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Communicating with State Legislators
Prepared by parents associated with Arc Massachusetts, in cooperation with DMR Advisory Boards, and an advisory group of lawmakers.
Why is it so important for you to communicate with your legislators?
Economic trends of recent
times have made it clear that the advocacy efforts of parents, families
and supporters must be stepped up significantly if we are to
maintain a quality service system for our family members with mental
retardation.
You are your loved one’s best advocate.
We must make our voices heard!
- Establish Contact and Keep
it Going.
On the following page is a listing of the State Senators and
State Representatives for the MetroSouth Area including their aides’
names, phone numbers and addresses.
Begin your communication by sending each of your legislators a
short letter to establish contact. Identify
yourself by name and address and state the needs of your family member
with mental retardation. Ask
them for support and keep in touch with them.
- Stay on Top of What’s
Happening.
Familiarize yourself with bills and budgets dealing with your issues so that you can communicate with them on a well-informed and timely basis. The better informed you are, the better advocate you will be for your disabled family member.
- Visit When and If You Can.
To
get action by your legislators, nothing beats person-to-person.
Phone for an appointment in the State House or at the
legislator’s constituent meeting place in his or her district.
Even without an appointment, you can drop in to a legislator’s
State House office and speak with an aide, most of whom are well informed
and anxious to listen to constituents. At your meeting, state your child’s needs briefly but
emphatically. Discuss with
your legislator how he or she can help.
Bring to the meeting written material and photos that you can
leave with the legislator. They
will be glad to pass on your message.
After the meeting, be sure to write a short thank-you note.
Try to visit the State House occasionally for rallies, receptions, public
hearings or other opportunities to meet lawmakers as well as other
advocates.
- Put It In Writing
Letters or e-mails from families can really add up. And they do get added up. They can directly impact votes and action. Make no mistake, legislators read mail from their constituents.
Keep the letter short, but tell it like it is! Continually urge your legislators to vote for key bills and budgets affecting your family. Be specific. Refer to the bill number if possible. BRIEFLY explain exactly how they can help your disabled family member.
Be sure to include your full name and address on your letter.
Use this information salutation:
The
Honorable (Name)
(Representative or Senator)
State House, Room XXX,
Boston, MA 02133
Dear
(Sen./Rep.) Smith:
Ask
for a reply – and for your legislator’s position on your issues.
You are entitled to know where they stand.
- Keep Their Phones Ringing
Off the Hook.
Join other parents and
advocates – Keep the State House phones ringing.
Raise your voices clearly, loudly, and in unison!
Phone calls from constituents are the lifeblood of the legislative
process. All legislators
keep logs on phone calls. And they add them up. Even
four or five calls on a given disability issue can have a big impact on a
lawmaker.
When you call state your name, address, the fact that you are a
constituent – and your message. Keep
it brief and to the point. Don’t
hesitate to ask your legislator (or an aide) how he or she plans to vote
on any given issue. Thank
your legislator when they support your requests.
On the most urgent issues, call the State House leadership as well.
Information Sources…
… For schedules, bills, budgets, advice on legislative matters:
Arc Massachusetts………………………………….781-891-6270
217 South Street
Waltham, MA 02453
arc.mass@arc.mass.org
Dept. of Mental Retardation………………………..617-727-5608
500 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
info@dmr.state.ma.us
Office of Citizen Leadership……………………….617-624-7755
Legislative Affairs Office…………………………..617-624-7706
State
House Leadership
Mail Address: State
House, Boston, MA 02133
|
|
Phone
Number |
e-mail |
|
Governor |
617-725-4005 |
|
|
Senate
President |
617-722-1500 |
|
|
Speaker
of the House |
617-722-2500 |
|
|
Chair,
Sen. Ways & Means Committee, |
617-722-1630 |
|
|
Chair,
House Ways & Means Committee |
617-722-2990 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
STATE SENATOR |
AIDE |
STATE HOUSE |
PHONE NUMBER |
METRO SOUTH COMMUNITIES SERVED |
|
Robert
S. Creedon, Jr. (D) |
Tom
Brophy |
Room
413-C |
617-722-1200 |
2nd
Plymouth & Bristol
Brockton, E. Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanson, Hanover,
Whitman |
|
Robert
L. Hedlund (R) |
Ted
Langill |
Room
413-F |
617-722-1646 |
Plymouth
& Norfolk Norwell |
|
Brian
A. Joyce (D) |
Marie
Blanchard |
Room
413-A |
617-722-1643 |
Bristol
& Plymouth Avon, Canton, Easton, E. Bridgewater, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, W. Bridgewater, Braintree, Milton |
|
Michael
W. Morrissey (D) |
Janet
Coughlin |
Room
413-D |
617-722-1494 |
Norfolk
& Plymouth Abington, Holbrook, Rockland, Braintree, Quincy |
|
Marc.
