FPA sTATE aDVOCACY tOOLKIT



centercenterKaren Nystrom, Director of AdvocacyFor Internal use only?? FPA sTATE aDVOCACY tOOLKIT8820090900Karen Nystrom, Director of AdvocacyFor Internal use only?? FPA sTATE aDVOCACY tOOLKITTable of Contents:FPA Advocacy: Introduction to Successpage 2State Advocacy Meetings – Key Advicepage 4Toolkit: Setting up the Meetingpage 6Toolkit: Before the Meetingpage 8Toolkit: During the Meetingpage 10Sample Letter: Supporting a Billpage 12Sample Letter: Opposing a Billpage 13Sample Letter: Thank You Letterpage 14Sample State or Federal Phone Call Scriptpage 15State Case Study: Ohio Advocacy Daypage 16FAQ for Government Relations Directorspage 19Contact Information for this Toolkitpage 22FPA Advocacy: Introduction to SuccessSuccessful advocacy on a state and federal level will position FPA as a leading and critical voice on policy issues that affect the community of CFP professionals. In order to achieve that success, we want FPA and its members to:Be recognized by policymakers and regulators as a familiar and trusted resource on financial planning matters.Be pro-actively sought out to answer questions and provide feedback regarding financial planning legislation and regulation.Represent the face of the FPA to policymakers to forge personal connections.Ensure policymakers are familiar with the standards associated with CFP certification and the need for one recognized and trusted financial planning designation.Engage FPA’s chapter membership about state regulation and policy matters that directly affect them and their practice. The role of FPA’s advocacy work is to advance the interests of FPA and CFP professionals, consistent with the primary aim and strategic directive (appendix this). Both FPA and CFP Board are non-profits but have very different responsibilities. As a membership organization, FPA’s responsibility is to advocate on behalf of members, not consumers or the public. (As opposed to the CFP Board, which advocates on behalf of the public as a non-profit 501c3.) FPA’s job as a non-profit, 501c6 is to represent the interests of our members and all CFP professionals – CFP professionals do not have an alternate advocate working on their behalf.FPA’s state and federal advocacy resources should be focused on policies that directly impact the operations of CFP professionals, specifically:The recognition and regulation of financial planning practices (including promoting uniformity).Proposals and legislation that would inhibit access to those practices (including taxation of l of them).Proposals and legislation that would increase the competitive advantage of CFP professionals (for example, through the classification of other designations).Additionally:FPA will support state work thatfalls within established policy positionspasses through the filter (i.e. legislation that helps/hurts members practice)FPA will not support, but not bar state work that is consumer facing such aspro bonosenior issues that don’t fall within lensFPA will not support and discourage/bar state work that goes againstEstablished FPA positionsPolitically chargedThe accepted alignment of FPA guidelines and principlesThe advancement of the CFP? markState Advocacy Meetings – Key AdviceWhen meeting with your state representative, state senator or other elected official, it’s important to keep the tenor of the meeting direct, positive, and concrete. Policymakers swing from issue to issue during each day and anything memorable you can give them will help your issue. This is the case whether you are connecting in person, on the phone, in a letter, or by email.GOAL: Win their attentionDo know the arguments on both sides of the issue well enough to be able to present the opposition's case and respond to it.Do learn all that you can about the issue.Do articulate your position clearly, succinctly and authoritatively. Support your argument with verifiable facts and use examples.Do localize the issue(s) and/or personalize the issue(s) when possible. Share a story about a financial planning matter in which you were involved. People remember stories – less so abstractions.Do consider reaching out to like-minded people and groups. There is power in numbers. Find out if other people in your community or region are aware of this issue. Does a group or coalition already exist?Don't overwhelm a representative with too much information or paperwork. They don't have time for it. It's important to be clear, concise and to the point. Provide them with information that may be key to their efforts, and be ready to supply any other needed information if requestedDon't use terms, acronyms or abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to a representative without explaining their meanings.Don't forget to follow-up with a thank you to the representative and any staff members that took time to meet with youDon't threaten or antagonize a legislator. If a state representative opposes your viewpoint, but respects you and bears you no animosity, you may find common ground in the near future.Toolkit: Setting up the VisitSetting up a meeting with a State Representative or SenatorYour state general assembly members are always eager to develop relationships with their constituents. An in-person meeting with your elected official is often much easier to secure than with a federal elected official. You also are more likely to have some personal connection with your state policymaker even if you don’t know it, yet. 1. Determine Who Your Local Elected Officials are in Your AreaOur FPA Engage Page () can help you quickly locate your elected officials from President down to Deputy Dog Catcher. Here you can find the phone number for their office in your state capitol, their district