[brookschaaf]

Hi Guys,

David Lewis from CashBaq.com is planning to visit for a legislative day on March 31 (this is ahead of the April 13 hearing). If anyone is able to go up on this day please contact me so I can help coordinate. (I have a prior business travel commitment this week I am trying to move around so that I can attend as well.)

[markwelch]

I assume that the goal for the March 31 visit is to have California web publishers meet with legislators and/or staffers, to inform them how AB 178 would impact California residents? I also assume that the primary focus would be on the members of the Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee (http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=21): Charles M. Calderon (Chair/bill sponsor), Chuck DeVore (Vice-Chair), Anthony J. Portantino, Diane L. Harkey, Fiona Ma, Jim Beall Jr., Jim Nielsen, Joe Coto, and Lori Saldaña, along with the bill's co-sponsor (Nancy Skinner).

Note: I believe that the legislature will be 'in recess' during the week just before the April 13 hearing (spring break for most students). That might afford some opportunity for California web publishers to meet with their legislators in their home districts (call ahead! make an appointment!), but it's also a week when many legislators may be away on vacation.

[brookschaaf]

Hi Mark,

That is the basic idea, yes. Karen Garcia is working on scheduling the meetings.

[TrishaLyn]

I'll shoot an email to you and Karen to coordinate; I am eager to make it up there.

[brookschaaf]

Thanks, Trisha!

[kgarcia]

Just a quick update...I've managed to secure meetings with Assembly Members DeVore, Harkey, Ma, Portantino, and Nielsen and with Senators Wolk, Ashburn, Florez, Runner, and Wiggins. All of these legislators are on the Tax and Revenue Committees for their respective houses. There are still a few pending meetings that I'm hoping to finalize today as well.

If you are interested in coming up on March 31st, even if it's only for part of the day, please please please let Brook and me know asap so we can best coordinate.

Thanks!
Karen

[Rexanne]

I'd love to get in their faces up close and personal. Count me in. :-)

[TrishaLyn]

Yes! The more the merrier, although some of the meetings have limitations as to how many people can attend.

[kgarcia]

For anyone coming in the morning that I don't already have on the list, we are meeting on the sixth floor of the Capitol building in the cafeteria at 9 am. If you need more details, please grab the Lobby Day Itinerary (http://gtomanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ab-178-lobby-day-logistics-and-itinerary-public.doc)

I hope to see you there!
~Karen

[CathyM]

I look forward to hearing how your day goes.

[Carolyn - ShareASale]

Best of everything, guys!!!

[Haiko de Poel, Jr.]

A lunch time update would be good *hint* ;)

[kgarcia]

Sorry we didn't get a lunch update on here today Haiko! We ended up having eighteen different meetings today all over the state capitol, so we rarely had a moment to do anything except plead our case.

I've posted an update of today to our blog (http://gtomanagement.com/ab-178-lobby-day/) but I think overall a majority of what we did today was educating those we met with about what performance marketing is and is not. (FYI - the term "affiliate" is a completely different beast to politicos...it's associated more along the lines of an employed salesperson...which is a cause for nexus. We were advised by CalTax and CalChamber to avoid it as much as possible for this reason.) We met with several very tech savvy people and some that were definitely not as up to speed. I'm confident that we did a good job explaining our position and why we oppose this bill, but whether the vote will swing that direction is still up in the air.

For those of you that live in the districts of the Assembly Rev and Tax Committee, it is imperative that you get involved and do it asap. Call your Assemblymember and make an appointment to see them when they are home. The Assembly is on spring break from April 4-12 so now is the opportune time to see them face to face at home. If you happen to live outside their districts, please join in the letter writing campaign if you haven't already. The more opposition they see from the community, the better!

Also, the hearing when this bill will be voted on by the Committee has been set for 1:30 pm on April 13th in room 126 at the Capitol. Several of us will be in attendance and you are certainly welcome to show up as well!

~Karen

[Rexanne]

Oh well I'm a complete idiot - Woke up this morning wondering where March went and this makes me realize I really have lost the last week somewhere - Damn. Didn't realize March 31 was as close as it was.

Thanks to all who attended these meetings. I'll check your blog Karen.