A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2020
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2020
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Over the years, both Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli have spoken about the lobbying profession and Ray has operated his successful Lobbying 101 and Lobbying 201 courses for more than a decade. They both have shared many insights and real-life stories about the legislative and lobbying processes in Sacramento.
It is often said that what we do in California leads the nation, for good or bad, and how that policy is made is important. So, Ray and Chris decided to put together a textbook from leading practitioners on the ground that they know would provide an engaging read for students while also providing in-depth knowledge of why advocacy is important and how it works and how to do it well.
Until the publication of this textbook, there has not been a book published on California state level lobbying. And, each book chapter was written by an expert is his or her area of state government lobbying expertise. As a result, unlike many other lobbying books authored by academics or former practitioners, this unique book was entirely written by more than 40 practicing California lobbyists and politicos. The wide-ranging, 45-chapter textbook provides an insider’s perspective on varying topics related to lobbying and working in the legislative process. Each chapter provides professional insights into current topics.
Section I. Getting Started
1 Who Qualifies as a Lobbyist? Diane Fishburn and Lacey Keys
2 FPPC Compliance for Lobbyists Thomas Hiltachk and Sarah Lang
3 Types of Lobbyists and Their Clients Mark Smith
4 Educating Lobbyists Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli
5 Finding a Job in the Lobbying Field Chris Micheli
Section II. Types of Lobbying
6 Lobbying the Legislature Mike Belote
7 Government Procurement Lobbying Rob Grossglauser and Chris Micheli
8 Regulatory Agency Lobbying Chris Micheli
9 Legislative Coalition and Grassroots Mobilization Efforts Mike Madrid
10 Nonprofit State Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy in California Jennifer Fearing
Section III. The Business of Lobbying
11 How to Open Your Own Small Firm Erin Niemela
12 Running a Successful Lobbying Firm Aaron Read
13 Getting and Retaining Clients John Latimer
14 Small, Boutique Lobbying Firms – Specialized, Personalized Gavin McHugh, Shari McHugh, Dawn Koepke and Naomi Padron
Section IV. The Mechanics of Lobbying
15 Best Practices for Lobbying Cassie Gilson
16 California Ethics Rules for the Lobbying Profession Tom Hiltachk, Chris Micheli and Charles H. Bell
17 Finding the Right Bill Author for Your Bill Ray LeBov
18 Negotiating Legislative Amendments Margaret Gladstein
19 Writing Effective Advocacy Letters Chris Micheli
20 Providing Effective Committee Testimony Chris Micheli
21 Securing Gubernatorial Signatures and Vetoes and Confirming Gubernatorial Appointments Chris Kahn
22 End-of-Session Plays and Pitfalls Dennis Loper
23 Lobbying Bill Referrals Chris Micheli
24 Tips for Effective Meetings with State Officials and Staff Andrew Antwih and Chris Micheli
25 State Budget Lobbying Diane Cummins
26 Tracking and Analyzing California Legislation and Regulations Chris Micheli
27 Effective Lobbying in the Rulemaking Process Anthony Samson
28 Lobbying Elected Officials: Suggestions for Success Marty Block and Chris Micheli
29 Developing Strategy and Tactics to Implement Your Lobbying Goals Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli
Section V. Specialized Areas of Lobbying
30 Navigating the Coastal Commission: A Guide to Effective Communications Susan McCabe
31 Lobbying at the Public Utilities Commission Carolyn Veal-Hunter
32 Advocacy before the California Transportation Commission Robert Naylor
Section VI. Lobbying Support
33 Lobbying Support Services Anne Kelly
34 Policy Analysis in the Legislative Process Thomas Nussbaum
35 Statutory Interpretation and Legislative Intent Research for Lobbyists Chris Micheli
36 Forming and Running Successful Lobbying Coalitions Jeanne Cain
37 Resources for Lobbyists Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli
Section VII. Working with and as a Lobbyist
38 Managing a Political Action Committee Martin A. Wilson
39 Working as an Association Lobbyist and Managing Contract Lobbyists Katherine Pettibone
40 Working as an In-House Lobbyist Martha Miller
41 Working as a Labor Union Lobbyist Caitlin Vega
42 Lobbying Sacramento from a Local Government Perspective Michael Turner
43 Working as a State Agency Lobbyist Ben Turner
Section VIII. Alternatives to Lobbying
44 Use of Ballot Measures in Lobbying Brandon Castillo
45 Legislative Power: Challenging Statutes in the Courts Jon Coupa
Chris Micheli is a founding partner of the Sacramento governmental relations and advocacy firm of Aprea & Micheli, Inc. As a legislative advocate, Micheli frequently testifies before policy and fiscal committees of the California Legislature, as well as a number of administrative agencies, departments, boards, and commissions. He regularly drafts legislative and regulatory language and is considered a leading authority on state tax law developments, California's knife laws, and the state legislative process. The Wall Street Journal called him "one of the top three business tax lobbyists in the state" and the Los Angeles Times described him as an "elite lobbyist."
