It is no exaggeration to say that Massachusetts Convention of States (MA COS) regional and district captain Kristy Stefano has become an expert practitioner of communication with her state representative and state senator.
Kristy was awarded a Patriot Pin during the MA COS annual planning meeting earlier this summer, during which she delivered a memorable presentation about establishing and maintaining a productive line of communication with representatives. She recently met with her state representative, Michael Finn of the 6th Hampden district, to discuss Article V, the Convention of States movement, and the COS Resolution currently in the Massachusetts General Court, known as H3541.
According to Kristy, securing an in-person meeting involved working with Rep. Finn's legislative aide and making her purpose clear.
"I called Rep. Finn's district office," said Kristy. "I spoke with his legislative aide. I let the aide know I am a constituent. I requested to meet with Rep. Finn in regards to bill H3541."
Kristy said that her request was simply to meet with Rep. Finn (whom Kristy noted prefers to be called "Mike") to discuss H3541 and ask that he consider signing on as a co-sponsor. A meeting was set, and MA COS legislative liaison and district captain Mark Marshall accompanied Kristy to the meeting in Rep. Finn's district office.
"It was an informal meeting," said Kristy. "The duration was close to an hour."
According to Kristy, Rep. Finn was "very inquisitive" about H3541 and the notion of a convention of states, and that the conversation was such that "the meeting could have continued had we allowed it."
Tracking the outline of the testimony that was given to a joint committee of the General Court in January 2022, Kristy discussed the process and need for Article V of the Constitution, the constitutional requirement that 34 states must pass a resolution for a convention to be called, and that 19 states have already done so. She added that the joint committee that heard the aforementioned testimony passed the resolution favorably out of committee.
Kristy said that Rep. Finn's interest was piqued by one of the main pillars of the COS movement -- restraint of federal spending. She said that the possibility of such an amendment appealed to him.
Kristy's tactic during the meeting seemed to be the same that she employs during her district meetings and other presentations she has made regarding an Article V convention:
"My strategy was to educate my legislator on COS, answer any questions, and provide reassurance of zero risk with this process."
Kristy said that she also offered to link Rep. Finn to the recent Article V simulation in Williamsburg, Virginia, to help him further understand the process. Rep. Finn accepted the offer.
While Rep. Finn did not commit to co-sponsoring H3541 during the meeting, he did say that he would seriously consider it. To conclude that the meeting made progress is an understatement.
Kristy's simple and elegant approach to setting up a personal meeting with her state representative should inspire district captains and volunteers to do likewise, no matter where one's representative falls on the political spectrum.
"My advice to fellow COS volunteers would be to have a non-partisan mindset when contacting/speaking to your legislator," said Kristy. "Don't let political differences discourage you from contacting your legislator."
Persistence and some political savvy that is sure to gain notice are other keys, according to Kristy.
"If your legislator isn't willing to meet with you, don't give up, be patient and start to build a relationship with the legislator's staff, take time to educate them on COS."
For district captains, Kristy said that providing the legislator's staff with a list of COS supporters in the legislator's district "is an effective way to get your legislator's attention, especially if there are hundreds of supporters in the legislator's district."
It is evident that Kristy's good-natured, non-partisan, and educational approach works. She has now met with her state representative and state senator in person this calendar year alone.
Kristy Stefano is the personification of grassroots federalism in action. Her dedication and commitment have gone a long way in advancing the case for an Article V convention.
