| PRESIDENT ’ S PAGE |
Standing up for your Agency
Lobbying is a huge benefit of membership
A s we near the end of the 2017 Kansas Legislative session , we should recognize the role that KAIA plays in advocating on behalf of our members . Quite possibly our single most important effort on behalf of our membership , advocacy is sometimes seen as a boring or tedious endeavor . Prior to serving on the KAIA board , I would have considered myself in that category . Without a love of politics , I struggled to find the value in our relationships on the hill .
Having seen first hand both the KAIA and IIABA role in politics at the state and national level , I have come to realize the extreme importance of our advocacy . As mainly a state regulated industry , I ’ ve seen our successes with regard to work comp reform , pool regulation , minimum auto limits , and an endless list of other industry initiatives . With regards to our federally regulated lines of flood , crop , and health , KAIA has been a leader carrying our concerns to the hill .
Behind the Scenes – KAIA Legislative Team Many times we don ’ t realize all the “ behind the scenes ” activities KAIA performs politically on our behalf . Starting at the state level , our contract lobbyist , Dan Murray , carries our torch daily on the House and Senate floors . As our eyes and ears during and after each session , Dan keeps us apprised of bills that pop up that could affect our members . With his deep relationships , he keeps the association connected with lawmakers .
Our staff advocacy is led by Will Larson and his years of experience . Invaluable to our association in many ways , Will helps us evaluate the impact of bills and researches current and proposed legislation . We have been successful in communicating clearly with our legislators as a result . Dave Hulcher and Joan Sutton work closely with Dan and Will , taking direction from our Government Affairs Committee ( GAC ). In addition , staff spearheads communication with our members as to the effect legislation would have on our day-to-day operations . The coordination between the GAC , our members , and our advocacy team is a strong asset of the association .
LYLE DAVIDSON KAIA President
Grassroots efforts from our members are critically important to our legislative success . We recently held our annual Legislative Day and again it was a tremendous success . Building relationships with our legislators and the House and Senate leadership enables us to have our opinion heard when the necessity arises . We ’ ll be having our National Legislative Day in Washington D . C . during the first week in May , and with the change in leadership in the White House as well as over 100 new members of Congress , it will be a critical time to advocate on behalf of crop insurance , flood insurance , and health reform in particular .
How Can Members Help ? What can we do as members to assist in this process ? First , educate ourselves on the issues by reading our KAIA Capitol Notes and Big “ I ” national communications . Second , attend KAIA Legislative Day each year and make your voice heard . Third , get to know your local representatives and senators , and build those relationships for when we need to communicate with them . Be sure to keep the association abreast of your legislative relationships .
I recently took my children to Topeka and my son was a shadow for our Senator , and my daughter paged for our Representative . Besides learning about our system of government for them , any interaction we have further builds our relationships . If you haven ’ t shadowed your legislator , consider doing so , as it is an eye opening experience .
In closing , I had an opportunity to visit the office of our most recent Advocate of the Year Award winner , Representative Scott Schwab . Prominently displayed on his conference table is the eagle statue he received in recognition of his service and commitment to working with our association . Our advocacy makes a difference !
Grass Roots Are Critical
2 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER | March - April 2017 |