Print Home | Featured | Lobby Day

Lobby Day

On May 6, 2009 we will be holding our Lobby Day at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. This is our opportunity to display our collective strength and to voice our concerns about the issues we care about directly to our legislators.   To generate member participation in the Lobby Day in Springfield, the Invest in Excellence campaign is providing funding and logistical assistance to locals and regions that desire to travel via bus. Each regional office will have an office contact by March 11^th who will help locals and regions secure transportation to and from Springfield.   Requests for buses must be funneled through these individuals by calling the appropriate IEA Regional office and asking for the Lobby Day contact, or by directly contacting the IIE campaign office at 1-800-638-5544, ext. 210.   To ensure the best possible coordination and efficiency, please reach out to the office contact or IIE Campaign.  

Lobby Day Goal:

We hope each region can bring a minimum of 50 members. A region or local wishing to bring more will be accommodated. The goal is to have 3,000 – 5,000 IEA members attend.  Having more members than that would be welcomed!   Bus information can be found here. We hope that locals and regions will consolidate to fill buses. Coordination through IIE or the office contact will assist with this.  

Logistics:

Buses:  The cost of buses will be covered by IIE and/or IPACE.  Please submit your request for bus funding to IIE.
Â
Lunch will be provided for everyone at the IEA Headquarters. The Lobby Day program will begin at 11:00 AM and we hope to have everyone head to the Capitol by 11:30 to lobby their legislators. Lunch will begin to be served around noon and will be served until 2:00pm.
Â
Bus maps provided by the City of Springfield
Indicate the best routes to use from the interstate to IEA HQ as well as to the bus parking lot location at 2115 MacArthur Blvd. (the old Kmart Plaza), and back to IEA HQ for pick up. Download bus routes from this link. (Please note that incoming buses should follow the blue route indicated on the map, and outgoing buses should follow the red route indicated on the map.)   Staff/member parking lot/area map for those driving to Springfield. (provide this info. to office contacts)
Located at W. Lawrence & Spring Streets. Parking will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will have the lot identified with a sign: “IEA Lobby Day Parking.” Download a map of the area from this link.  

Bus drop-off and pick-up point
In front of IEA HQ, 100 E. Edwards St. using bus routes provided by the City of Spfld. (at least 3 buses should be able to pull up at one time). IEA has arranged for the city to bag all the parking meters in front of our building and east parking lot. (Please note that incoming buses should follow the blue route indicated on the map, and outgoing buses should follow the red route indicated on the map.)

Issue information:

This will be disseminated closer to the actual Lobby Day, as legislative issues continue to change during the legislative process. Bill information will be provided soon. Currently, issues like school funding, pension funding, teacher tenure, ESP sick days, the threat of pension fund consolidation, and many others are proceeding through the legislature. For legislative updates, sign up for the Capitol Report here.  

Build Local Relationships:

Building the local relationship with your legislator is a key to success on Lobby Day. Make contact with your legislator here. To be connected to your legislators’ Springfield Office, please call 217/782-2000 (Legislative Switchboard) and ask to be connected to your legislator’s office.

1. Members should to try to meet with their legislators in their regional areas before coming to Springfield.
2. Members need to set up their Lobby Day meetings with their legislators at that initial regional meeting and before they leave to come to Springfield. This will aid in their effectiveness with their elected officials as they start to develop a relationship with their Senator or Representative.

We need IEA members to stress to these decision makers that their votes in Springfield impact just about every aspect of our career.  

Substitutes:

IEA locals can use local IPACE rebate money to pay for substitutes. You can download an IPACE rebate form from here. Fill out the form letter and fax or mail to IEA Government Relations (100 East Edwards St., Springfield, IL, 62704).   For further information please call the IIE Campaign at 1-800-638-5544, ext. 210.