Policy and Advocacy

What You Can Do

Write a letter or send an e-mail

• Writing your elected officials: you can find your elected officials and their addresses with the following link: http://mdelect.net/.
• Send an email: the State provides a service to send an email to your representative using this link : http://www.mlis.state.md.us/mgaweb/mail32.aspx.

Join a coalition

• Join the Maryland ABCD Network.
• Join issue-specific coalitions (see the members-only links page for some of the related coalitions).

Visit legislators

You can do this on your own, or join a group participating in efforts such as Housing Day, sponsored by the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition and co-sponsored by the Maryland ABCD Network.

Testify at a hearing

• If you have a specific bill for which you have information that is important for legislators to consider, as the bill’s sponsor if you can testify at a bill hearing.
• Alternately, volunteer to be part of a panel of experts through Maryland ABCD Network.

Contacting Legislators
The press of legislative schedules during the General Assembly Session makes it difficult to arrange meetings by appointment, but it is still worth trying.  Remember that with or without appointments, time is a limited commodity, and even professional lobbyists are happy to get a few minutes of "face time" from legislators.  Don't feel slighted if time is limited or unavailable on a particular morning or afternoon.

Using the Maryland General Assembly's website you can find any legislator's office location, phone number, and email address as well as committee rosters, legislative organization charts, etc.  Once there, click on About the General Assembly and then click on either Senators or Delegates.  

Visiting Legislative offices
Enhanced security has impacted movement in and around the Annapolis Legislative complex.  When entering the State House, the Legislative Office Buildings, or the Legislative Services Building, expect to pass through screening devices (remove metal objects from pockets, etc.), show some form of picture identification, and present briefcases and purses for inspection.

If you are part of a group visiting a legislator, it is helpful to plan your use of the time available and discuss in advance what each member of the group will say.  If the visit is cut short or interrupted, don't take offense; you may be able to convey additional information to the legislator's staff.

If you have materials to leave with the legislator, again, remember that their time is limited. The more concise your materials, the greater the probability that they will be read and retained.

The above material is courtesy of Maryland Nonprofits