How YOU can help get HB 315 passed

Contacting Legislators

(from STRS)

There are several ways you can contact your legislator:

• Write a letter.
• Send an e-mail message.
• Schedule a meeting in Columbus or in the district.
• Invite a legislator to a meeting of your group.
• Have a casual conversation, such as at a county fair or other event in the district.

If you are having a meeting with a legislator, plan your visit carefully:

• Be prompt and be patient. It is not uncommon for a legislator to be late, or to have a meeting interrupted, due to the legislator’s crowded schedule. If interruptions do occur, be flexible. When the opportunity presents itself, continue your meeting with the legislator’s staff.
  

• Be prepared. Be clear about what you want to achieve in your visit; you are there to discuss the health care funding initiative only. Don’t assume the legislator knows all the details of the proposal. Use the one-page initiative summary to assist you in your presentation.
  

• Be polite. Don’t degrade your legislators or the opposition, and don’t impugn their motives.
  

• Be politically astute. Demonstrate the connection between what you are requesting and the interests of the legislator’s constituency.
  

• Be responsive. Answer questions or provide additional information if requested. However, don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” if you are unsure of an answer. STRS Ohio staff can provide you with an answer to provide to the legislator or staff member.
  

• Ask the legislator if he/she supports the legislation. If the legislator does not, ask what it would take to gain his/her support, or if he/she has an alternative solution.
  

• Follow up. Write a “thank you” letter that outlines the different points covered during the meeting, and send along any additional information and materials requested.
  

If you are writing to a legislator, many of the same tips apply:

• Make your message short and succinct; focus on the topic of health care funding. Try to keep your letter to one page, stating the purpose at the beginning. Don’t send a form letter or card.
  

• Include commendation for past actions by the legislator; don’t threaten or degrade the legislator.
  

• Ask the legislator for his/her position on the initiative.
  

• Include your address and sign your name.
  

• Follow up if you receive a reply. Thank the legislator for responding. If he/she agreed with your position, ask the legislator to take a leadership role. If the legislator expresses opposition, ask what he/she would propose as an alternative solution. Also offer to provide additional information to help make the case.

How to find your legislators:

Web site links have been provided on the Health Care Champions Web site. If you do not have Internet access, call STRS Ohio’s Governmental Relations office at (614) 227-2983 and staff will provide the information you need.

Additional considerations:

Let us know if you have a meeting or hear from a legislator. You can do this by completing a meeting feedback form available on the Health Care Champions Web site. You can also mail or fax a copy of the completed form to: Terri Bierdeman, STRS Ohio, 275 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215-4771; fax, (614) 744-3341.