Over the last twenty years, he has published hundreds of articles and editorials in professional journals, newspapers, and trade magazines, whose diverse subjects range from tax incentives to transportation funding. He wrote a bi-monthly column on civil justice reform for five years for The Daily Recorder, Sacramento's daily legal newspaper. He has served on the editorial advisory board for CCH's State Income Tax Alert, a nationwide publication, as well as State Income Tax Monitor, another national newsletter, and Sacramento Lawyer, a monthly legal journal.
Micheli has been an attorney of record in several key cases, having argued before the Supreme Court of California (just two years out of law school), as well as the Court of Appeal several times. He has filed more than fifteen amicus curiae briefs in California courts and is admitted to practice law before all of the state and federal courts in the state. He has published six peer-reviewed law review articles and is the co-editor and co-author of the book “A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California,” as well as the author of “Understanding the California Legislative Process,” both published in 2020 by Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company. His most recently-published books released in 2021 are “Introduction to California Government” and “An Introduction to Legislative Drafting in California.” He is also the co-author of “Guide to Executive Branch Agency Rulemaking.” He also published two law school casebooks entitled “The California Legislature and Its Legislative Process – Cases and Materials” and “Cases and Materials on Direct Democracy in California.”
He is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Political Science – Public Service and the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law with a J.D. degree. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at McGeorge where he co-teaches the course Lawmaking in California, as well as a Lecturer in Law at the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law where he co-teaches the course Legislative Drafting. He resides in Sacramento, California with his wife, Liza, two daughters, Morgan and Francesca, and son, Vincenzo.
Ray LeBov began working in Sacramento in 1975, when he was appointed as counsel to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on the Structure of the Judiciary. He served in various other legislative staff positions until 1991, most notably as counsel to the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary for his last twelve years.
In 1991 he joined the Judicial Council of California and served as the Council’s Director of Governmental Affairs from 1992 until his retirement from state service in 2004. As Director, he was the chief lobbyist for the state court system. He led the judicial branch’s successful efforts to enact myriad landmark legislation including the Trial Court Funding Act and the court unification constitutional amendment.
Since 2007, Mr. LeBov has also served as President of the Association for Professional Basketball Research (APBR). He also publishes the blog Basketball Intelligence, a daily digest of the best writing about professional basketball.
He has also been a featured columnist on lobbying for Capitol Weekly, and can presently be heard in a series of podcasts on effective lobbying practices for the Capital Center at McGeorge School of Law and Policy..
Mr. LeBov received his B.A. degree from Yale University and his J.D. from University of Southern California. Following his graduation from Yale, he served a year as a volunteer with VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), now a part of AmeriCorps.
Whether you are a veteran government affairs professional or new to the role, there is no better primer to the unique arena of advocacy in California. A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California dutifully outlines the nuts and bolts of California’s complex policy landscape and layers the practical considerations on how to successfully navigate it. Chris Micheli does this in a very user friendly approach by pulling together technical knowledge with years or practical experience. A must have for anyone working in California public policy.
