Two members from our HMHB group (myself and Janet Rourke) attended a seminar
on lobbying given by a local affiliation of non-profits.  We learned a lot.
The group invited a lawyer to come and talk about the issue of how lobbying
influences your tax status.  Part of the issue is the amount of money that
the organization spends on lobbying. Unless you spend a significant percent
of your income on lobbying (over 10% as I recall), it isn't an issue that
will jeopardize non-protfit tax status.  We feel it's a moot point for us,
as we don't really spend much of any thing to do our lobbying.  We put out a
few dollars copying some (really lovely) information packets that we
created, but the rest  (parking, our lunches and our time, etc) is all
donated by the committee members.  I believe we may have to file a report
with our state Ethics Board and register one of us as an official lobbyist
if we go over a certain percentage of our time spent in this activity.  The
point is, none of this information is all that hard to find out, and it is
good to network with other non-profits (all of whom have similar interests
in such topics and who often put on informational seminars to address them.)
Or, as Phyllis suggested, take a class. Or call up someone and ask them. Our
community college also offers workshops.  I was amazed when we started
sniffing around for information how many useful networks exist in every
community where one can learn this stuff.  And everyone is so used to
high-powered big money lobbyists that our piddly mistakes and inexperience
are viewed with great tolerance.  Sometimes being the little dog actually
works to your favor, because people sort of want to help you.  We really
sell the "this is your chance to do the right thing for moms and babies"
notion and it makes people feel good to do a little something for us.

I wouldn't think LLL would be the umbrella under which to do legislative
lobbying.  For one thing, lobbying constitutes mixing causes.  Other groups
would better lend themselves and have more local autonomy to undertake
legislative initiatives.


Barbara Wilson-Clay, BS, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates
LactNews Press
www.lactnews.com

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