State and National Legislative Advocacy

By Dave Phillips

BACKGROUND

The IAPD/IPRA Joint Legislative Committee was formed in 1978 when the IPRA and IAPD Boards adopted the Memorandum of Understanding which combined the legislative efforts of the two previously separate Legislative Committees.

In the first three formative years, the joint effort increased in its sophistication and effectiveness, gradually broadening its scope in 1980 to include formal working subcommittees, including a Regional/National Issues Subcommittee. The Regional/National Issues Subcommittee of the Joint Legislative Committee began to assess the effectiveness of the National Recreation and Park Association's (NRPA's) Public Affairs (Legislative/Lobbying) effort and found it under-staffer under-funded and not highly organized.

DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

The question was asked of "What can the Joint Legislative Committee do to assist in refocusing and upgrading the Public Affairs efforts of our National Association?" No opportunity to answer that question presented itself until the National Issues Action Committee (NRPA's members Legislative Committee) and the Trustees Public Policy Committee (NRPA Board of Trustees Legislative Committee) called for Open Hearings at the 1980 Phoenix National Congress where membership input would be accepted.

The Open Hearings presented an opportunity to address the IPRA/IAPD Joint Legislative Committee's concerns about NRPA's public affairs efforts. These concerns about the effectiveness of NRPA's legislative effort recognized that a strong national advocate would be beneficial to Illinois, especially in regard to the Land and Water Conservation Fund which provides matching funds for land acquisition and development.

DEFINITION OF THE SOLUTION

The Joint Legislative Committee formed an Ad Hoc Legislative Advocacy Task Force to define and pursue a remedy to the current state of legislative/lobbying in effectiveness at the national level. It was the consensus of the Legislative Advocacy Task Force that it would be ineffective to address the Joint Legislative Committee's concerns in a negative and critical presentation. A positive approach was adopted which still allowed for constructive criticism.

It was also the consensus of the Legislative Advocacy Task Force that specific recommendations could not be made until the Public Affairs function was reassessed and a Legislative Advocacy Master Plan was created which among other points, defined priorities, specific objectives and ongoing funding needs.

In order to provide testimony to the commitment of IAPD and IPRA for a strengthened Public Affairs effort by NRPA, the Association Board pledged $1500.00 as an Illinois pledge, to assist in implementing the Legislative Advocacy Master Plan. Each fellow state affiliate was challenged to pledge funds to implement NRPA's Public Affairs Legislative Advocacy Master Plan once it was developed.

IMPLEMENTATION OF A GRASS ROOTS EFFORT

Subsequent to the Open Hearing, a two stage "resolution was developed and distributed to each State Affiliate; each Regional Council; and each National Recreation and Park Association Branch/Society by the Task Force.

The two stage resolution allowed each State Affiliate, Regional Council, and Branch/Society Board to provide:

1. Moral Support
2. Moral Support with a financial pledge. It was apparent to the Legislative Advocacy Task Force that if the advocacy effort was to succeed, an overwhelming grass roots response would be necessary from the members. This response could then be shared with NRPA's Board of Trustees and staff as a reflection of the commitment of the membership to an aggressive, highly organized and adequately funded Public Affairs effort.

TIMING

The implementation of the grass roots State and National Legislative Advocacy program coincided with a reasserted commitment by the National Issues action Committee and the Trustees Public Policy Committee to improve NRPA's Public Affairs effort. Their effort focused on the development of NRPA's first Legislative Platform or Public Affairs Agenda.

The Public Affairs Agenda was intended to define those legislative issues felt, by the members, to be important and to prioritize those issues to insure that the top priority issues received the attention they deserved.

It was recognized by the National Issues Action Committee and the Trustees Public Policy Committee

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that the ability to implement the Public Affairs Agenda, was contingent upon greater fiscal resources. This necessitated a resource allocation plan that would set forth the highest and best use of the interim pledges and subsequent "hard" monies needed to provide stabilized Public Affairs operations at a new and higher level.

