Lobby Day Planning Motivating the Citizen Lobbyist hidden in every member…

1. Lobby Day Planning Motivating the Citizen Lobbyist hidden in every member… ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

2. Lobby Day Planning How ABATE of Wisconsin brought 500+ bikers to Madison on a cold March day in 2008. Not on motorcycles, but in chartered buses. Not to chant and circle the Capitol, but to walk the halls and visit with their legislators as true Citizen Lobbyists. ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008 Lobby Day Planning Lobby Day Planning Lobby Day Planning Lobby Day Planning How ABATE of Wisconsin, Inc. brought 500+ bikers to Madison on a cold March day in 2008. Not on motorcycles, but in chartered buses. Not to chant and circle the Capitol, but to walk the halls and visit with their legislators as true Citizen Lobbyists. How ABATE of Wisconsin, Inc. brought 500+ bikers to Madison on a cold March day in 2008. Not on motorcycles, but in chartered buses. Not to chant and circle the Capitol, but to walk the halls and visit with their legislators as true Citizen Lobbyists. How ABATE of Wisconsin, Inc. brought 500+ bikers to Madison on a cold March day in 2008. Not on motorcycles, but in chartered buses. Not to chant and circle the Capitol, but to walk the halls and visit with their legislators as true Citizen Lobbyists. How ABATE of Wisconsin, Inc. brought 500+ bikers to Madison on a cold March day in 2008. Not on motorcycles, but in chartered buses. Not to chant and circle the Capitol, but to walk the halls and visit with their legislators as true Citizen Lobbyists.

3. 197750,000+ motorcyclists gridlock Madison WI, both houses vote to repeal the WI Adult Helmet Law. After bikers fought to override the Governor’s Veto, the new law goes into effect in 1978. Since 1978 Wisconsin Riders have not been faced with an adult helmet threat that has made it out of committee. Complacency sets in… In recent years our Annual Lobby Day would draw an average of 60-120 members. Our Legislative Committee wanted to find a way to both fire up our membership and remind them of why we exist… …and to remind the legislators that the ABATE of WI State Officers that they see on a frequent basis are not alone: those officers represent thousands of bikers who believe in the mission of ABATE of WI and will come to Madison when called upon. Historical Considerations ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

4. Initial Planning Stage • September 2007 - The decision to increase attendance at out Lobby Day was initially made within our Legislative Committee which meets prior to monthly Board Meetings and reports directly to the Board through our Legislative Coordinator • The committee’s initial projected budget was $7,000, roughly $1 per member, which would cover the following costs • Bus Contracts Publications • Patches Command Center • A Date was determined and the committee’s budget and plan was taken to the full Board for Approval ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

5. After Board Approval Early Steps up to December 2007 • Study Map and determine route • Chose Coordinator • Bus Leaders • Inform Membership • Develop Handouts & Supplies • Public Promotion ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

6. After Board Approval Early Steps up to December 2007 • Study Map and determine route • Chose Coordinator • Bus Leaders • Inform Membership • Develop Handouts & Supplies • Public Promotion ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

7. After Board Approval Early Steps up to December 2007 COORDINATOR: coordinate the event team, facilitate information flow, manage the command center, identify and supervise the BUS LEADERS: At beginning of the route, manage bus availability/contracts, determine stop locations, local promotion, training and information on the buses, fundraisers • Study Map and determine route • Chose Coordinator • Bus Leaders • Inform Membership • Develop Handouts & Supplies • Public Promotion ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

8. After Board Approval Early Steps up to December 2007 • Nov 07 – Date Published in Newsletter along with “no experience necessary info” • How to make an appointment • Command Center Info • What to wear • Bus routes/who to contact • Work with other publications • Attend club meetings • Study Map and determine route • Chose Coordinator • Bus Leaders • Inform Membership • Develop Handouts & Supplies • Public Promotion ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

9. After Board Approval Early Steps up to December 2007 • Professionally Printed “Talking Points” fact sheets • Coordination with other Wisconsin Motorcycle Publications • State Officers attend meetings of Clubs and other MC Groups • Legislative Agenda • Lobby Day Facts “Who, When, What” • Invitation to Join Us Member or Not • Sign up for Email Alerts • Study Map and determine route • Chose Coordinator • Bus Leaders • Inform Membership • Develop Handouts & Supplies • Public Promotion ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

