Blog for Iowa Guide to the 2011 Legislative Session

Looking
ahead to the 2011 Iowa legislative session, it is a hopeful time. For
progressives, our hope is to hold the line on fiscal and social
retrenchment proposed by the new Republican Governor and State House.
Understanding that government should work more efficiently, we also
understand that the inauguration of the Branstad slate
of staff, department heads and people in key positions will begin a
transitional phase in which little may be accomplished for a few weeks,
but what is coming is an agenda set to reverse our accomplishments
during the past four sessions.

Expect
most of this to be kept out of the public eye, except when it advances
the Republican political agenda. Blog for Iowa will maintain vigilance
as the Republican agenda turns from campaign rhetoric to reality. Here
are some things you can do to stay informed and advance your issues as
the legislature ramps up:

Meet your House Representative and State Senator.
Most are approachable, whether you participated in their election
campaign or not. Do not let party affiliation dissuade you from
contacting elected officials. A list of the legislators is available on
the Legislature web site
along with contact information. The easiest way to get started is to
send your representatives an e-mail saying you would like to meet them.

Look for opportunities to speak with your elected officials.
Most legislators will conduct listening posts and community forums
during the session. These events often have light attendance and they
provide an opportunity to ask questions and meet legislators. What
legislators hear in these venues may influence policy and how they vote.


Visit the Capitol while the legislature is in session.
If you have never been to the capitol, you owe it to yourself to go
there while the legislature is in session. The building itself is pretty
cool, and if you let your legislator know you are coming in advance,
you may be able to meet with him or her and learn how the work is done.
What you will see is that the place is infested with lobbyists from the
rotunda to the cafeteria, from the committee meeting rooms to the
bathrooms. While we may associate with groups that have lobbyists, our
personal advocacy is just as important.

Pick your issues.
Readers likely have no problems picking issues. Understanding what
is important to each of us is a first step to effective advocacy. Having
a list of 3-5 top issues can frame how you approach your legislator.
While party leadership often sets the legislative agenda, having a
basket of issues (rather than just one) and discussing them with your
legislators can help determine which ones can be advanced during the
session, and which may have to wait. The issues Blog for Iowa will be
covering relate to budget, media, energy, agriculture, air and water
quality, judicial appointments and public health. We encourage you to
make your own list and get it in front of your State Senator and House
Representative in the next few weeks.

Familiarize yourself with the legislature's web site. http://www.legis.iowa.gov/index.aspx There is a lot of information here and the key pages are:

Legislator Information
 
Schedules, Committees and Meetings

Committees, where you can find who is on which committee and sub-committee.

Track Legislation which is a portal to searching bills being considered. Already there is a list of bills pre-filed for the 2011 legislature. If you are really engaged, there is an RSS feed for new bills as they are introduced.

Finally, there is live audio streaming of floor action in both the House and Senate. This
is our Iowa version of C-SPAN and while the most heated debates often
occur in the party caucuses, what is said on the floor is often
enlightening.
When a key bill is being debated, it gives a chance to follow along
without making the trip to Des Moines. Likewise, it enables us to e-mail
legislators about positions when it matters the most.

Make a New Year's Resolution to get more involved with the legislature. You will be glad you did.

~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County and weekend editor of Blog for Iowa. E-mail Paul Deaton