BUILDING SUPPORT FOR A STRONG LEGISLATIVE POSTURE
BY THE NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

The Joint Legislative Committee's Legislative Advocacy Task Force obtained the support of the National Issues Action Committee, the Trustees Public Policy Committee, the Council of Affiliate Presidents, (the Immediate Past President, President, and President-Elect of each State Affiliate) as well as NRPA leadership including Executive Director John Davis, President Ken Smithee and Chairman of the Board of Trustees "Hal" Haskell for the grass roots State and National Legislative effort. The two staged State and National Legislative Advocacy resolution is rapidly picking up support. The status as of May 12, 1981 was:

State Affiliate confirmed or anticipated support	34 of 51
Regional Councils	5 of 8
Branches/Societies	6 of 7
	45 of 66

In addition to the grass roots support, the ultimate objective was to obtain NRPA Board of Trustees support. This was accomplished on May 23, 1981 at the mid-year meeting when a resolution was adopted which provided:

"NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Recreation and Park Association Board of Trustees:

1. That we encourage the State Affiliates, Regional Councils, and Branches/Societies to adopt the State and National Legislative Advocacy Resolution.

2. That we encourage the grass roots legislative advocacy posture.

3. That we recognize the need to have developed a costed out Public Affairs/Legislative Master Plan which systematically details and defines specific action steps and timelines.

4. That we direct the NRPA staff to work cooperatively with the National Issues Action Committee, the Trustees Public Policy Committee and selected volunteer members to develop said Public Affairs/Legislative Master Plan prior to the 1981 National Congress at which time, it shall be reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

5. That we recognize the need to provide new sources and higher levels of fiscal resources to fund the implementation of the Public Affairs/Legislative Master Plan and shall be receptive to reviewing the funding plan at the 1981 National Congress."

The adoption of this resolution is a major accomplishment and is the culmination of a year and one half of extended efforts by the Joint Legislative Committee.

At the same meeting, the NRPA Board of Trustees adopted their first Public Affairs Agenda, which was the culmination of months of effort by the National Issues Action Committee and the Trustees Public Policy Committee.

FUTURE DIRECTION

Now that formal endorsement has been obtained from the NRPA Board of Trustees, the Joint Legislative Committee, through its Legislative Advocacy Task Force, will be pursuing the following course of action.

1. The seeking of support from those State Affiliate Boards not yet taking action on the State and National Legislative Advocacy resolution.

2. Cooperation with NRPA staff, the National Issues Action Committee and the Trustees Public Policy Committee in the preparation of the Legislative Advocacy Master Plan.

3. Marketing the Legislative Advocacy Master Plan to private foundations and obtaining interim funding to match and/or exceed State pledges, for the implementation of the Master Plan.

4. Cooperation with NRPA in the development, adoption and implementation of a higher level of ongoing funding for the Public Affairs effort.

A NEW COMMITMENT

There is now recognition that a successful national Public Affairs is dependent upon the strength and effectiveness of each State Association's legislative effort.

See State . . . Page 27

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State . . . from page 11

This realization by the State Affiliates should reap benefits in each state capitol and in Washington, D.C.

The ability to influence the National Congress and the Administration exists if we as members of NRPA, make the commitment to keep our Senators and Congressional representatives informed and aware of our issues and concerns and mobilize support to insure our voices are heard.

A Public Affairs Agenda, when coupled with organized State Affiliates that can and do mobilize their members to react in a timely fashion, can and will have a significant impact on the National Congress. A highly organized State Legislative program, perhaps modeled after our Illinois system, once initiated by each state affiliate, would enable each state's issues platform to be given the attention it deserves in their state capitols.

A mobilized membership, is recognized by the IAPD and IPRA Boards and their Joint Legislative Committee as the primary motivator of elected legislators. Without constituent input, particularly citizen board member input, park and recreation issues and funding will suffer.

NRPA's current efforts and renewed commitment to upgrade their Public Affairs efforts must be coupled with each State Affiliate Board's fellow-through on their moral pledge to place Public Affairs as a priority within their state. Illinois has set this example through the actions and commitments of the IAPD and IPRA Boards.

We have sought and have obtained our goal of being a positive advocate for change within the National Recreation and Park Association. Major strides have been made, but more gains must follow if we are to become effective national advocates for the park and recreation movement in America.

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