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 âpleaseâ and âthank you.â
Thank legislators for their time.
Remember that most legislators donât really know our issues, so showing anger or frustration doesnât 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 â A no vote on HB 2169.
Always tell the truth, making stuff up hurts your cause.
If you donât know the answer to a question, say âI donât know, but Iâll find out and get back to you.â 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 legislatorsâ 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 â D [email protected] Rm 334
Mae Peshlakai â D [email protected] Rm 116
Tim Dunn - Chair â R [email protected] Rm 114
John Gillette - R [email protected] Rm 345
Rachel Jones - R [email protected] Rm 303
Betty J Villegus â D [email protected] Rm 324
Steve Montenegro - R [email protected] Rm 205
Kevin Payne â R [email protected] Rm 110
Be friendly, greet the legislator by name (they all wear nametags): âHi Representative X, my name is Y and Iâm here to talk about HB2169, the bill to consolidate the cosmetology and massage therapy boards.â
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 â you will testify as an opponent.
Show up â you donât even have to testify. Note to anyone who is testifying: If someone hasnât done it by the time you get up to testify ask everyone who opposes the bill and doesnât 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 â Say âI agree with the previous speaker and Iâd like to addâŚâ and say something they havenât heard yet: A story about how that point impacts you personally or another point altogether.
Prepare ahead of time what you will say â have 2 or 3 alternative speeches because of the previous point.
Start your testimony with: âChairman Dunn, members of the committeeâŚâ
If youâd 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 youâve 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 arenât on the handout.
At some point say 2 things: thank them for hearing you and âPlease vote no on HB 2169.â
