Advocacy FAQs

1. What is advocacy?
The process of taking action to advance or defeat a cause, policy or proposal about which one feels passionate.

2. Why is advocacy important?
In order to reach our goals, it will be necessary to change many societal and environmental norms, which are firmly entrenched in "THE SYSTEM." This is done by organizing and mobilizing public support and using the "power of the people" to influence leaders/gatekeepers in the public and private sectors.

3. How do we do this?
Decide what you want to do, what change you want to make. Is it "do-able?" Are there data to support the necessity for doing it? Are there partners who also care about this issue who will work with you? Do you know why this hasn't been done before, who will oppose you and how to counter the opposition? Do you know whom you have to "get to," (the gatekeeper of the change) and what drives that person? Do you know the timing for dealing with this issue? (meeting schedules, legislative hearings, budget cycles etc).

Focus, develop a plan with a timeline, recruit and orient (train) partners, implement plan and assess regularly, making corrections as necessary.

Don't give up and don't get discouraged.

4. What do we have to know when working in the legislative arena?
How a bill becomes a law:

1. A legislator must introduce it, so find a supportive Delegate or Senator and work with him/her to assure that the bill contains everything you want it to contain;

2. A bill is assigned to a committee of reference and it must be approved by a majority of the members of that committee. When a bill is passed by the committee of reference, it then must be passed by a majority of the full house in which it was filed. (House of Delegates or Senate.)

3. When it is passed by the full house on one side it "crosses over to the other side" where the same process occurs.

4. Finally, the governor must sign the bill into law. This is not automatic. He may also choose to veto the bill.

5. At every step, it is our job to assure that the legislators who are voting for the bill know how necessary the bill is to their constituents and to the public at large. We do this by:

• Testifying at committee hearings
• Sending letters
• Calling committee members
• Meeting one-on-one with key legislators. Legislators are most responsive to their own constituents and are most effected by personal stories from them documenting the need for the legislation.

LEGISLATORS ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH GETTING RE-ELECTED AND IF THEY PLEASE THE FOLKS WHO ELECT THEM, IT TRANSLATES INTO VOTES.

6.  How can we do any of this if we work for the government as teachers, health department employees, etc?

• As a citizen, you have every right to register your concerns and or your support with your elected officials. The only thing you cannot do is speak on behalf of the agency that employs you...unless you have been authorized to do so. It is your input as a concerned citizen that is most important anyway.

7. What are some of the "tools of the trade?"

• You must know your legislative district, your representatives and their "jobs" in the General Assembly
• You must know your issue backwards and forwards.
• Much of what you need to know about the Maryland General Assembly can be found on its website: http://mlis.state.md.us/

8. A few additional facts:

• The Maryland General Assembly meets annually for 90 days. Each session begins on the second Wednesday in January and ends on the second Monday in April;
• There are 188 Members of the Maryland General Assembly representing 47 political districts; each district has one Senator and 3 Delegates. There are, therefore, 47 Senators and 141 Delegates;
• Each year, approximately 2300 bills are filed.
• In January 2005, the Maryland General Assembly will convene its 419th session