The decisions made during sessions of the Nevada State Legislature have a deep and lasting impact on our state’s communities. As new laws are created and others are repealed or rewritten, it is important to ensure that these changes preserve and strengthen our constitutional rights.
CITIZEN LOBBYISTS ARE KEY
The citizen lobbyist has existed nearly as long as democratic government itself. The term “lobbying” originates from the early practice of attempting to influence legislators in the lobby outside of the legislative chambers before a vote.
The function of any lobbyist or lobbying campaign is basically the same: educate, advocate, and participate; it doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.
People are often hesitant to get involved in the political process for several reasons. People believe legislators only listen to high-powered lobbyists and big donors, they don’t think legislation will affect their lives directly, or they don’t understand how the process works. But the single most important factor in influencing how a legislator votes on a bill is constituent support. And since very few people take the time to contact their legislators, one visit, one phone call, or one letter from a constituent speaks volumes.
To find out about specific bills, hearing schedules, and how to contact your legislator, visit the state’s site: leg.state.nv.us
UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS
Without a doubt, the most important tool for monitoring the legislature is to understand how it works.
In Nevada, there are 63 legislators in two houses: 42 members of the Assembly, and 21 members of the Senate. In odd-numbered years, the legislature meets for 120 days beginning on the first Monday in February. During this time, potential laws, known as bills, are introduced in each house. There, committees hold public hearings, debate the bill language, make changes to its text, and vote whether to send the bill to the full chamber. If the bill passes out of committee, it is then sent to the Assembly or Senate floor to be read, debated and voted on. A bill usually requires a simple majority to pass – 22 votes in the Assembly or 11 votes in the Senate. If a bill starts in and passes out of the Assembly, it then goes through the same process in the Senate, and vice versa. When both the Assembly and the Senate pass a bill, it is sent to the governor for his signature or veto. If the governor signs the bill, it becomes law. If the bill is vetoed, the legislature can override the governor’s veto with a two-thirds vote in both houses.
Committee hearings offer citizens the best opportunity to participate and voice their opinions through testimony, emails, telephone calls, and letters. If a citizen is interested in a particular bill, they may contact committee staff to schedule their testimony. They can also attend committee meetings and testify in person when the chair asks for comments from the public. A citizen lobbyist can and should make their opinions known to all members on the committee, even the committee member is not their representative.
A great opportunity for a citizen to reach out to his or her own representative and make their voice heard is when a bill is approved by committee and heads to the Senate or Assembly floor.
Finally, when a bill reaches the Governor’s desk, a citizen can contact him or her and ask that the bill be either signed or vetoed.
BEING A CITIZEN LOBBYIST
Nevada legislators have offices in the state legislative building in Carson City. Some officials are accessible to the community at their home or work and some prefer that their constituents contact them only at their legislative office. During the legislative session, state officials spend most of their time in the legislative building and are easily accessible by email or by phone.
Elected officials spend a lot of time and money to measure public opinion in their districts. They count votes, count contributions to their campaigns, and also count phone calls, emails, letters, and personal visits.
Most elected officials emphasize constituent contact because it helps direct their voting behavior. Even if your public official is supportive of your issues, you should still call, visit, or write, since they will hear the other side too. Elected officials need to hear how important an issue is from their constituents.
ELECTED OFFICIALS WANT TO KNOW:
- Which constituents support or do not support an issue
- How many constituents support or do not support an issue
- Why their constituents support or do not support an issue
- How an issue impacts the constituents in their district
CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR
The Nevada Legislature’s website lists each legislator’s contact information so you can call them at their legislative office or at home. Legislators pay attention to phone calls and consider support or opposition to bills. Phone calls are most useful when a vote has been scheduled and there isn’t time for a letter or visit.
For advice on how to make an effective phone call, download & view Page 3 of this PDF: aclunv.org/en/become-effective-citizen-lobbyist
WRITE YOUR LEGISLATOR
As constituents, it is important to stay in written contact with your elected officials. Elected officials use letters as one way to measure public opinion in their district. Their offices count the pieces of mail and email FOR and AGAINST every issue.
For advice on how to write an effective letter or email, download and view
Page 3 of this PDF: aclunv.org/en/become-effective-citizen-lobbyist
PARTICIPATING IN HEARINGS
Committee meetings always include time for the public to express their views and are posted on line in advance of the meeting. Your participation in a committee hearing can make a big impact. Public testimony can influence the committee’s action and becomes part of the permanent record.
BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS
- Know the meeting time and location. These can be found on the committee meeting’s agenda.
- Be flexible. Assume the meeting will take longer than the scheduled time.
- Before arriving to the meeting, check to make sure that the issue you are following has not been removed from the agenda.
- The bill or issue that you are interested in may not be heard first. Agenda items are also sometimes taken out of order.
- Before you testify, try to attend another committee meeting so that you are familiar with the process and room layout.
KNOW THE ISSUES
- Know your allies in the room. Before you attend a public committee hearing, know the membership of the committee and find out their possible leanings on the issue you will be discussing. You can find out how legislators have voted on similar issues by visiting leg.state.nv.us.
- If you are part of a group, plan your speeches so that you do not duplicate each other’s ideas. Strive to make one point without duplicating the testimony of other speakers.
- Have knowledge about the “other side of the story.” You may be asked questions about the differences.
WRITING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Writing letters to the editor is a great advocacy tool that can reach a large audience; often monitored by elected officials, they can bring up information not addressed in a news article, and create an impression of widespread support for or in opposition to an issue.
Keep the letter short and on one subject. Many newspapers have limited space and set strict limits on the length, and brevity ensures important points won’t be cut out by the newspaper.
Make it legible. Use a typewriter or computer if your handwriting is difficult to read.
Send letters to weekly community newspapers – smaller circulations means your letter is more likely to be printed.
Lastly be sure your letter makes reference the specific article you’re writing about.
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Editor’s Note: This article is not intended as support for any particular organization or agenda; its intent is to help Readers become more effective in advocating and supporting their own political concerns.
ACLU of Nevada, Reno
1325 Airmotive Way, Suite 202
Reno, Nevada 89502
aclunv@aclunv.org
aclunv.org