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How Tobacco Control Programs Can Have Impact with Elected Officials Without Lobbying

How Tobacco Control Programs Can Have Impact with Elected Officials Without Lobbying. CDC Best Practices – States Roundtable Salt Lake City, Utah January 22, 2008 Kimberly Weich Reusché Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing American Lung Association of California.

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How Tobacco Control Programs Can Have Impact with Elected Officials Without Lobbying

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  1. How Tobacco Control Programs Can Have Impact with Elected Officials Without Lobbying CDC Best Practices – States Roundtable Salt Lake City, Utah January 22, 2008 Kimberly Weich Reusché Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing American Lung Association of California

  2. Tobacco Control in California TCS Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Decentralized Approach to Creating Social Norm Change Utilizes a social norm change approach to create a social and legal climate in which tobacco use is viewed as unacceptable A primary avenue for achieving social norm change is through enactment of tobacco control policies

  3. Policies reflect community acceptance Policies affect an entire community Policies conserve resources by impacting entire populations Policies mandate the desired behavior change Policies establish a “social norm” Education only impacts entities you reach Education strategies are time consuming; they have to be repeated to have any level of effectiveness Education offers no guarantee of achieving desired behavior change Education does not achieve a “social norm” Policy versus Education Approaches

  4. Tobacco Control Program Infrastructure Statewide Evaluation/Surveillance Statewide Media Campaign 61 Health Department Projects & CommunityCoalitions Capacity Building Network Statewide Youth Advocacy Network 39 Community Non-profit Agency Projects Statewide Training & Technical Assistance Projects Cessation Quitline Legal Technical Assistance Center Policy & Community Organizing Center Materials Clearinghouse Local Program Evaluation Center Secondhand Smoke Training

  5. TCS Budget: 1989-1990 to 2007-2008 Millions

  6. Current State of Play in California Current Program Funding: $56 million (funded by Prop. 99 / 25 cents tobacco tax) CDC Recommended Annual Investment: $441.9 million Cigarette Excise Tax Rate: $0.87 MSA Dollars: Securitized by the State / Some funds available at county/city level Governors Proposed 08-09 Budget: $14.8 billion dollar deficit / Program funding unaffected (Tobacco Tax-funded) Prop 86: $2.60/pack tobacco tax failed in November 2006 No: 51.7% ($66 million spent by Tobacco Industry) / Yes: 48.3% ($16 million spent) ABX1-1: $1.75/pack tobacco tax(November 2008 ballot) no specific appropriation for tobacco control but would backfill Prop 99.

  7. ALA State of Tobacco Control Report

  8. The Center assists local communities meet their policy objectives using community organizing strategies. The Center also provides policy information and analysis regarding significant tobacco related bills, tobacco industry campaign contributions, emerging issues like tobacco retailer licensing and smoke-free multi-unit housing, and breaking news stories as they relate to current or future tobacco control policy.

  9. Capitol I&E Days Background History Objectives & Goals Key Messages PACT Resolution Training Day Legislative Visits Follow Up Building Towards the Future

  10. I&E Days Goals (Internal) Bring together representatives from Proposition 99-funded programs (Local Lead Agencies (LLAs), local and statewide competitive grantees) and representatives fomr local tobacco control coalitions to engage in meetings with elected officials Train participants on how to effectively communicate with elected officials Educate elected officials about timely and relevant tobacco control issues Follow up and continue to meet with and build relationships with elected officials in their district offices.

  11. Objective Build the capacity of tobacco control funded programs and coalitions to increase involvement in and exposure to the legislative process Establish and maintain relationships with state policy makers

  12. Mission The mission of the PACT Coalition is to educate local and state elected officials about the social, health and economic impact of tobacco and tobacco-related disease in California and to serve as a resource on local and statewide tobacco prevention issues.

