Do it now dossier: Lobbying 4 justice!

Season for lobbyists at Legislature begins

After Labor Day for many people means the end of the summer easiness.  Back to the grind of work.  One place for sure where the "grind" starts is at the Minnesota Legislature.

Between now and the end of November when the grind slows down again because of the Holiday season, hundreds of lobbyists, interest groups, and many public and private associations will be visiting your state legislator and other members of the state legislature.

The visitors will be asking Chairpersons of various policy committees to be the Chief Author of their bill.  They may ask your legislator to sponsor a bill that concerns the area in which the elected official and you live in.  The interest group representative may go to a legislator because of the employment and background the elected person may have.  A number of reasons.

This is the time of year is when the legislator starts to think seriously of the bills he/she wants to introduce.  I have heard many times from elected officials when I ask them about legislation--"wait" until after Labor Day because they are back in their districts and rarely come to St Paul until after Labor Day. 

When the special interest representative meets with the legislator who you elected wants to discuss an idea for a bill and get their Chief Authorship, there are basically two ways of how the bill will be directed.  The interested party/lobbyist being the conductor or the Chief Author working and leading in concert with the interested party.  Most times a bill is created the concert way, but once in a while the conductor is the interested party/lobbyist.

Now is the most impelling time for you to meet with your legislators, when you can have an in depth conversation on issues that impact your community, district, and state.  You will be competing with others, but you are their constituent.  Time can and will be made for you

Ask your legislator----What are you thinking of introducing this year for the district?  Are you introducing any bills for any interest groups or associations?  I have an idea for a bill--Can I work with you on it?

A legislator's book fills up very fast with bills of legislation they will introduce.  You want to make sure you and others from the district are heard loud and clear.

To get on your way, the Minnesota Legislature has a great tool to find out who your Representatives and Senators are.

Posted by Rich Neumeister at Thursday, September 08, 2011  

ALEC likely violated state campaign board ruling, start complaining !!

By Jon Collins | 08.11.11 | 9:45 am

A Twin Cities event hosted this spring by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) likely violated a 16-year old ruling by the Minnesota campaign finance board. The group, which brings together corporations and state lawmakers to create and distribute conservative legislation, failed to register a lobbyist with the state when organizing an issues forum, as required by the board’s ruling.

On March 4, 2011, ALEC hosted an educational event in Bandana Square in St. Paul. In attendance were state lawmakers including ALEC state chair Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake) and an ALEC task force director, who traveled there for the meeting.

 The event likely violated guidelines set in a 1995 opinion (below) offered by the Ethical Practices Board, now the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Under the ruling, which was brought on by a similar event organized by the group at that time, ALEC was directed to register a lobbyist with Minnesota if

“the issues forum and any written materials distributed include information that communicates with or urges others to communicate with officials in attempts to advocate a particular position to an official about legislative or administrative action.”

 ALEC spokesperson Raegan Weber told the Minnesota Independent that ALEC wasn’t aware of the requirement in the board’s 1995 decision. She denied the group engaged in lobbying.

“Our task force director was asked to give an educational seminar about the publication,” Weber said. “That’s what it was — it was an educational seminar.”

Weber said the purpose of the March event was to provide information on ALEC’s State Government Reform Toolkit, which includes what the group’s press release described as 20 “recommendations” to state lawmakers dealing with fiscal crises. The guide argues for legislative reforms in areas ranging from pensions to the establishment of a privatization and efficiency council. Many of the recommendations include citations to ALEC model legislation, which is sometimes written and introduced to the group by corporate ALEC members who pay between $7,000 and $25,000 to be involved in ALEC.

Hamline University School of Business professor David Schultz told the Minnesota Independent that the board’s decision likely was applied to ALEC’s forums because of the group’s unique organizational structure.

“Oftentimes, a lot of organizations, if they’re going to sponsor issue forums, don’t have to [register a lobbyist],” Schultz said. “Because the legislative exchange council is seeking to try to influence legislation and legislators, that’s why the issue forums would require them to be registered.”

Schultz weighed in on the possible outcomes of ALEC not registering a lobbyist with the state: 

“It looks like any event they’re going to be sponsoring in the future is going to require them to continue to  be considered a lobbyist.” He added, “It could affect issues like their tax status.”

 Opinions from the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board are interpretations of Minnesota statutes, in this case the one governing the state’s lobbyist disclosure requirements. Board investigations of statutory violations are generally triggered by public complaints. If a violation of statute is found by the board, it could lead to a civil penalty.

ALEC counts some 2,000 legislative officials nationwide among its members. In Minnesota, that includes about 30 members — all Republicans, according to state chair Kiffmeyer – in the state House and Senate and at least one federal member, Rep. Erik Paulsen. The group has drawn criticism from some who say it allows corporations to lobby lawmakers and write legislation without disclosure.

Common Cause Minnesota connected the group to legislation recently introduced in Minnesota, including bills that would undermine greenhouse gas restrictions and shield large food companies from consumer lawsuits.

ALEC is sometimes viewed as secretive because it doesn’t disclose its membership, although leaked ALEC files and individual confirmations by the Minnesota Independent have provided a partial picture of some Minnesota lawmakers that are involved.

Are you a member of the legislature or legislative staff with knowledge of ALEC’s work in Minnesota? Send us an email: jcollins@minnesotaindependent.com.

Campaign Finance Decision

Reminder:  Call out MN's ALEC members.   Let's get them recalled and out of office. AND we must make sure these people are registered LOBBYISTS !!


http://usuncutmn.blogspot.com/2011/07/call-out-alec-members-in-mn-leg-now-or.html

KeepOurPromise has huge successful Lobby and Call-in Day

Hugely Successful Lobby and Call-in Day!

News - Latest

Written by Mike Hersh

Thursday, 28 July 2011 08:47

KeepOurPromise organizers and allies met with 80 Congressional offices yesterday, July 27th, and led 1,000s of people nation-wide in a call in day. We told Senators and House members that cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security benefits would hurt tens of millions of Americans. Jobs will be lost. Economic growth will suffer. We demand that our politicians keep our promise between generations and among all Americans to preserve, protect--and even expand and improve--Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. We need your help now! Contributions have been coming in, but not enough to cover our expanding activities. (Contributions to Keep Our Promise are not tax deductible). We're helping to convene a series of Congressional briefings and hearings. We're launching a media strategy to inform and mobilize the public, and holding call-in days to jam the White House and Congressional switchboards. We're explaining that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are not "broke," and do not add to the debt or deficit. We should cut corruption and corporate profiteering--not benefits. To control costs and provide the best outcomes, we need Expanded, Improved Medicare for All. Help us Save Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. We're working with members of Congress and staffers, the Black, Progressive and Hispanic Caucus, as well as progressive, faith, patients' rights and civil rights leaders and organizations, unions, and more. We convene weekly action meetings to plan lobby days, call-in days, Congressional hearings, town hall meetings, a media strategy and special events. We're holding a massive citizen's lobby day July 20th. We're meeting with 85 members of Congress with a simple message: No cuts to Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security. Let Medicare negotiate with big drug companies on prices. Improve and expand Medicare--don't cut it! Help us Save Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.  We need your help now! (Contributions to Keep Our Promise are not tax deductible).