02/09/2024
I know for many LMTs HB 2169 is an emotional thing. So, I want to make sure we are handling this with dignity and professionalism and making people proud of how LMTs handle themselves at the House of Representatives.
Be kind, be pleasant, say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
Thank legislators for their time.
Remember that most legislators don’t really know our issues, so showing anger or frustration doesn’t help, it just gets in the way of legislators really hearing you.
Be brief: Prepare a very short elevator speech, emphasize your top 1 or 2 issues. Practice before you get to the capitol.
Ask for what you want – A no vote on HB 2169.
Always tell the truth, making stuff up hurts your cause.
If you don’t know the answer to a question, say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out and get back to you.” And then do just that.
Send a note/email afterward thanking them again. Remember: old-school thank you notes with postage have more meaning than an email, but that may not be your style. You can find legislators’ email address / room # here: https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/?body=H
Address snail mail to: Rep. ###, Arizona State Capitol Room No. YYY, 1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007
For the Lobby Day:
Take copies of the Talking Points with you to hand out to every legislator you talk with.
Bring something to take notes (on your phone, tablet, or paper notepad)
Follow the guidelines above.
Talk to all the legislators you run across but try to target those on the committee. Go to their office too.
Look up their pictures so you can recognize them: https://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster/?body=H
Lydia Hernandez – D LHernandez@azleg.gov Rm 334
Mae Peshlakai – D MPeshlakai@azleg.gov Rm 116
Tim Dunn - Chair – R TDunn@azleg.gov Rm 114
John Gillette - R JGillette@azleg.gov Rm 345
Rachel Jones - R Rachel.Jones@azleg.gov Rm 303
Betty J Villegus – D Bvillegas@azleg.gov Rm 324
Steve Montenegro - R SMontenegro@azleg.gov Rm 205
Kevin Payne – R KPayne@azleg.gov Rm 110
Be friendly, greet the legislator by name (they all wear nametags): “Hi Representative X, my name is Y and I’m here to talk about HB2169, the bill to consolidate the cosmetology and massage therapy boards.”
Get right to your point.
Keep track of who you talked to, what you talked about, and what the legislator said (take some notes after). Report this back to your leaders (Stephanie, Tammy, Marsha) so they can use it to target testimony at the hearing or talk to the legislator later.
For the Hearing
Follow the guidelines above and follow the guidelines put forward by the chair of the committee – you will testify as an opponent.
Show up – you don’t even have to testify. Note to anyone who is testifying: If someone hasn’t done it by the time you get up to testify ask everyone who opposes the bill and doesn’t plan to testify to stand up.
You will have to sign up to testify (Stephanie and Marsha will help you).
You have 1 minute to get your point across
Do not repeat what anyone said before you – Say “I agree with the previous speaker and I’d like to add…” and say something they haven’t heard yet: A story about how that point impacts you personally or another point altogether.
Prepare ahead of time what you will say – have 2 or 3 alternative speeches because of the previous point.
Start your testimony with: “Chairman Dunn, members of the committee…”
If you’d like to hand something out to the committee, ask for permission from the chair to do so. Then, do NOT read from the handout. Legislators hate it when you read exactly what you’ve put in their hands. Say what the handout is about generally. Call their attention to a few points and say something about those points that aren’t on the handout.
At some point say 2 things: thank them for hearing you and “Please vote no on HB 2169.”
