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HELP FROM THE LEGISLATURE..,AN INFORMATIVE ARTICLE BY AN 
EXPERIENCED OBSERVER WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEWSLETTER 
What are the most effective techniques for winning favorable action by the 
Legislature on bills Audubon members would like to have enacted, or bringing 
about defeat of proposed legislation Audubon folks believe would be detrimental 
to wildlife or conservation of our natural resources? 
This question was the subject of some discussion by at least one of the 
speakers at this year's Annual Meeting of the Illinois Audubon Society, held last 
May in Joliet, There really is no pat answer, but anyone who has observed the 
Legislature in action through several sessions could make a few good suggestions, 
This writer, who has observed the last eight regular sessions of the General 
Assembly from the press box and has had at least brief personal contact with all 
235 members of the two houses, has heard enough conversation on this subject by 
the legislators themselves to offer a few clues, 
1. Direct personal contact by their constituents seems to impress legislators 
most, This can be done singly, or by a delegation representing an organized group. 
2, A letter written by an individual also is good, Next comes a letter 
signed by several individuals, or a letter from the president or other officers 
of an organization stating their group went on record by motion or resolution for 
or against a bill, The number of persons in the organization should be mentioned, 
if it is large enough to be at all impressive, If the action was unanimous or 
nearly unanimous, this should be mentioned. | 
3. Any time the Audubon groups and the Sportsmen's clubs can be on the 
same side of an issue, the legislators seem to be impressed; get the sportsmen 
to help whenever you can, 
The least effective way to exert pressure on a legislator is to have each 
member of your organization send him a form letter or postcard, the wording of 
which is identical and was worked out by the president or a designated committee 
or individual, These land in the legislators! wastebaskets, 
Legislators like to feel they are "close to the people" and can recognize 
grass-roots public reaction to issues involved in legislation on which they have to 
vote, Their only way of keeping themselves in tune in this manner is week-end 
contacts with their constituents, or through letters, telegrams or telephone calls. 
Of the latter three, letters of course are least expensive, 
Make it a point to get acquainted with the senator and three legislators from 
your local district. Then any kind of communication from you has a much more 
personal flavor and consequently is more effective, They like to know personally 
as many of their constituents as possible, The House members have to run for 
office every two years, and in a sense must do what campaigning they can almost 
from the day they are elected, The senators, who run every four years, also like 
to "keep in touch" with the folks back home, for four years roll around pretty 
fast, 
Don't be demanding in your contacts with a legislator; let him know you 
recognize that voting the way you want him to may be difficult. Don't threaten, 
or you will lose him forever, Just give him the best sales talk you can on the 
belief that your cause is strongly in the public interest, If possible, make him 
like you so well that he will try to vote your way because you asked him to 
do it. 