10. The Push is On – January 08- March 4, 2008 • Officers’ Training – our regional officers received: • Bus reservation information, numbers were due to coordinator by 2/15 which would give us time to finalize bus size by route • Tips for Helping Members make their own or group appointments with their Legislator(s) • Fund Raising Ideas to use at meetings and on the buses to help us pay for all this ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

11. Initial Email Alert • CALL TO ACTION • ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day 2008- Tuesday March 4th Contact: Dave Dwyer, ABATE of WI Legislative Committee Chair laws@abatewis.org • ABATE of Wisconsin will be hosting a lobby day for all bikers at the State Capitol in Madison. We will be assembling between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Inn on the Park prior to walking across the street to meet with our legislators in the Capitol. • Information and hand-outs for legislators will be available at our meeting area. • The legislative issues of current concern to ABATE of WI are: • -NTSB safety recommendations and their lobbying efforts in Wisconsin • -Enhancement of the rules concerning right of way violations defined in Wisconsin Act 466 • -Health Care Benefits Denial; while we have worked on lobbying for a HIPAA correction at the federal level, ABATE of WI now believes it’s time to introduce this in our state. • Bus routes have been planned to promote attendance at this event. Check out the routes in our current ABATE of WI newsletter or contact your ABATE regional representative. While we are not charging participants for the bus ride, donations will be accepted to help cover the cost.” • No experience necessary. Someone will be available to join you when meeting your legislators. Appointments are your responsibility. Please check with your ABATE regional rep to see if an appointment has already been made with your legislator. To find out who your legislators are, please visit our website at www.abatewis.org and click on the resources link. • Broadcast to 1120 people on January 17, 2008 ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

12. Second Email Alert • LOBBY DAY • Tuesday March 4th, 2008 • ABATE of Wisconsin will be hosting a lobby day for all bikers at the State Capitol in Madison. We will be assembling between 8 a.m. and 4:30p.m. at the Inn on the Park prior to walking across the street to meet with our legislators in the Capitol. • Information and hand-outs for legislators will be available at our meeting area. • The legislative issues of current concern to ABATE of WI are: • -NTSB safety recommendations and their lobbying efforts in Wisconsin • -Enhancement of the rules concerning right of way violations defined in Wisconsin Act 466 • -Health Care Benefits Denial; while we have worked on lobbying for a HIPAA correction at the federal level, ABATE of WI now believes it’s time to introduce this in our state. • Bus routes have been planned to promote attendance at this event. At this time most buses are full. Check out the routes in our current ABATE of WI newsletter or contact your ABATE regional representative for more information. • People not riding the buses are welcomed to park their cars at the CC Rider’s MC Clubhouse on Parkside Dr (turn off of East Washington at the corner of E Washington and Lien Road (Wendy’s in on the corner) go one block to Parkside Dr, turn right, and the Clubhouse is at the end of the block.) We will be operating a shuttle from the Clubhouse to the Inn on the Park every half hour from 8 am to 4:30 pm. • No experience necessary.Someone will be available to join you when meeting your legislators. Making the appointments with your legislator(s) is your responsibility. Please check with your ABATE regional rep to see if an appointment has already been made with your legislator. To find out who your legislators are, please visit our website at www.abatewis.org and click on the resources link. For more information about our March 4th Lobby Day and bus routes go to http://www.abatewis.org/page.php?section=4&subsection=1&alert_id=97 • Broadcast to 1268 people on 2/27/08 ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

13. Appointment Tips • Although our members/attendees were asked to “make their own appointments” the following procedures and options were used to assist the Coordinator and her staff in the Command Center to determine that all Legislators would receive a visit on Lobby Day 2008. • members were asked to state that they were with ABATE Lobby Day and would be willing to sit in on another appointment if one had already been made. • Web Form for Tracking • Many of our Regional Reps made group visit appointments • Rural Considerations • Urban Considerations • Clubs and Other Groups ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

