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While it may sound
intimidating, a five-minute meeting is all it takes to build a valuable
relationship with a legislator. Legislators want to hear from
constituents, and face-to-face meetings in the district are much more
effective than form letters, e-mails, etc. When meeting with your
legislator:
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Introduce yourself.
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If asked why you wanted
to meet with them, state that you are becoming more active in your state
organization's legislative efforts. |
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Briefly explain what it
is that you do as an audiologist or SLP. |
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You may give them copies
of any brochures or fact sheets on SLP and audiology services that you
feel will be helpful. |
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Make them aware of the
inequity in the situation regarding the salary supplement for public
school audiologists and SLPs. While nationally certified guidance
counselors, school psychologists, and classroom teachers receive an
annual salary supplement in recognition of their achievement,
school-based audiologists and SLPs do not. Act 952 of the 2003
Legislative Session provides for recognition of national (ASHA)
certification, but the appropriation to fund a salary supplement for
audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Louisiana schools has
not been made. |
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Try to ascertain their
position (support or opposition) on funding for the salary supplement.
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Tell them you will be
contacting them again during the session. You might ask your
legislators if they object to being contacted via e-mail.
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Leave your business
card, or write your name and a way to be contacted on the information
you provide to the legislator. |
AFTER THE MEETING:
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After you've met with
your representative or senator, please complete the
Legislative Contact Form, or send an e-mail to
legislation@lsha.org with the legislator's name, your name, the town
in which you live, where you work, and whether the representative or
senator is supportive of funding for the salary supplement.
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Follow-up by sending
them a thank you note for meeting with you. |
DO NOT:
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Try to impress the
legislator with professional jargon, demean the role of other educators
that receive the salary supplement, or take a negative or argumentative
approach. |
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Ask the legislator to
support a bill which is already a law. Act 952 passed four years ago
and was a major legislative accomplishment. National (ASHA)
certification of public school speech-language pathologists and
audiologists has already been recognized by the Louisiana legislature.
What has not occurred is funding for the salary supplement. Funding
would be accomplished by inclusion of the salary supplement in House
Bill 1 (the annual budget for the State of Louisiana). |
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