ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers - (Page 73)

grassroots 2008 State Legislative Session Calendar For most states,the 2008 legislative session will open in January.Although some states are in session the entire year, the majority of states have ab11. Immediately after the meeting, write down any information you learned about the legislator’s position or concerns to share with your chapter and coalition for use in the development of legislative strategy. 12. Always follow up with a prompt thank-you letter. In it, reiterate key points and any commitments the legislator made to you. Include any follow-up information you promised to provide during the conversation. well. Additionally, you may be given the opportunity to rebut the testimony of others. Know what will be expected of you before the hearing and prepare accordingly. Be prepared to answer hostile questions as well as to make the most of the questions that give you the opportunity to show the strengths of your position. • Can you use visual aids? Determine in advance if you will have the opportunity to bring such materials. If so, support your point with graphic charts and pictures. When you testify, remember to • Be well prepared and consult your script only periodically. • Stay focused and to the point. • Speak in terms that can be understood by all. • Listen carefully to the testimony of others and to committee members’ questions and responses. Do not try to cover too much information in your testimony. State clearly and concisely why the issue is important to you and how it will affect you and other constituents. Be sure to stress how interior design legislation beneﬁts the health, safety and welfare of the public. Use facts to back up your points. Expect someone to testify against your legislation. Avoid argument at all costs. If a disagreement arises, be polite, but make sure the committee has the correct facts. Pay close attention to the opposition’s testimony and dispute any factual inaccuracies either during the rebuttal period or in writing following the hearing. After testifying, send a thank-you note to the committee chair for allowing you to testify. You may also send thank-you notes to the other committee members as well. If you were unable to provide answers to questions during the hearing, send the committee members follow-up information. breviated legislative sessions. It is imperative to hit the ground running. Every moment you spend educating legislators about the interior design profession and the need to protect your right to practice is an important step in the direction of your legislative success.For more information,visit the ASID Web site, www.asid.org/legislation. STATE Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming CONVENES Feb. 5 Jan. 15 Jan. 14 No Regular 2008 Session Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Feb. 6 Jan. 8 Jan. 1 March 4 Jan. 14 Jan. 16 Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Nov. 20, 2007 Jan. 14 Jan. 14 Jan. 8 March 31 Jan. 2 Jan. 9 Jan. 2 Jan. 9 Feb. 12 Jan. 8 Jan. 9 No Regular 2008 Session Jan. 9 No Regular 2008 Session Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Jan. 15 Jan. 8 May 12 No Regular 2008 Session Jan. 2 Feb. 4 No Regular 2008 Session Jan. 1 Jan. 1 Jan. 8 Jan. 8 Jan. 8 No Regular 2008 Session Jan. 15 Jan. 8 Jan. 9 Jan. 14 Jan. 9 Jan. 15 Feb. 11 ADJOURNS May 19 April 15 April 19 Aug. 31 May 9 May 7 June 30 Dec. 31 May 2 April 18 May 8 April 7 Jan. 13, 2009 March 14 April 22 April 30 April 1 June 23 April 16 April 7 Jan. 6, 2009 Dec. 31 May 19 May 12 May 16 April 15 June 30 Jan. 11, 2009 Feb. 14 Jan. 7, 2009 July 25 Dec. 31 May 30 Nov. 30 June 30 June 5 March 17 May 23 March 5 May 31 March 8 March 13 March 8 Jan. 4, 2009 Mar. 7 ASID ICON | NOV/DEC 2007 73 Tips for Testifying As your state’s interior design legislation moves through the legislative process, you may have the opportunity to testify before a house or senate committee about the impact of the bill, the nature of your profession or other issues related to interior design. The key to providing successful testimony is homework. In advance of your testimony, you should determine • What is the nature of your audience? Learn in advance if you will be speaking to the full committee or a subcommittee and whether the committee chair or vice chair will be facilitating the hearing. Learn where committee members stand on the issue so you will know whether you have a hostile or supportive audience, and prepare your testimony accordingly. • How much time will you be allowed? Don’t prepare a 20 minute statement if you only have 10 minutes. If you have additional information that you cannot include in your oral testimony, submit it to the committee as written testimony. • What is the format of the hearing? You may only have the opportunity to give a statement, but there could be a question and answer period as http://www.asid.org/legislation

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ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers Contents President’s Message Good to Know Innovations Breathing Life into a Building Designs for Senior Living On the Move Thinking Green Aging in Style Industry Inside ASID Grassroots ASID National Industry Partner Focus Showroom Advertisers Resource Guide Annual Articles Index

ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers

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