Make a Phone Call

A phone call is a great way to quickly make your opinion known to your state legislator. When you call, state your name, where you live (it is always important for your state legislator to know that you are a constituent), what you are asking for, and confirm the legislator ’s position on the issue.

Make a Personal Visit
One of the best ways to get your point across is to make an appointment to meet with your  State Senator and/or Legislator  in the district (hometown) office and meet face to face. 

Here are few tips for a successful meeting:

• Call for an appointment
  Let the person you talk to know that you live in the district, and let him or her know what you want to talk about.

• Make the connections
  Let the scheduler know if you are a member of a local group that is concerned about the issue, have given money to the legislator’s election campaign, or have other relationships in the community.

• Get prepared
  Prepare for your visit by thinking about what you want the legislator to know and, more specifically, what you want to see happen.  Do you have an idea for a bill that you would like the legislator to author or co-author? Are you working to get a bill passed or a current policy to be changed? Is your legislator a member of a key committee in which the bill will be heard?  We can help.

• Working with staff
  If the legislator is not available to meet with you within your timeframe, schedule the meeting with one of the legislative staff who deals with the kind of issues you want to address. These field representatives are important contacts and will not only bring your message to the legislator, but will generally be the people you will work with most.

• Join forces
  Enlist the support of a variety of community members who share your goals, like a teacher, business owner, parent, police officer, or clergy member. It is also helpful to make your visit as a small group representing authentic voices and diverse perspectives on the issue. This should include both experts and people directly affected by the issue.

• Use local and personal examples
  Your state legislator is interested in what is happening in your community, so use local examples of the problem whenever possible. Talk about an individual retailer that displays advertising targeting underage drinkers, an instance of binge drinking among teens in your area that made the local news, or share a relevant personal story.

• Bring visuals
  Bring materials that will help you make your case. Visuals, such as copies of alcohol industry ads aimed at youth, photos of billboards in the community, or flyers about an alcohol industry sponsored college event will speak volumes.

• Follow-up
  After the visit, follow up with the legislator by sending a thank you letter, reiterating what you have requested as well as providing additional information and materials. 

Send a Letter

Whether or not you are able to visit in person, sending a letter is also very effective.

Here is a sample letter featuring key policy issues that

Your letter can be faxed (probably the quickest and best way), mailed or emailed. As a general rule, e-mail is a less effective way to communicate directly with your legislator. It may, however, be an excellent means of communicating with his/her staff. It’s a good idea to check with staff in both the field office(s) and the Capitol office to learn the best way to send letters and other information that you want to reach your Senator or Assemblymember. (link to fax/email information/contact information)

Sample Letter to Your Representative

If possible, limit the length of your letter to one page. Be sure to make the reason for your letter very clear at the beginning. Letters to legislators often follow a similar format:

[Date]

Honorable [name of legislator]
California State [Senate or Assembly]
State Capitol, Room [# here]
Sacramento, CA 94815

Re: [AB or SB] [bill number] – [SUPPORT or OPPOSE]

Dear [Senator / Assemblymember] [Name here]:

This letter is in reference to [Assembly Bill / Senate Bill] [bill number], which is scheduled to be heard in [your committee/ the Assembly / the Senate] soon [or on a particular date, if you know].

This bill would have the following effect on the community: (this paragraph should expand on issues related to bill).

Thank you for talking the time to review my concerns on this piece of legislation. After this bill comes up for a vote, I would appreciate being informed as to how you voted and why. I am available to answer questions or provide testimony on this important issue.

Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Address)
(Phone Number)

Get Creative
 

If you’re willing to invest a little bit of creativity and planning, try these techniques:

• Speak at a town forum
  State legislators sponsor town forums as a way to hear from the community.  This is a perfect opportunity to make a public statement on the issue(s) of concern to you.