14. Appointment Tracking • – Making sure all Legislative Offices are covered • A form was posted on our webpage allowing members to fill in the blanks with their appointment information and the form would automatically go to our Coordinator who kept an Excel File of appointments listing – Appointment list excel.xls • Attendee’s Name, cell phone number for contact in Madison, email address for contact prior to the event • Legislator(s) they were visiting and time(s) of the appointment • Number of people in the appointment group • People without web access could relay this • information to the Coordinator by using the • toll-free number at our office or by contacting • their local Regional Rep who would relay it • on to the Coordinator • How did we use this information?... ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

15. Appointment Tracking On SiteMaking Certain ALL Legislators Are Visited We prepared folders in advance labeled for each Legislative Office to be picked up at the Command Center when people registered ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

16. Make Sure Your Room is BIG ENOUGH And other mistakes we made… ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

17. We WERE NOT PREPARED! For the number of people that did not have appointments And/or those Who didn’t know who their legislator was or even what District they lived in ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

18. Our “Command Center” Check In Here S-Z.doc Need Help Before Your Appointments.doc ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

19. How Did we Pay for all this? • Initial Budget from the Board of $7,000 from General Operating funds was off-set by… • Donated Buses • Fundraising by the Regions/members locally and on the buses • Raffles on site in the Registration Room • Cash Donations from members who could not attend • Cooperation of CC Riders MC ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

20. Expenses and Income • Original Budget $7,000 • Actual Expenses: • Buses $5,448 • Room Rental $ 237 • Printing and Publications $600.00 INCOME: Three buses and two vans were paid for by outside sources CC Riders Clubhouse parking/shuttle service eliminated downtown parking fees and bus parking fees $459 cash donations 50/50 Raffles on Buses $1,032 Membership Raffle on site $234 Other $308 ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

21. ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

22. Lobby Day Questionnaire – March 4, 2008 Results There were 386 filled out. Question 1 How can the legislative committee improve your Lobby Day experience? Comments to follow……. Question 2 Were the busses helpful in getting you to attend? Of the 386, aprox 15 said they drove, every other form said yes, absolutely yes, I would not have come if not for the busses, ect….. Question 3 Was this your first time attending Lobby Day? Aprox 350 said yes, aprox 40 said no Question 4 Will you attend next year? If no, why not? Aprox 370 said yes, probably, absolutely, without a doubt, etc. 1 person said NO Aprox 10 said maybe, depends on day & work schedules ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

23. Question 5 Who did you visit and please put down any thoughts or comments they may have had regarding our issues. These were the most outstanding and possibly useful comments………. Neal Kedzie – won’t support our health issues Rep Nygrens – expressed interest in sponsoring HIPAA if on state level Rep Ott – said if Dems introduce helmet law he would vote yes Marlin Schneider – will sponsor anything against insurance companies Sen Fred Risser – agreed to disagree about helmet legislation but would support health insurance exclusions Most others in agreement with our position, staff will pass info to Representative or Sen., or just took info Question 6 Are you an ABATE of WI Member? - aprox 300 - yes If yes, which region? - almost all regions covered only a few checked No. If no, is there a reason you would like to share with us. I will become a member, just not today, unable to join but will be shortly, no money right now ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

24. Comments These are all exact quotes. Enjoy!! 7D I felt you did a wonderful job and think anything more would not improve the effectiveness of Lobby Day. 7D In the end, it’s the members meeting with all the lawmakers that really count. On that basis AAA +++ 6B It is our duty to be here and make it a good experience. 2H Everything went well except some friggin coffee!! (It ran out) I was impressed with the committee’s organization. 4A Everything was good – direction signs would be helpful finding the way around the capitol. 3A Thanks for the bus ride, let’s do it again next year. 2E Appts were not always scheduled. 1H/7B Larger sign up room 2H Have more Reps available 3A I would have attended either way. 3A Website was well maintained & updated, good articles & info 3A Give more detailed info and history of the issues 2H Good camaraderie 2H Young people took notes – will they get our info?? 2E Make sure legislators are available & current room #’s 1I More time so those that work can have appointments 3A If we can keep attendance like this year we will keep our contacts informed on our issues ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

