Local Legislative Vice President
Each local PTA should coordinate with the council and region legislative contacts to implement Utah PTA programs.
- Submit a legislative budget for approval by your board to be included in the yearly budget (see page 24)
- Be well informed in order to educate your local board and local membership. Most legislative information will come to you through your local PTA president. Make arrangements with your president to receive legislative information in a timely way.
- Attend legislative trainings at:
- Utah PTA Advocacy Conference
- PTA Day at the Capitol
- Utah PTA Leadership Convention
- Region and council legislative meetings
- Study legislative information in national, state, region, and council mailings and publications.
- Follow issues in the media
- Consult the Utah PTA Legislative Bill Sheets. This page is updated weekly during the Utah legislative session.
- Join the Utah PTA Legislative Advocacy Committee
- Study the Utah PTA Resolutions to gain an understanding of areas of Utah PTA advocacy.
- Attend local school board meetings
- Attend school community council meetings
- Join Utah PTA Take Action network
- Communicate regularly with your local board of directors
- Request a time at each local PTA board meeting to train and educate your board members
- Inform your local board about legislative activities and legislative issues
- Present information on current political issues and Utah PTA positions and priorities
- Train board members on the purpose and expectations regarding the Utah PTA Take Action Network. Members of the Take Action Network are expected to communicate with their senators and representatives about Utah PTA legislative positions. Members are expected to respond to the legislative Action Alerts, which identify specific activities Utah PTA members can do to promote Utah PTA’s position on an issue, as well as background information and talking points.
- Encourage each board member to sign up for the Utah PTA Take Action Network.
- Meet with other local Legislative Vice Presidents in your council to plan legislative activities
- Obtain a list of local Legislative Vice Presidents in your council
- Attend council and region meetings as requested
- Communicate with your council legislative contact to decide how best to plan for your area, remembering that some activities may work best on a region basis
- Attend a Meet the Candidates Night
- Attend other legislative activities in your region or council
- Maintain a positive working relationship with policy makers in your school district and city
- Legislators
- Superintendents
- Administrators
- School board members
- Community Council members
- Mayors and city officials
RESOURCES
- Utah PTA President Handbook, legislative section
- Annual Resources for PTAs, National PTA, legislative section
- Our Children (National PTA Magazine)
- Utah PTA website
- National PTA website
Council Legislative Vice President
Each council should have a board member responsible for legislative activity. The council plays a vital role in relaying information to local PTAs and in assisting both the region and local PTAs in legislative activities.
- Submit a legislative budget to your board for approval as part of the yearly budget
- Be well informed in order to educate your board and assist local PTAs. Make arrangements with your council president to receive the legislative information in a timely way.
1. Attend legislative trainings at:
- Utah PTA Advocacy Conference
- PTA Day at the Capitol
- Utah PTA Leadership Convention
- Region and council meetings
2. Study all legislative information in state and national mailings and publications
3. Follow issues in the media
4. Use Utah PTA Legislative Bill Sheets
5. Use the internet as a resource
6. Join Utah PTA Take Action network
- Communicate legislative information to your board of directors and local Legislative Vice President.
- Request time at each council PTA board meeting to train and educate your PTA board members and locals concerning PTA issues and legislative work. Be well prepared, brief, and to the point
- Relay information received in trainings and mailings
- Request assistance of your board and membership with the Utah PTA Take Action Network, “Meet the Candidates Nights”, and other local legislative activities
- Compile a list of local Legislative Vice Presidents in your council - share with all locals in your council
- Provide training to local PTAs who are not able to attend Utah PTA trainings and/or to provide additional assistance
- Relay current legislative information to local PTAs
- Plan a brief training session for those who are members of the legislative network. Explain the process and what is expected of them. Offer assistance when they have questions about issues or processes.
- Encourage communication with policy makers.
- Provide information to contact legislators and school board members—phone numbers and addresses. Your county clerk can provide the information
- Write letters from your PTA board of directors to policy makers on PTA issues, request the approval of the board, and, if they approve, have them sign the letters
- Provide issues information in local newsletters
- You may reprint articles from Utah PTA and National PTA publications. Acknowledge the author, publication, and issue
- Write your own article indicating how the issue impacts your area
- Encourage members to vote and to communicate with policy makers about PTA issues
- Maintain a positive working relationship with policy makers in your area.
