• Contact your legislator when the issue you would like to advocate on is scheduled to be heard in a legislative committee. This is especially important if your legislator serves on the committee discussing the issue.
• If your legislator is unavailable, ask if there is a staff member who handles your issue.
• When you want a legislator to take a position on an issue, contact them before there is a vote.
• When discussing your issue with a legislator or staff member, be brief bu specific and get to the point quickly. 
• Be prepared to give your name, address, and the organization you represent (if any).
• If you live in the legislator’s district, be sure to say so.
• Be polite, professional, positive and respectful.
• If you are concerned about a specific bill, give the bill number and subject. State your position on the bill and a brief reason for that position.
• Tell your legislator what you want them to do.
• Thank them if they agree with you.
• If they disagree with you or aren’t sure, tell them how a bill will affect your family, friends, community, business, or job. Include one or two specific examples.
• Offer to be a resource for issues related to developmental disabilities.
• Thank them for their time.

A personal visit is the most effective means of communicating with a legislator as it gives you the opportunity to build a relationship with them.

• Make an appointment. If you do not have an appointment, you may not be able to speak with anyone or you may only have a few minutes.
• When you call to make an appointment, ask to speak with the scheduler and let them know you would like 15-30 minutes to discuss an issue. Tell the scheduler the issue you want to discuss so the right staff member is made aware of your visit.
• Accept an appointment with the appropriate staff if the legislator is unavailable.
• Make the most of the time you have with your legislator. Practice beforehand what you want to say. Allow time for questions.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so and follow up later.
• If possible, leave a one-page fact sheet with the most important information about your issue. Include your contact information.
• Take your camera to take photos with your legislator.
• Follow up with a thank-you note or letter, reminding your legislator (or staff) what you talked about and the actions you asked them to take. Include the answers to any questions that you were unable to answer during your visit. Also send them any pictures you took during your visit.

• Include the bill number and what the bill is about at the beginning of your letter or email.
• Include your address and telephone number.
• If you want to comment on more than one issue, send a separate message for each one.
• Invite the legislator to contact you to talk about your position on the bill or issue.
• Ask your legislator for their position on the issue and request a reply.

• Before you place a call, write down notes about the points you want to make. That way, you won’t forget anything.
• Legislators are often too busy to take phone calls and rely on their staff to keep them informed. Ask for the staff person who covers your issue area (for example: education, human services, transportation).
• If you request a return call, you will usually get one from the staff if you are a constituent — meaning you live in the legislator’s district. Legislators have busy jobs and will usually prioritize speaking with the people in their districts. So, if you are not a constituent, you might not get a return call or at least get a call right away.