25. 7B Keep having these 4C I’m already getting excited for next year. 3A It would have been beneficial for ABATE to stress the importance of the Representatives meeting their customer. We put them in office we deserve the respect of being heard by the representative not some aide. 3A The handouts and assistance for NEW participants were outstanding. Keep it up!1 3A Well organized & informative 2E Map of Capitol – but managed 4C Best ever in my 8-10 years of attending 7B Make it easier to understand Inform people beforehand of appointments 2E Better directions to rooms 7B Don’t need to be there 3 hours before first meeting. 7B Bus was cold 7B Have a larger group with seating 7B Have 1 meeting for all legislators in area 4A/7B Make it in the summer so we can ride 3A More Busses 1H More handouts on issues to be discussed 2B Coffee & Donuts 2B Better talking points 2B Give times to who we are seeing in case we get lost with the group ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

26. 1J Get Rep. to the meeting 2E Improve Communication – leaders of groups, schedule lunchtime, gather info, sign in’s, missed a meeting so we could eat. 2A Would have been lost at the capitol but Bug kept me in tow. 4A Group meeting before and after 4A More training in regions so each person can share views 4B Prior contact with rep so they are actually at meeting 1H The legislative reps were all young and I doubt that these young members don’t know the stats of motorcycle issues faced against our rights. The committee did a great job working with the volunteers that were slow. 2J Free Beer 6B Specific talking points so we don’t have to keep looking at the ‘leave behinds’ 5B Promotes unity – someone already dropped off the packet and it discouraged those of us who waited for the 3:00 appt 1J Did not like ‘sharing the day’ with the anti-smoking zealots – maybe can find out who’s going to be there the same day 1J Notification when emergency caucus are made so meetings can be re-scheduled 1A More time after arrival to coordinate the group 3A/1A Bus from clubhouse was good Combine some meetings 6A Keep us informed as to where we can help 7B One meeting with all would work better instead of 7 different appts 1A My first Lobby Day and would like to get more information for future lobbing ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

27. 1A The legislative committee had it together, the only improvement would be to get more people involved. Need to be more organized – who to see & what to do. 8D Being more informed 7E Have a short group meeting beforehand so we are all on the same agenda 7D For 1st time attendees an explanation of how this works would be helpful in advance. (small handout) 3A I was impressed with the level of organization and how helpful everyone was. 1F It was a learning experience, I tend to be very cynical about our politicians 6B Have our Rep there or be able to give a true good reason why not. 3A Free food, Valet service, Pole dancing, (just joking everything was very well done) 7B Need an appointed person to give better time & who should see our Representatives. 6B I will recommend this to others who didn’t attend 1C I had an excellent first experience (other than being lost a few times). So many were here (camaraderie) and union, and thought, & purpose. Good turn out. 2J Quite the experience I must say. 2J It was awesome to see the amount of brothers & sisters that came. 8A Gets better every year. 8A Make sure we don’t have to wait so long in-between. Make all appts at once – 4 meetings 8A Bus timing could use improvements 8A Have all Reps available to meet with us 8A Did they know we were coming?? 8A I am impressed – last year 3 people – today 2 dozen 1A Busses were a very good idea ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008

28. 7D I believe just your work in getting as large a number of members here as possible is commendable & important. You did your job (Our job) 1H Have a map/list of eating establishments in the area 1H Great overall experience 7B One meeting would be better instead of walking all over for ‘chance meetings’ with aides instead of the ‘Real McCoy’ 7B Less meetings and larger rooms scheduled More time scheduled with Rep 1F Let us know as early as possible again. 1B Well done 2E Let people know that even if it seems that they didn’t talk to anyone that their presence was very important Comments from non-members * Wasn’t sure who they were supposed to see or what my function was to be. A 1 page handout with brief explanation would have been helpful * Listen to our demands – Hupy led us around * Improve knowledge of biker questions * Went well for my group * Good Work * Very informative day – you did a great job * Capitol staff (police) still remembers a biker gathering in the early 90’s with respect to bikers for their attitude and helpfulness in a storm!! * The legislators should be the ones asking the questions about our statements. We proved our beliefs and ‘The MAN’ didn’t. * My first time attending, I thought ABATE should have gotten the word out a little more. * Very good that ABATE sponsors these rights * Be more prepared for visit ABATE of Wisconsin Lobby Day Planning 2008