TIMING & TARGETING YOUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS Timing & targeting collective advocacy efforts generally depends on the nature of the issue and who the decision makers are whom you are trying to influence. For most issues targeting your initial efforts will begin with lower levels in order to work your way up the ladder. This workshop focuses on targeting and timing of efforts with senior officials. For those issues that fall under the purview of elected officials determining timing is also influenced by their election timetables. (See attachment on Key Election Dates to Remember) Timing Your Collective Advocacy Efforts 1. General Legislation When to focus your efforts is determined by the timing applied to the different stages a bill takes in becoming enacted. (See the attachment on Timing & Targeting General Legislative Proposals) 2. Fiscal and Budget Legislation When to focus your efforts is determined by the timing applied to the different stages of the budget development process. (See the attachment on Timing & Targeting Budgetary Issues) Targeting Collective Advocacy Efforts for the three basic issue areas: Identify the decision makers & advisors responsible for adopting your proposal. 1. General Legislation and Fiscal & Budget Legislation: Potential targets include: ( State elected officials and their policy staff, including committee staff and key Governor's Office Staff and Department staff. ( County Commissioners and their policy staff, including program office directors. 2. School Policy and Budget: Potential Targets include: ( School Board Members, ( District Superintendent, and policy staff and principals. 3. Regulatory Policy: ( Department Secretary and Deputy Secretary, State Board of Education. ( Members of the Independent Regulatory Commission and staff assigned to the proposed regulation. ( Legislative Committee Chairs with Department Oversight. While state government operates on a fiscal year, which starts on July 1st to June 30th, most counties operate on a calendar year basis. School districts vary with some on a calendar basis and others the same as the state. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1st to September 30th. Timing & Targeting General Legislative Proposals Promoting legislative changes is a lengthy process and requires persistence and keen timing of advocacy efforts. In one study the average length of time it took for those bills that were enacted was 6 years! These are the ones that made it, which is less than 10% of the bills introduced. (See the workshop material on Advocacy and the Legislative process on what steps you should take to increase your chances of success by getting the appropriate information to help move your proposal along.) Sponsorship Stage: Timing: (State legislation) Proposals can be introduced any time, however all bills that are not enacted by the end of the two year session die and must be reintroduced again in the next session and start the process all over from the beginning. Consequently, the sooner you can get a bill introduced the more time you have for promoting its adoption. Targeting: * Majority and Minority Chairpersons and members of the committee in which the bill will be referred for consideration. (If the proposal has a fiscal impact then include members of the Appropriations Committees) The bill can be introduced in either the House or the Senate or both. Majority and Minority leadership members are terrific to get as sponsors or co-sponsors but they often don't take a primary role in sponsorship so don't be discouraged if they don't sign on initially. County Ordinances: Timing - - expire at the end of the 4 year term. Target all three Commissioners with emphasis on the Chairperson. (For Philadelphia your efforts should be focused on the Mayor and key staff, Department head and members of City Council who serve on the committee to which the bill will most likely be referred.) Committee Consideration Stage: Timing: When and if a bill will be considered by the committee is the prerogative of the majority committee chair. Most bills are not brought up for consideration and die in committee. If the bill gets scheduled for consideration, then your timing is dictated by the committee schedule. Targeting: * Start by meeting with the majority and minority staff for the committee to which its been assigned. * Meet with the other members of the committee. * Meet with the Committee Chair and see if he/she will schedule the proposal for consideration. Floor Consideration Stage Timing: When bills are reported out of committee they are listed on the chamber's calendar for consideration. They have to be in what is referred to as 3rd consideration before they can be voted by the full house/senate for adoption. Bills generally may only stay on the calendar for 20 "legislative days" and if not voted are referred back to the committee or another committee for reconsideration. Members may request a "hold" on a bill in which case the bill isn't voted until the member has had a chance to resolve his/her concern. Your advocacy efforts may be timed for anytime once the bill is reported out of committee and listed on the calendar. Democratic and Republican caucus meet separately prior to voting on bills to discuss bills on the calendar and to see if there is a caucus position or recommendation on the bill. Targeting: * All members of the chamber with special emphasis on the majority and minority leader and on the key members who will champion