The 2022 Legislative Session is underway up in Tallahassee. Florida Education Association (FEA) offers a toolbox with information and tools to help you advocate for education and your union.
United Faculty Florida (UFF) is zeroed in on the bills that are harmful as well as helpful to higher education and have organized government relations committee members across chapters to engage with legislators on these issues and specific bills. In addition to email updates from FEA and UFF, FUSA will endeavor to keep you informed on the latest developments. You can do your part, too! The FEA 2022 Legislative Toolbox offers:
- 2022 Legislative Agenda and updates for each week of the session
- Links to bills we are following
- How to find your legislators
- How to stay connected during the session
- a link to the FEA Frontline report
From UFF: Action items for Week 2
It is very important that you, UFF’s members, contact the committee members about these bills and ask them to vote NO on SB 520 and HB 703 before their committee hearings next week!
SB 520 will be heard by the Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee on Wednesday, 1/19, at 8:30 am.
HB 703 will be heard by the Post-Secondary Education & Lifelong Learning Subcommittee on Tuesday, 1/18, at 2:00 pm.
The good news is that the process for contacting your legislator could not be easier:
- Follow the links above to see which legislators are on the Governmental Oversight and Post-Secondary Education committees.
- Click on a legislator’s name, then “Contact Member” to reach the legislator’s contact page.
- Fill out your information and write a message to the legislator asking them to vote NO on the appropriate bill.
- If you or members of your local chapter are constituents of the legislator, this action will be especially effective.
- As you write your message, remember to make the content personal to your experience by avoiding boilerplate or copy/paste language. We hear consistently from legislators that communications from constituents are most effective when they are personal and specific.
- Send your message and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
You can use these linked talking points to craft your message; however, legislators have repeatedly told UFF that messages are most influential when they are personal and specific. Avoid boilerplate language, speak from the heart, refer to your personal experience and how this bill would affect you as a voter and citizen, and we will see the results we want.
Only by banding together can we make the change we wish to see in Florida. Contacting legislators about key issues regarding higher education is the first step toward enacting that change, so set aside a few minutes and take action today!
Faculty United Service Association 