Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy is pleading a case, presenting information, and persuading others to support your cause.
CSHA supports and advances the professions of speech language pathology and audiology through advocacy at the Colorado General Assembly, the Governor’s Office and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (CSHA’s Regulatory Body).

Advocacy Definitions

What is Lobbying?

Lobbying is an activity involving communication with a legislator or other public official to influence their support of your position on specific legislation. Lobbying also includes appeals to an organization’s members urging them to contact legislators, or communications to influence legislation through an attempt to affect public opinion.

Why is Advocacy Important?

Advocacy is important because advocates make things happen. Without assertive advocacy, state funding for the arts will remain near the bottom of all 50 states. Lobbying is an essential part of  citizenship. If you don’t do it, others will decide on issues of importance to your profession for you.

Focus Points for Advocacy

At the state level, advocates need to focus on the Governor of Colorado and members of the Colorado House and Senate. In order to succeed, advocates need to:

• Know who their state representative is.
• Know who their state senator is.
• Know who their U.S. senators are.
• Know who their U.S. congressional representative is.

Who are the advocates?

You are–­every member of your profession in the State of Colorado is an advocate.  Practicing professional speech language pathologists and audiologists make especially good advocates because of their knowledge of the subject and their high motivation level.

Who are Advocacy Activists?

Advocacy activists learn the issues, understand both sides of the argument, and articulate the arts support position whenever and wherever possible.

These people are legislative liaisons who build positive relationships with elected officials and lobby in support of issues impacting your profession.

Who are Proactive Advocates?

These activists proactively communicate their support for issues impact speech language pathologists and audiologists with their state legislators and the Governor on a regular basis. They keep the message of the value of supporting speech language pathologists and audiologists ever-­present in state leaders’ minds. Proactive advocates also write letters ­to ­the ­editor and op­-ed pieces on a regular basis.

Who are Reactive Advocates?

Reactive advocates answer the call to action when a crisis arises, such as a change in scope of practice for speech language pathologists and audiologists. This group comprises the largest number of advocates.

Involvement at this level often lays the foundation for and provides a springboard for more concerted participation in advocacy. Reactive advocates can be bloggers and newspaper letter-­writers. They can also advocate through their social media contacts.

Who are Potential Advocates?

This group is everyone else, and they are usually individuals who have an interest in the arts but who have not yet participated in any form of advocacy. The more work the other types of advocates do, the greater the chance potential advocates will get involved.

Becoming an Advocate

Effective advocacy requires a commitment of time and energy. Take the step up from observer to participant and become engaged in the advocacy process for change.

• Learn who your legislators are and let them know about your profession and the population you serve. Communicate on a regular basis with your legislators.
• Don’t rely on someone else to take action­–you are the key to success.
• Let Colorado’s United States Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, as well as your Congressional Representative.
• Register to vote if you are not already registered. Voting is part of your civic responsibility as a United States citizen, so take every opportunity to do so and encourage others to do likewise. 

Legislative Process Overview

How to find your elected officials

• Go to http://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator
• Type in your home address
• Here you can find your elected officials, how to contact them, bills they’ve introduced, committees they serve on, and political contributions they’ve received

Colorado General Assembly

The Colorado General Assembly meets once a year for 120 days, from January to May.

Special Sessions – if needed, these are called for by the Governor and usually address urgent issues.

100 elected members in the Colorado General Assembly

• House of Representatives – 65 Members
• Senate – 35 Members

How long do they serve?

• Representatives – 2-year terms (limit 4 consecutive terms)
• Senators – 4-year terms (limit 2 consecutive terms)

Who are they?

• At least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of their district for 1+ year.

What do they make?

• $30,000 per year. They are also given a per diem of $183 for members who live more than 50 miles from the Capitol and $45 for members who live 50 or fewer miles from the Capitol.

What is a Bill? What is an Act?

Bill: a draft of a proposed law presented to the legislature but not yet passed as law.

Bills either –

• Create new law.
• Amend an existing law.
• Repeal an existing law

Naming convention

• Senate Bill (SB) or House Bill (HB) followed by the year and number in which the bill has been introduced. (Example SB 13–01, HB 13–1001).
• Legislators can only introduce five bills per session.
• Most bills will be filed after the start of the session, but many will be pre-file in pre-sessions.

An Act: If a bill is passed by the legislative bodies (the House and Senate) it becomes an act.

How a Bill Becomes a Law

• It begins as a legislator’s idea, or an idea proposed to a legislator.
• Sponsors are identified and the bill is drafted.
• It is introduced in either the House or the Senate (1st reading).
• It is assigned to the appropriate committee for review and testimony.
• The committee to which it is assigned either passes, amends, or kills the bill.
• If a bill survives committee, it goes to floor and members debate the bill during 2nd and 3rd readings.
• Members of the House or the Senate either pass, amend, or kill the bill.
• If the bill is passed as presented and/or amended and passed, the process is repeated in the other chamber.
• After both chambers pass the bill, it is sent to the Governor for signature.
• Any bill that changes the state constitution must be voted on by the people of Colorado in a state referendum.

Votes needed to pass a bill

• House – 33 (out of 65)
• Senate – 18 (out of 35)
• Governor – 1

If a bill is vetoed by the Governor, a 2/3 majority vote is required in both chambers to override the veto.