How to Help Yourself to Advocacy
Periodically, and especially during each year’s legislative session, we will send you legislative alerts on issues that will affect your business and the industry. We need you to act on these alerts immediately. It is the most effective way we have of communicating with our legislators and letting them know how legislation will affect our industry. The following should help you when you receive an alert. Use these tips to contact your legislator. It is important and it only takes a few minutes of your time.
If you have questions about how to act on an alert, please contact our CEO, Carol Wight at 505-343-9848 or executive@nmrestaurants.org or our staff lobbyist, Allison Smith at 575-644-4609 or aklobby@gmail.com.
If you would like to find your legislator Click Here.
THE PROCESS and WHAT TO DO
NMRA will send you an alert via e-mail or text message (If you have not given us our e-mail address, please contact communication@nmrestaurants.org with your e-mail address so we can add it to our list.) The alert will tell you whether NMRA supports or opposes a particular piece of legislation and will give you instructions on how to connect with your legislator. Simply follow the link, which will usually be to a site where you can sign a petition or send a message directly to your representative.
MESSAGING YOUR LEGISLATORS
One of the quickest and easiest ways to have your voice heard in Santa Fe is to send your representative a message through our email campaigns. We will generally have a prepared message clearly stating the position of NMRA on any given issue and what action we are desiring from the legislature. By filling in your information and sending this email to your representative, you are exercising your rights to participate in the democratic process.
For example, our most pressing issue right now involves minimum wage and the tip credit. Currently, we have multiple ways to connect with the NM Legislature for our campaign to keep the tip credit in New Mexico:
- Servers/Bartenders: Click “Save our tips” to sign our petition. Share it with your coworkers.
- Restaurant owners/operators: Click “Send a message” to email your legislators and the appropriate committee members to tell them how it will impact your business.
- Customers: Make your voice heard and text message the word “TIPS” to 52886 to participate in protecting tips for the New Mexico service industry.
CALLING YOUR LEGISLATORS
Legislators count how many calls they get pro and con on a bill. And they pay very close attention if the caller is actually in their district. Even as few as 5 or 6 calls on a bill can change a legislator’s mind. Most legislators have very little idea of the real effect of various bills in the real world so hearing from a non-lobbyist is important to them. Some are experts in various areas but most are just like you and me. Hearing from folks will sway their vote because they won’t have to go into an in-depth study on the bill. “I got a number of calls opposing the bill.” is enough cover for them. Due to the fact that the legislators are very busy during the session, you may not get the chance to speak to them directly. In this case, leave a short but detailed message with the legislator’s staff asking that the legislator support or oppose a certain bill. It will be very important for you to know the bill number, who is sponsoring that bill and what the bill does. You can contact the main switchboard at 505-986-4300.
TALKING WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS
During the session, your legislator will be extremely busy. Consider making an appointment in order to make your visit successful. However, sometimes it is difficult for the legislators to set exact times to meet with you. Their staff may be able to give you an approximate time that would be best. State your facts as clearly and as briefly as possible and give specific examples to support your opinion. Be willing to listen to the legislator.
THE LEGISLATURE’S WEBSITE
The New Mexico Legislature’s website (www.nmlegis.gov) offers a wide range of information. You may view a legislator’s contact information and find legislation, calendars, agendas and other information on important issues facing the state. By entering your home zip code, you may identify the legislator who represents your district. You may also contact the legislature through the website.
LEGISLATIVE TRACKER
The NMRA Legislative Tracker will keep you up-to-date on all the bill being filed/heard in the NM Legislature. This document is update regularly with the schedule and progress of all current legislation.