R. Pacheco (D) |
Mary
Wasylyk |
Room
312-B |
617-722-1551 |
1st
Plymouth & Bristol Bridgewater |
|
James
E. Timilty (D) |
Paul
Feeney |
Room
518 |
617-722-1222 |
Bristol
& Norfolk Sharon (Precinct 1, 4, 5) |
|
STATE
REPRESENTATIVES |
AIDE |
STATE HOUSE |
PHONE NUMBER |
METRO SOUTH COMMUNITIES SERVED |
|
Bruce
J. Ayers (D) |
Julianne
Goodfellow |
Room
443 |
617-722-2460 |
1st
Norfolk Quincy/Randolph |
|
Thomas
Calter (D) |
Betty
DeBenedictis |
Room
437 |
617-722-2425 |
12th
Plymouth Halifax |
|
Christine
E. Canavan (D) |
Abagail
Kane |
Room
122 |
617-722-2006 |
10th
Plymouth Brockton, Easton, W. Bridgewater |
|
Geraldine
Creedon (D) |
Jane
Moynihan & Katherine Joy |
Room
473G |
617-722-2070 |
11th
Plymouth Brockton, Easton |
|
Joseph
Driscoll (D) |
Bryan
Jamele |
Room
443 |
617-722-2460 |
5th
Norfolk District Holbrook, Randolph |
|
David
L. Flynn (D) |
Dan
Sullivan & Timothy Taylor |
Room
155 |
617-722-2017 |
8st
Plymouth Bridgewater, Easton |
|
William
C. Galvin (D) |
Kellie
Moore |
Room
254 |
617-722-2011 |
6th
Norfolk Avon, Canton, Stoughton |
|
Louis
L. Kafka (D) |
Perri
O’Connor & Patrick Yanikoski |
Room
237 |
617-722-2305 |
8th
Norfolk Sharon, Stoughton |
|
Thomas
P. Kennedy (D) |
Mallory
Cole & Michael Power |
Room
277 |
617-722-2012 |
9th
Plymouth Brockton |
|
Ronald
Mariano (D) |
Joe
Murphy |
Room
254 |
617-722-2220 |
3rd
Norfolk Holbrook |
|
Allen
McCarthy (D) |
Ryan
Coyne |
Room
130 |
617-722-2130 |
7th
Norfolk Abington, E. Bridgewater, Whitman |
|
Robert
J. Nyman (D) |
Jack
Crowley |
Room
527A |
617-722-2020 |
5th
Plymouth Hanover, Norwell, Rockland |
|
Walter
F. Timilty (D) |
Anne
Bowes |
Room
167 |
617-7222810 |
7th
Norfolk Randolph |
|
Daniel
K. Webster (R) |
Brian
Patterson |
Room
542 |
617-722-2487 |
6th
Plymouth Hanson, Halifax |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mass.
House of Representatives
|
Mass
Senate
|
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Brockton Area Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc.
1250 West Chestnut Street, Brockton, Massachusetts
02301
(508) 583-8030 Fax (508) 583-1739
BAARC@comcast.net