Jason Fox
Vice President of Government Relations, California Society of CPAs
Ninety-plus percent of A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California applies to lobbying anywhere in the United States. I say this having lobbied in California, Oregon, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Florida, and other US states. The book’s near-national applicability stems from demands by the US Constitution and federal practice for 50-state conformity on the basics, and because of a shared the American political psyche. Unlike lobbying in Canada and the OECD in the US, Mexico, and Europe, I find American psychological conformity makes the responses of lawmakers and special interests largely predictable. In addition to my own and a select few other practice books, I now also recommend A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California to everyone wanting to understand how to do effective US state advocacy.
Robert L. Guyer
Author, 7 Titles and Nine Volumes on Lobbying US State Government
Some may wonder if we need a book to understand California’s legislative process. Issues considered in the California Legislature are frequently complex, far-reaching and influence policy in the rest of the nation. As someone who spent many years working on public policy issues in the California Legislature, I have no doubt that anyone — from new staffer to experienced advocate — will benefit from the in-depth descriptions in this book of how the Legislature operates and how it is organized.
Cathy Christian | Former Deputy Attorney General and Law/Lobbying Firm Partner
Adjunct Professor, McGeorge School of Law
I’m currently reading through A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California and have been enjoying it as a newer lobbyist early on in my career.
Madeline Cline
Golden Bridge Strategies
Chris is a true master of the legislative process. Whenever I need the right answer to a question regarding the legislative process, Chris is my first call.
Mark Sektnan | Vice President
American Property Casualty Insurance Association
A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California is a must read for anyone in the lobbying industry. The knowledge and resources provided by its author proved invaluable to me
Vanessa Lugo | Director Of Government Relations
Equifax
A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California is a valuable and comprehensive resource for understanding lobbying in California. Insights from several practitioners give the reader a how-to guide on influencing the legislative process and navigating the vast state bureaucracy. This compilation of knowledge and experience is the definitive guidebook for those seeking to shape public policy towards their interests.
Ross Elliott | Former Executive Director, California Ambulance Association
Chairman of the Board, Kern Valley Healthcare District
I bought this book and it’s in my library. Great work!
Martha Escutia
Former California State Senator
Excellent resource. It should be used for staff professional development, legislative fellowship programs, internships and required reading for college students studying political science and governance.
Dr. Angelo Williams, Ph.D. | College Professor
Chief of Staff, Assembly Member Mike Gipson
As an elected official, I appreciated the book's extensive coverage of a wide variety of topics by the diverse group of authors. It is obvious they are experienced advocates who share a wealth of insights into the world of California government advocacy. This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in California lobbying and government affairs work.
Evan Low | Member
California State Assembly
I’ll need one of these for my desk! You’re amazing.
Caity Maple | V.P., Government Affairs & Compliance
Perfect Union
I have used this comprehensive and authoritative book in my Legislative Advocacy course at UC Berkeley. Both my students and I have found it to be very helpful in explaining what lobbyists do and how they do it. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about how to lobby effectively.
Larry D. Magid | Professor
UC Berkeley
It’s an incredible resource. It’s a Lobbyist Bible!
Liz Vice | Manager
Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health
Congratulations Chris, what a great resource!
Alisa Fong | Member
Roseville City School District
Great work! They’re lucky to have you involved.
Leah Barros
Leah Barros LLC
A who’s who in California policy making … Chris, Ray and their expert line-up of authors take readers through Sacramento’s complex world of lobbying to teach the next generation how to be most effective in California’s Capitol. This single resource includes personal insight from the best lobbyists in the State. Don’t miss out.
Lindsay VanLaningham
Former client and colleague
Chris Micheli is one of the most respected and experienced lobbyists in Sacramento, providing unparalleled wisdom and assistance over the years to those who were new to the business. In this book he has collected a treasure trove of experience on all working with and within the vast structure of California's state government. The authors represented in the book are some of the best in the business. A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy is a soup to nuts book of how to advocate in California, and is valuable for both new lobbyists, government affairs personnel and experienced lobbyists looking to expand their portfolio in new areas of expertise. There is no other book like this on the market and it is a must-have reference.
