Barrier 4: Lack of legislative support to engage and serve broader constituencies
In most states or provinces, legislatures play an important role in the governance of fish and wildlife agencies. Legislatures may approve budgets, set regulations, and establish policies. The level of legislative control or oversight can vary by state or province. Engaging broader constituencies may not be supported by some legislators or legislative committees due to concerns that a fish and wildlife agency will be influenced by, or take positions counter to, legislative intentions and shift agency priorities away from core responsibilities such as management of hunting and fishing.
Strategy 1: Build support among legislators for the agency to engage and serve broader constituencies.
Legislative support may be needed or desirable before an agency begins an initiative to engage broader constituencies. Building support with key legislators and/or legislative committees of jurisdiction could be a critical first step that will ensure agency leaders have the political support and resources needed to engage broader constituencies.
Step 1: Identify reasons/factors for lack of legislative support.
Tactic 1: Confirm assumptions and identify reasons for lack of legislative support by consulting with legislators and/or their staff and partners.
Agency staff or partners may hold assumptions that a key legislator(s) or legislative committee does not support engagement with broader constituencies. These assumptions need to be tested to ensure they are valid. The legislator or committee, their staff, and associates should be consulted to understand whether such assumptions are valid and, if so, the legislator or committee’s reasons for not supporting broader engagement.
Political and legal constraints success story: meeting lawmakers
The Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife hosts an event at the Indiana Statehouse to engage and educate lawmakers and the public in wildlife conservation.
Step 2: Develop and implement a strategy to address reasons/factors for lack of support.
Tactic 1: Consult with peers for advice.
Consult with peers in other organizations (within and out-of-state/province) for advice and lessons learned on how to gain the support of legislators for broader engagement.
Tactic 2: Assess benefits and potential risks to engaging broader constituencies.
Engagement with broader constituencies can provide benefits such as broadening support for the agency or bringing in new funding sources, but can also pose potential risks such as alienating core constituencies who may be resistant to change. An objective assessment of benefits and risks can help an agency plan constituency engagement and proactively address potential conflicts.
Tactic 3: Establish a team with key constituencies to develop an approach or strategy to increase legislative support for engagement.
A team made up of agency staff that includes key constituencies that represent diverse interests and perspectives should be organized to develop an approach or strategy to increase legislators’ support for broader engagement. The approach or strategy should identify actions that can be taken to overcome factors that impede support. Actions may include sharing data that demonstrates the desire of broader constituencies to engage or outreach to dispel misconceptions about their motives or intentions. The strategy should be adaptable and able to address concerns by individual legislators, subcommittees, full committees, or an entire legislative body.
Tactic 4: Implement, monitor, and evaluate the approach or strategy.
Upon implementation, the approach or strategy should be monitored and routinely evaluated to determine whether it was successful and, if not, why. The approach or strategy may need to be revised or adapted to meet changing conditions such as when new legislators take office or if a new issue or conflict arises that changes the political climate.
Political and legal constraints success story: talking economics
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife developed a fact sheet on the economic value of wildlife and outdoor recreation and shared it with legislators.
Step 3: Ensure key legislators understand and value the need to serve all constituencies.
Tactic 1: Provide legislators with evidence that engaging broader constituencies has benefits.
Engaging broader constituencies can increase public support for fish and wildlife agencies and conservation. Legislators may benefit by having more of their constituents engaged with and served by their fish and wildlife agency, resulting in improved public service and potentially less conflict.
Tactic 2: Ask legislators to offer their support and take appropriate actions to engage broader constituencies.
Beyond just agreement that broader engagement is necessary or the right course of action, gaining the active support of legislators can be critical to engaging broader constituencies. Legislative bodies can serve as a forum to help agencies engage with broader constituencies by holding hearings and participating in agency events. A legislative body that can provide resources (e.g., funding, staffing) to support an agency’s efforts to reach broader constituencies is the most desirable outcome.
Tactic 3: Work with broader constituencies to communicate to legislators that broader engagement has benefits.
Broader constituencies who benefit from increased engagement and access to their fish and wildlife agency should communicate the positive benefits of these new relationships to their legislators.
© California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife celebrates State Scientist Day by tabling at the California state capitol building and engaging with legislators.
