Our lobbying team has expanded to four members, including two active lobbyists with a wealth of experience and two others who also bring valuable experience to the table. A few weeks ago, we announced our plans to lobby the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee, which is composed of 21 members. In pursuit of this goal, we reached out to nearly half a dozen members of the committee, including:
Kevin Payne – Chair
Rachel Jones – Vice Chair
Vice Chair – David Farnsworth
David Gowan – Chair
Sonny Borrelli
Wendy Rogers
After making calls with all our team members and sending out emails, we were hopeful for a third reading. Unfortunately, the committee informed us that they do not have enough time before the legislative calendar ends on April 20th, 2024. Therefore, our plans are to continue developing relationships with these committee members during the off-season and advocate for its reintroduction in the next legislative session.
Expanding upon this, our strategy involves leveraging the off-season as a valuable period for engagement and relationship-building. We aim to establish a continuous dialogue with the committee members, ensuring our proposals and the importance of our advocacy are at the forefront of their minds. This includes organizing informal meetings, participating in relevant events and forums, and offering our expertise and resources to support the committee’s understanding of the issues at stake.
Moreover, our team will use this time to refine our proposals based on feedback received during this legislative session and new developments in the field. This preparatory work is crucial for ensuring that our proposals are robust, relevant, and aligned with current needs and opportunities. Through these concerted efforts, we remain committed to advancing our advocacy goals and making a meaningful impact in the next legislative cycle.
What comes next?
We have been exploring a broad spectrum of possibilities, including reaching out to the Florida State Legislature to advocate that The Florida State Guard is upheld to the same military laws & regulations as The Florida National Guard. Other possibilities include several states whose legislative calendars extend further into 2024, providing us with opportunities to advocate for the establishment of new State Guard or State Defense Forces.
Elaborating further, our strategy involves conducting comprehensive research on each of these states to understand their specific legislative environments, security needs, and the potential for integrating a State Guard or Defense Force into their existing military and civil defense frameworks. We aim to tailor our proposals to address the unique challenges and opportunities within each state, thereby increasing our chances of success.
Additionally, we plan to engage with local communities, veterans’ groups, and other stakeholders to build support for our initiatives. By demonstrating the benefits of State Guards or Defense Forces, including enhanced emergency response capabilities, support for national defense, and opportunities for citizens to serve their state and country, we hope to galvanize public opinion and gain grassroots backing.
In parallel, we will be closely monitoring legislative sessions in other states with extended calendars, ready to seize any opportunity to present our case. Our team is fully committed to navigating the complexities of state legislatures, ensuring that our proposals are heard and seriously considered by lawmakers across the country. Through diligent preparation, strategic advocacy, and community engagement, we are optimistic about the prospects of establishing new State Guard and Defense Force units in the coming legislative cycles. These are the states / commonwealths / territories who are still in session:
– New Jersey
– Guam
– Massachusetts
– Michigan
– Pennsylvania
– Rhode Island
– Washington D.C.
– Wisconsin
– Virgin Islands
Another option we can pursue is reaching out to the Adjutant Generals of states that currently have a State Defense Force or State Guard, advocating for their greater utilization. The are some of the states that require the utmost attention in this regard:
– Indiana Guard Reserve
– MIchigan Defense Force
– New Mexico State Defense Force
– Vermont State Guard
These are states from which we hear little to no news, or they have a very narrow mission set that could lead to their eventual disbanding. Our advocacy efforts aim to highlight their importance and prevent such outcomes by promoting a broader recognition of their roles and capabilities.
The states in question often fly under the radar, receiving minimal media attention or public awareness due to their specific, narrowly defined missions. This lack of visibility and understanding of their roles within the broader defense and emergency response ecosystem places them at risk of being overlooked or undervalued, potentially leading to their disbandment. Our advocacy efforts are designed to counteract this by shining a spotlight on the critical functions these forces can serve. By engaging with policymakers, stakeholders, and the public, we aim to foster a deeper appreciation of their potential contributions to state and national security, emergency preparedness, and community support. Through strategic communication and outreach, we endeavor to ensure these vital organizations receive the recognition and support they deserve, safeguarding their future and enhancing their operational capacity.
To strategically allocate our limited resources, we’ve developed a novel decision-making process. Each of our lobbyists will be granted one vote to determine our course of action, mirroring the voting rights extended to our Patreon members at the Sergeant Major level and above. Additionally, the broader community will be represented by a single collective vote. This will be facilitated through a Facebook Group poll, consisting of two phases. The initial poll will decide whether our focus should be on advocating for the creation of new State Guard or State Defense Forces, or on appealing to the Adjutant Generals (TAGs) of those states. Following this, a subsequent poll, conducted a day later, will zero in on the specific state or TAG that our lobbying efforts will target. Through this inclusive and democratic approach, we aim to harness the collective wisdom of our team, supporters, and community to guide our advocacy in the most impactful direction.
In in conclusion
We have 4 lobbyists which will be 4 Votes
We have 1 Patreon Member (Colonel or Above) – 1 Vote
Facebook Group Vote – 1 Vote (Whichever choice gets the most votes)
To Become a Patreon (Colonel or Above) to get your own Vote – Click Here
Should the votes yield no clear consensus, the decision will be entrusted to a poll among Patreon Members of the Colonel tier or higher. In the event that this poll results in a tie or fails to produce a definitive consensus, the deciding vote will be cast by the Colonel tier Patreon Member with the earliest date of membership.
In the absence of Patreon members at the Colonel tier or higher, the determination will default to the outcome of the Facebook vote.
Here is a diagram of our voting process:
What should we focus on:
- Focus On Creating a New State Defense Force / State Guard in the states listed
- Focus on The Adjutant General / Florida State Guard in the listed states
To Vote on Facebook Group – Click Here
If you are a Colonel Tier or Above Patreon Member Vote Here -> Click Here