By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

Equality Illinois is again taking “citizen lobbyists” from across the state to the Illinois Capitol in Springfield for its 2008 Lobby Day April 9. Participants plan to meet with their representatives to discuss their support of HB 1826, which would allow civil unions for same-sex couples in Illinois.

According to Rick Garcia, political director of Equality Illinois, Lobby Day “has a real practical effect. No matter what we think, elected officials do take notice of the lives of their constituents. They have to know when people in their districts take notice of an issue.”

Buses leave Equality Illinois’ office at 3712 N. Broadway at about 7 a.m. on April 9. Participants are served breakfast along the way and should arrive in Springfield by about 11 a.m. The buses also make a stop in suburban Bolingbrook.

Upon arriving at the State Capitol, participants have lunch and receive orientation on the lobbying process, then meet with their representatives from about 1-3 p.m. After a debriefing, there’s a 4 p.m. reception at the Station House, a local gay bar, before participants return.

For first-time participants in Lobby Day, the actual lobbying process sometimes comes as a surprise, according to Garcia. Lobbyists wait outside House or Senate chambers while their representative is paged inside. At some point the representative generally comes out to speak with them, usually only for a few minutes.

“Unless the session they’re in is particularly intense, they will come outside about 99 percent of the time,” Garcia said. “Often, it gives them a few minutes of relief from boredom.”

The location of the meetings explains the term “lobbyist,” Garcia said.

“That’s why they call us ‘citizen lobbyists,’ because mostly everything important is literally taking place in the lobby,” he said.

He added that politicians are cognizant of the time and energy their constituents expend to be there.

“They know that if a person takes the time to come to Springfield, that’s a person who might take the time to canvas for them. That’s also a person who might take the time to canvass for their opponent,” Garcia said.

People who are hesitant to take part because they’re shy or don’t feel like they’re persuasive enough speakers should know that representatives from Equality Illinois or other advocacy organizations are often on hand to do the speaking for them.

“All you have to say is, ‘Hi, my name is Joan, and I live in your district,’” Garcia said.

If a participant’s representative has already pledged to support the civil unions bill, Garcia urges them to consider what connections they might have with other representatives.

“Are you a pharmacist and there is a representative who is a pharmacist? Are you from Danville and still have family there? Do you go the same church as a representative? You should still come, because these people really do love to meet their constituents,” Garcia said.

He added that the entire legislature, overall, is a fairly moderate body at the moment, and “on a visceral level (most of them) understand what this bill is about.” But he also said that many politicians are still weighing the political benefits of voting for civil unions and worry about antagonizing conservative voters in their districts.

“Talking to supporters of the bill gives them the strength to say, ‘my constituents want this. Everyone down there wants this,’” Garcia said.



Call (773) 477-7173 to participate in Lobby Day April 9 and to reserve a seat on the free buses to Springfield provided by Equality Illinois.