FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Tips on contacting your legislators

 Your legislators receive a huge amount of phone calls and mail from their constituents. Unfortunately, their full agendas limit their ability to personally read & respond to it all. Here are some tips to help you get the most impact out of your communication with your legislators.

      1)    know who your legislators are & how to contact them.

     2)      become familiar with the legislative process.

     3)    contact your legislator about a particular issue before the legislation takes action.

     4)    tell your legislator what impact the particular bill, if it becomes law, will have on you & your family; be concise, yet specific; be polite, even if you disagree.

 Calling or visiting your legislator:

     1)    plan your call or visit carefully. Make notes to help you stay on
            track.

     2)    make an appointment in advance.

     3)    keep to the point and discuss only one issue.

     4)     prepare a one-page fact sheet concerning your issue to give to
             your legislator.

 Writing effective letters:

    1)    address letters properly, absolutely spell names correctly, keep letters brief (no more than 1 page is best), avoid abbreviations and jargon.

     2)   identify your issue or opinion at the beginning of the letter, don't bury your main point under trivial text.

     3)    cover only one issue per letter.

     4)    back up your opinions with supporting facts.

Use the following title & address when writing or faxing your Representative or State Senator:

The Honorable _______

The Florida State Senate

The Capital

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1100

Dear Senator_______

 The Honorable _______

The Florida House of Representatives

The Capitol

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1300

Dear Representative_____

Information about your legislators, as well the district in which you reside, can be found in your telephone directory and on your voter registration card.   Participation in the process of governing is part of our democratic system.

 How a bill becomes law:

During session, legislators work on making new laws or changing old laws.  Each member also works on committees where the effects of the laws are studied.  Any member of either house can make suggestions for new laws.  These suggestions, called bills, are studied in committee.  The bill can be changed, accepted or rejected by the committee. If the bill is changed or accepted It is then sent to the full house for vote on whether to accept the bill, change it, or reject it. Passage of a bill occurs when the bill is accepted by a majority of the mem­bers of one house. The passed bill goes to the other house of the legislature for review. When a bill is passed in both houses it is sent to the Governor for action.  The Governor either signs the bill, allows the bill to become law without his signature, or vetoes the bill.  All the bills are compiled to form the Florida Statutes.