PAIU Zoom Training
Budget Process and Advocacy
Jamie Baxter
Director of Legislative Policy and
Advocacy – Allegheny Intermediate
Unit (AIU3)
Today’s Agenda
• Legislative Process
– Bills becoming law
– Budget process
• Planning for November 17 – PAIU Hill Day
– Scheduling your appointments
– Preparing materials
How a Bill Becomes a Law
How a Bill Really Becomes a Law
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Power of constituents
Actions taken by federal government
Executive branch initiatives
Influence of groups
Money
Part of a bigger picture
Pressure of political parties
Politics as Usual
Budget Cycle
Budget Issues
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Role of the education committees
Role of federal dollars
Importance of Governor’s Budget
Urgency of an “On-time” budget
Problem with “stop-gap budgets”
Need for revenues and investments
Difficulty of rebounding after cuts
PAIU – Day on the Hill
November 17
Day on the Hill
• Laying ground work on why investments in
Early Intervention are needed.
• Briefing at 8:15 to (re)introduce IUs and EI
to legislators.
• Hill visits to make our case!
Scheduling Visits
• Each IU will be scheduling visits with their House and Senate
Members.
– Visit: http://www.mypls.com/PAIUDOTH to find your legislators
Scheduling Visits
• Call the Harrisburg Office NOW and ask
how best to schedule a meeting with
legislator.
– Call scheduler, in district or Harrisburg
– Email scheduler
– Email legislator
– Fill out online form
Scheduling Visits
• Begin scheduling after 9:30AM.
• Allow at least 45 minutes between
meetings.
• Aim to meet with legislator, but be
prepared to meet with staff.
• Attend the Zoom meeting on November 11
at 2:00 to discuss logistics of meetings.
Get To Know Your Legislators
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Republican or Democrat? In the majority or minority?
Socially or fiscally liberal, moderate, or conservative?
What is the district like?
Is this issue relevant to the member? Does s/he have
children or grandchildren? Do they have a family
member with special needs? Are they a former
educator?
Does someone in your IU know her/him?
Has the legislator read to your early childhood students,
or visited your programs?
What are her/his key issues of interest?
What do you know about the spouse/partner’s interest?
Start Preparing
• Start preparing for your Hill visits by:
– Getting to know your legislators.
– Gathering data on Early Intervention services
in your IU.
– Collect personal stories/successes from your
program – put a face to the name.
– Organize promotional materials from your IU.
– Attend the November 11 Zoom Meeting.
Questions???
Jamie Baxter
412-394-4966
[email protected]