Make Your Voice Heard

This month marks the start of the legislative session at the state capitol. For the next four months, our representatives and senators will work on hundreds of bills – many of which will have a significant impact on the business community.

Last month, we hosted our annual Legislative Breakfast. The crowd of more than 500 people – a combination of elected officials and members of the business community – prove that the Chamber's work as an advocate for the business community is important.

During the breakfast, one elected official commented that last year he only received calls from his constituents on 10 bills. That's just a fraction of the hundreds they work on. He finished his comment by stating that the calls he did receive from his constituents had a much larger impact than the hundreds of calls he received from lobbyists throughout the session. This is a poignant reminder of the incredible value of personal contact with our elected officials.

The Chamber is your advocate at the capitol and we will be there each and every day during the session, meeting with legislators and fighting for the business community and Greater Oklahoma City. But we cannot succeed alone. We are all constituents, and we must all ensure that our voice is heard. During the session, I encourage you to do the following:

• Read the Legislative Guide and find the issues that are important to you and your business. It is available online at www.okcchamber.com/legislativeguide and will arrive in your mailbox later this month.
• Call, e-mail or visit your elected officials. They are in office to represent you, but they cannot do their jobs effectively if you do not contact them.
• Sign up to receive the Chamber's legislative updates. These e-mails will provide you with key information on issues being discussed at the capitol.

Last year we had one of the most productive legislative sessions in our state's history. I'm confident that if we work together to make our voice heard, we can see the same results this year.