County Commission | The Magazine January February 2018 | Page 25

FROM THE COVER
Developing Good Legislative Relationships
Y
ou’ve already saved legislators’ cell numbers and email addresses in
your phone. You previewed important county issues with members
of your county’s delegation before the session began. Now what?
Here are some professional-level tips from Chase Cobb, ACCA
Governmental Relations Manager, Twitter @ChaseCobb67
DURING THE SESSION
Keep up with how your
legislators vote on county issues
– both in committee and on the
House/Senate floor. Remember to
say “thank you” when they support
counties. If they tell you they are
going to vote one way but end up
voting another way, reach out to
them to discuss why they changed
their mind.
To feel more comfortable
making contact with legislators,
you can: 1) Review the ACCA-
prepared“ blue sheet” summaries
of the bill beforehand; 2) Contact
an ACCA policy team member for
clarification if you have questions;
3) Don’t panic if a legislator asks
a question you can’t answer.
Respond by saying, “I’m not sure
about that, but I will find out and
get back in touch with you.” Then
contact the ACCA policy team for
additional information.
If your legislator sits on a
committee that will review an
ACCA bill or a DANGER bill,
speak with your legislator about how
the bill would impact counties. Then
ask them to support your position.
Keep the lines of communication
open with your local legislators
throughout the legislative session
-- by social media, phone call, text,
email AND face-to-face contact.
Keep the ACCA staff informed
about where your legislators stand
on county issues. And if you and
one of your legislators develop a
strained relationship, work to repair
it as quickly as possible.
Attend your ACCA County
Day. You are encouraged to contact
the legislator(s) you want to meet
with at least ONE WEEK prior to
your visit to ensure they schedule
time for you. And make sure key
staff attend as well.
AFTER THE SESSION
Follow up with legislators to
thank them for their support. Engage
them about their overall impression
of the legislative session – and
promise to work with them on local
issues throughout the year. n
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COUNTY COMMISSION | 25