  13. Getting the Tobacco Issue in Front of Elected Officials: Why It Matters • There is a Limited Institutional Memory in the California Legislature: Term Limits • Most People Think the Tobacco Problem is Solved • Competing Legislative Issues • An Immediate and Looming Health Care Crisis • The Tobacco Tax is a Declining Revenue Source • Local Programs are not Adequately Funded

  14. Getting Over It and On With It! • We Need to Get Over • The Fear Factor • (Fear of Losing Funding /Fear of Losing Job) • We Need to Start • Bragging (Not Begging) • Sustaining the Success of the Programs

  15. Lobbying vs. Educating Lobbying is communicating with: A member or staff of a legislative body, a government official or employee who may participate in the formulation of the legislation; or The general public with the specific intention of promoting a yes or no vote on a particular piece of legislation. Such communication (as described above) is considered lobbying only if its principal purpose is to influence legislation. Educating legislators, their staff, government employees, or the general public about program or about tobacco-related issues is NOT considered lobbying.

  16. What it Takes To Pull It Off Timeline: 6 Month Planning Process Internal Investment: I&E Workgroup A Healthy Budget Recruitment & Registration: TCS sanctioned event Training Agenda Logistics Messaging and Materials Technical Assistance calls Scheduling Legislative Appointments Coordinating Legislative Teams Acknowledging Champions and Unsung Heroes Follow up

  17. Key Messages 2007 Tobacco Prevention is a Vital Part of Keeping California Healthy California’s Tobacco Control Program has made a profound difference Tobacco continues to hurt Californians physically, emotionally and financially We have the opportunity to protect current and future generations from the number one cause of preventable disease and death

  18. Diverse Populations Message

  19. New Data for Key Messages 2008 CDC Best Practicesfor Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs (Released October 2007) A Broken Promise to Our Children: Annual Report on States’ Funding of Tobacco Control Programs (Released December 2007) ALA’s State of Tobacco Control 2007 (Released January 2008)

  20. PACT Resolution The PACT Resolution supporting the TEROC Master Plan was designed in response to the question we are consistently asked by legislators, “what do you want me to do?” The Resolution is an excellent tool to start a dialogue with or to further develop a relationship with a legislator.

  21. Support for the PACT Resolution • The PACT Resolution supports the five objectives of California’s Master Plan for Tobacco Control, written by the Tobacco Education Research Oversight Committee (TEROC). These objectives are: • Strengthen California’s tobacco control program • Eliminate disparities and achieve parity in all aspects of tobacco control • Decrease exposure to secondhand smoke • Increase the availability of cessation services • Limit and regulate the products, activities, and influence of the tobacco industry • PACT Coalition members have asked Legislators to support and sign the Resolution during previous year’s Local Legislative District Days and Capitol Information and Education Days. • As of December 2007, 19 current or former Members of the California Legislature have signed the PACT Resolution.

  22. Day 1: Training The Agenda: Part Instruction; Part Inspiration The Audience: Mix of newcomers and seasoned advocates The Focus: Keeping Tobacco Control Issues Relevant to Legislators The Opportunity: United as one movement with unique voices

  23. Evening Meet & Greet

  24. Day 2: Legislative Visits 125 program people participated in the legislative visits and all 120 members of the California Legislature were visited by a delegation or left a leave behind packet.

  25. More local involvement; More local faces More opportunities for community visibility (including potential press opportunities) Keeps the tobacco control issue relevant and local Become the go-to person for district staff: Tobacco control person regarded as the local expert on tobacco control issues Local Legislative District Days

  26. Building Towards the Future Plan, prepare, organize, coordinate, evaluate Maintain a dialogue with legislators & staff year round Look for opportunities to cultivate new legislative champions Be a good steward of the tobacco tax money & Prop-99 program

  27. Contact Info Kimberly Weich Reusché Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing The American Lung Association of California 1029 J Street, Suite 450 Sacramento, Ca 95814 (916) 554.5864 (LUNG) kwreusche@alac.org www.Center4TobaccoPolicy.org

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