Advocacy - Finding your Voice Shannon Robins State Legislative Relations Manager

1. Advocacy - Finding your Voice Shannon Robins State Legislative Relations Manager

2. Agenda I) Overview of the National Fight Against Hunger in America • Hunger in America • Federal programs and policies to combat hunger • Federal budget and process • Role of advocacy • Nonprofits and Lobbying • Role of the state II) Turning an Idea into Law – Choose Your Own Adventure • That looks funny…Framing and Perspective • Outline of state budget and policy process • Overview: ID State Legislature • Choose Your Own Adventure – Part 1 III) Bringing it to the Next Level • State Policy Trends and Promising Practices in Advocacy • Choose Your Own Adventure – Part 2 © 2010 Feeding America

3. Choose Your Own Adventure: Warm-Up Activity What Do You Want to Leave Here with Today? © 2010 Feeding America

4. Overview of the National Fight Against Hunger in America • Hunger in America – What do we know? • Food Insecurity • Adult • Child • Senior • Unemployment/Economy • Long-shadow of recovery • How do we fight it nationally? • Farm Bill • Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps (SNAP) • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Tax Incentives • Other © 2010 Feeding America

5. Overview of the Federal Budgeting Process © 2010 Feeding America

6. Role of Advocacy • Does anyone out there care and how much? • Timing • Starting • Accelerating • Stalling • Pushing • Then… • Eg. SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) © 2010 Feeding America

7. Nonprofits and Lobbying • Lobbying • Direct • Any attempt to influence legislation by: • Stating a position on specific legislation to • Legislators • Government employees who participate in the formulation of legislation • Grassroots • Urging your members or the general public to • Contact their legislators re specific legislation © 2010 Feeding America

8. Nonprofits and Lobbying • Limits for nonprofits (501(h) expenditure test • Direct: • 20% of the first $500,000 of its exempt purpose expenditures; • 15% of the next $500,000, and so on, up to one million dollars a year. • Grassroots: • 5% of the first $500,000 of its exempt purpose expenditures; • 3.75% of the next $500,000, and so on, up to $250,000 a year. © 2010 Feeding America

9. Nonprofits and Lobbying • Lobbying is not: • Providing technical assistance or advice to legislative body or committee in response to a written request • Making available nonpartisan analysis, study or research • Providing examinations and discussions of broad, social, economic and similar problems • Communicating with a legislative body regarding matters which might affect the existence of the organization, its powers and duties, its tax-exempt status, or the deduction of contributions to the organization (the "self-defense" exception) • Updating the members of your own organization on the status of legislation, without a call to action © 2010 Feeding America

10. Role of State • Administration • Rules and Regulations • Access and Partnerships • Legislative and Executive Roles • Monitoring and Compliance © 2010 Feeding America

11. Turning an Idea into Law – Framing and Perspective (aka: That Looks Funny…) © 2010 Feeding America

12. Idea © 2010 Feeding America

13. Amendment © 2010 Feeding America

14. Enacted © 2010 Feeding America

15. Funded © 2010 Feeding America

16. Public © 2010 Feeding America

17. Media © 2010 Feeding America

18. It could have been simpler… © 2010 Feeding America

19. Overview of the State Budget Process Signature or Veto If Vetoed Becomes a Law © 2010 Feeding America

20. Idaho State Legislature • Citizen Legislature • Elected for two-year terms • Annual Budget and Legislative Cycle • 3 month session • 35 Senators • 70 Representatives • 35 districts • 1 Senator • 2 Representatives Senate • Senate President = Lt. Governor • President Pro Tempore • Elected by Senate House • Speaker of the House (SOH) • Presides over the sessions • Elected by House • Majority party © 2010 Feeding America

21. Idaho State Legislature Senate • President Pro Tem, with the approval of the Senate:, • Assigns all Senate Committee (10) • Memberships • Assigns all bills to Senate Committees House • Speaker of the House, in cooperation with House Majority: • Assigns all House Committee (14) • Chairmanships • Memberships • Assigns all bills to House Committees © 2010 Feeding America

22. Idaho State Legislature – Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) • Senate Finance & House Appropriations • Establish state budget • Meeting daily through most of session • Reviews: • Executive budget • Budget requests: • State departments • Agencies and institutions • Capital improvements • Legislative Appropriations • JFAC’s recommendations on agency budgets • Submitted to Legislature as appropriation bills © 2010 Feeding America

23. Idaho State Legislature – Bill Introduction • Who? • Single member • Group of members • Standing committee • When? • Committee introduction only • After the 20th day of the session in the House • After 12th day in the Senate • Only specific Committees • After the 35th day © 2010 Feeding America

