Commonwealth Prevention Alliance Nittany Lion Inn State College, PA June 6, 2012 Clay Yeager
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- Slide 1
- Commonwealth Prevention Alliance Nittany Lion Inn State
College, PA June 6, 2012 Clay Yeager
- Slide 2
- How to Become a Great Advocate (When Good Isnt Good Enough) How
the Legislative Process Works How a Bill Becomes a Law Tools for
Connecting to your Legislator Effective Communications Strategies
for Engaging the Media
- Slide 3
- Skills and Qualities Necessary Knowledge of the Legislative
Process Knowledge of the Issue(s) Personal commitment to the
Issue(s)
- Slide 4
- What are YOUR expectations in becoming involved in advocacy?
What do you want to accomplish? What are the biggest barriers to
getting involved? How have you already engaged in advocacy?
- Slide 5
- 1 st - Prison Built in US ( Eastern State Penitentiary) 1 st
Highest Rate of Juveniles in Out-of-home Placement Among 10 Most
Populated States (OJJDP, daily census) 1 st Among 10 Most Populated
with INCREASED out-of-home placements between 2001 and 2010 (OJJDP,
daily census) 1 st Number of Juveniles Sentenced to life without
parole (Human Rights Watch) 1 st Largest increase in new inmates to
state corrections (Pew Center, 2009)
- Slide 6
- $ 2 Billion 2011/12 Budget for State Corrections System $500
Million Services to Delinquent Youth in PA. $ 1.3 Million proposed
2012/13 Budget for Evidence-Based Prevention and Intervention
Programs About 60-75% of adult inmates have juvenile records
- Slide 7
- $2 BILLION is 2,000 MILLIONS DAILY cost of prisons is $5.4
MILLION DAILY cost of evidence-based prevention is $5 THOUSAND More
$ is spent between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm in ONE DAY housing 52,000
inmates than is spent during AN ENTIRE YEAR on proven programs
designed to keep prevent them from entering
- Slide 8
- Slide 9
- In states, it would rank #2 behind public education At federal
level, it would rank #6 behind social security, national defense,
income security, Medicare and Medicaid Federal and state
governments spend 60 times more to clean up devastation of drug
abuse and addiction on children as they do on prevention and
treatment
- Slide 10
- Y.F.C. # 2 $142,715.00 Y.F.C. # 3 $156,220.00 Y.D.C. @
Loysville $162,060.00 Y.D.C. @ Cresson $180,310.00 North Central
Secure $189,070.00 Y.D.C. @ New Castle $198,925.00 South Mountain
Secure $213,890.00
- Slide 11
- $177,598.00 average annual cost per youth YOUR county places 6
juvenile offenders in state operated facilities Annual Price tag
$1,065,588.00 (for 6 kids)
- Slide 12
- Number Served 1,000+ high risk children matched 100 + families
enrolled for THREE Years 142,000 + students taught peer resistance
and conflict resolution skills 5,100+ schools trained 33,000+
elementary school students taught social and emotional regulation
P.A.T.H.S. 340+ families taught the curriculum series 60+ youths in
care for seven months Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care
Program
- Slide 13
- People who love law and good sausage should never watch either
being made German Chancellor Otto von Bismark 1815-1898
- Slide 14
- Bi-Cameral Legislature Two Bodies (Chambers): House and Senate
Senate 50 members elected for 4-year terms; headed by Senate
President Pro Tempore House 203 members elected for 2-year terms;
headed by Speaker of the House
- Slide 15
- Republicans control the House, the Senate and the Governors
Office 30 Republicans in Senate 112 Republicans in House 20
Democrats in Senate 91 Democrats in House
- Slide 16
- Pennsylvania is the 2 nd largest legislature in the country
(behind New Hampshire) Each legislator represents about 60,000
residents Pennsylvania is the largest full-time legislature in the
country Members are paid $79,613 annually plus per diems while in
session
- Slide 17
- Coalition (def.): an organization of organizations working
together to affect change on similar issues or concerns. Advocates
build coalitions to build the power necessary to do something not
able to be done by one group alone
- Slide 18
- Advocacy with legislators is about persuading them to do what
you want. The first step is building a strong relationship with
them and their staff. You need to earn and nurture their respect Be
prepared, know the subject, do not overload them and stick to the
issue(s)
- Slide 19
- Respect their time restraints summarize clearly Research other
issues they are involved with Present both sides so they can
anticipate the opposition Compliment them on anything a little
thank-you goes a long way Get to know their aides they are a key to
access
- Slide 20
- Provide positive public and media opportunities through awards
programs, photo ops, annual meetings anything to get them noticed
Honor them give them public recognition with a special award
Remember their birthdays and other milestones send a handwritten
note Only provide them with useful information facts, data,
outcomes, cost savings
- Slide 21
- The most important thing to remember is that elected officials
are just like everyone else. They appreciate people who show an
understanding and respect for the individual legislators personal
philosophy and issues and they take note of coalitions that have a
clear strategic vision.