Katherine Pettibone
Former national and state trade association executive
Ninety per cent of this book applies to every US state. Near universality flows from federal law setting basic government procedure and commonalities of American human nature. The ten per cent that doesn’t apply rests in California being the biggest and bluest state government. 44 short, stand-alone, well-written, independent essays by diverse government relations experts summarize lobbying fundamentals, legislative and executive, and even running your lobbying business. I’ve worked with government for 40 years yet I learned new practice tips. Despite the California slant, the manual is useful for anyone – educators, clients, managers - wanting to view state advocacy from the vantage of a 10,000-foot flyover.
Robert L. Guyer | The Lobby School
Author, Insiders Talk Series of Lobbying Manuals
If you want to understand the California lobbying and advocacy dynamic look no further, A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California is the ultimate knowledge, and resource book in the industry. Every legislative staffer should read it and have a copy of this book.
Lily Movsisyan | Capitol Director
California State Assembly Member
As California goes, so goes the nation. Many legislative trends start in California, and California of course has an outsized effect on national public policy. And in California, there is one guru who even the experts turn to, for challenging government-advocacy matters. That is Chris Micheli, the author of this book. In this excellent work, Micheli has distilled his decades of experience into one thorough yet concise, easy-to-read volume. A must-read for anyone involved in advocacy, or anyone who simply wants to understand public policy in the modern world. This book will go on your shelf, but won't stay there, as you'll consult it again and again.
California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto (ret.)
I plan to rely on this amazing resource in teaching a law school clinic on legislative and public policy. This manual is not only comprehensive, but is concisely written to both acquaint and guide students and practitioners in navigating California’s extensive and highly influential public sector agencies and legislative bodies.
Cathy Christian | Adjunct Professor
McGeorge School of Law
Over the years, both Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli have spoken about the lobbying profession and Ray has operated his successful Lobbying 101 and Lobbying 201 courses for more than a decade. They both have shared many insights and real-life stories about the legislative and lobbying processes in Sacramento.
It is often said that what we do in California leads the nation, for good or bad, and how that policy is made is important. So, Ray and Chris decided to put together a textbook from leading practitioners on the ground that they know would provide an engaging read for students while also providing in-depth knowledge of why advocacy is important and how it works and how to do it well.
Until the publication of this textbook, there has not been a book published on California state level lobbying. And, each book chapter was written by an expert is his or her area of state government lobbying expertise. As a result, unlike many other lobbying books authored by academics or former practitioners, this unique book was entirely written by more than 40 practicing California lobbyists and politicos. The wide-ranging, 45-chapter textbook provides an insider’s perspective on varying topics related to lobbying and working in the legislative process. Each chapter provides professional insights into current topics.
