engaging legislators in the transportation operations message

NATIONAL CONFERENCEof STATE LEGISLATURES

The Forum for America’s Ideas

Engaging Legislatorsin the Transportation Operations Message

Jaime Rall, Policy Specialist, NCSL Transportation Program

NTOC Summit, November 7, 2011



Who is NCSL?

Bipartisan organization that serves the 7,382 Bipartisan organization that serves the 7,382 legislators and 30,000+ legislative staff of the states, legislators and 30,000+ legislative staff of the states, commonwealths and territoriescommonwealths and territories

Nationally recognized leader in state legislative and Nationally recognized leader in state legislative and policy issuespolicy issues

Serves legislatures through in-depth research, expert Serves legislatures through in-depth research, expert testimony, technical assistance and opportunities for testimony, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideaspolicymakers to exchange ideas

Provides reliable, unbiased information responsive to Provides reliable, unbiased information responsive to state legislators' self-defined, real-time needsstate legislators' self-defined, real-time needs

Covers all topics a legislature might consider, not just Covers all topics a legislature might consider, not just transportationtransportation



Engaging State Legislators 101

When working to engage legislators:When working to engage legislators:• Know Your Audience• Provide Meaningful Options• Solve Their Problems• Speak Their Language• Target Your Outreach

These points also can apply to engaging other These points also can apply to engaging other elected officials or legislative bodies (e.g., elected officials or legislative bodies (e.g., local councils, boards or commissions).local councils, boards or commissions).



Engaging State Legislators 101:Know Your Audience

First, ask: Am I approaching the right First, ask: Am I approaching the right decision-maker(s) for what I want to decision-maker(s) for what I want to achieve?achieve?

The state legislative role:The state legislative role:• Lawmaking: Enacting state-level policies, statutes

and programs• Appropriating revenues to departments, programs

or specific projects• Representing constituent interests• Balancing the power of the executive branch• Convening stakeholders to develop ideas and aid

the decision-making process




Become familiar with the legislative settingBecome familiar with the legislative setting• Money issues dominate• Hundreds of issues compete for attention• Legislatures differ significantly in structure,

schedule, term limits, budget process, etc.

MDDENJCTRIMA

"Traditional" (Part-Time) Legislatures

"Professional" (Full-Time) Legislatures

Hybrid Legislatures Source: NCSL.




Know the legislative process Know the legislative process and scheduleand schedule• The process is complex, but has its own

logic and can be learned• Designed for deliberation, broad input

and compromise• Only about 20 percent of bills become

law• Often, much of the work is done in

committee• The schedule is tight, with deadlines at

every turn

How a bill becomes a law

(

Source: Vermont Secretary of State.




Know the historyKnow the history• Relevant legislation in previous sessions?

• Sympathetic or opposed legislators?

• Involved stakeholders?

• Term limits?

Newer members may have a learning curve or not know the history.

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Term-limited states

Source: NCSL.



Engaging State Legislators 101:Provide Meaningful Options

What would you like the legislature to What would you like the legislature to dodo concerning transportation operations? concerning transportation operations?

Be concrete:Be concrete:• Create a program?• Initiate a study?• Appropriate money?• Change a relevant law by introducing legislation?• Support, amend or oppose an existing bill?



Engaging State Legislators 101:Provide Meaningful Options

Offer relevant, real-life examples from other Offer relevant, real-life examples from other jurisdictions whenever possible.jurisdictions whenever possible.

Source: Source: http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=19115



Engaging State Legislators 101:Solve Their Problems

Demonstrate understanding of the broader Demonstrate understanding of the broader context -- especially that legislators have to context -- especially that legislators have to handle many problems that are competing handle many problems that are competing for limited money and attentionfor limited money and attention

Ideally, the options you offer or request Ideally, the options you offer or request should solve not just your problems, but should solve not just your problems, but those facing legislators (and your state), toothose facing legislators (and your state), too




What are some of the competing problems What are some of the competing problems state legislators face?state legislators face?

NCSL's Top 11 Issues for 2011:NCSL's Top 11 Issues for 2011:• #1: Balancing Budgets

"The worst may be yet to come for state budgets..."

