05 May 2024 Final

Municipal Day
permanent public
record. You are required
to complete
the witness cards
with your signature,
which is a sworn oath
that you will tell the
truth to the committee.
When advocating for a position
or contacting your legislator
on the House chamber
floor, you must complete a white
contact sheet with the seat number,
name of the legislator, the bill number
you want to discuss, time of the request,
your name, and your signature. Give
that completed white contact sheet
to the Sergeant-at-Arms to hand deliver
to the House legislator at his seat in
the chamber. Once it is received, your
legislator will come out to the foyer to
address you. You are not allowed on the
House floor in the chamber, and there is
limited seating in the House for visitors
on the ground level. Additional seating
is offered on the balcony, but there is no
elevator to access that level in the building.
Rules are very strict in the chamber,
no standing during session, no talking
to members across the rails, no food or
drinks, and no cell phone use.
Next, you must wait in the foyer area for
the members to find you. If you have
never met the legislator, you may have
to approach him and then introduce
yourself to get acquainted.
When advocating for a position or contacting
your legislator on the Senate
chamber floor, you must complete a
Rules are very strict in the
chamber, no standing during
session, no talking to members
across the rails, no food
or drinks, and no cell
phone use.
blue or a yellow contact sheet, based on
seating arrangements on the (north or
south) side of the chamber. Be sure to
complete the name of the legislator, the
bill number or what you want to discuss,
the time of the request, your name, and
your signature.
Inside the Senate Chamber, a Sergeantat-Arms
will hand deliver your Senate
chamber floor note to the senator.
Again, rules are very strict, as all rules
listed for the House carry over to the
Senate. Stand close to the Senate rail
area and stay visible for the senator to
find you.
Legislators are allowed the privilege of
making special announcements or introductions
on the floor. The LMA Executive
Board and members will be introduced
in the House chamber from the balcony
at a time to be confirmed on Municipal
Day. There will also be a separate introduction
in the Senate acknowledging
the LMA’s Resolution and declaring May
15 as LMA Municipal
Day at the State Capitol.
We encourage all
elected officials/mayors
to participate in the
introductions.
If you have any questions
about the information, we
have provided for you or
about the legislative process,
please feel free to contact the
Legislative Committee Chair, LMA
President Mayor Derrick Johnson Sr.
(Cheneyville). We look forward to greeting
all our municipalities at the legislative
conference on May 15. Be sure to
bring your lapel pins to highlight your
city and share them with your legislators,
member mayors, and other elected
officials.
If you love crawfish, Nikki Samrow and
the LMA staff will have enough for you
to enjoy…with all the fixings. Please
plan to attend the Annual Crawfish Boil
at Drusilla Seafood Restaurant to continue
a dialogue with your legislators and
colleagues.
by Paulette
Bailey-Wilson
LMA Lead Lobbyist
Paulette Bailey-Wilson is the LMA’s Lead
Lobbyist. She can be reached by emailing
pbaileywilson@lma.org.
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LMR | MAY 2024