Sending an E-Mail Message
The content of an e-mail message may be identical to that of a letter. It is important to note that many legislators do not check their e-mail regularly during the session. In addition, e-mail correspondence sent to these addresses may not be accessible to legislators during the interim. Therefore, before sending e-mail, you should call the legislator's office to inquire about whether the legislator is likely to receive an e-mail message.

E-mail addresses are provided on the Maryland General Assembly's home page. In addition, you may call the office of the Senator or Delegate to obtain his or her e-mail address.

Go to the Maryland General Assembly’s home page: http://mlis.state.md.us.

• Click on “Contact a Legislator”
• The names of the Delegates and Senators will be listed in alphabetical order.  Scroll down until you can click on the name of the person to whom you wish to send the message.
• Click on the “send E-mail” box
• The name of the legislator will appear automatically in the “To” line of your email. Tab down or click to the “Subject” line. Type in a short subject, such as “Please Support SB#”
• Click on the “Message” box and type your message.  Use the same format as you would use when writing a letter.
• After you have re-read and double checked your e-mail message for clarity and made sure that there are no errors, click on the “Send” button.

Make a Phone Call to Your Legislator
For many people, making a phone call is the quickest way to contact a member of the legislature. Phone numbers for senators and delegates are available through the Maryland General Assembly's Department of Legislative Services. They are also available on the General Assembly's web page at http://mlis.state.md.us. , the first three digits (after the area code) of the phone numbers vary; depending on the part of the state you are calling from.

In most cases, the purpose of your phone call is to urge a member to vote in a particular way. This does not necessarily require that you speak with the legislator directly. Therefore, you should be prepared to leave a detailed message with the legislator's staff who will keep a tally or count of the calls and positions that are conveyed to the legislator. In many cases, the staff person will request your phone number and/or address so that the legislator can follow up with you by telephone or letter.

You may, of course, ask to speak directly with the legislator. During the session, the best time to reach legislators by telephone is often between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. or in the late afternoon.

Leaving a Telephone Message for a Senator/Delegate
Your message should include:

• Your name and address
• The name and number of the bill you are calling about
• What you want the legislator to do: 
• Support or oppose the bill
• Support or oppose an amendment that would….[fill in the blank]
• Support or oppose and bill that would…[explain the issue or concept]
• If you live in the member’s legislative district, be sure to identify yourself as a constituent

Other things you might add, as appropriate:

• Arguments that support the position you are asking the legislator to take
• The status of the bill, such as whether it is scheduled for a hearing or vote in the next few days
• If you are calling on behalf of an organization or coalition, be sure to identify that group.  If the group is large, you might also mention the number of members or constituents it includes.
• Provide local “spin” – how this bill would affect the legislator’s constituents, facilities, or organizations in his/her district, etc.

Components of a Letter Written to a Legislator

Date

Senator's or Delegate's name and address

Greeting

 Identify the bill name and/or bill number that you are writing about.

State the position you want the legislator to take on the bill.

 Identify yourself and, if applicable, a brief description of the organization you represent.

Support your position.

Depending on the issue, you might:

• Provide a brief argument explaining your concerns.
• Incorporate state or national data, if available.
• Give examples that illustrate how the legislation would impact you, your family, your organization, or the young people that you know or serve.
• Describe how the bill would impact on organizations or institutions in the legislator's district.

Re-state the position you want the legislator  to take, Ask for a reply that explains the legislator's position.

Offer additional assistance.

Thank the legislator for his/her consideration.

 Include your full name, address, and phone number.

Sample Letter

August 1, 2002

The Honorable Jane Smith
James Senate Office Building, Room 123
Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

Dear Senator Smith:

I am writing to urge you to support (S-8-100), a bill that would require young people to wear helmets and protective gear when they use roller skates, roller blades, skateboards, or scooters. I am a constituent, a school nurse, and a mother who has seen first hand the tragic result of injuries that occur among people who did not wear helmets and other protective gear such as elbow and knee pads.

In 1995, Maryland became a national leader when it became one of the first states to require that all children and youth under age 16 wear helmets when they ride or are passengers on a bicycle. Today, 17 states have enacted mandatory bicycle helmet laws and numerous studies have documented that bicycle helmets save lives and prevent serious and costly injuries and disabilities.

SB 100 represents a common-sense extension of Maryland's bicycle helmet law. When that law was enacted, roller skates and scooters were merely nostalgic reminders of my childhood. Today, countless children and adults enjoy roller blades (also called 'in-line' skates) and scooters have become this year's "hottest gift” for children.

Unfortunately, while enjoyment of these products has increased, the number of injuries associated with them has skyrocketed. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that approximately 100,000 injuries associated with in-line skates and 26,000 injuries associated with skateboards require emergency room treatment each year. During the first 10 ½ months of last year, CFISC estimates that more than 30,000 scooter-related injuries required emergency room treatment. Nearly 85 percent of those injuries were to children and youth ages 14 and younger.

Experience tells us that preventing these injuries will be far less expensive than treating them. It makes sense to apply the lessons we've learned from bicycle helmet laws to children and youth that use roller skates, roller blades, skateboards, and scooters.

I urge you to support SB 100 and hope that you will let me know your position about this bill. Please feel free to contact me at the address or phone number below if I can be of further assistance.

Thank you for your consideration of this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Mary Jones
123 Main Street
Your Town, MD 12345
(410) 123-4567

Maryland’s Legislative Process
A Guide for Individuals Concerned about the Health of Maryland’s Children and Adolescents, Second Edition
The Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
© 2001