Legislation & Politics

• Guide to Lobbying
• Lobbying Do's & Don'ts
• 2007 Legislative Summary
• 2007 Legislative Review
• 2007 Legislative Positions
• 2006 Legislative Review
• 2006 Legislative Scorecard
• Blue-Green Alliance

A Citizen's Guide to Lobbying the Minnesota Legislature (pdf)

Table Of Contents

Introduction: What is Lobbying and Who are Lobbyists?

Part I: How an Idea Becomes a Law in Minnesota

• How does a bill get introduced?
  
• What happens when a bill gets introduced?
  
• Are there different types of bills that can be introduced?
  
• How does a bill move through the committee process?
  
• What happens after a bill has been considered by all committees?
  
• What happens once a bill has passed both houses?
  
• What is the Governor’s Role in this Process?
  
• How does the Minnesota Legislative Session Work?
  

Part II: How to Plan an Effective Legislative Campaign

• How do I develop a sound legislative campaign plan?
  
• How can I be an Effective Citizen Lobbyist?
  
• Why do citizen lobbyists need to understand the legislative process?
  
• How do I lobby in an ethical manner?
  

Conclusion

Appendices

• Appendix A: Understanding the Legislative Process
• Appendix B: How to Use the Minnesota Legislature's Website
• Appendix C: How to Read Bills and Amendments
• Glossary: Making Sense of Legislative Language

Contact your legislators

Who is your Legislator?

http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp

Call your Legislators:

Senate: (651) 296-0504 or 1-888-234-1112
House: (651) 296-2146 or 1-800-657-3550

E-mail your state Senator:

http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/info/alpha.htm

E-mail your state Representatives:

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/housemembers.asp

Mailing Address for state Senators:

Senator [Insert Senators Name]
75 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155

Mailing Address for state Representatives:

Representative [Insert Representatives Name]
50 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155

How an Idea Becomes a Law in Minnesota

Are there different types of bills that can be introduced?

There are several different types of bills that can pass through the legislature. Here are some of the most common types of bills:

• Companion bills. Almost all bills in the legislative process are companion bills. Two bills with identical language start in the House and Senate respectively. Once one of the two bills passes its body, the other one dies out and is replaced by the one that passed the House of Origin.
• Governor’s initiative bills. Governor’s initiative bills are bills that the Governor or one of his agencies create and proposes. The Governor or his staff must find a House or Senate author to carry the bill, just like any citizen-lobbyist.
• Committee bills. Committee bills are bills that are created by legislative committees themselves and therefore require no committee referral or consideration.
• Omnibus bills. Omnibus bills are bills that attempt to address a subject comprehensively. Some examples of omnibus bills are those that deal with finance, education, and other comprehensive issues.
• Housekeeping and Revisor’s bills. Housekeeping bills are bills that correct technical errors in legislation and usually pass at the end of the legislative session. Revisor bills are a frequent type of housekeeping bill.