State Legislators Need to Hear Your Voice. Here’s Why.

Nearly every state legislature in the U.S. has already convened their 2020 legislative session, but did you know that about three-quarters of them will adjourn by the end of spring? Now is the time for you and your students to contact your state-level lawmakers and #MakeTheCase for the higher education issues you are passionate about!

Elected policymakers at every level depend on their constituents to communicate opinions, experiences and information in order to make sound decisions. However, local politicians generally hear from their constituents less often compared to their federal counterparts in Congress. This presents an enormous opportunity to build relationships, influence their positions, and help drive policy. Moreover, state legislatures are not only a breeding ground for new and innovative policies, they also operate in an environment that usually permits swifter implementation compared to the federal government. That means policy achievements crafted locally can be leveraged to build momentum and traction for national policy change. AccessLex is here to help equip you with the resources needed to champion policies that benefit schools and their students:

• Contact your local lawmakers – email, call and visit your state representatives. You can identify who represents you by looking them up on this list of state legislator websites.

• Utilize AccessLex’s advocacy toolkit – our website offers tools you can use to successfully engage state legislators and state bars. This includes detailed issue briefs, fact sheets, policy position papers, data snapshots related to higher education, writing guides and useful tips for successful advocacy.

Whether you want to impact policies locally, build them as a catalyst for national change - or both - engagement with state leaders is critical to improving access, affordability and value in graduate and professional education. Make your voice heard!