Connecting Policy Makers and the Industry

When you think of public policy, you probably do not think of technology (outside of perhaps email). Politics is very focused on relationships, after all—whether someone knows a Senator or whether they have the cell phone of a key staffer. Those relationships are incredibly important, but especially in the post-COVID world of Zoom, Teams and GoToWebinar, technology has become incredibly instrumental in policymaking.

NPMA was leveraging technology in public policy long before COVID forced everyone to change. VoterVoice is a grassroots platform that NPMA has used for many years to connect our industry with policymakers on specific issues.

Let’s say a bill gets introduced in a state legislature. Our State Policy Affairs Representative (SPAR) might be able to go testify at a hearing or perhaps meet with a sponsor, but most members of the industry in that state can’t drop everything on a few days’ notice and head to the state capital. Their voices are still powerful when lobbying for or against legislation, but how can they be heard if not in person?

Enter our electronic grassroots tool, VoterVoice. This program allows us to reach out to everyone in a given state, region or even the whole country and help them submit a message directly to their representatives. We can flood legislatures with hundreds of messages opposing a poorly written bill or supporting a great one. This tool allows us to leverage the united voice of the industry and directly connect NPMA members with their representatives.

Recent state campaigns have included pushing back against legislation in states as diverse as Colorado, Rhode Island and West Virginia. It’s not just at the state level either. Recent federal campaigns included pushing specific COVID legislation and fighting back against the ILLICIT CASH Act.

Public policy moves incredibly quickly, and our industry has to keep pace. Grassroots tools like VoterVoice help ensure our industry is heard in every state capital and on Capitol Hill.

To get involved with public policy at the state or federal level, contact NPMA Vice President of Public Policy Ashley Amidon at aamidon@pestworld.org today.