support for it.

 

Fifth

 

Identify members of the House and Senate that you will target with lobbying, grassroots, grasstops (your higher level spokespeople) and media pressure. These targets are members who want to vote with you but need some support in their local paper or members who want to vote against you who you want to pressure to vote with you.

 

Sixth

 

Opposition research. By now you should know who intends to oppose the bill and pretty likely what they are going to say about it to try to kill it. Prepare yours spokespeople using your tested language from the poll to counter their arguments.

 

Seventh

 

Session begins. You will need to get your spokespeople and your staff policy expert to testify at the committee hearings. You begin to pitch stories to the newspapers where your targeted house and senate members live, engage your grassroots to make calls and write emails to their representatives, meet with the editorial boards again to update them on the measure and urge them to write.

 

Eighth

 

Almost there. Your bill has passed the house and moved to the senate. You hold a press conference at the state capitol that thanks the legislators and champions in the house who worked to pass your bill. Speakers include your two best spokespeople and the legislators who worked hard to make it happen.

 

Ninth

 

The pressure from their constituents, the media, the editorial boards and your lobbyists push your bill through the senate – nice work!

 

Tenth

 

The bill is on sent to the governor. You do one final round of press releases and grassroots pressure aimed at the governor. She signs it. You win!

 

Of course these steps are written in a vacuum. Passing legislation in real life is very hard. It is always easier to defeat a piece of new legislation than it is to pass it. It takes a lot of hard work, dedicated staff and volunteers, good relationships and money.