After last month’s successful Advocacy Day in Washington, DC, advocacy efforts within many NACAC affiliates are on the rise.

Over the past several months, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee have hosted SACAC legislative days. Because SACAC is a regional affiliate, advocacy days take place in specific states, allowing members to meet with their own legislators and impact students where they live.

Other states served by SACAC took their own unique approach to advocacy.

• Louisiana’s legislative day, led by Christy Sevier, included a chance to listen to the Board of Regents and Louisiana State University’s chancellor testify in front of the subcommittee on higher education. Attendees learned about relevant bills moving through the legislature and then had the opportunity to watch the legislative process in action.

• Florida launched its “Po
  wer Hour” — a one-hour webinar organized by Amanda Lopez that detailed the state’s legislative landscape as well as the legislative priorities of SACAC and NACAC. In states as large as Florida, providing this information without requiring a trip to the capitol allows for more advocates to learn about legislative changes and prepare to advocate at the local level.

As many states begin to wind down their legislative sessions, advocacy for NACAC and affiliate priorities is critical. Legislation is made at the federal, state, and local levels, making regional outreach extremely important.

This week’s Texas, Rocky Mountain, and Southern Super Conference featured legislative highlights from Mike Rose, NACAC’s director of government relations; and Rick Clark, chair of NACAC’s Government Relations committee. Coastal Georgia and Pennsylvania are hosting advocacy days in the upcoming weeks.

Learn more about NACAC’s advocacy efforts and share your success stories in the comment section below.

Liz Glaser is NACAC’s government relations manager. She can be reached at lglaser@nacacnet.org.