office, and staff, if any. Before calling, determine if your policymaker will be in your capitol in session or in your home district when you want to visit. TIP: If there are multiple chapters in your state, consider an Advocacy day in your capitol. Work together when setting up meetings with your policymakers and go in a group(s) of 4-5 chapter members. (For example of Ohio Advocacy Day, see page 14.)2. Call the SchedulerExplain that you would like to set up a 15 to 30-minute meeting in the district/capitol between the legislator and the local chapter of the Financial Planning Association, at least one of whom is a constituent. TIP: Your best chances for having an in-person meeting with legislators are when they are home during non-session periods. These vary widely by state. A visit to your State’s general assembly website should let you know when they are home. Offer to Send an Email with More InfoTell the scheduler that you can send an email with more information about FPA, your chapter, and the purpose of the meeting. Follow UpIt may take several days before you hear back on availability. If it is suggested that you meet with a staff person, politely ask when the elected official does have time to meet with constituents. A good state rep. or senator makes it a priority to meet with local voters in-district.TIP: Be very polite and confirm that the original request is in progress. If not, offer to send information again. The scheduler can be your friend if you treat him/her rm FPA AdvocacySend an email to knystrom@, so that we can help you prepare for your meeting and support your effort with collateral materials. OTHER WAYS TO REACH STATE LEGISLATORSAttend a District Meeting – most lawmakers have periodic meetings in the district to hear from their constituents. Many post a schedule on their website or call the office. While it will get you face time, you’ll only have a couple minutes to get your point across, so be prepared and be concise. TIP: Offer to set up a meeting at their convenience. The Member may refer you to a staffer/scheduler, but then you can say Representative So-and-so ask you to set up a meeting. Have a business card ready and offer to make yourself available to staff for any follow-up questions.Invite a Legislator to Speak at a Chapter Event – Members of the House Financial Services and Senate Banking committees will be your best candidates. Again, work with the scheduler!If all else fails, send a hand-written letter – These things matter. A polite and direct hand-written letter will get noticed.Toolkit: Before the MeetingHow to Prepare for the Visit:Gathering Your Materials/Leave Behinds Agendas and general background materials are available in this toolkit. Be sure to have the basics about why FPA is important to the elected official’s constituents.Determine who will be at the MeetingWe recommend keeping meetings to about four or five people, preferably members who are also constituents (vote or own a business in the district or state) of the lawmaker. It feels more like a conversation if other participants can chime in with personal examples or bail you out when your mind goes blank. Make sure you all walk in at once.Plan a 15-minute Presentation BUT be Prepared for Five MinutesThis leaves time for questions. You will know pretty quickly whether your state official knows anything about your issue, is pressed for time, or whether you feel they are sympathetic. Be ready to give an abbreviated version. Keep it simple and stick to three main points. Keep It Simple - The Three Points RuleYour contact may not know the difference between a financial planner, a broker, and an investment adviser or the difference between a fiduciary standard and a suitability standard. It’s your job to fix that. Practice explaining key ideas to your friends or family. Then practice again, and ask what they didn’t understand.TIP: Google the elected official and find out what’s important to him/her. As long as it’s not too political, use it as an ice-breaker.Have an AskWhat are you asking for? “We ask that you support HR 1617, The Investment Advisor Improvement Act of 2013.” You will get their temperature. If they say “yes” you have done your job well! Track the bill on the general assembly website and when they sign on to the bill.TIP: When a state official signs onto a bill, send them a quick email thanking them. It’s positive and lets them know you are following the progress.Practice!Practice explaining key ideas to your friends or family. If you can’t get your message across to your sister-in-law, it won’t be any easier sitting across from your State Representative.TIP: Make the talk snappy and concrete. Intro yourself (30 seconds), FPA (1 minute), Three Main Points about issue -- be concrete, persuasive and use examples (3 minutes )Wrap Up how this bill/issue would benefit/hurt constituents. (1 minute)Ask for questions/clarificationHave a Prepratory Conference Call for Meeting ParticipantsTalk through your meeting beforehand. Determine who will lead off. If someone has a personal connection with the policymaker, have them lead off. Make sure everyone is on the same page. A little planning goes a long way. Find out what the elected official’s issues are and what bills they are signed onto. A great way to break the ice is to refer in a positive way to something the elected official is ALREADY doing.Tool Kit: During the MeetingMaking the Most of Your Time:Ask How Much Time You HaveLegislators and their staff have schedules that often change at the last minute. Be polite and smile. Thank them for meeting with you today. Deliver your main points and follow up with more information later.TIP: Arrive five minutes early, if possible, and be ready