Want to Stop AB 178? Talk to a Legislator

There has been plenty of chatter about AB 178, the anti-affiliate bill in California. My concern is that as I looked at a board in our community the other day and there were 73 posts on AB 178.  And it was not until post 72 that there was a call of action to do something about the legislation.

It reinforced what I’ve been thinking: we are spending so much time talking to each other and not enough time talking to legislators (my focus here is California but what follows remains true for those in the affiliate industry to reach out to their legislators).

I just wanted to ask everyone to reach out to your legislature in California and write a letter.  Better yet, pay a visit to your state assembly member.

If you don’t think grassroots action can make a difference, think again.  When I was working on Capital Hill, I literally watched a member of Congress getting ready to vote on a bill look at two piles of letters from opposing sides on an issue on their desk.  Then go and cast his vote from the side that had the most letters in their pile. In another case, I watched a member of Congress look back at his schedule count the number of people on each side of an issue that had visited him, and then vote for the side for whom more constituents had paid visits over the last six months.

If you are concerned about the ramifications of AB 178 and live in California, you need to write a letter – here is how – or visit your Assembly member. Next week, the California State Assembly is going out on recess and we need to get people to visit their members in 4 key districts.  You really have a chance to make a HUGE difference here.

The list of members is below.  If you live close to their district office, can you please check this link and see if you live in their district.  If you do live in their district, and you know how to visit an elected official,  just do it!  If you need a little help let me know, and I’ll walk you through it and make sure you have some people to help. Caaffiliates (at) gmail.com.   This is not hard, elected officials work for you and they want to hear what you care about and how they can help serve you.

Thanks so much!

Coto, Joe
100 Paseo De San Antonio
Suite 319
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 277-1220
Assemblymember.coto@assembly.ca.gov

Ma, Fiona
455 Golden Gate Avenue
Suite 14600
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-2312
Assemblymember.Ma@assembly.ca.gov

Portantino, Anthony
215 N. Marengo Ave
Suite 115
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 577-9944
Assemblymember.Portantino@assembly.ca.gov

Saldana, Lori
1557 Columbia Steet
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 645-3090
Assemblymember.Saldana@assembly.ca.gov