Section I. Getting Started
1 Who Qualifies as a Lobbyist? Diane Fishburn and Lacey Keys
2 FPPC Compliance for Lobbyists Thomas Hiltachk and Sarah Lang
3 Types of Lobbyists and Their Clients Mark Smith
4 Educating Lobbyists Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli
5 Finding a Job in the Lobbying Field Chris Micheli
Section II. Types of Lobbying
6 Lobbying the Legislature Mike Belote
7 Government Procurement Lobbying Rob Grossglauser and Chris Micheli
8 Regulatory Agency Lobbying Chris Micheli
9 Legislative Coalition and Grassroots Mobilization Efforts Mike Madrid
10 Nonprofit State Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy in California Jennifer Fearing
Section III. The Business of Lobbying
11 How to Open Your Own Small Firm Erin Niemela
12 Running a Successful Lobbying Firm Aaron Read
13 Getting and Retaining Clients John Latimer
14 Small, Boutique Lobbying Firms – Specialized, Personalized Gavin McHugh, Shari McHugh, Dawn Koepke and Naomi Padron
Section IV. The Mechanics of Lobbying
15 Best Practices for Lobbying Cassie Gilson
16 California Ethics Rules for the Lobbying Profession Tom Hiltachk, Chris Micheli and Charles H. Bell
17 Finding the Right Bill Author for Your Bill Ray LeBov
18 Negotiating Legislative Amendments Margaret Gladstein
19 Writing Effective Advocacy Letters Chris Micheli
20 Providing Effective Committee Testimony Chris Micheli
21 Securing Gubernatorial Signatures and Vetoes and Confirming Gubernatorial Appointments Chris Kahn
22 End-of-Session Plays and Pitfalls Dennis Loper
23 Lobbying Bill Referrals Chris Micheli
24 Tips for Effective Meetings with State Officials and Staff Andrew Antwih and Chris Micheli
25 State Budget Lobbying Diane Cummins
26 Tracking and Analyzing California Legislation and Regulations Chris Micheli
27 Effective Lobbying in the Rulemaking Process Anthony Samson
28 Lobbying Elected Officials: Suggestions for Success Marty Block and Chris Micheli
29 Developing Strategy and Tactics to Implement Your Lobbying Goals Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli
Section V. Specialized Areas of Lobbying
30 Navigating the Coastal Commission: A Guide to Effective Communications Susan McCabe
31 Lobbying at the Public Utilities Commission Carolyn Veal-Hunter
32 Advocacy before the California Transportation Commission Robert Naylor
Section VI. Lobbying Support
33 Lobbying Support Services Anne Kelly
34 Policy Analysis in the Legislative Process Thomas Nussbaum
35 Statutory Interpretation and Legislative Intent Research for Lobbyists Chris Micheli
36 Forming and Running Successful Lobbying Coalitions Jeanne Cain
37 Resources for Lobbyists Ray LeBov and Chris Micheli
Section VII. Working with and as a Lobbyist
38 Managing a Political Action Committee Martin A. Wilson
39 Working as an Association Lobbyist and Managing Contract Lobbyists Katherine Pettibone
40 Working as an In-House Lobbyist Martha Miller
41 Working as a Labor Union Lobbyist Caitlin Vega
42 Lobbying Sacramento from a Local Government Perspective Michael Turner
43 Working as a State Agency Lobbyist Ben Turner
Section VIII. Alternatives to Lobbying
44 Use of Ballot Measures in Lobbying Brandon Castillo
45 Legislative Power: Challenging Statutes in the Courts Jon Coupa
Chris Micheli is a founding partner of the Sacramento governmental relations and advocacy firm of Aprea & Micheli, Inc. As a legislative advocate, Micheli frequently testifies before policy and fiscal committees of the California Legislature, as well as a number of administrative agencies, departments, boards, and commissions. He regularly drafts legislative and regulatory language and is considered a leading authority on state tax law developments, California's knife laws, and the state legislative process. The Wall Street Journal called him "one of the top three business tax lobbyists in the state" and the Los Angeles Times described him as an "elite lobbyist."
Over the last twenty years, he has published hundreds of articles and editorials in professional journals, newspapers, and trade magazines, whose diverse subjects range from tax incentives to transportation funding. He wrote a bi-monthly column on civil justice reform for five years for The Daily Recorder, Sacramento's daily legal newspaper. He has served on the editorial advisory board for CCH's State Income Tax Alert, a nationwide publication, as well as State Income Tax Monitor, another national newsletter, and Sacramento Lawyer, a monthly legal journal.
Micheli has been an attorney of record in several key cases, having argued before the Supreme Court of California (just two years out of law school), as well as the Court of Appeal several times. He has filed more than fifteen amicus curiae briefs in California courts and is admitted to practice law before all of the state and federal courts in the state. He has published six peer-reviewed law review articles and is the co-editor and co-author of the book “A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California,” as well as the author of “Understanding the California Legislative Process,” both published in 2020 by Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company. His most recently-published books released in 2021 are “Introduction to California Government” and “An Introduction to Legislative Drafting in California.” He is also the co-author of “Guide to Executive Branch Agency Rulemaking.” He also published two law school casebooks entitled “The California Legislature and Its Legislative Process – Cases and Materials” and “Cases and Materials on Direct Democracy in California.”
