Advocating For Change
A vital role MOCADSV members play is meeting and advocating with their legislators, virtually or in-person, about the policy priorities of survivors and the agencies they rely on for help. By joining our membership, you can be a part of this advocacy to end rape and abuse in Missouri. In a weaving of old-school Capitol office visits and new communications tools, MOCADSV members advance both state and federal advocacy through social media in Twitter campaigns during crucial appropriations hearings and debates on legislation.
Missouri Capitol Advocacy Days
MOCADSV Capitol Advocacy Days
Advocates from MOCADSV member programs meet annually with legislators, virtually or in the Capitol, each week in February to put into practice the refrain of MOCADSV’s legislative advocacy: “We change laws. We change lives.” During MOCADSV’s Capitol Advocacy Days, meetings occur between advocates, survivors, and members from every MOCADSV membership region with Missouri’s 34 state Senators and 163 state Representatives. If you are interested in participating in MOCADSV’s Capitol Advocacy Days, contact us at mocadsv@mocadsv.org.
National advocacy
MOCADSV’s public policy work extends to the national level. We rely on our members’ participation to advocate with Missouri’s Congressional Delegation to amplify our message. MOCADSV staff and advocates from its Public Policy Committee, alongside national partners, advance federal priority legislation that supports survivors and the life-changing services of domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers. Advocates across Missouri participate in social media action alerts and campaigns to advance our public policy priorities. Among those priorities are the annual appropriations of federal funding, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
How to engage in legislative advocacy
Advocating for change requires individuals to participate in the legislative process as a vital part of ending domestic and sexual violence. Here are a few ways you can engage in public policy advocacy:
Monitor legislative action to be informed of MOCADSV priority bills at the state and federal levels. Follow us on social media to learn about each year’s priorities. During the Missouri legislative session, we also release a monthly Legislative Update found on our website.
Contact your senators or representatives to ask them to support or oppose legislation. It’s important for legislators to know how their constituents will be impacted by legislation. In addition to phone calls and emails, social media is also an effective advocacy strategy. Communicate directly to state and federal legislators using Twitter. You can follow along during the Missouri legislative session by searching for tweets using #moleg, tweet about legislation using the same hashtag, and tag your representatives as another way to express your support or opposition to a bill or decision by your legislators. #moleg only applies to the Missouri General Assembly, however, you can tag your federal representatives in tweets about federal policy and legislation.
For a map of Missouri’s Congressional Districts, websites, and contact information for Missouri’s U.S. Senators and Representatives, and members of the Missouri General Assembly, go to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Roster.
Testify in House or Senate committee hearings in support of, in opposition of, and for informational purposes regarding legislation can provide legislators with the perspective of those who will be directly impacted by their decisions. Testimony can be in-person or written. If you are interested in testifying at a committee hearing, please contact us at mocadsv@mocadsv.org.
Resources for legislative advocacy
How a Bill Becomes a Law: The Missouri Experience. One of our collaborative partners, the Missouri Foundation for Health, created this concise document that outlines the legislative process in Missouri.
Practical Guidance: What Nonprofits Need to Know About Lobbying in Missouri: Bolder Advocacy’s Practical Guidance – What Nonprofits Need to Know About Lobbying state law resource series is designed to help nonprofits determine if lobbying rules in their state might apply to their state or local work, and if they do, how best to navigate them. This guide is specifically for Missouri nonprofits.
BolderAdvocacy. A program from Alliance for Justice that provides nonprofits with resources and expertise to help nonprofits advocate. Bolder Advocacy promotes active engagement in democratic processes and institutions by giving nonprofits and foundations the confidence to advocate effectively and by protecting their right to do so.
