GSLA Advocacy Tool Kit

Written & Telephone Communications

Throughout the legislative process, the Association may call on our Members to make quick, time-sensitive, direct contact with their state or federal legislators. Although GSLA advocates on your behalf, in some situations, your voice is the best forward motion.

Thanks to the GSLA Government Affairs team and our federal partner, Argentum, sending an e-mail directly to your elected officials has never been easier. We create pre-formatted e-mails geared to specific and timely requests. These are e-mailed to members and posted on the "Take Action" page on the GSLA Website. All you need to do is send the e-mail or, better yet, customize it with your perspective for a more meaningful message. The same goes for requests for Members to call their legislators.

Here are a few best practices to help you send a meaningful and impactful message to your legislators:

Sending an E-mail

How does the issue affect you? Read through the pre-written e-mail, and consider how this issue affects you. Customizing the message makes it far more impactful but is not necessary
Add Your Address: Identify yourself as a constituent. It is important to include your street address in the e-mail. In most instances, e-mails without street addresses may not receive a response.
Change the Subject: If you want to customize the letter, start with the subject line. This is the first impression the office will see, so make sure to include the approval/opposition of the topic. Try to have the bill number or name included if possible.
Be concise: Be courteous, but be concise. The staff in charge of each industry are extremely busy. In the first paragraph, list the bill number or name and clearly state your position. Clearly state what you would like the elected official to do. If you want to urge them to support a bill, say so. If you want them to co-sponsor a resolution, ask.
Give Your Perspective: In the second paragraph, describe the issue and give your perspective. Try to get across how this will affect your residents, day-to-day life, and business. Offer to be a senior living industry resource for them moving forward.
In Closing: Wrap up the e-mail with the explicit request again. Thank them for their time and attention. And Click SEND.

Making a Telephone Call
A telephone call is one of the most widely used communication methods with a legislator's office. Here are a few things to know when calling your legislator:

Who you will talk to: A staff member, not the General Assembly or Member of Congress, takes telephone calls. Ask to speak with the staff member who handles the issue about which you wish to comment.
Who are you: After identifying yourself, tell the staff member you would like to leave a brief message, such as: "Please tell Senator/Representative (last name) that I support/oppose (issue or bill number)."
Why are you calling: You may also want to state the reasons for your support or opposition to the bill. Ask for your Senator's or Representative's position on the issue or bill. You may also request a written response to your call.
Thank You: Always be polite and courteous, and thank them for their time.

Get Your Entire Community Involved!
Grassroots advocacy is most successful when legislators hear from numerous constituents about how they are personally affected by a given issue. For this reason, you should consider ways to get your staff, Board, residents/clients, and family members involved in grassroots advocacy. When a bill is up for a vote that would impact your community, legislators will be most influenced if they hear from various stakeholders.