“Issues and Legislation” section makes state and federal bill tracking easy
Multiple state and federal laws influence a golf course superintendent's ability to do his or her job. Chapter leaders need to stay on top of developments at the state and national level to help chapter members respond accordingly. The "Issues and Legislation" section, located within the GCSAA Legislative Action Center (GCSAA LAC), has the resources chapter leaders and members need to help track, analyze, and influence bills and regulations - all in one location.
You can get the latest information on federal and state bills that are important to your chapter members and see how lawmakers are voting on issues, without having to be present at the State House or Washington D.C. or doing hours of endless research trying to locate this information. The "Issues and Legislation" section is continuously updated throughout the day and night, to keep you current on pending legislation.
The "Issues and Legislation" section can be a vital tool to help chapter leaders keep members informed and involved in the legislative process. It can help chapter members flex their “political muscle” by making them better acquainted with issues being discussed by lawmakers and then helping them to respond to issues in a timely and efficient manner. The section covers three primary areas: Current Bills, Key Votes and Capitol Hill Basics. All three areas assist chapter members with taking action on select pieces of legislation.
The Current Bills feature provides quick access to comprehensive information on key bills in Congress and state legislatures being tracked by GCSAA's Department of Information and Public Policy. The bills housed in this area have been selected due to their potential influence (either positive or negative) on the golf course management profession. Congressional bills are listed by House and then by bill number. State legislative bills are listed alphabetically by state. If you select a specific bill from your state, you'll obtain complete information on the bill including a bill summary and a link to the status and full text of the bill. State and federal bill tracking information is updated daily.
In particular, the list of state bills within this section can be of the greatest use to chapters. It serves as a resource to track pertinent legislation that can affect a chapter and its members more immediately. The state bill tracking feature allows chapter members to send an e-mail, letter or fax directly to a lawmaker in support or opposition to a select bill by entering a 5-digit ZIP code in a "Take Action Now" box. Chapter members are then guided through a few simple steps to send their e-mail, letter or fax. The correspondence is automatically addressed with the correct address information for the lawmaker.
The Key Votes feature allows chapter members to enter their ZIP code and learn how their representatives voted on legislation of importance to them. The Key Votes feature also provides links from these votes to a page providing a summary of the vote, a representative tally and an invitation for them to take action by contacting their representative.
The feature, Capitol Hill Basics, provides tools and information to help educate chapter members about the political process. It provides best practices on how to contact and interact with elected officials. Specific information is presented on: communicating with your elected officials, visiting Capitol Hill, Congressional staff, and the legislative process. Each tool provides a basic template for how to best lobby your cause in Washington D.C. or state legislature.
The package of tools within the "Issues and Legislation" section of the GCSAA LAC serves to keep chapters informed about potential legislation and cognizant of the process they must proceed through to take action on this legislation. Ultimately, the "Issues and Legislation" section can be a valuable tool to help connect chapter members with elected officials who are working on issues that could affect their jobs.
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