All across the country, state legislators are working hard to pass bills for state budgets, education policy, roads and bridges repair, public safety, judicial system review, and environmental matters. These are YOUR legislators and they are making policy for YOUR state.

Have you called, emailed, sent a letter, or visited your state legislators? If so, good! Keep it up! If not, why not? These men and women are making decisions that affect you and your family.

It’s easy to contact your legislators, even if you don’t remember their names. Just go to your state government home page, easily found through Google. Just type in “Montana state government” or “New Mexico state government” (use your own state) and you’ll get an answer: https://mt.gov or www.newmexico.gov, etc.

After you get to your state government’s home page, look for a tab or menu item that says “government” or something similar. Click on that, and then look for “legislature” or “legislative branch.” In Montana, it’s at https://leg.mt.gov. Right on the home page, it invites you to “Find My Legislator.” And there you are.

Once you find your legislator’s name, you’ll see his or her phone number, email address, and office location. Now you’re ready to contact him or her.

Why should you contact your legislator? To express your opinion about our parks, public lands, and wildlife, of course.

Right now there are bills in every legislature making their way through committees and onto the floor of the state senate and state house (except in Nebraska, that has only one legislative body). Your parks, public lands, and wildlife are at risk. Don’t let them down. Express yourself!

Find our where your legislators stand by calling their offices and asking their administrative staff, or by reading their newsletters that come to you, or by going to their websites, or all three. Do you agree or disagree? Regardless, you need to contact them and let them know your views.

Lots of times, our legislators have no idea what their constituents think about a particular bill. So they are left with using their own opinions, which may be for or against or neutral. Do you want that?

Before you call or email, find some facts to support your views. And then, contact them!

You can do it! You MUST do it if you care about our parks, public lands, and wildlife.