Fall is for Planning, January is for Action: How to Prepare Now for Legislative Session

Most state legislative sessions begin in January—which means when the calendar flips, it’s go time. Bills move fast, politics get heated, and opportunities can vanish in a matter of hours.

The fall months are your golden window to prepare, plan, and position your organization for impact. The better your prep now, the more effective and nimble you’ll be when lawmakers come back to town.

Here’s what you should be doing right now to be ready when the gavel drops.

1. Align Your Communications and Advocacy

Your messaging and advocacy strategy should not be siloed. They must move in lockstep.

• Create a shared plan for your team, board, and core volunteers: what your priorities are, how you’ll define success, and what issues you’ll track even if they’re not top priorities.

• Set your narrative now—before opponents set theirs. Outline your talking points, social media themes, and stories that illustrate why your policy priorities matter.

• Decide your communication cadence: Will you hold weekly check-ins? Run a session-specific newsletter? Use a Slack or Teams channel for rapid intel sharing?

• Anticipate the political climate: Is the legislature hostile, friendly, or split? Will this be a defensive year or an opportunity to push something forward? When everyone knows the game plan and the language to use, you’re not scrambling mid-session to get on the same page.

  
  

2. Get on the Same Page with Your Lobbyist

If you have a lobbyist, they are your eyes, ears, and voice inside the building—but only if you’re aligned.

• Set expectations early: Which bills are non-negotiables? Which are nice-to-haves? Which fights will you avoid?

• Go beyond bill tracking: Ask how your lobbyist can help expand your reach—introducing you to new lawmakers, connecting you with committee staff, or positioning you as a trusted resource.

• Establish your rapid-response protocol: If something unexpected pops up, how will decisions be made and communicated? The best legislative relationships are built in the off-season. Use the fall to make sure your lobbyist isn’t just ready to react—they’re positioned to help you grow your power.

Here is a resource to help you work effectively and successfully with your lobbyist.

3. Analyze Your Grassroots Power

Legislative wins often come down to one question: Can you mobilize people who matter to lawmakers?

• Map your advocates by district: Where are you strong? Where are you silent?

• Identify your gaps: Which lawmakers don’t hear from your side at all? Which communities or coalitions aren’t yet connected to you?

• Assess your readiness: Do you have a list you can activate quickly? Do you know who can testify, write an op-ed, or call their legislator on short notice? Power mapping now lets you shore up weaknesses before session—when you won’t have time to play catch-up.

  
  

4. Prepare Your Advocates

Even the most passionate supporters need tools, training, and confidence to be effective.

• Policy briefings: Make sure advocates understand the legislation, the stakes, and the opposition’s arguments.

• Skill-building: Host workshops on storytelling, meeting with lawmakers, testifying at hearings, and using social media effectively.

• Scenario planning: Walk through “what if” situations so your team is ready for amendments, surprise votes, or misinformation campaigns.

• Onboard new voices: Don’t rely solely on your existing core advocates—recruit and train fresh energy now. The organizations that win are often the ones whose advocates are not only informed, but confident and quick to act.

  
  

5. Strengthen and Expand Alliances

No one wins big policy fights alone. The strength—and breadth—of your coalition can make or break your session.

• Check in with current partners: Are they still aligned? Do they have capacity for joint work?

• Fill in missing perspectives: Are there labor, business, faith, or community groups who could broaden your credibility and reach?

• Build bridges now: Pre-session is the time to repair strained relationships or approach new allies, when the pressure is low and conversations can be more exploratory.

• Clarify roles: Who will lead on messaging? Who can mobilize grassroots in key districts? Who will handle press outreach? Strong coalitions aren’t just built—they’re maintained. Make sure yours is tight before the fight begins.

  
  

Bottom line: Fall is for preparation. January is for execution. The organizations that treat autumn as their true campaign season—lining up messages, relationships, advocates, and power—enter the session ready to move with speed, unity, and purpose.

And if you’re reading this thinking, We need help pulling this all together, this is also the perfect time to bring in an advocacy strategist to help you plan your session game plan, map your power, train your advocates, and align your communications.

If you want to go into January fully prepared, let’s talk.

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