with your card. Look on the walls for possible ice-breaking comments.Introduce Yourselves, the Financial Planning Association, and Your ChapterThis is about making friends and building relationships. The more a policymaker knows you in a positive way, the more likely you are to be able to exert some influence. Constituents should identify themselves to their lawmakers. An estimate of the size of your chapter’s client base and assets under management are also helpful.Always Start with the Basics Your legislators and staff probably aren’t experts on these issues like you are. Consider this to be an opportunity to educate someone about your profession. Avoid jargon and provide real life examples when you can. In explaining the effect of a regulation or law on your practice, imagine you are talking with one of your clients. Speak enthusiastically, use examples, and feel comfortable enough to go off script if you have hit on a good conversation point.TIP: Make the talk snappy and concrete. Intro yourself (30 seconds), FPA (1 minute), Three Main Points about issue -- be concrete, persuasive and use examples (3 minutes )Wrap Up how this bill/issue would benefit/hurt constituents. (1 minute)Ask for questions/clarificationYou Don’t Need to Know the Answer to Every QuestionThere will always be questions from left field. If you are unsure of FPA’s position, or it’s a specific question about a law or compliance requirement that you’re not sure about, it’s OK. You can say, “That’s a great question, Senator, let me get back to your office with an answer.” Then do it. It’s a good excuse to continue building the relationship. FPA staff will be happy to help you with questions.As you LeaveRemember those manners. Thank the elected official for his or her time. If you made a connection, bring it up briefly again (“I sure will try those peanuts in Nutville, Senator. Thanks for the tip!). Make sure you leave your materials for them to review. Tell him/her you will be back in touch and appreciate their attention to your issue.TIP: NEVER offer to make a campaign contribution in a government office. It is illegal for an elected official to mingle work with fundraising. TIP: Even if you are frustrated with the elected official’s response to your issue, never say something like, “Hey, I pay your salary, you know” or “If you don’t support my issue I will not vote for you.” For obvious reasons, these tactics don’t work.Follow upAlways send an email or letter to your elected official thanking them for their time even if you feel they will not support your issue. Always follow up on any unanswered questions.(See page 17 for sample thank you note.) Afterwards, please send a brief email of your meetings to Karen Nystrom at knystrom@. SAMPLE LETTER: Supporting a BillA pivotal time to make sure your voice is heard is before or shortly after a new bill or rule is introduced. It is more beneficial to have influence at this early stage than needing to clean up the legislation later. Until there is a vote on a piece of legislation or until a rule is final, influence is still possible. The highlighted areas would be personalized according to your issue.Below is a sample letter from a state chapter that serves as an example of specific advocacy work to SUPPORT a piece of legislation:Dear Senator/Representative:As a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), a network of over 23,000 members nationwide, I am writing to urge you to support the recent proposal to formally regulate the Financial Planners in Illinois. I have also reached out to the Governor’s office and Department of Commerce to express my support to such legislation as I believe it will protect consumers from unscrupulous individuals and support integrity and trust among financial professionals like me, in Illinois. The FPA Illinois chapter has over XXX members and is part of the largest membership organization for personal financial planning experts in the country. FPA members commit to the highest standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and clear, complete disclosure to those they serve. We deliver advice using an objective, client-centered, ethical process. FPA's nationwide network of over 90 chapters encourage professional development and networking on a local level.The proposed state regulation of financial planners would protect consumers, and especially seniors from those who would prey on their retirement savings. It would help restore trust in ethical small business owners like me who help families and seniors plan for the future while protecting them from the alphabet soup of financial designations, some of which only need a six-hour course to earn. As XX% of your constituents are seniors, your protective support of this legislation would be s huge a step in making sure financial services are delivered by qualified CFP Planners who hold the highest ethical standards and pledge to take best interests of the consumer first.As your constituent, I urge you to support any and all efforts to fairly regulate financial planners who offer individualized advice to your constituents. Thank you for the opportunity to hear my concern.Sincerely,SAMPLE LETTER: Opposing a BillA pivotal time to make sure your voice is heard is before or shortly after a new bill or rule is introduced. It is more beneficial to have influence at this early stage rather than needing to clean up the legislation later. Until there is a vote on a piece of legislation or until a rule is final, influence is still possible. The highlighted areas would be personalized according to your issue.Below is a sample letter from a state chapter that serves as an example of specific advocacy work to OPPOSE a piece of legislation:Dear