inMotion Magazine

November | December 2018 22 2. Know the History: Has this initiative been introduced in the past? Why did it fail? Who supported it? Who was opposed? What is different this time? 3. Know Your Local Legislative Processes: Every state is different. Your state Web site or local librarian will point you to information sources. In Connecticut, for example, the bill had to be introduced through the Committee on Real Estate and Insurance. 4. Know How to Reach Your State Legislators: State Web sites provide contact information for your state legislators, as well as news updates and schedules. To find contact information for your state, visit: usa.gov/states-and-territories. 5. Meet Your Local Representatives: Your local representatives are the best starting point. Connect with party leaders and seek support from members of key legislative committees. Legislators who support your position will become your champions, walk you through the political process and help you succeed. 6. Educate: After collecting data, communicate your findings to legislators and supporters. All the complexities of the issue need to be summarized into digestible bites, such as one-page documents and concise emails. 7. Share Information: Be able to explain your position succinctly – be prepared with a 30-second introduction, a three-minute explanation, and talking points for community meetings. Develop print materials (for both legislators and community members) that provide more detail and real-life data. Be brief and to the point. Connecticut budget deficits had been a central issue in recent years, so fiscal concerns could have discouraged many legislators from supporting SB376. Herb and Brenda had been told that anything that increased expenses for the state would not pass and, despite data they had found showing that the bill would be revenue-neutral, the state’s Office of Fiscal Analysis reported otherwise, estimating a $600,000 budget impact the first year. With just a few hours left in the 2018 session, Herb and Brenda waited outside the House chamber. They talked about what they had accomplished, and the possible outcomes. The bill could pass, or it could be voted down – in which case, they would try again in 2019. Media Email and the CAN Facebook page were the primary communication tools for updating members on the initiative’s progress. Calls to action were sent out via email and social media, sharing instructions on who to contact, as well as key talking points. In those messages, amputees were urged to contact their family, friends and healthcare practitioners and ask for their support too. Because many Connecticut amputees don’t use email or smartphones, attendance at support group meetings was vital to communications. To build wider public support for the bill, Herb and Brenda needed to reach beyond their amputee network. Influential journalists from major media with statewide coverage in Connecticut took up the cause and published or broadcast stories and interviews. “These journalists really took an interest in us, listened to our stories and took the time to really understand a complicated issue,” Brenda says. We Did It and So Can You SB376 passed unanimously in both the Senate and the House. The humanity of the legislators won out and guided them to support the bill. Several said that they understood that providing health insurance coverage for prosthetics was the right thing to do . Herb Kolodny (right) meeting with Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. to discuss the Insurance Parity initiative.