Public Policy, Advocacy, and Weighing In: Participating in the Creation of Child and Family Policy

By Becky Miller Updike

Describe your level of knowledge about the policy- making process:

A. I never heard of it before.B. I know some things and vote most of the

time.C. I have quite a bit of experience and like

the topic.D. I learned about it from School House

Rock.

1. To help you find your advocacy VOICE, and to help you empower others to find theirs.

2. To find HOPE and help you BELIEVE in the political system.

3. To help you keep the COURAGE to be the voice for the voiceless.

Federal Level -- Executive Branch (President), Legislative Branch (House of Representatives and Senate), and Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)

State Level -- Executive Branch

(Governor), Legislative Branch (House of Representatives and Senate), and Judicial Branch (State Supreme Court)

Local Level-- City (Mayors), County, School Board, Agencies

Who runs for office? -- The concept of a “citizen legislature”

Executive Branch (Charged with making sure laws passed by legislature are properly executed. includes Governor and Lt. Governor, whose seats will be up in 2010. Also includes Attorney General, State Treasurer)

Legislative Branch (Makes and revises laws for the state, includes House of Representatives and Senate)

Judicial Branch (Interprets and administers the law. Includes State Supreme Court, District Courts, County Courts, and Court of Appeals)

See www.colorado.gov for more information on State Government

How does policy impact children and families?

How is it created?

Ideas for legislation usually come to “solve a problem”

Proactive, research based ideas rarely become bill drafts

Citizens approach legislators with an issue to solve and viola`-- a bill gets drafted

Citizens and special interest groups can track a bill and “weigh in” by

Discussing it with legislators Educating stakeholders so they are moved to action Write letters, make calls, send emails Provide public testimony on the bill

Letters do matter… keep it brief and get to the point. Include your name and address.

Contact YOUR representatives. They pay the most attention if you are from their district because YOU can VOTE

Public Testimony– keep it to 2-3 minutes, get to the point, and balance data with emotion. Keep it to 2-3 KEY POINTS.

FOR MORE INFO: http://www.leg.state.co.us/ is the Legislature homepage. You can track bills, calendar, and find your legislator’s contact info

FIND YOUR REPS: http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

You’ll need your zip code plus 4 digits… if you don’t know those, go to http://www.usps.com/ and go to “Find a Zip Code”

Every Child Matters www.everychildmatters.org Children’s Defense Fund

www.childrensdefense.org Colorado Children’s Campaign

www.coloradokids.org Child Welfare League of America www.cwla.org Project Vote Smart www.vote-smart.org Colorado State Website www.state.co.us US House of Representatives www.house.gov US Senate www.senate.gov

In Colorado, following the 2004 election, all Voter Registration Drives must be registered with the Secretary of State’s Office.

First, get legal. Register and train.

To register with the Secretary of State, go to the website:

www.sos.state.co.us Then click on the Elections Center tab.

From there, sign up for a training on VRDs. Fill out a VRD Statement of Intent

Arrange to be at a place where people already are. Examples include: fairs, conferences, meetings of special interest groups, child care centers, Family Resource Centers, etc.

Get permission in advance to have a table there. Have information available to attract visitors and

to educate them about your cause. Invite them to register to vote. If they are already

registered, encourage them to make sure they vote.

Give free stuff if you can! (Stickers, etc.)

Vote Register your staff, parents, others Volunteer for a cause (EVERY CHILD MATTERS??!!)

Attend candidate forums & ask questions Yard signs & other materials Host an event or candidate tour GOTV with ECM… SIGN UP TODAY!

Becky Miller UpdikeOffice of Strategic Initiatives & Every Child

Matters COTennyson Center for Children

2950 Tennyson StreetDenver, CO 80212(720)855-3455 Ofc(720)560-3810 Cell

beckyupdike@hotmail.com