your proposal in the caucus review. (You should have already identified and been working with these members) * Media * Networking contacts and coalition supporters. Congratulations you are half way there. Now you have to repeat the same stages for the other chamber. Governor consideration stage: Timing: Once a bill has been passed by both chambers it is sent to the Governor who, has ten days to either sign the bill, veto the bill or let it become law without his signature. Targeting: * Governor directly and Governor's legislative office. * State department that is primarily impacted, because they are asked to submit their recommendation to the Governor. * Media * Networking contacts and coalition supporters. Amendments Many bills are enacted without going through all these stages. They are added to an existing bill, which is "generally" related to the same subject, thereby by-passing committee consideration or even review by one chamber. Amendments can be inserted during the committee consideration stage or floor consideration stage. The principal members involved in inserting amendments are the leadership members, committee chairs, and the prime sponsor of the bill being amended. Timing is difficult to predict but this happens more in the later part of the session than in the first year. Defense (protecting hard fought gains) It is much easier to oppose bills than to get them passed. Advocacy often requires actions to defeat proposals that you feel are harmful to the program and services and benefits currently provided. This requires similar advocacy efforts as promoting proposals, but may in the case of an amendment require much more rapid response. Organizations should develop for themselves, or in network with other groups and coalitions a "rapid response capacity" to defend against negative proposals. Targeting these efforts is determined by what stage of consideration the proposal is in and how much time is available. Timing & Targeting Budgetary Issues There are only two deadlines for state budget process. The first is constitutional, providing that each February the Governor must submit his proposed budget to the General Assembly for the fiscal year starting on the following July 1st . (When a new Administration takes office the submission is in March for their first proposed budget.) The second is that the budget needs to be adopted by the General Assembly by June 30th or the legislative authority to spend funds expires. (This doesn't mean that it always happens.) The budget process is the reverse of the general legislative process. It starts with the Governor and goes to the General Assembly rather than the other way around. There is a lengthy process in the development of the proposed and adopted budget that involves local government and each state agency. The following is a brief summary of these stages. There are opportunities for advocacy efforts at each of these stages. March-May: Department of Public Welfare submits its guidelines to counties for development of their Needs Based Budget request and projections for the fiscal year that will begin up to 16 months later. Needs based budgeting applies to mental health, mental retardation and children & youth programs. Targeting: * State Department heads concerning certain priorities or directions that you would like counties to include in their budget requests. May-August: Counties develop their estimate of the fiscal and program needs for the fiscal year that'll begin up to 13 months later. They conduct mandated public hearings on their plans and submit their request to DPW. Recommendations for other programs that are not based on a mandated Needs Based Budgeting process are also transmitted to the departments by counties, or in some cases by contracted providers. NOTE: If you are advocating for general legislation, which has a budgetary impact, you may begin to explore support during this time with the Governor's Budget Office and other key department staff and legislative appropriations committee members and staff. Targeting: * County Commissioners and Program Office Directors. * Media concerning what the county is proposing as its projected needs. * State elected officials to provide them a pre-alert to the service needs. August-September: Program offices review county submissions and develop their recommendations for the Department Secretary. This includes the recommendations for funding necessary to maintain existing services as well as any new expansions or initiatives being recommended. Targeting: * State department and program office heads. * Media * State elected officials * State associations or organizations * Other supportive networking organizations and coalitions September-October: Department heads review program office recommendations and narrow down and prioritize any new initiatives. Targeting: * State department and program office heads. * Governor's Office * Media * State elected officials * State associations or organizations * Other supportive networking organizations and coalitions October-November: Department heads make final decisions on their recommendations to the Governor's budget office. They may meet with the Governor to review the recommendations. Targeting: * State department and program office heads. * Governor's Office * Media * State elected officials * State associations or organizations * Other supportive networking organizations and coalitions December to Mid-January: Governor determines final budget recommendations and sends proposal to