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Advocacy Toolkit

Advocacy Toolkit

Members of the Nevada Legislature want to hear from constituents about the needs of their community. Sharing your voice and opinion is an important part of the legislative process.

Lawmakers also look to public health professionals as trusted messengers to educate and engage them on public health priorities and the health of their communities at large. We encourage our partners to reach out to their representatives to educate them about the importance of local public health and advocate for policies that promote public health using the tools provided on this page. 

2021 Legislative Session Main Website

Legislative Building
401 S. Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701-4747

Sawyer Office Building
555 E. Washington Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89101-1072

Find your Representative

The Nevada Electronic Legislative Information System (NELIS)
NELIS provides up-to-date session information for bills, BDRs, budgets, committees, and meetings.

Bill Draft Request Tracking
During the 2021 Legislative Session, members of the public may track BDRs (including resolutions)

Bill Tracking
During the 2021 Legislative Session, members of the public may track bills and resolutions. Download how a bill becomes law.

Personalized Legislative Tracking (PLT)
PLT allows you to track BDRs, bills, and budgets that are of interest to you, and subsequently tag and create notes on your tracked items. It's free to track a maximum of 10 BDRs, bills, and budgets.

Committee Meetings
The “Meeting Notice and Agenda” will state where the meeting will be held; if the meeting will be video conferenced to another location; and whether the meeting may be listened to or viewed online. The agenda also will include the start time for the meeting and list the reports, presentations, and other items to be heard and discussed that day.

Testimony
Every committee sets aside time for public comment on any topic of relevance to the committee. Members of the public should consult each committee’s agenda for details on the order and times of public comment. Interested people or organizations may also request an opportunity to make a presentation to the committee. 

For effective oral testimony, consider these tips:

  • When you arrive, fill out the sign-in sheet and indicate whether you wish to testify;
  • At the appropriate time, go to the witness table, turn on the microphone, and introduce yourself: “Mr. (or Madam) Chair, and members of the committee, my name is…”;
  • Explain your position clearly and simply, and do not repeat earlier testimony;
  • Be brief (some committee chairs may limit the time for testimony);
  • If you have written materials to present, bring enough copies for the members and for the committee secretary, other staff, and other members of the public;
  • If you believe a change in the law is needed or some other action should be taken by the committee, be specific about your recommendation (brief written materials, for example changes to wording in law, are encouraged);
  • Be ready to answer questions from the committee members; and
  • Consider providing a written copy of your testimony to the committee secretary (preferably in electronic form) prior to the meeting.

Members of the public who cannot attend a meeting or who choose not to give oral testimony during a meeting may also submit testimony and recommendations to the committee in writing.

Lobbying vs Advocacy

Advocacy
Advocacy is the “promotion of an idea that is directed at changing a policy, position, or program at an institution” (IRS, 2016). Advocacy is a strategy that aims to draw attention to or educate a policymaker on a particular issue. Health advocacy includes educating policymakers and the public about evidence-based policy. Advocacy can often be non-partisan and based in research and analysis.

Direct Lobbying
A direct lobbying communication is one which is made to a legislator; an employee of a legislative body; or any other government employee who may participate in the formulation of the legislation (but only if the principal purpose of the communication is to influence legislation); refers to a specific piece of legislation; and expresses a view on that legislation. It is also considered direct lobbying when an organization asks its members to contact legislators in support of or in opposition to legislation.

Grassroots/Indirect Lobbying
A grassroots lobbying communication is an attempt to influence specific legislation by encouraging the public to contact legislators about that legislation. In order to constitute grassroots lobbying, a communication must: refer to specific legislation; reflect a view on that specific legislation; and encourage the recipient of the communication to take lobbying action with respect to the specific legislation.