BPW/USA ERA TASK FORCE Unratified States Action Plan

Concentrate on building ‘teams’ with clearly defined roles and tasks ⁻State regions Make assignments simple Formulate an internal network for communications ⁻Train in actions and messages Form A Coalition With As Many Groups as Possible Who Are Willing to Work on This Issue

Recruit Contact People Who Are Passionate About Passage of the ERA One to two key influentials who can recruit other ‘grassroots’ leaders –Identify people who are invested in your success and willing to use their position –Utilize these individuals to influence decision makers and lead public opinion One to two spokespersons only for press! Team leader for legislative contacts in field Team leader for Session Team leader for grassroots activation

Begin a Public Education Campaign Five ‘C’s of Media Relations 1.Credibility 2.Comfort 3.Confidence 4.Compelling story 5.Control Present the BPW/USA workshop entitled “It’s Not Just Your Grandmother’s – or your Mother’s – ERA!” to show continued relevance for the ERA.

Selling Your Story ExamplesThird party endorsements AnecdotesPersonal experience TestimonialsFacts AnalogiesStatistics Research

What Reporters Want Access to news sources Timely responses Meet deadlines Short, clear, accurate answers Brief background materials

Use Public Education Campaign To Recruit Members In Coalition Utilize your members to write Letters to Editor at key times Always provide talking points for letters that are 200 words or less Use members for calls to legislators, letters to legislators at key action times Always provide talking points: one or two!

Coalition Sends Questionnaire to ALL State Legislators Questionnaire should ask: 1.Do you support ratification of the federal Equal Rights Amendment? 2. If yes, would you sponsor a Bill for that issue? 3. If no, please explain your reasons. Make sure legislator knows your coalition is monitoring their response. Let them know constituents will follow up – and then do it!

Increasing Response Rate Be willing to meet with legislators. Follow-up calls or letters are important thanking respondents. ⁻Recruit ‘yes’s to be Bill authors or sponsors Important to meet with ‘no’s to find out their objections and try to answer them. ⁻Do this BEFORE session starts when possible

Bill Author and Sponsor Start with friends ⁻Legislators, Lobbyists Give Bill author and sponsors 1-page ‘talking point’ sheets. Include responses to anti-arguments on that sheet. Identify Senate and House author ⁻Discuss with each author best way to move Bill in appropriate committees and on each House floor

Moving the Bill Committee strategy: who moves first Follow Bill’s progress putting pressure on legislators and recruiting more individuals and groups. Utilize news outreach campaign Count your votes ⁻Committee, floor Have a presence ⁻Make it hard to ignore you ⁻Train your volunteers

Keep to Your Strategy Develop a SWAT Team that will be on-call for assistance (brainstorming, role playing, review of written testimony, etc.) –Capitol nerve center –Action alert system –Message center for coalition

Keep to Your Strategy (cont.) Update it with new information ⁻Weekly team meetings ⁻Identify conditions that encourage your success ⁻Monitor opposition and contain quickly Know your enemy, their message, their strengths and weaknesses ⁻Go after their credibility rather than trying to counter every point they make. Once you discredit them, what they say is no longer relevant.

Building Nerve Center What legislators and lobbyists will help? Key meetings with legislators and Governor before session? Keep overall message consistent, but… Determine ‘actor’ specific messages ⁻What moves committee chair, chamber president, Governor? ⁻Women’s Legislative Caucus

Keep Your Friends Informed Legislators Lobbyists Network Friendly reporters Legislative Days ⁻Volunteers at Capitol ⁻Messages to desks ⁻Visibility in Rotunda

Keep Score Keep track of what worked well and what didn’t, and use this information in future efforts as well as sharing it with campaigns in other unratified states.