the printer. Targeting: * Governor's Office * State elected officials * Media * State associations or organizations * Other supportive networking organizations and coalitions First week in February Governor presents proposed budget for the next fiscal year to begin July 1st to the General Assembly. February-April Departments make whatever revisions are necessary from what they originally proposed and what the Governor finally submitted and develop detail financial and program reports for submission to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for budget hearings. Both the House and Senate hold budget hearings. Targeting: * Media * Appropriations Committee members and leadership members * Constituents representatives May-June Budget bill are reported out and sent to the Governor for approval prior to July 1st. The primary budget bill is usually developed adopted through a conference committee of the House and Senate. Targeting: * Media * Appropriations Committee members and leadership members * Constituents representatives NOTE: The Governor may "blue line out budget items out of the budget in which case they are referred back to the General Assembly for an override opportunity. The Governor may also leave items in he doesn't support but then direct that the expenditure be frozen. This is not uncommon for special projects or legislative preferences not originally recommended by the Governor or when the projected revenue isn't materializing. July-August Departments review the adopted budget and make revisions to what was proposed to bring their spending plans in accordance with what was adopted by the General Assembly. These revisions are sent to the Governor's Budget office for approval. (During the same time the Department is receiving proposed estimates for county administered programs for the next fiscal year) Important Election Dates to Remember The Secretary of the Commonwealth publishes a detailed Election Calendar which spells out the various deadlines for running for elected office, filing required papers, and voter registration deadlines during that year. You may receive a free copy of this report by contacting the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation in room 304 of the North Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029 or by calling (717) 787-5280. Some of the general dates to be aware of are listed below. To get the specific dates for the deadlines you need to get a copy of the Election Calendar for that year. February - Persons wishing to run for elected office are permitted to begin to circulate nomination petitions usually in early to mid-February. The required number of names varies depending upon the office being sought. March - Nomination petitions must be filed usually around mid-March. April - For persons wishing to vote in the primary elections the final day for registering is usually during the later half of the month. May - Primary election. Always on a Tuesday. Usually the first or second Tuesday of the month. May - The day after the primary election voter registration for the general election is open and remains until usually early October. November - General election is the first Tuesday in November. Available Resources for Legislative Information Internet: www.legis.state.pa.us The General Assembly is now on-line and provides a tremendous amount of information including copies of bills introduced, and House & Senate Calendars. Copies of legislation: Document Room B34 & 35, lower level of main capital building. Can have copies sent to you by your Legislator/Senator. ALWAYS ask for the bill number AND the current PRINTER'S number. Copies of Legislative Calendars: List of all the bills or resolutions being considered by the full House or Senate. Available in the Document Rooms or the Chief Clerk Offices. Printed each day the chamber is in session. Index - History of Senate and House Bills: Provides directory of all bills introduced by category as well as for each member, and the action taken on the bill to date. Available in the Document rooms. Updated regularly. Legislative Reference Bureau: Most current reports on bill status and adopted legislation. Room 641, main capital building. Phone number is 717.787-4223. Chief Clerk Offices: Can provide information on the calendar and the votes on bills or amendments as well as copies of House & Senate Journals. Senate: Room 89 East Wing of new capital bldg. (717.787-7163); House: Room 129 main capital bldg. (717.787-2372) Bureau of Commissions, Elections & Legislation, Department of State: Can provide election calendars for election dates and dates for filing petitions to run for office. Office maintains the election finance records candidates must file relating to campaign contributions. Room 304 North Office Building. 717.787-5280 Commonwealth Directory: Published annually in August. Names, phone numbers, fax numbers, and addresses of all the Departments and Government Offices in the Commonwealth and the General Assembly. Cost: By mail: Order from the State Book Store, Department of General Services, Commonwealth of Pa., Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North Street,, Harrisburg, Pa. 17120 (717.787-5109) Call to find out the cost for that year's publication. It is usually under $3.00 shipping included and less if picked up in person. Make checks payable to "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". Some groups have been successful in getting a copy form their state representative or senator. 9