24. Idaho State Legislature – Committees • Do pass • Without recommendation • To be placed on General Orders for Amendment • Do not pass • Withdrawn with the privilege of introducing another bill • Referred to another standing committee © 2010 Feeding America

25. Idaho State Legislature – Floor & Readings First Reading • Committee assignment Second Reading • Passed relevant committees Third Reading • Floor sponsor • Opens and closes debate in favor of passage • Debate • Final vote on passage • Passed by a majority of those present Repeat… © 2010 Feeding America

26. Idaho State Legislature – Governor Session • Sign bill within five days after its receipt (except Sundays) • Allow the bill to become law without approval • After 5 days • Veto within five days • Returns bill to house of origin with reason for disapproval Sine Die • Veto within ten days Veto Override • Two-thirds majority vote • Members present • Both houses © 2010 Feeding America

27. Idaho State Legislature – Governor Executive Authority • Agency funding level target requests • Reorganize state departments • Spend unanticipated funds • Budget office has the authority to approve spending of unanticipated funds if certain criteria are met • Temporarily reduce enacted budget • State Board of Examiners has permanent appropriation reduction authority • SBE • Governor • Attorney General • Secretary of State © 2010 Feeding America

28. Choose Your Own Adventure – Part 1 © 2010 Feeding America

29. Choose Your Own Adventure – Part 1 • Audience Interactive Presentation • Slides not available prior to presentation © 2010 Feeding America

30. Advocacy- Bringing it to the Next Level © 2010 Feeding America

31. State Trends and Promising Practices • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Outreach • State Options • Eligibility • Agricultural Clearance Programs • Surplus and Unmarketable Produce • Emergency Food Assistance and Access to Nutritious Food • Benefits to Farmers • Preventing Waste • State Food Purchase Programs • Local money spent locally • Fighting hunger and supporting business • State and Community Organization partnerships-leveraging federal resources • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • SNAP Outreach • The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) © 2010 Feeding America

32. Best Practices in Advocacy • Testing Readiness • Ready Resources • Relationships • History • Strategic Goals • Cost Benefit Analysis • Tools • Communications • Planning and Organizing • Timelines • Resources • Advocates • Partners • Coalitions that Work • Partners • Common Issues • Planning • Organizing • Communicating • Strategizing • Unified voices © 2010 Feeding America

33. Promising Practices in State Policy • Food Stamp Program • SNAP • State Options • Asset Test • Outreach • Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) • Vouchers • WIC • Seniors • Food Stamps • EBT • Research and Data • Hunger in America • Hunger Atlas’s/Almanacs’ • Food Insecurity • Missing Meals • State Legislative Hunger Caucuses • AR • PA • Food Security Committees • OK • Food Policy Councils • MA • State Advisory Councils on Hunger • AZ © 2010 Feeding America

34. Promising Practices in State Advocacy • Testing Readiness • Ready Resources • Relationships • History • Strategic Goals • Cost Benefit Analysis • Tools • Communications • Planning and Organizing • Timelines • Resources • Advocates • Partners • Coalitions that Work • Partners • Common Issues • Position Papers • Planning • Organizing • Communicating • Strategizing • Unified voices • Materials and Planning • Toolkits • Templates • Timing and Alternatives • ‘Elevator’ Speech • Advocacy Materials • Key speaking points • Media strategy © 2010 Feeding America

35. Promising Practices in State Advocacy • Advocate Plan • Organize • Educate • Communicate • Mobilize! • Action and Impact Assessment • Follow-up • The Interim • Tours • Volunteer Events • Benefits • Public Service Announcements (PSA) • Community Leadership © 2010 Feeding America

36. Promising Practices in State Advocacy • Building Relationships with Legislators • Board Membership • Family • Newsletters • Annual Reports • ‘Town Hall’ Forums • Constituents • Legislative Staff • ‘Walk-a-Mile’ and Food Stamp Challenges • Hunger 101 • Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up • Thank you’s • ADVOCATES • Fact Sheets • Talking Points • Letter to the Editor • Newsletter • Photo-Ops • Additional Information • Summaries • Awards • STAFF © 2010 Feeding America

37. Choose Your Own Adventure – Part 2 © 2010 Feeding America

38. Choose Your Own Adventure – Part 2 • Audience Interactive Presentation • Slides not available prior to presentation © 2010 Feeding America

39. Q & A • Contact Information • Shannon RobinsManager of State Policy & Partnerships • Email: srobins@feedingamerica.org • Phone: (312) 641-6877 © 2010 Feeding America