Bigger events feature bands and dancing. These days, presentations illustrated with computer-generated charts, graphs and pictures are popular. The slickest affairs tend to be sponsored by groups employing veteran lobbyists who understand the legislative timetable and attention span. Organized portions of events are short and glitzy, with the rest of the time spent schmoozing. During the daytime, before the evening hoopla, the supplicants roam the Capitol in search of legislators whose districts or committee assignments make them especially attractive marks for the sales pitch.
Some groups are less well prepared.
The group had chosen to come calling on a day the legislature was not in session. Note that private and fairly narrow interest groups dominate the invasion. Of those listed here, only two represent local government and in some degree the taxpayers - the counties and school boards associations. Most are business, professional or do-good groups. The list is a snapshot illustrating the growing frustration voiced by representatives of cities, villages, towns, counties and schools who believe their voices are drowned by groups whose members not only swarm the Legislature to lobby but in election years pop open checkbooks to help legislative candidates pay their campaign expenses.