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Legislative Process -101

"In the Catholic tradition, active citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is an obligation." 

National Conference of Catholic Bishops,1995

Communicating with Legislators

What can you do?    Identifying your representatives    Communicating with legislators    Important phone numbers    Driving directions to the Capital

What can you do?

Being actively involved in the legislative process is easier than ever. Citizens have a wide range of options available, including attendance at our annual Catholics @ The Capitol event and CCK's Legislative Advocacy Program. Writing letters, telephone calls from home, or working the web are other important avenues for action. 

 

Once you decide which action is right for you, CCK encourages you to learn about the issues and take action. Listed below are the details for getting in touch with your elected State Senators and State Representatives.

Identifying your representative    

You must know the names of those who represent you, your State Senator and your State Representative. Then you need to learn how to find them. If you already know the names, then finding them is easy by visiting this page of the Legislative Research Commission website.

 

If you are not certain who your representatives are or in which district you live, visit this page on our website and put your zip code in the box provided; on the next page you should be prepared to fill in your 9-digit zip code to learn the names of your State Senator and State Representative.

Communicating

There are more ways than ever to get your message to members of the General Assembly. The first and most important rule in all forms of communications is that you always identify yourself.  Legislators want to hear from their constituents. Therefore, always include your full name and street address in all communications.

Telephone

Members of the General Assembly pay close attention to their calls during a session and your telephone can be an effective advocacy tool. You can always leave your message if the member is not available (remember its a busy time and your representative is not likely to be available).

 

You can get a fax to as many legislators as you choose by including their names on the cover sheet with a request to get a copy of the fax to each of them.

Mail

A personal letter still counts in the ever expanding world of communications. When writing a letter to your representative, remember to keep your message simple and sincere. Correct spelling, punctuation and style still matter. The following formats for addressing your envelope and salutation are generally acceptable: 

 

Dear Senator (insert name):    Dear Representative (insert name): and address it to

Legislative Offices

Capitol Annex

Frankfort, KY 40601

Letters to the Governor should be mailed to State Capitol, Frankfort, KY 40601

Work the Web    

The Legislative Research Commission's (LRC) home page is the mega-site of information and contains all your legislative information needs. The address is www.lrc.state.ky.us/home.htm.

 

For other Cabinets and Branches go to the Kentucky Government web site at http://www.kentucky.gov/.

E-mail

Sending electronic mail to a legislator is just a few clicks away. Most members of the General Assembly view e-mail as a convenient and effective means to communicate with constituents. As with postal mail, e-mail is yet another method for expressing your concerns.

 

To find your representative's e-mail address,  visiting this page of of the LRC website and finding the name of the person you wish to write.  

Driving Directions 

Catholic Conference of Kentucky

1042 Burlington Lane

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

502-875-4345 502-875-2841 Fax cckstaffATccky.org

Last modified: April, 2008