With the annual three-month legislative session now in full swing, Environment Maryland is once again in full lobbying mode.

It’s a time of putting in long hours and keeping a hectic pace. Some activities require painful waiting, but ultimately we’re always rushing to get things done.

They don’t call us lobbyists for nothing. Killing time in the corridor, waiting for the opportunity to have a two-minute conversation with just the right person is part of the job.

But there’s also good reason that some people are highly compensated to do this work. Getting the right information to the right person at the right time can make all the difference in the world.

Then there are the long hours in the hearing rooms, waiting for a bill to come up that we are testifying on. It’s interesting at first to learn about bills unrelated to our work, but listening to the drawn-out testimony can quickly become a painful experience.

It’s worth the wait, though, when we get the chance to make the case for our bills. We are thankful that the Maryland General Assembly has an open process for bill hearings, allowing us present all the panelists we think are appropriate.

Intermixed with being policy experts and campaign strategists, we’re always on the go to keep bills moving forward—checking in with one office to see if they’ve made a decision; bringing a fact sheet to another; finding a time when several people can meet; swinging by the press offices; getting the schedule for upcoming hearings; delivering letters from constituents.

Fortunately, we’re not alone. We meet regularly with coalition partners to divvy up responsibilities and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. One of the greatest challenges is coordinating all the different things that people are doing and making sure they are targeted strategically.

Our current work to limit suburban sprawl provides a good example. There are several bills that would encourage growth in the right places and discourage development of Maryland’s treasured open spaces. The details are tricky, so a lot of questions come up that need to be addressed with solid information. Developers opposing the bills spread misinformation that must be countered quickly.

We also need to make sure solutions don’t fall victim to the busy legislative calendar. Elected officials need to hear from citizens and be held accountable for the promises they made on the campaign trail.

Community associations, local governments, transportation planners, small business interests, growth control advocates, farmers, academics, and concerned individuals are all giving time to the effort. If we can effectively steer all that energy toward practical outcomes, we will be able to win real results.

We’re also happy to have the involvement of our members. Your participation greatly boosts our effectiveness. Having a constituent in the room always changes the conversation for the better. Letters and phone calls definitely make a big difference.

I hope we can soon report on a lot of successful outcomes from this year’s legislative session. Thank you for helping to create positive change.

Sincerely,

Brad Heavner