While the Legislature only meets in regular session for 60 days out of the year, lobbying for business is a year-round effort. Our modern activist government means that the actions of each branch; legislative, executive, and judicial must be monitored.

Every special interest group in the state sends lobbyists to Tallahassee to speak out on their special matters of concern, and that's a good thing. After all, government exists to serve us. Among these special interest groups, however, are some seeking laws that stifle economic progress and transfer more of our resources to government so that bureaucrats can redistribute the wealth. That's why business needs Associated Industries of Florida to stand firm against these challenges to prosperity.

Associated Industries of Florida has organized its lobbying effort toward promoting conditions of economic liberty in support of the people who create jobs, pay wages, and supply goods and services to the citizens of Florida. The goals of this effort are:

• To research and analyze the impact of public policy on economic prosperity and actively promote policies that reflect the mutual interests of business and the citizenry."

• To identify impediments to prosperity and work to remove those impediments by developing policy alternatives."

• To defend the business community against those who would confiscate the rewards that follow from industriousness, risk-taking, and innovation."

LOBBYING THE OLD AND NEW WAYS

AIF lobbies in the traditional way, meaning the lobbyists work the Capitol, educating lawmakers about the issues and convincing them why they should vote our way on the issues. But AIF has also introduced modern advances to the business of lobbying.

AIF lobbyists stay in touch with lawmakers throughout the year in their home districts and during interim committee meetings. We also apply newly developed communication technology to help businesses stay educated about the issues and informed about the actions of government.

WORKING WITH CORPORATE LOBBYISTS

AIF does not take stands on industry-specific issues, so we can promise that we will never lobby against a member company. Instead, AIF takes care of the general business issues, those that touch the interests of all Florida employers.

Since most major corporations have in-house governmental affairs departments, AIF has formed its Corporate Lobbyist Group to help all the business lobbyists in Tallahassee work together on mutually beneficial matters.

The Corporate Lobbyist Group is a special committee comprised of governmental affairs representatives who lobby exclusively for corporate employers. The most active of all AIF committees, the Corporate Lobbyist Group meets throughout the year to discuss legislative and political issues, as well as other topics of interest to the business community.

The Corporate Lobbyist Group helps coordinate AIF's activities on matters of general concern to the business community.