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LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY. Melinda Hugdahl, Staff Attorne y Legal Services Advocacy Project. What We’ll Talk About Today. What is LSAP A short primer on legislative advocacy Legislative process – from idea to law. WHO is LSAP?. What is LSAP?.

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LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

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  1. LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Melinda Hugdahl, Staff Attorney Legal Services Advocacy Project

  2. What We’ll Talk About Today • What is LSAP • A short primer on legislative advocacy • Legislative process – from idea to law

  3. WHO is LSAP?

  4. What is LSAP? • The Legal Services Advocacy Project (LSAP) is the division of Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance that provides legislative and policy advocacy to legal aid programs statewide. • We advocate on behalf of low-income Minnesotans on a variety of civil legal issues such as family law, consumer law, housing law, public benefits law and health care law.

  5. What Does LSAP Do? • Improve state laws and rules that affect our various client groups • Represent low income clients’ issues at the Legislature and before administrative bodies • Educate our clients and groups that work with our clients about laws and issues (e.g., victims of domestic violence)

  6. How Lobbying is Like Courtroom Work • Negotiation skills • Knowledge of the law • Acting on behalf of a client • Your reputation precedes you

  7. How Lobbying is NOT Like Courtroom Work • It’s political • You must be brief – and know how to message to the mass audience as well as the individual • No level playing field • Drafting skills • Ex Parte • There are many rules, but also many exceptions

  8. What do you know about people in poverty? • Can you buy alcohol or cigarettes with your EBT card in Minnesota? • NO! • What is the average amount of time that a family receives cash safety net assistance? • 27 months • What percentage of safety net assistance recipients have a serious, documented mental health diagnosis? • 48% (of MFIP families – doesn’t include chemical health)

  9. The Legislative Life Cycle

  10. Five Process Phases

  11. The First Phase: Identification and Development of an Idea

  12. Identification of an Idea • Legislative proposals come from many sources • Most are from our attorneys, who tell us about problems they see in their cases

  13. Development of an Idea 1. Research 2. Input and feedback from our practitioners

  14. SETTING GOAls and strategy Lobbying 101

  15. Defining the Goal • Touchdown? (i.e., Pass the bill? Stop the bill?) • First Down? (Get part of what you want this time?) • Put the Ball in Play? (Introduce the concept?)

  16. Planning the Strategy

  17. Keys to Successful Strategy Building/Maintaining Relationships • Legal Aid • Legislators • Legislative Staff • Agency Staff • National Partners • Local Allies • Other Lobbyists

  18. Keys To Successful Strategy • Messaging, • Messaging, • Messaging…..

  19. Keys to Successful Strategy Finding and Working with Allies/Coalitions

  20. Keys to Successful Strategy Finding Unusual Allies

  21. Keys to Successful Strategy Tapping the grassroots network

  22. Keys to Successful Strategy Working with Opponents

  23. Strategy IN ACTION - ADVOCACY

  24. Strategy in Action - Advocacy

  25. Keep on Keepin’ On • Working with allies • Working with Opponents • Activating Grassroots networks • Check in on your goal: • Realistic? • Need to change course?

  26. Keys to Successful Advocacy Knowing the Process

  27. Keys to Successful Advocacy Knowing the Facts • Bloomington and Minneapolis are the two farthest north latitude cities to ever host a World Series game. • The stapler was invented in Spring Valley. • The nation’s first Better Business Bureau was founded in Minneapolis in 1912. • Candy maker Frank C. Mars of Minnesota introduced the Milky Way candy bar in 1923. • Madison is the "Lutefisk capital of the United States".

  28. Keys to Successful Advocacy Making a Persuasive (Legal and Other) Argument

  29. Keys to Successful Advocacy USE THE MEDIA

  30. PERSEVERANCE

  31. The Second Phase: Bill Drafting and Introduction

  32. Drafting the Bill

  33. It Gets Introduced • H.F. No. 979, as introduced - 87th Legislative Session (2011-2012) Posted on Mar 09, 20111.1A bill for an act • 1.2 relating to human services; requiring the commissioner to analyze the 1.3 establishment of uniform asset limits across human services assistance programs. • 1.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:1.5 Section 1. UNIFORM ASSET LIMIT REQUIREMENTS.1.6 The commissioner of human services, in consultation with county human services 1.7 representatives, shall analyze the differences in asset limit requirements across human 1.8 services assistance programs, including group residential housing, Minnesota supplemental 1.9 aid, general assistance, Minnesota family investment program, diversionary work program, 1.10 the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state food assistance programs, 1.11 and child care programs. The goal of the analysis is to establish a consistent asset limit 1.12 across human services programs and minimize the administrative burdens on counties in 1.13 implementing asset tests. The commissioner shall report its findings and conclusions to 1.14 the health and human services legislative committees by January 15, 2012, and include 1.15 draft legislation establishing a uniform asset limit for human services assistance programs.

  34. Meeting with Key People • Legislators • Staff • Allies • Opponents/Potential Opponents • State agency officials • Governor’s staff

  35. The Third Phase:Committees

  36. Committee Process • After a bill is introduced, it is sent to the relevant committee in House and Senate.

  37. Committee Process • We talk to the members to secure their support or opposition

  38. Committee Process We testify “Melinda Hugdahl, Legal Services Advocacy Project staff attorney, said the bill’s goal is admirable, but her concern ‘lies with the folks who don’t agree or don’t have resources to develop a parenting plan and don’t understand the ramifications.’ She is working with Anderson to address these issues before the bill receives its next hearing.” • Session Weekly

  39. Committee Process • We bring in others to testify

  40. The Fourth Phase: On to the Floor!

  41. On the Floor • After a bill gets through all the committees, it goes to the House and Senate floor where the legislators debate the merits of the bill.

  42. On the Floor Then they vote!

  43. Conference Committee • For non-identical bills • Keeping the good in, keeping the bad out

  44. The Fifth Phase: The Governor

  45. Governor Signs (or Vetoes) Bill

  46. The Final Product: A Session Law 2008, Regular Session CHAPTER 174--S.F.No. 2910 An act relating to landlord and tenant; modifying expungement of eviction records;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 484.014, by adding a subdivision.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 484.014, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:Subd. 3.Mandatory expungement.The court shall order expungement of an eviction case commenced solely on the grounds provided in section 504B.285, subdivision 1, clause (1), if the court finds that the defendant occupied real property that was subject to contract for deed cancellation or mortgage foreclosure and:(1) the time for contract cancellation or foreclosure redemption has expired and the defendant vacated the property prior to commencement of the eviction action; or(2) the defendant was a tenant during the contract cancellation or foreclosure redemption period and did not receive a notice under section 504B.285, subdivision 1, clause (1), to vacate on a date prior to commencement of the eviction case.Presented to the governor April 2, 2008Signed by the governor April 4, 2008, 4:07 p.m.

  47. What Some Perceive to Be the Final Product

  48. LSAP Accomplishments • Over the years, LSAP’s work has improved: • Training and employment opportunities • Food supports • Health care • Child support collection and enforcement • Domestic abuse protections • Tenants’ rights • Housing opportunities • Consumer protections

  49. Post Session

  50. What we do (just kidding)

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