He is a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Political Science – Public Service and the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law with a J.D. degree. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at McGeorge where he co-teaches the course Lawmaking in California, as well as a Lecturer in Law at the University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law where he co-teaches the course Legislative Drafting. He resides in Sacramento, California with his wife, Liza, two daughters, Morgan and Francesca, and son, Vincenzo.
Ray LeBov began working in Sacramento in 1975, when he was appointed as counsel to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on the Structure of the Judiciary. He served in various other legislative staff positions until 1991, most notably as counsel to the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary for his last twelve years.
In 1991 he joined the Judicial Council of California and served as the Council’s Director of Governmental Affairs from 1992 until his retirement from state service in 2004. As Director, he was the chief lobbyist for the state court system. He led the judicial branch’s successful efforts to enact myriad landmark legislation including the Trial Court Funding Act and the court unification constitutional amendment.
Since 2007, Mr. LeBov has also served as President of the Association for Professional Basketball Research (APBR). He also publishes the blog Basketball Intelligence, a daily digest of the best writing about professional basketball.
He has also been a featured columnist on lobbying for Capitol Weekly, and can presently be heard in a series of podcasts on effective lobbying practices for the Capital Center at McGeorge School of Law and Policy..
Mr. LeBov received his B.A. degree from Yale University and his J.D. from University of Southern California. Following his graduation from Yale, he served a year as a volunteer with VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), now a part of AmeriCorps.
Whether you are a veteran government affairs professional or new to the role, there is no better primer to the unique arena of advocacy in California. A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California dutifully outlines the nuts and bolts of California’s complex policy landscape and layers the practical considerations on how to successfully navigate it. Chris Micheli does this in a very user friendly approach by pulling together technical knowledge with years or practical experience. A must have for anyone working in California public policy.
Jason Fox
Vice President of Government Relations, California Society of CPAs
Ninety-plus percent of A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California applies to lobbying anywhere in the United States. I say this having lobbied in California, Oregon, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Florida, and other US states. The book’s near-national applicability stems from demands by the US Constitution and federal practice for 50-state conformity on the basics, and because of a shared the American political psyche. Unlike lobbying in Canada and the OECD in the US, Mexico, and Europe, I find American psychological conformity makes the responses of lawmakers and special interests largely predictable. In addition to my own and a select few other practice books, I now also recommend A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California to everyone wanting to understand how to do effective US state advocacy.
Robert L. Guyer
Author, 7 Titles and Nine Volumes on Lobbying US State Government
Some may wonder if we need a book to understand California’s legislative process. Issues considered in the California Legislature are frequently complex, far-reaching and influence policy in the rest of the nation. As someone who spent many years working on public policy issues in the California Legislature, I have no doubt that anyone — from new staffer to experienced advocate — will benefit from the in-depth descriptions in this book of how the Legislature operates and how it is organized.
Cathy Christian | Former Deputy Attorney General and Law/Lobbying Firm Partner
Adjunct Professor, McGeorge School of Law
I’m currently reading through A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California and have been enjoying it as a newer lobbyist early on in my career.
Madeline Cline
Golden Bridge Strategies
Chris is a true master of the legislative process. Whenever I need the right answer to a question regarding the legislative process, Chris is my first call.
Mark Sektnan | Vice President
American Property Casualty Insurance Association
A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California is a must read for anyone in the lobbying industry. The knowledge and resources provided by its author proved invaluable to me
Vanessa Lugo | Director Of Government Relations
Equifax
A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California is a valuable and comprehensive resource for understanding lobbying in California. Insights from several practitioners give the reader a how-to guide on influencing the legislative process and navigating the vast state bureaucracy. This compilation of knowledge and experience is the definitive guidebook for those seeking to shape public policy towards their interests.
