Went to a legislative hearing this week

A hearing for funding for my NP.

I learned that:

To reserve a seat, you've got to leave something on it.

Seating is at a premium.

The lineup may be numerical in order (according to Bill #)
but, those who go first, speak longest.

There are rules.

Rules are subject to change.

You learn just how well a case can be made in your favor
inside of one to two minutes - tops. We made our case
in about 1 minute, 40 seconds. As an exercise take
anything you value highly and make a persuasive case
for it in under two minutes...'tain't easy.

And it's just as easy to get lost there (Olympia, WA) as
anywhere else - which I did - as I seem to in almost every
new city I've ever been to - at least once.

If approved our legislation would grant $ 821,000 for
building renovation - specifically roof renovation.

Next it must be passed out of committee, preferably with
a "Do Pass" recommendation after which, hopefully, it
will be brought to a vote by the full house and then, hopefully
passed, after which, hopefully, it will be signed into law by
our governor Chris (formerly Christine) Gregoire, formerly
state attorney general.

The entire process lasted from 1:30 to 3:30 in the afternoon.

We were last in line of three bills and were given, among 21
speakers of which only a mere fraction presented their case,
one half hour. Still we finished early.

The rest is up to the legislature.

The bills' signature rosters are set out for signature before every
hearing and support or opposition can sign in and signify support
or opposition as well as whether or not they care to speak at the
hearing.

I think they should make it clear that brevity increases the likelihood
of favorable consideration. Hearings would take a lot less time,
probably cost a lot less and be far more interesting as a result.

But as a very intelligent woman (from Parade Magazine) once said,
"There's my money, your money, and his money. You're always more
careful with your own money."

The lightest moment of the hearing was when a legislative sponsor
(our bill) said he always tried to emulate the dress and behavior of
those he most respects (in this case, the committee chair, who he
had made a point to dress very similarly to - pink shirt, pink tie). The
committee chair got a good chuckle out of that. Whether or not it makes
a difference in support will remain to be seen.

The bill is HB 2325. You can read more about it here:

HB 2325 Community Development Fund

Democracy at work.