- Slide 22
- Confront, badger or challenge Take up too much of their time
respect theirs Lecture them instead a provide clear, concise
message to leave with them Threaten them with negative consequences
Become a Jack Abramoff
- Slide 23
- Letter Writing/e-mail Telephone Face-to-face meetings Public
Hearings Testimony
- Slide 24
- Be clear about what you want Letters should be less then one
page Be precise about what you want get right to the point Only
address one issue at a time Send letters only when its
necessary
- Slide 25
- Trying to initially drum up support for an issue A vote on a
bill of importance is looming The legislator has done something
advocates want to praise The legislator is undecided about an
issue
- Slide 26
- Be very clear about the issue and what action you want them to
take Address the letter properly (see guidelines) Personalize the
issue. Tell them how the issue impacts you, outcomes for youth and
families, cost impact Do not ramble Thank them for their attention
ask for a written response and their position Include your full
name and address to assure them you are a constituent
- Slide 27
- While nothing is better than a face-to-face meeting, calling
assures that someone will answer If the member is not available, it
is equally important to convey the message on the issue to the
appropriate staff person, e.g. policy director
- Slide 28
- Prepare your message before you call Identify yourself as a
constituent Say exactly what you are calling about use bill numbers
or issues State specifically what you would like your legislator to
do Leave your name and contact information
- Slide 29
- Call their capitol office has more impact. During recess, call
their local office Do not criticize or debate The call will likely
be about 2 minutes critical to get your message across If unable to
speak directly to member, staffers have the ear of the boss
Conclude by thanking legislator or their staff for their time and
attention
- Slide 30
- Every citizen has the right to seek a meeting with their
elected officials A face-to-face meeting is the most effective way
to get your message across You can meet several in the Capitol and
also in your home district
- Slide 31
- Make appointments as far in advance as possible Dress
professionally Arrive early and be prepared to wait Keep the group
small Choose a spokesperson preferably a key, visible leader or
someone with a personal connection Ensure the group is diverse;
able to address issue from multiple sides
- Slide 32
- Be informal, but not disrespectful Do not use jargon or
acronyms (CTC, SPIF-SIG, PCCD, DPW, EPIS, D&A, ODAP,) they do
not speak your language Learn in advance with whom you are meeting;
if staff member, its okay as they convey message to member Be
specific about what you are asking of the legislator; (cite bill #
or line item)
- Slide 33
- Be prepared to answer questions Bring packets of information to
leave, include brief synopsis of issue one sheet fact sheets are
best Make yourself available to the legislator as experts on these
issues Follow-up; send thank-you letter immediately, along with
your contact information
- Slide 34
- Generally, public hearings are held after a bill has been
introduced and assigned to a committee in either the House or
Senate Hearings are held to give individuals and groups the
opportunity to interact and exchange information and to seek
comments regarding a proposed bill
- Slide 35
- A chance to tell your story (10 minutes or less) Provide facts
and data Legislators want hard data, costs, numbers, research,
outcomes and impact Start by introducing yourself, the group you
represent, the bill # or issue Be brief and precise avoid lengthy
clichs or philosophizing
- Slide 36
- Use personal (and local) examples to prove your points Do not
make claims you are not prepared to defend Prepare a written copy
of your testimony to leave with committee members, staff, the media
and other attendees End by thanking the committee and legislator
for the opportunity
- Slide 37
- Any member of House or Senate can introduce a bill After
introduction, measure assigned a # and referred to committee Bills
introduced in House are assigned to House committee; in Senate to
Senate committee Committee Chair (majority party) decides what
bills move forward
- Slide 38
- Bills before committee are reviewed and debated Committee may
hold hearings and solicit testimony Not every bill gets a vote 4
possible outcomes
- Slide 39
- Committee approves and sent to full House or Senate for
consideration Bill amended and sent to full House or Senate for
consideration Bill tabled rendering it inactive Bill voted down or
never reported out of committee, nullifying it