Ross Elliott | Former Executive Director, California Ambulance Association
Chairman of the Board, Kern Valley Healthcare District
I bought this book and it’s in my library. Great work!
Martha Escutia
Former California State Senator
Excellent resource. It should be used for staff professional development, legislative fellowship programs, internships and required reading for college students studying political science and governance.
Dr. Angelo Williams, Ph.D. | College Professor
Chief of Staff, Assembly Member Mike Gipson
As an elected official, I appreciated the book's extensive coverage of a wide variety of topics by the diverse group of authors. It is obvious they are experienced advocates who share a wealth of insights into the world of California government advocacy. This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in California lobbying and government affairs work.
Evan Low | Member
California State Assembly
I’ll need one of these for my desk! You’re amazing.
Caity Maple | V.P., Government Affairs & Compliance
Perfect Union
I have used this comprehensive and authoritative book in my Legislative Advocacy course at UC Berkeley. Both my students and I have found it to be very helpful in explaining what lobbyists do and how they do it. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about how to lobby effectively.
Larry D. Magid | Professor
UC Berkeley
It’s an incredible resource. It’s a Lobbyist Bible!
Liz Vice | Manager
Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health
Congratulations Chris, what a great resource!
Alisa Fong | Member
Roseville City School District
Great work! They’re lucky to have you involved.
Leah Barros
Leah Barros LLC
A who’s who in California policy making … Chris, Ray and their expert line-up of authors take readers through Sacramento’s complex world of lobbying to teach the next generation how to be most effective in California’s Capitol. This single resource includes personal insight from the best lobbyists in the State. Don’t miss out.
Lindsay VanLaningham
Former client and colleague
Chris Micheli is one of the most respected and experienced lobbyists in Sacramento, providing unparalleled wisdom and assistance over the years to those who were new to the business. In this book he has collected a treasure trove of experience on all working with and within the vast structure of California's state government. The authors represented in the book are some of the best in the business. A Practitioner's Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy is a soup to nuts book of how to advocate in California, and is valuable for both new lobbyists, government affairs personnel and experienced lobbyists looking to expand their portfolio in new areas of expertise. There is no other book like this on the market and it is a must-have reference.
Katherine Pettibone
Former national and state trade association executive
Ninety per cent of this book applies to every US state. Near universality flows from federal law setting basic government procedure and commonalities of American human nature. The ten per cent that doesn’t apply rests in California being the biggest and bluest state government. 44 short, stand-alone, well-written, independent essays by diverse government relations experts summarize lobbying fundamentals, legislative and executive, and even running your lobbying business. I’ve worked with government for 40 years yet I learned new practice tips. Despite the California slant, the manual is useful for anyone – educators, clients, managers - wanting to view state advocacy from the vantage of a 10,000-foot flyover.
Robert L. Guyer | The Lobby School
Author, Insiders Talk Series of Lobbying Manuals
If you want to understand the California lobbying and advocacy dynamic look no further, A Practitioner’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy in California is the ultimate knowledge, and resource book in the industry. Every legislative staffer should read it and have a copy of this book.
Lily Movsisyan | Capitol Director
California State Assembly Member
As California goes, so goes the nation. Many legislative trends start in California, and California of course has an outsized effect on national public policy. And in California, there is one guru who even the experts turn to, for challenging government-advocacy matters. That is Chris Micheli, the author of this book. In this excellent work, Micheli has distilled his decades of experience into one thorough yet concise, easy-to-read volume. A must-read for anyone involved in advocacy, or anyone who simply wants to understand public policy in the modern world. This book will go on your shelf, but won't stay there, as you'll consult it again and again.
California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto (ret.)
I plan to rely on this amazing resource in teaching a law school clinic on legislative and public policy. This manual is not only comprehensive, but is concisely written to both acquaint and guide students and practitioners in navigating California’s extensive and highly influential public sector agencies and legislative bodies.
Cathy Christian | Adjunct Professor
McGeorge School of Law