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WRITING EFFECTIVE LETTERS TO YOUR LEGISLATORS

• Address letters to Members of the House of Representatives as follows:

  The Honorable John Doe
  Kentucky House of Representatives
  Capitol Annex
  Frankfort, KY 40601
  Or
  The Honorable John Doe
  Home Street Address
  Home City, State, Zip Code

• Address letters to Senators this way:

  Senator Jane Doe
  Capitol Annex
  Frankfort, KY 40601
  Or
  Senator Jane Doe
  Home Street Address
  Home City, State, Zip Code

• Keep letters brief. Try to keep to no more than one page.
• Type or write legibly. Sign your name and give your address so that they can respond to your letter.
• Cover only one issue per letter. If you have another issue to address, write another letter. Back up your opinion with supporting facts.
• Identify your issue or opinion at the beginning of the letter.
• Avoid abbreviations or acronyms and don't use technical jargon that may only frustrate your legislator.
• Don't send the same letter to more than one legislator. Personalized letters have more impact than form letters.
• During a legislative session, letters are not always an effective way to get your message to your legislator. It may be better to call them or e-mail them. Call the Louisville BIAK office for the phone number or e-mail of your particular senator or representative.

KENTUCKY LEGISLATURE TOLL-FREE NUMBERS

(Toll free numbers are operational only in Kentucky)
Legislative Message Line: 1-800-372-7181
TTY Message Line: 1-800-896-0305
En Espanol: 1-877-287-3134
Bill Status Line: 1-877-257-5541
Calendar (Meetings) Line: 1-800-633-9650

SUPPORTING BIAK'S LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS

Grassroots Legislative Efforts

Here are ways you can support BIAK's grassroots legislative efforts.

• Get to know your own senator and representative. Know the committees and subcommittees they serve on.
• Register to vote and then vote. No one has more influence with a legislator than a voting constituent!
• If you want to see your legislator, make an appointment...and keep it.
• Personal communications with your legislator are the most effective. In-person contacts, telephone calls, hand-written notes are the most likely to get the legislator's attention.
• Legislators truly value your suggestions and encourage you to express them. By sharing your opinions and ideas with your legislators, you help them decide what to do about the issues and pending legislation that affect all of us.
• Let your legislator know who you represent or what group you are a member of when you contact him/her about an issue.
• Be brief, be specific and be polite in your communications. Let them know what you are concerned about or the topic of the bill and the position you support. Offer to answer questions or to get more information if you are asked a question. Leave your name, address, area code and phone number.
• Be a good listener and hear out what your legislator has to say on the issue.
• Respect your legislator's right to disagree and to vote against your issue. Don't try to tell the legislator how to vote on a bill; instead point out how a vote one way or the other will affect the legislator's constituency.
• Always thank legislators or Executive branch policy-makers and their staff for listening to you and for their support of an issue.
• Don't be pushy, sarcastic, critical or threatening with your legislator. Don't embarrass or continually argue with a legislator. Don't show anger or resentment toward a legislator who votes against you. The legislative process is long and on-going one and chances are that you will need to gain the support of that legislator another time on another issue.
• Letters to the editor of your local newspaper can be effective. Be sure to type or neatly handwrite your letter, sign it and include your name, address and home phone number. Many newspapers will not print letters unless they are able to confirm authorship. You are more likely to have your letter printed if you talk about issues that affect your local area.
• Attend any BIAK rally held in Frankfort. Follow the rally with an appointment with your local legislator and encourage them to support BIAK's agenda.
• Get your name on the BIAK e-mail list to receive up-to-date "Action Alerts" on the events at the Legislature. If you do not have access to email, call the BIAK Office and ask if there is someone in your area who does receive the action alert list who might be asked to notify you.
• When you get an "Action Alert" that asks you to call the Legislative Message Line and leave a message for a legislator, call right away. The "Action Alert" will usually give you a sample of what to say in the message. All of the messages are given to Senators and Representatives and do make a difference.

Calling or Visiting Your Legislator in Frankfort

• Call or write for an appointment to visit your legislator. Don't drop by for a visit and expect your legislator to drop everything to see you.
• Discuss only one issue. Organize your thoughts ahead of time and make notes to help you stay on track.

KENTUCKY VOTING REQUIREMENTS

• Be a United States citizen
• Be a Kentucky resident
• Be at least 18 years of age on or before the general election
• Be a resident of the county for at least 28 days prior to the election date
• Not be a convicted felon or if you have been convicted of a felony your civil rights have been restored by executive pardon
• Not have been judged "mentally incompetent" in a court of law
• Not claim the right to vote anywhere outside Frankfort, KY

Supporting BIAK’s Legislative Efforts

The BIAK Legislative advocacy team works with state legislators and others to enact legislation that will impact the lives of individuals with brain injury and their family members.

Here are ways you can help.

• Get your name on the BIAK e-mail list to receive up to date “action alerts” on the events at the Legislature.
• When you get an “action alert” that asks you to call the Legislative Message Line and leave a message for a legislator, call right away. The “action alert” will usually give you a sample of what to say in the message. All of the messages are given to Senators and Representatives and do make a difference.
• Get to know your own senator and representative. Know the committees and subcommittees they serve on.
• If you want to see your legislator, make an appointment…..and keep it.
• During the session, letters are not always an effective way to get your message to your legislator. But you can call them or e-mail them. Call the Louisville office for the phone number or e-mail of your particular senator or representative. When you contact them, be brief, be specific and be polite. Leave your name, address, area code and phone number. Let them know what you are concerned about or the topic of the bill and the position you support. Thank the legislator for listening to you.
• Letters to the Editor of your local newspaper can be effective. Be sure to type or neatly handwrite your letter, sign it and include your name, address and home phone number. Many newspapers will not print letters unless they are able to confirm authorship. You are more likely to have your letter printed if you talk about issues that affect your local area.

Call the Louisville office at 502-493-0609 or 800-592-1117 for additional ways you can support BIAK’s grass roots legislative efforts.