This past week, Joy Hogge, executive director of Families as Allies, led a video session on navigating the Mississippi legislative process. Her presentation aimed to help families and organizations understand legislative procedures, find relevant bills, and engage with lawmakers. With the legislative session underway, Joy explained how to track bills and identify issues important to families.
Joy walked attendees through the Mississippi Legislature website, demonstrating how to find and contact state legislators. She explained how to search for bills using different methods, such as by bill number or committee assignment. For example, she explored a bill on opioid settlement funds, showing how to track its status and understand its purpose.
A significant focus was the role of committee chairs in deciding whether bills move forward. Joy stressed that the chairperson must bring up bills for the committee to discuss or vote on. She encouraged attendees to contact committee chairpersons to advocate for or against specific bills and to stay informed about legislative deadlines and processes.
The session also covered practical tools, such as using legislative calendars and action reports to follow developments. Joy encouraged participants to engage with the process, reminding them of their ability to influence policy through communication and advocacy. She emphasized that Families as Allies provides ongoing resources to help families and advocates stay informed and active in the legislative process.