Senator/Representative:As a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), a network of over 23,000 members nationwide, I am writing to urge you to oppose the recent proposal to extend a sales tax on professional services and, in particular, financial planning services. I have also reached out to the Governor’s office to express my opposition to such a tax as I believe it will overly burden consumers and small business professionals in Minnesota. The FPA Minnesota chapter has over 850 members and is part of the largest membership organization for personal financial planning experts in the country. FPA members commit to the highest standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and clear, complete disclosure to those they serve. We deliver advice using an objective, client-centered, ethical process. FPA's nationwide network of over 90 chapters encourage professional development and networking on a local level.The proposed sales tax would add additional burden to my business and the services that I provide to my clients. While I support the need to balance the budget of our state, I believe that a tax like this would be harmful to small businesses like my own and the consumers that depend upon the services I provide. Not only is this bad tax policy, but it also would discourage the use of professionals that encourage financial stability and literacy, and potentially cause long-term damage to Minnesota’s financial solvency. As your constituent, I urge you to oppose any efforts to tax financial planning services.Thank you for the opportunity to hear my concern and I look forward to hearing from you on this issue that affects so many financial planners and their clients.Sincerely,SAMPLE: Thank You LetterDear XXX,Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and my fellow Financial Planning Association (FPA) members. As I said in our meeting, we are looking forward to strengthening our relationship with you and would be pleased to serve as a resource for you regarding any issues around financial planning or that might impact our work and our clients. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to get to learn more about the legislature and how I can help you in the important work you do to serve our community and state. I’ve attached more information about FPA and the work we do. We hope you will be able to join us at a future chapter meeting or during one of our pro bono activities so we can continue to educate you about the financial planning profession and our work in communities across the state.I look forward to staying in touch and hopefully seeing you in our area soon.Sincerely,XXXSample State or Federal Phone Call Script:When calling your state elected officials there are a few do’s and don’ts to an effective call. Be polite, upbeat, and direct even if you are opposing a billIdentify yourself as a constituent and state your name and address (if asked)Ask for the elected official by name, but leave a message with whomever you get down the hierarchical lineMake sure you have the bill number handy. This all gets logged according to issueYour support/opposition of an issue should be no more than 30 seconds longAsk for the elected official, politely, to get back to you.Thank whoever you are speaking with for their time.Sample Phone Script:Hi! My name is Karen Q. Constituent. I live at 1234 Morningside in the District 4. May I speak with State Senator Flipside?[“Let me see if she is available. May I tell the Senator what this is about?”]I would like to speak briefly with the Senator about my opposition to House Bill #4567564577-12, The Taxation Without Reason Act of 2013.[“Please hold while I connect you.” or “I would be happy to let the Senator know your concerns.” ]Hi Senator Flipside, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I want to briefly tell you why House Bill #4567564577-12, The Taxation Without Reason Act of 2013 would hurt small businesses like mine in the 4th District. As a CFP professional and member Financial Planning Association I help approximately XX clients in our district plan for the future. We have the highest ethical standards in the industry and serve seniors and families throughout the district. If a 7% tax were levied on my services, it would cost your families and seniors more to get sound financial advice in District 4 and throughout Illinois. Working families have a tough enough time budgeting for the future and this tax would not help their bottom line. I urge you to oppose this unfair tax on my practice and keep Illinois a fair taxation state.May I ask you to oppose House Bill #4567564577-12?Thank you for your time, Senator Flipside.STATE CASE STUDY: Ohio Advocacy DayAsking Chapter Members to Participate:This letter should go out to chapters about two months in advance of the advocacy day.Dear XXX,Thank you for signing up to join us in Columbus on Tuesday, May 21 for our first official Financial Planning Association of Ohio Advocacy Day. As I mentioned, we are in the process of planning and will be in touch with more details as the date nears. A few next steps:Each attendee is asked to set up a meeting with their state house and state senate representative (two meetings total). You should call their Capitol offices, say you are a constituent and a member of the FPA of Ohio, and you would like to meet with your elected official (or a member of the staff if they are not available). To locate your representative, please click here and fill in your address of residence: We’ll be scheduling a meeting with the House Speaker and Senate President as a group and will let you know the details when we have them. The meetings will likely be around 2-4pm so please avoid those times for