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Title: A District Captain Perspective

Original CoS Document (slug): [[https://conventionofstates.com/a-district-captain-perspective|a-district-captain-perspective]]

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Created: 2024-03-13 18:07:07

Updated: 2024-03-31 03:00:00

Published: 2024-03-19 00:00:00

Converted: 2025-04-14T21:29:56.263169092


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As the Surge Day (Feb. 29, 2024) was coming, Jeffrey felt a bit of apprehension in addition to anticipation. Calling the offices of these legislators was one of the things he was a bit hesitant to do, but he thought: “Hey, you call people for a living at work. Just think of this as more of the same. Plus, you’re making calls to get a town hall together.”

Like many members of the team, calling on Legislators is something new to most of us. 

So, he made rounds on the sponsors of one of the F3 bills (Freedom, Fundamental Rights and Federalism) that Convention of States is backing. He was seeking to see if there were any meetings that could be held with any of the sponsors of the bill related to film production tax credits and how they are distributed in Georgia. Given that the Surge was planned on Crossover Day, as he grew to know, he would often hear how all legislators would be busy. Some offices were able to take messages, both written and spoken on the answering machine.

 A couple days later, Rep. Bruce Williamson actually got back in touch with him, personally! He explained how HB 1180 was going through its committees and was confident it would pass the House. The office of one of the other cosponsors, Rep. Chuck Martin, contacted him and couldn’t commit to a meeting but the impression was the same. The fact that state legislators reach back to you, even their offices, as well as knowing that you go through the very same security and hallway that lawmakers walk through with you, really brings it all in perspective.

In Congress, for better or worse, they have their own secure walkway/tunnel. It is hard to get a hold of your federal legislators, even when going in person as we might correctly imagine. However, walking into your state legislator’s office, walking amongst them through security, contacting you when they are busy going to another meeting but making the time anyway, just goes to show what the Framers had in mind by having state lawmakers be more accountable to the American people. They are neighbors. They are accountants, lawyers, doctors, etc.   To remember that they are people too, is one of the key elements in the mission of Convention of States. 

We ultimately are governments of, by and for the people. Not just the federal government. But the state and local governments. I’m reminded of when Star Wars actor Mark Hamill went to sponsor a bill for a cause he championed related to autographs with state lawmakers in California. Democrat though he is, the sponsor was a Republican. For HB 1180, there were Republicans and Democrats who supported the bill showcasing that at the state level, there are more commonalities than differences than one might think. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, maybe THAT should seem a tad heartening to see. It sure was heartening to me. From getting a callback from a local lawmaker to seeing people from both parties work together on multiple issues on the House floor in Atlanta much better than in both chambers of Congress in Washington, DC.{{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/81710/81710_original.JPG?342x308}}

Jeffrey Erickson is a District Captain and provided this content story about his adventure to the Capital with the Team on February 29, 2024

He is also on the Legislative Liaison Team and invites you to take action and join him and our team as we grow together and talk to our state legislators.

 

 

 

 

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