- Legislators
- Superintendents
- School board members
- Administrators
- Attend or serve on your school community council
- A member of the council board should attend school board meetings at least once a month to provide PTA input to the board and relay information to the council and local PTAs
Region Legislative Vice President
The region legislative contact, in cooperation with region officers, assists Utah PTA and local members.
- Submit a legislative budget to your board for approval as part of the yearly budget (see page 24)
- Be well informed in order to assist council and local Legislative Vice Presidents.
- Sit on the Utah PTA Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC) representing your region or assign someone from your region to be on the LAC if possible
- Make arrangements with your region director to receive all information in a timely manner.
- Attend legislative trainings at:
- Utah PTA Advocacy Conference
- PTA Day at the Capitol
- Utah PTA Leadership Convention
- Study all legislative information in state and national mailings and publications
- Follow issues in the media
- Use Utah PTA Legislative Bill Sheets found at utahpta.org
- Use the internet as a resource
- Communicate with council (or local) Legislative Vice Presidents
- Compile a list of council and local Legislative Vice Presidents in your region
- Provide training (Utah PTA can assist at your request)
- Relay legislative information promptly
- Meet with Legislative Vice Presidents in your region to plan legislative activities
- Meet the Candidates Nights
- Organize your part of the Utah PTA Take Action Network
- Other legislative activities in your region
- Maintain a positive working relationship with policy makers in your region.
- Legislators
- Superintendents
- Administrators
- School board members
- Attend school board meetings on a regular basis
Region Directors, Council, and Local Presidents
- Relay legislative information as quickly as possible to legislative contacts and Legislative Vice Presidents. Unlike some information you receive via email, legislative information must often be acted on quickly for it to have any effect. Plan a way for your legislative people to receive information promptly. You might leave a legislative envelope in the PTA box at school where you deposit information for the Legislative Vice President to pick up regularly. Legislative information could be mailed or faxed where budgets and facilities permit. You are the link for your legislative people to receive information to act and be informed.
- Provide a regular time in your board meeting for a legislative report. One of the main purposes of PTA is to be advocates for children. It is as important as the other activities that take place in a PTA. A good deal of information, training, and action can take place in five or ten minutes at each meeting.
- Support child advocacy work in your local PTA. Make it part of your annual budget and plan of work for the year. Encourage and assist legislative contacts and vice presidents in legislative activities.
- Attend legislative training offered by council, region, or state
- Make resources available to Legislative Vice Presidents and contacts
Utah PTA Advocacy Vice President
The Utah PTA Advocacy Vice President is under the direction of the president and board of directors and is responsible for interpreting and implementing the Utah PTA legislative program and activities. A Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC), directed and chaired by the Advocacy VP, is made up of elected executive committee members and current commissioners in the PTA areas of focus, as well as appointed members representing all levels of PTA. Activities and actions by the Advocacy VP are representative of resolutions prepared, presented, and voted upon by the general membership at general meetings at the Advocacy Conference or Leadership Convention. LAC members represent these positions in their daily activities. Serves at the Utah Federal Legislative Chair for National PTA.
The LAC coordinates Utah PTA legislative activities during the Utah legislative session and plans and coordinates two Utah PTA yearly, state-wide membership events.
- Utah PTA Advocacy Conference, usually held in the fall.
- PTA Day at the Capitol, usually held in February. All Utah PTA members are invited and encouraged to attend and receive current information on topics of the day and legislative issues, and to develop a familiarity with legislators and the legislative process.
Role of the National PTA Vice President of Advocacy
Under the supervision of the National PTA president and in conjunction with the National PTA office in Washington, D.C., the legislation chair is responsible for interpreting and implementing the National PTA Legislative Program.
- Promotes and coordinates National PTA legislative activities
- Works with staff in Washington, D.C. and Chicago
- Chairs the NPTA Legislative Committee
- Assists with the National PTA Legislative Conference
- Provides information and training to delegates to national and state legislative conferences and conventions
- Assists state PTA legislative chairs and the Member-to-Member Network