your two personal representative meetings.We’ll be conducting an advocacy training at our monthly in-person meeting on XXX. If you’re not able to attend, we will also be walking through the advocacy training again on May 21. On Advocacy Day, in addition to a training, we’ll be providing talking points. We’ll also have a chance to get together as a group – so you’ll get to meet other FPA members from across the state.We hope to make this event an annual tradition that will help us strengthen our relationships with those who represent us at the Capitol. We’re grateful that you’re able to participate. If you know of another FPA member who you think would like to attend, please feel free to connect me with them or have them email me directly at XXX.Thanks,Prepping your Planners for a Successful Day:(Send out one week before the event.)On May 21, 2013, the three FPA chapters in Ohio will join together for their first advocacy day at the capitol in Columbus. Members will meet individually with their state senator and state representative, as well as collectively with leadership in both legislative chambers. The following are suggested talking points for these meetings. Why am I here today? I’m here today to introduce myself and share a little bit about my experience as a financial planner and a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA).I also want to build a relationship with you and your office so I can be a resource to you for any questions you might have around policy and legislation that would impact financial planners and the clients we serve. What is FPA?With over 90 chapters and over 23,000 members nationwide, FPA is the largest membership organization for personal financial planning experts in the U.S. and includes professionals from all backgrounds and business models. There are three chapters in Ohio (Central, Northeast, and Southeast) that collectively have over 700 members. Our members span the state and we are active in our local communities, including:We host community-based educational forums on personal finance; We provide pro-bono tax preparation services for low-income families; We have several student outreach programs, including mentoring and mock interviews.Why is FPA and financial planning important to Ohio? FPA members commit to the highest standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and clear, complete disclosure to those they serve. We deliver advice using an objective, client-centered, ethical process. We adhere to a fiduciary standard – we put out clients interests ahead of our own –and are certified to provide investment advice.On a broader level, financial planning promotes financial literacy and stability. That’s good for Ohio and for the economy overall.Why are we opposed to the proposed tax on financial planning services?The proposed sales tax would add additional burden to my business and the services that I provide to my clients. While I support the need to balance the budget of our state, I believe that a tax like this would be harmful to small businesses like my own and the consumers that depend upon the services I provide. Not only is this bad tax policy, but it also would discourage the use of professionals that encourage financial stability and literacy, and potentially cause long-term damage to Ohio’s financial solvency. If anything, policymakers should incentivize the use of financial planning services, as an investment that benefit the economy. Ohioans value individual financial security. Our children are taught this in high school. The legislature created the Financial Literacy Implementation Committee to instill in our kids that personal money management skills are essential for a lifetime of financial success and stability. This proposed tax would undermine the intent of this law and make it harder for financial planners to provide services to our fellow Ohioans. If you have downloaded the Ohio Advocacy Case Study separately from the comprehensive State Advocacy Toolkit, please proceed to the online version for other helpful documents. As you can tell, setting the stage for an advocacy day in your state takes coordination between chapters and a willingness to set aside a day away from your business to make sure your voice and the voice of FPA is heard loud and clear with your representatives. The Ohio example shows that with volunteer leadership, enthusiasm and coordinated agendas, a advocacy day can be successful.FAQ for Chapter Government Relations DirectorsQ. What are my most important responsibilities as the government relations director in my chapter?A. The most important responsibilities should be: Monitor current events by reading FPA’s monthly Capitol Update and participating in our monthly call for GR directors.Advocate for the recognition and regulation of financial planning and our One Designation, One Profession municate important legislative or regulatory issues to chapter members that come from FPA once a month. This can be done with a short, routine update at the beginning of each chapter program, cut and paste into chapter newsletters, selecting a topic for discussion at your board meeting, and one-on-one with individual members. Urge chapter members to advocate by contacting their legislator when you receive a legislative alert from FPA. Make them aware of these alerts and advisories at chapter programs, in newsletters, and on your chapter website.Promote FPA’s political action committee and ask them to contribute. Set a leadership example by contributing and asking everyone on your Board to contribute, whether it’s $10 or $1,000.What other activities can I get involved in as GR director?Contact the other chapter government relations directors in other FPA chapters