FFCA Legislative 101 2 | P a g e Session Descriptions The Process The Florida Legislature is the Legislature of the U.S. State of Florida. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article III, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution, adopted in 1968, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. This session is designed to walk the attendee through the legislative process and how a proposed bill becomes law. Presenters – Eric Prutsman and Travis Blanton The Legislator’s Perspective One of the major roles of a legislature is representation – representing various constituencies, mainly people in each lawmaker's electoral district, but also organized groups and individuals elsewhere in the state. The question is, how well does the legislature perform its representational tasks? This session is designed for you to hear the perspective of the Legislator regarding the process and how to balance between personal and public opinion. Presenters – Legislators TBD Know Before You Go – Developing Relationships Legislators are like us, many times they only know about a topic by what they see in the paper or Google regarding our issues. By following some simple guidelines and a few helpful hints, you can develop a relationship with your elected official. While some dynamics may change at the federal or local level, the approach to elected officials applies at all levels of government. This session is designed to give you confidence in your ability to educate the Legislator on the background of your organization and its latest issues. Presenters – Chiefs Darrel Donatto and Kingman Schuldt Lobbying Efforts – Do’s and Don’ts Legislative lobbying in Florida is any activity between a registered legislative branch lobbyist and an elected official or legislative staff that involves working to influence the outcome of a policy issue or position within the legislative branch. This session is designed to help the attendee understand the difference between lobbying and “grassroot” initiatives and what you can and cannot do in your discussions with Legislators and/or legislative staff. Presenters – Eric Prutsman and Travis Blanton