During the state conference, we had the honor of hosting members from the CT Legislative team. Senators Osten, Gordon, Lesser, Honig, and Representatives Foster, Heffernan, and Anderson joined us for a legislative panel. They shared valuable insights into how the legislative process works and highlighted their legislative priorities. Representative Foster, co-chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, expressed a strong commitment to reviewing the New England region’s veteran and military-friendly legislation. They aim to see how we compare with other states and work towards improving our legislation.
At the end of the panel, we held an engaging Q&A session. Our long-time member and advocate, CSM (RET) John Carragher, asked about the impact of written and verbal testimony on their decision-making process. The responses we received were truly eye-opening. The key takeaway from our panel members was that while verbal testimony is helpful, it is limited to just 3 minutes. On the other hand, written testimony can have a profound impact. When providing written testimony, it’s essential to tell your story, but even more impactful is articulating the consequences of the proposal. These consequences, whether positive or negative, need to be clearly communicated so that legislators can make informed decisions. As the people who will feel the consequences of these actions, they rely on us as the subject matter experts to inform and educate them. They encouraged active participation in the legislative process through both written and verbal testimony.
As an association, we will use our voice to advocate for our members, but we encourage you to be a part of the process, as we can’t do it alone. If you’re interested in helping with our legislative committee, email us at legislative@ngact.org