- Slide 40
- Approved bills go immediately to respective Appropriations
committee A fiscal note or detailed financial impact is included
Bills can meet any of same 4 outcomes
- Slide 41
- After committee approval, House or Senate considers bill MUST
be considered on three separate days before voting 1 st Day bill is
read on the floor to report as original or amended; no amendments,
no debate, no votes
- Slide 42
- 2 nd and 3 rd Days Amendments made, debate offered All
legislators present must vote on bill no abstentions or proxies
allowed Bill passed or rejected
- Slide 43
- Bill approved in House or Senate, must go through identical
process in the other chamber Example if a House bill is approved by
full chamber is then moved to Senate Referred to appropriate Senate
committee, then to Appropriations committee for fiscal note
- Slide 44
- If Senate changes bill, it must go back to House for
concurrence to Senate changes Identical versions of bill must be
passed by House and Senate Bills approved by both chambers then
sent to Governor for signature Assigned Act #
- Slide 45
- The process can take months Bills not enacted during 2-year
session MUST be reintroduced If not enacted, must begin the process
again
- Slide 46
- Issuance of Budget Instructions & PPGs August-Sept.
Governors Office & Budget Office Review November-- January
Governor Budget Address to General Assembly - February Legislative
Review & Budget Enactment February-June 30th New Fiscal Year
Begins July 1st
- Slide 47
- The primary purpose of working with the media is to influence
public attitudes about the same issues you advocate. Public opinion
is a powerful tool in advancing the issues
- Slide 48
- Respond to coverage develop and nurture relationships with
reporters Become an expert resource Reporters need story ideas, so
help them develop stories about your issue Read, watch, listen Get
to know the local media reporters for each beat crime and justice,
education, health, public policy, government
- Slide 49
- Cultivate the local media you can make their job easier News
Advisory announcing an upcoming event or announcement News Release
Provides more detailed information about an issue
- Slide 50
- Plan activities meetings, forums, announcements, reports with
media in mind IF media responds, inform policy officials,
legislators and key leaders aware Create opportunity to highlight
policy makers in front of media
- Slide 51
- Develop an always ready media (press) kit handy, including:
Cover letter Press release who, what, where, when and why Fact
sheet one sheet Brochures Relevant materials, i.e. third party
testimonials, research findings, impact on outcomes and costs
- Slide 52
- Editorial Board meetings most will print editorials on selected
issues News stories cultivate relationships with editors and
contacts Features photos and in-depth information Letters to the
Editor be direct, distilling issue, cite examples; signed with
title, address and contact information
- Slide 53
- Never get into an argument with someone who makes ink by the
barrel you will lose Never be condescending or dismissive Never say
no comment Never neglect to follow-up if you said you would Never
lie or misstate information
- Slide 54
- GoalsOrganizationalConstituency Targets Tactics Long TermWhat
resources can you put in? Who cares about this issue? Who has the
influence to give you what you want? Press releases Letter writing
Visits Intermediat e How will you organize? How are others
organized? Who are your secondary targets? Capitol Day Short
TermWhat internal problems might you experience along the way? What
power do they have? Meet with legislators Letters to the editor
media
- Slide 55
- "In all forms of government the people is the true legislator.
Edmund Burke
- Slide 56
- www.pa.gov - for a complete list of state agencies
www.legis.state.pa.us - for a complete listing of all members of
the Pennsylvania House and Senate, committee assignments and
contact information www.budget.state.pa.us - for a detailed
description of the budget process and annual timelines for
submission Pennsylvania Legislative Services 717.236.6984
- Slide 57
- PREVENTION PROGRAMS Blueprints for Violence Prevention Doing it
Right Model Fidelity Complete Cost Benefit Analysis, p.16 Special
Edition - Preventing the Big Five Teen Pregnancy Drug Abuse
Delinquency Violence School Dropout IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII
Pennsylvania Reduces Out-of- Home Placement and Costs at Record
Rate Credit Goes to Commonwealth Prevention Alloance June 2014
SPECIAL EDITION
- Slide 58
- Thank-you for your time and attention today Please feel free to
contact me: Clay Yeager 717.870.2144 cryeager@comcast.net