So That's How Bills Get Passed!

Lobbying tactics include feeding legislators manapua and chatting them up in the restroom.

Jacy Youn takes a look inside the mysterious world of local lobbying in this month's Hawaii Business Magazine. Key points: the Internet has revolutionized lobbying, advocacy, and grassroots efforts to get bills passed; the State Legislature is much less corrupt now than it used to be; Hawaii has a lobbyist-to-legislator ratio of 4-1, which is below the 5-1 national average (and way below the 18-1 New York ratio--gotta love us pesky, pushy, persnickety New Yorkers!); credibility goes a long way in convincing legislators to listen to you; and public testimonies do generally influence legislators.

>> An Inside Look at Local Lobbying [Hawaii Business Magazine, January 2006]

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