How to Effectively Advocate…..For Your Business!

By Jake Posey and Steve Koebele
TAPC External Lobbyists

What is legislative advocacy? For a lobbyist, legislative advocacy might mean the efforts to influence the introduction, enactment, or modification of legislation. It can also include lobbying, ballot initiatives, legislative networks and campaigns, and explanations of legislative processes. Legislative advocacy can also include the instruction on how to conduct campaigns, educating legislators, communications strategies to implement lobbying campaigns, rules regarding lobbying, building legislative networks, and tracking legislation and committee votes.
And while the above activities are all crucial to the advocacy process in Austin, one simple method of advocacy should not be overlooked. That method belongs to you, the business owner, and that is the element of local grassroots advocacy. Perhaps the most effective tool in grassroots advocacy is for business owners, such as yourself, to develop a relationship with the legislator(s) where your business is located. Begin by simply calling your legislator's district office and telling them how many employees and offices your company has in their district. Next, make a request to meet with your legislators to discuss your business. You can even invite your legislators to come to your office in order to provide a brief tour of your company and its operations. This is a great way to assist your legislators in obtaining a better understanding of your business and how the staffing/recruiting industry works.
Regardless of what you choose to do, the idea is to get to know your legislators at the local level and to develop a relationship of trust and mutual understanding between you, your company, and your legislators. This connection will allow you to express some of your concerns that involve state government, such as business taxes, unemployment laws, workers' compensation issues, health care or other business related matters. Your legislators need to understand how the policies created in Austin are affecting your business and the consumers in their district.
Today, local grassroots advocacy is one of the most important parts of the lobbying process in Austin. The 80th Legislative Session will begin in January 2009 and the TAPC may ask you, as a member of our association, to contact your state legislators in order to express important views on state policies that the TAPC will support or oppose during the upcoming legislative session. Effective contact with these elected officials can be essential to passing or defeating legislation in Austin and could also impact your ability to operate your business and make a living. Your local grassroots advocacy, on behalf of your business and the TAPC, is significantly enhanced if your legislator is already familiar with your business and has developed a personal relationship with you or your employees.
So, go on, give your local legislators a call and start developing a relationship with them, teach them about your business, teach them about our industry, and communicate the challenges facing the members of TAPC!

Thank you again for your genuine support and excitement about the TAPC. Your dues contributions help to defray the expenses associated with the commitment toward fighting legislation that is detrimental to our industry and to supporting issues which are favorable. As always, if you have any questions or ideas, please call Jake at (512) 646-0828 or Steve at (512) 646-7406.