Randy Thompson, Director of Public Affairs The New Jersey - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

 Debra L. Wentz, Ph.D., CEO of NJAMHAA  Randy Thompson, Director of Public Affairs



The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc.



(NJAMHAA) is a statewide trade association representing nonprofit behavioral health agencies founded in 1951.



Represents 180 hospital-based and freestanding providers

• f mental health and substance use treatment services

throughout New Jersey.

 NJAMHAA members help children and adults with

mental health and substance use issues more than one million times annually.

 Employ approximately 98,000 members of New Jersey’s

workforce

 NJAMHAA’s mission is to champion

• pportunities that advance its members’ ability

to deliver accessible, quality, efficient and effective integrated behavioral healthcare services to consumers who have mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders, and their families. NJAMHAA is committed to recovery and wellness for all people.

 Presentation Overview:  How to engage Legislative Representatives and

their staff to advance your advocacy.

 Understand the Legislative process and

• pportunities for advocacy within that process.

 Understand the New Jersey Budget Cycle  Give you tools to successfully advocate.  Questions and Answers  Role Play

Legislature:

 Two Houses and Membership  Power Structure  Committee Structure

 Senate:

 Senate President  Senate Majority Leader  Chairs of Key Committees

 Assembly:

 Speaker of the Assembly  Assembly Majority Leader  Chairs of Key Committees

 Senate:

 Budget and Appropriations  Community and Urban Affairs  Education  Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens  Judiciary  Law and Public Safety  Labor  State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic

Preservation

 Assembly:

 Appropriations  Budget  Health and Senior Services  Human Services  Judiciary  Labor  Law and Public Safety  Regulated Professions  Military and Veterans’ Affairs  Regulatory Oversight and Gaming  Women and Children (NEW)

 Idea Developed

A legislator decides to sponsor a bill, sometimes at the suggestion of a constituent, interest group, public official, or the Governor. The legislator may ask other legislators in the same House to join as co-sponsors.

 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) drafts

language at the direction of the legislator.

 Introduction and First Reading: During a

session, the legislator gives the bill to the Senate Secretary or Assembly Clerk, who reads the bill's title aloud.

 Bill is printed and made available to the public.

 Committee Reference

 Posted by Committee Chair  Committee may Amend Bill  “Die in Committee”  Advocacy Opportunity

 Second Reading

 Bill has Cleared Committee  Bill has Been Referenced Without Committee Review  Can be Amended on the Floor  Third Reading – FULL VOTE!

 Note on the Third Reading

 Read Aloud and Considered on the Floor  Cannot go Through 2nd and 3rd Reading on Same

Day Without a Super-Majority Vote

 Second House

 Identical Process  Same Version Must Pass BOTH Houses  If Bill is Amended in One House It is Returned to the

Other House Until Identical Versions Pass

 Pass Both Houses – Off to the Governor’s

Office

 Governor’s Options

 Sign Bill  No Action – Bill Becomes Law in 45 Days  Conditional Veto  “Pocket Veto” – Last 10 days of Legislative Session

(allows the bill to be vetoed without direct action)

 Absolute Veto

 Requires Super-Majority to Override

 The New Jersey Budget Cycle operates on a

Fiscal Calendar Year (ex. FY 2015)

 The fiscal year runs from July 1st – June 30th  The budget follows the regular legislative

process with some additional constitutional requirements

 Governor has two constitutionally required

addresses to the State Legislature:

 State of the State Address – 2nd Tuesday of the year  Budget Address – On or before 4th Tuesday of the

year

 Budget must be passed and signed into law by July 1st

 Governor Introduces Proposed Budget  Legislature holds hearings on proposed budget

 Public testimony  Budget resolutions

 Legislature introduces its Budget Bill  Goes to Governor for action after passing both

houses

 Governor

 Sign Budget – becomes law  Veto Budget – continues legislative process  Line item veto – eliminate specific lines of funding

 Legislature would need a super-majority to

• verride any vetoes

 Know Your Representative  Get to Know Their Staff  Write Effective Advocacy Letters

 Meeting Request  Why You Are Important  Why Your Issues Matter to Your Representative

 Be Prepared, Be Early, Be Flexible  Have a Realistic Agenda

 Issues Clearly Layed Out  Know In Advance Who Will Speak on Each Topic

 Have Identified Solutions and Actions to

Request

 Have Realistic Expectations

 Reinforce Your Message by Following Up

Early

 An Effective Follow Up Letter

 Thanks for the Meeting  Re-cap any Promise of Action  Tie Into the Importance of the Issue  Offer Yourself as a Partner and a Resource

 Letter to the Editor  Public Hearings

 New Jersey Association of Mental Health and

Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) www.NJAMHAA.org

 New Jersey State Legislature

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/

 Governor Christie’s Office

http://nj.gov/governor/