• #2: State Pensions; #3: Jobs; #4: Health Reform; #5: Higher Ed; #6: Redistricting; #7: Unemployment Benefits; #8: Criminal Justice; #9: Student Performance and Dropout Rates; #10: Immigration, and...

• #11: Transportation and Infrastructure




What problems exist within transportation?What problems exist within transportation?

• Well-documented funding crisis

• Aging infrastructure and growing demand, but acknowledged limited resources for system expansion or maintenance

• Competing transportation programs and projects

• Pressures to "do more with less" while still achieving policy goals (safety, sustainability, equitable access, reduced congestion, etc.)




Source: http://www.ntoctalks.com/

Operations and ITS can be well-placed to Operations and ITS can be well-placed to present cost-effective solutions to many present cost-effective solutions to many defined transportation problems.defined transportation problems.




Be sensitive to state-specific, of-the-moment Be sensitive to state-specific, of-the-moment contexts when framing both problems and contexts when framing both problems and solutions:solutions:• How problems are defined will depend on the

context and the mood of the times• The same solutions may solve different problems

in different contexts

Example of gas tax increases:Example of gas tax increases:

Source: Richard Watts, University of Vermont.Source: Richard Watts, University of Vermont.



Engaging State Legislators 101:Speak Their Language

Tell the story simply and in terms the Tell the story simply and in terms the legislative audience can understandlegislative audience can understand

DOT FHWA AVSopen-road tolling

TSM&O HAR DMSM&O ITS LRTP

traffic signal optimization

CWS RCTO RTSM&O STIP TIP TMA

national architectureRWIS ATMS CIDCORSIM NTOC

component architecture

CVISN FRESIM GUI HOV/HOT lanesVMT V2V DSRC

highway management

carry-over dilatorysupplemental appropriation

floor amendment enacting clause

chamberitem veto joint session special order ratifyminority report coderecess germane

interim

enroll pre-file engrossspecial session

expungefilibuster divisionprevious question

pro tem quorum call division fiscal noteADJOURNMENT SINE DIE



Engaging State Legislators 101:Target Your Outreach

Target your outreach to the right legislative audienceTarget your outreach to the right legislative audience• Chairs or vice chairs of key committees• Sympathetic legislators• Influential legislators• Sponsors of previous legislation• Appropriate legislative staff

Send the right messenger Send the right messenger • Constituents? Business community? Coalitions?

Arrange hands-on site visits for a few key legislatorsArrange hands-on site visits for a few key legislators



Engaging State Legislators 101:Target Your Outreach

Use the expertise and connections of the legislative Use the expertise and connections of the legislative liaisons at your state's DOT (as appropriate)liaisons at your state's DOT (as appropriate)

DOT Has Dedicated Legislative Liaison(s)DOT Has Dedicated Legislative Liaison(s)

Liaison Functions Performed by Another DOT Office Liaison Functions Performed by Another DOT Office

No Dedicated LiaisonNo Dedicated Liaison

Source: NCSL-AASHTO, Source: NCSL-AASHTO, http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=19117..

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A Few More Key Dos, Don'ts and Things to Remember

DO:DO:• Be accurate, reliable, direct and honest• Address opposition and anticipated questions• Keep a positive attitude about politics• Build ongoing relationships

DON'T:DON'T:• Bury the lead -- do make key points up front• Waste legislators' time• Assume one size fits all



A Few More Key Dos, Don'ts and Things to Remember

REMEMBER:REMEMBER:• Each legislature -- and legislator -- is unique, and

needs context-specific, individual outreach• Budgets are still in trouble -- think about how

operations may create jobs, save state funds or allow legislatures to "do more with less"

• Every issue is competing against many others

• It can take three years or more to pass a significant law



Contact DetailsJaime RallNational Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)7700 East First Place, Denver, CO 80230Phone: [email protected] http://www.ncsl.org

Key Resources:

• NTOC: http://www.ntoctalks.com/

• NCSL Transportation Operations, Mgmt. and ITS Online Database: http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=19115

• NCSL Leg. Organization, Procedures and Facilities: http://www.ncsl.org/Default.aspx?TabID=746&tabs=1116,112,764#1116

engaging legislators in the transportation operations message

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