in your state; compare notes on what they are doing. Establishing lines of communication among chapters will enhance your ability to respond in the event of a state legislative threat such as a tax on financial services.Help educate state officials about your profession by either inviting them to speak at local programs or organize a day at the state capitol for your chapter to meet with them. If you belong to a social service organization like Kiwanis, United Way, or your local Chamber of Commerce, you can also invite them to give a legislative update. Report to FPA’s Advocacy Director with any news on possible legislation or regulatory developments in your state, either on a monthly GR call or directly to an FPA staffer. Q. How much time will my responsibilities take?A. Time commitments vary. On average, a volunteer government relations director’s time commitment may take 4-5 hours a month, primarily reading Capitol Update and reporting on issues, as well as encouraging members to give to FPA’s political action committee. FPA’s monthly Government Relations & Advocacy call lasts one hour. If you want to have an active program, think about appointing a GR Committee with other volunteers to share in the work. Some of the activities that you can undertake:Review FPA’s regulatory reports and disseminate relevant national and state-specific information to your board and chapter members, either at chapter programs, in your newsletter, or on your website.Even though this makes some members uncomfortable, try to encourage PAC contributions from your board and local members, through newsletters and in-person at meetings. Our PAC funds are used exclusively to support our advocacy initiatives. Invite a state regulator or legislator to speak on a chapter program, or invite them to attend and make a few remarks. Politicians love the exposure. Ask your state securities commissioner to give a compliance talk for one program and get CE credits for it.How do I keep current on issues?Federal issues and State Issues. One of the most important responsibilities of a volunteer GR director is keeping members up-to-date on new legislative and regulatory trends. While most of this information is likely to come from FPA, communication is a two-way street. Each month FPA Advocacy distributes “Capitol Update” to FPA members which tracks legislative and regulatory issues on the federal level that affect your practice and the financial planning process. Specifically, we track legislation that affects you as a financial planner, and in the tax, securities, ERISA and insurance areas through trade journals, news sources, and media outlets. Typically, we will disseminate this information to you in monthly or as-needed reports, as well as posting similar information on the FPA web site at . No tracking system is perfect. Often we will receive more timely information from local government relations directors who are “plugged in” to their state policy makers.Q. Should I have a budget?A. You can recommend minimal expenses for a chapter GR budget, primarily for postage and Internet service or long distance calls associated with legislative efforts and monitoring activities. If you want to organize a “state legislative day,” where your local group leases a bus and meets with state officials, you should discuss a budget plan with your board, such as chartering a bus, the cost of a reception for legislators, etc. Increasingly, local groups are making this effort and seeing the benefits of establishing a dialogue and cultivating positive relationships with the policymakers who regulate your business. Q. What do I do if I hear about an issue that requires immediate action?A. Time may be of the essence. Legislation on the state level frequently moves quickly. Because many state legislatures often schedule legislative votes at the beginning of a week, we may have less than 48 hours to notify members of an important vote in a legislative committee. If the issue warrants grassroots action, we will send out legislative alerts. (Letters generally would arrive too late.) These alerts will come with specific instructions, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses and “talking points” designed to help FPA members make their opinions count in the legislative or regulatory process. We will try and copy you on these alerts so that you will be aware of anything happening that is relevant to your local group. Of course, anything that you can do to personally encourage members to take action is welcome.Also, if you or someone in your local group is knowledgeable about the issue, we strongly encourage you to contact us with any information that is helpful, such as relationships with certain legislators on the committee taking the vote, etc.Q. Do I need to register as a lobbyist if my chapter becomes really active on an issue in our state capitol?A. Rarely would you be required to register. However, lobbying laws vary by state. Typically, only professional lobbyists who are compensated for their activity or who spend a significant amount of time in contact with government officials have to register. Some states allow a limited number of contacts with public officials before requiring registration as a lobbyist. Information on lobbying requirements is available from your state legislature, attorney general or secretary of state. The FPA can assist you in locating information on current state lobbying/disclosure laws.FPA Advocacy and Government Relations Contacts:Karen L. NystromDirector of Advocacy1.800.322.4237 Ext. 7194Knystrom@FPA Office7535 E. Hamden AveSuite 600Denver, CO 80231Fax: 303.759.0749Office: 1.800.322.4237 ................
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