Getting involved in state government can be intimidating.
That’s why we spent Tuesday morning at the Texas State Capitol building. We had the opportunity to follow along with a group of Austinities as they learned how to speak to state legislators on issues they’re passionate about and to effectively “lobby” the state government.
You can learn more about their journey (as well as how you can share your ideas and opinions with your elected officials) by checking out our Instagram feed, or by reading the story below.
To kick off the day, we listened to a presentation on Lobby Do’s and Don’ts from Rita Beving and Elizabeth Doyel. Both are from the Alliance for a Clean Texas, a coalition of environmental organizations from throughout the state who have joined together to advocate for strong environmental policies during the Texas legislative session. They were nice enough to allow us to tag along during their “ACT Lobby Day,” during which they invited members of the general public to join Texas Legislature experts to learn how to “lobby” state elected officials.
Next, we joined a group of novice “lobbyists” who came to the Capitol to share their thoughts and opinions with our state legislators. They were led by Brian Zabcik, an Environment Texas employee and Texas Capitol regular. After a little bit of training from Brian, they were off to their first set of appointments with Texas legislators.
First up, was actually finding their offices. For those who have never been, the Texas Capitol building is huge and navigating it can be difficult. So, if you ever plan on visiting your elected official, be sure to arrive early, grab a map, and don’t be afraid to ask for directions.
(Pro tip – if the office you’re trying to reach has an E in front of the number, it means it’s in the Capitol Extension. When you get the elevators, push the button that says E1 or E2, depending which floor it’s on).
The first place our Texas Legislature newbies visited was Representative Donna Howard’s office. Howard represents the Austin area in the Texas House of Representatives. (As you can see by the room number, her office is on the first floor of the Capitol Extension).
You can look up the office numbers for all of the members of the Texas House here. And the office numbers for all of the members of the Texas Senate here.
Never actually set up a meeting with a state elected official before? Never fear! It’s really not as difficult as it sounds. All you have to do is:
- Figure out who your state representative and senator is here
- Call their office to schedule an appointment. When you schedule an appointment, be specific about what you would like to talk to your elected official about. Especially this late in the legislative session, the representatives and senators themselves will likely be too busy to take a face-to-face meeting, so you’ll most likely be scheduled to meet with a staff member. Providing info about what you’d like to talk about will ensure that you’re matched up to meet with a staff member who covers the topic area you’re interested in.
- Show up at their office for your scheduled appointment. Be sure to arrive early because the legislative staff members are very busy and often have many, many meetings during the course of a single day. If you show up late, you might miss your meeting altogether.
Additional tips for meeting with your state elected official or their staff:
- Come with a very specific request – During the legislative session, elected officials and staff are too busy to just sit around and chat. Be sure to show up to the meeting with a very specific request for your legislator. For example – you could say that you would like your state representative to support or reject this specific bill… and then explain the reasons why.
- Leave behind a business card and one-page summary – A legislative office meets with many people during the course of the day, so make sure you leave something behind that will allow them to remember you. A simple, concise one-page summary of your thoughts/opinions on a certain bill is often sufficient.
- Be concise – Often times, you’ll be lucky to get more than a 10 minute meeting with legislative staff, which means you need to get to the point fast. Introduce yourself and then get right into the meat of the issue.
- Tell your personal story – As we’ve mentioned, legislative offices meet with dozens of people each day, so in order to stand out from the crowd, you’ve got to connect with them in a real and personal way. Feel free to share with them data and research, but don’t forget to explain to them why you care about this issue and how you think it affects you as a human being. It is often these kind of stories that really capture the attention of legislators.
- Dress professionally – All of the legislative staff and elected officials will be dressed very professionally, so in order to be taken seriously, you should be too.
- Sign the guest book – Before you leave your legislator’s office, be sure to sign the guest book! It’s another way to remind the legislator that you were there and it provides you with yet another opportunity to register your support or rejection of a certain bill.
Feeling bummed that you only got to meet with a staffer, and not the elected official themselves? Don’t be! Staffers are often well-trained professionals who are well-respected by the elected official they work for. Legislators rely on them for advice and guidance, so meeting with staff is always valuable. They’ll also be sure to relay any information you shared back to the lawmaker.
So you’ve had your few minutes of face time with a legislative office… now what? It’s important not to just let all that effort go to waste. Follow up with your legislator (or their staff) after the meeting by sending a follow-up email. Be sure to thank them once again for meeting with you, as well as to reiterate your thoughts and encourage them to take action.
If you spoke to a legislative office about a particular bill, be sure to track that bill as it makes its way through the legislative process and then follow up with your lawmaker each step of the way. For example, if there is a bill that you really support and you see that it has made its way out of a committee and is heading to a vote with the full House or Senate, remind your representative that you support the bill… and that you would like for them to as well.
Instructions on how to track a bill are below:
Bill Tracking – All bills filed in the Texas Legislature are given a number so that they can be tracked as they flow through the legislative process. Before the number, most bills will also be listed as either an HB or a SB for House Bill and Senate Bill. This simply identifies which chamber the bill came from. You can track the progress of bills, as well as read through them here>>
If you’d like to stay up-to-date on the bills as they move into committees and receive hearings (so that you can go to the Capitol and testify) you can add them to your alert list on the Texas Legislature’s website. Simply click the “Add to Alert List” button in the upper righthand corner of the bill’s page and you’ll never be left out of the loop.
So what is it like to actually do this? What is it like to meet with elected officials and “lobby” for the things you care about? Just ask Paula Millan, an intern with Clean Water Action, who came to the Capitol for the first time on Tuesday.
A few more tips…
Did you know? There are other ways to participate in state government, besides meeting one-on-one with elected officials and staff.
You can also:
Attend a committee hearing – Before bills make it all the way to the floor of the Texas Senate or House of Representatives, they are vetted and voted on by a committee of legislators. Before a committee makes the decision about whether or not to vote a bill onto the full House or Senate (or to just let it die), the committee holds a public hearing. During a hearing, members of the general public (that’s you) are invited in to share their thoughts and opinions about the bill. You can learn more about how to participate in a hearing with the video below.
Attend a meeting of the Texas House of Representatives or Senate. These meetings are completely open to the public and you are welcome to come and watch the law-making process in action. All you have to do is find the public gallery (located on the third floor of the Capitol building) and take a seat. But be aware, if the House or the Senate is debating a controversial issue, the gallery could become full, so get there early!
Also, please note that if you’re sitting in the gallery, you’re not really allowed to cheer, boo, or make a lot of noise. If you do, you’ll be asked to leave. However, showing up to watch a meeting or an important vote in the gallery can still be valuable because it makes it clear to the elected officials that people are watching.
Even if the Legislature is not discussing a controversial topic, every Texan should have the opportunity to see their government in action… so don’t be shy! Pick a day, grab a group of friends, and head to the Capitol just to observe. You’ll get a better idea of how things work and it will make you less shy or nervous the next time you come to the Capitol to watch legislators vote on an issue you really care about.
One final note – this is your Capitol building and your government. You have every right to be here and to make your voice be heard, so don’t delay! A democracy only works when everyone participates. This is your community, and it’s up to you to get involved and make a difference. You can do it!
