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About the Planner Advocacy Network

The Planner Advocacy Network is an effort to increase MAP’s effectiveness in shaping state policy outcomes and increase our presence in Helena by directly involving membership in our legislative activities.

We are looking for MAP Members who can participate in state policy discussions and want to be more involved. As a part of the Network, you decide when and how to be involved.

During legislative sessions, the Legislative Committee will look to the Network for help with information gathering and bill tracking, and with distributing MAP’s policy message.

Information Gathering and Bill Tracking

The Network is designed to share information between MAP Members and the Legislative Committee. There are two strategies the Network will employ:

Improve Coordination with Cities and Counties – The Network will connect the Legislative Committee to planners who work in jurisdictions that hire lobbyists. With these connections, we can share information and coordinate approaches on legislation, benefiting both MAP and the local governments.

“Ears” Across the State – As a part of the Network, we ask you keep the Legislative Committee informed on what you are hearing in your community. We encourage you to share bills you are tracking, and information you are hearing from your elected officials and community members with the MAP Legislative Committee. In addition, we encourage you share our technical expertise with them.

Sharing MAP’s Message

As a part of the Network, the Legislative Committee from time to time will ask you to share MAP’s message on proposed legislation in several ways. You will have complete discretion on whether to carry the message and how.

Directly – Many of us know your local representatives and senators or have connections in your communities to people who do. From time to time, the Legislative Committee will distribute talking points or a position on a bill that we hope you can share directly with your contacts.

Written – Commenting directly to committees has never been easier. From time to time, the Legislative Committee will send out a request for members to comment directly on a bill electronically. The Legislative Committee will send out a request, the message, and specific instructions on how and when to send it.

Testimony – Our testimony to committees is most effective when we have a MAP Member making it. We are the experts on Growth Policy, Zoning, and Subdivision Statutes. In the most important policy discussions, the MAP Legislative Committee will use the Network to identify a member who is willing to testify in person (or virtually) directly to a committee. The Legislative Committee will provide the testimony, instructions on how and when to attend the hearing, and instructions on how to address the committee during your testimony.

Being a Part of the Network

Being a part of the Network does not obligate you to engage in any manner other than how you choose, but we are more influential as an organization if we work together and capitalize on our greatest strength, which is US! Please consider joining the Network and empowering our organization as we work towards policy outcomes that benefit our communities, the public, and the planning profession.

How to Join

Contact us and tell us you want to be a part of the Network.

Or

Log in to your membership by clicking the button below. Once logged in, click “Edit profile,” scroll to the bottom of the screen, and check the box next to Planner Advocacy Network.

Or

Join the network when you join MAP or renew your membership.

You must be a current MAP Member to join the Network.