From : Debbie Neustadt, State Legislation, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
To: Chapter Listserves
Re: Next Year


I want to thank everyone that did something this past winter to bring 
environmental issues before our state legislature. I would like to keep 
you engaged for the next legislative session. Below is a description of 
one way volunteers can help. This is from the Sierra Club Chapter in 
Wisconsin. If you would like to help in this way please email me at 
<[log in to unmask]>. If you have any ideas please email me.

FROM WISCONSIN --------

We rely heavily on volunteers for lobbying. With members and supports 
who have 40 years experience in wildlife, water, energy, and recycling 
and waste management regularly prepare and deliver testimony at 
Legislative Committee and state agency hearings. They usually submit 
their statement to a leader beforehand and minor edits are made before 
placing it on letterhead and either providing them with a pdf that they 
can print out for the committee or copies for each committee member. 
They also occasionally visit with individual legislators, the governor, 
or other decision makers to discuss our key issues.

We also have a retired attorney, who occasionally delivers testimony 
that the Chapter prepares (and saves chapter staff from sitting in a 
committee hearing all day!). He also writes letters to the editor and 
meets with individual legislators (he is provided with the targets, 
background issue information) and drops off copies of statements as 
needed throughout the session.

Before they got started, they received some brief training from the 
Chapter Director or Chapter leader .

Using volunteers for lobbying probably saves our Chapter a ton of funds, 
and it increases our capacity given that we have such a small staff. It 
also empowers our volunteers by directly connecting them with decision 
makers. I think that if you have brilliant students who want to get 
great experience and help the Sierra Club, this is a wonderful way for 
them to help out. I’ve experienced no drawbacks so far except the 
occasional volunteer who backs out at the last minute, but they are 
volunteers after all!

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