Important Information About
Contacting Your State Legislators
Each Kentuckian is represented by two elected state level legislators: a member of the Kentucky State Senate (senator) and a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (representative). These individuals vote on all bills that create or change Kentucky law (Kentucky Revised Statutes or KRS). It is important that both of your state legislators hear from you about issues that are important to you. While you can contact any legislator, it is most important that you communicate with the legislators elected to represent your district.
Find Your Legislators – The Kentucky Legislative Research Commission has an easy to use website to help you determine your legislators. Enter your address and click on the map. https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/findyourlegislator/findyourlegislator.html
Many state legislators are running for election or re-election in 2020. The entire House of Representatives and half of the Senate are up for election this year. Some are running unopposed. Some are retiring and their seats will be filled by someone new. In addition to currently elected officials, you should also reach out to any candidates who are running to represent you in the House or Senate. You can check to see who is running for the state Senate and House in your districts here: http://web.sos.ky.gov/elections/candidatefilings/statewide/
Note: you will need to know your state senate and state house district numbers, which you can find at the first link above.
Below are some ways you can contact your legislators.
Visiting Your Legislators – By far, a face-to-face meeting is the most effective method of contact with a legislator. During the legislative session (starting in January each year), this most often happens at the legislator’s office in Frankfort, but it is also possible to meet with them in your home district, especially when the legislature is not in session. This is currently complicated by COVID, but you can still ask your legislator if they are open to face-to-face communication. You can also watch for local community events where legislators are scheduled to attend or speak.
Writing to Your Legislator – Writing to your legislator is another great and effective tool. Letters (particularly hand-written) are sometimes better than e-mail, although both are important.
It is helpful to write to your legislators several times, but even more impactful than multiple letters from the same person are letters from MORE constituents, so ask your friends and relatives to write also.
Please email KMFC at kymedicalfreedomcoalition@gmail.com to let us know your legislators' responses.
Sample Letter Outline
I am opposed to a mandatory COVID vaccine, and I am concerned that current Kentucky law does not protect my right to make medical decisions for my family.
I am specifically concerned about the last sentence in KRS 214.036, “in the event of an epidemic in a given area, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services may, by emergency regulation, require the immunization of all persons within the area of epidemic, against the disease responsible for such epidemic.” Representatives Maddox and Hart have pre-filed BR 301 which would address this concern.
I would like to know where you stand on this issue and ask that you please support BR 301.
(Be sure to include this sentence, or something similar, so that they know you are asking them to respond to you.)
Optional: 2-3 sentences about why this is important to you. Use your own words. Are you or a loved one vaccine injured? Are you religiously opposed? You believe that when there is a risk there must always be a choice? DON’T GO OVERBOARD!
If this legislator is up for re-election in 2020 and has an opponent in the general election, you can say that their response will help you decide how to cast your vote.
• Paragraph Three: Thank them for their time, and specifically state that you look forward to receiving their response.
Conclude with your name and include your Kentucky mailing address
Find Your Legislators – The Kentucky Legislative Research Commission has an easy to use website to help you determine your legislators. Enter your address and click on the map. https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/findyourlegislator/findyourlegislator.html
Many state legislators are running for election or re-election in 2020. The entire House of Representatives and half of the Senate are up for election this year. Some are running unopposed. Some are retiring and their seats will be filled by someone new. In addition to currently elected officials, you should also reach out to any candidates who are running to represent you in the House or Senate. You can check to see who is running for the state Senate and House in your districts here: http://web.sos.ky.gov/elections/candidatefilings/statewide/
Note: you will need to know your state senate and state house district numbers, which you can find at the first link above.
Below are some ways you can contact your legislators.
Visiting Your Legislators – By far, a face-to-face meeting is the most effective method of contact with a legislator. During the legislative session (starting in January each year), this most often happens at the legislator’s office in Frankfort, but it is also possible to meet with them in your home district, especially when the legislature is not in session. This is currently complicated by COVID, but you can still ask your legislator if they are open to face-to-face communication. You can also watch for local community events where legislators are scheduled to attend or speak.
Writing to Your Legislator – Writing to your legislator is another great and effective tool. Letters (particularly hand-written) are sometimes better than e-mail, although both are important.
It is helpful to write to your legislators several times, but even more impactful than multiple letters from the same person are letters from MORE constituents, so ask your friends and relatives to write also.
Please email KMFC at kymedicalfreedomcoalition@gmail.com to let us know your legislators' responses.
- Where to mail letters: Letters can be sent to your representative’s home or capitol address. Find your legislators’ contact information here: https://legislature.ky.gov/
- Letters may be handwritten or typed. They should be signed and hand addressed. Handwritten, while more time consuming, is more likely to get seen and noticed!
- Letters should be about one page.
- Your purpose is not to convince them that vaccines are bad. Your purpose is to emphasize the importance of bodily autonomy and CHOICE. Include your personal reasons for feeling this way.
- If you send an e-mail, be sure to include “constituent" in the subject line and include your address in the body of the e-mail.
- Some legislator e-mail addresses are listed on their legislative profile page, while others only have a generic “contact” link. Their e-mail is usually firstname.lastname@lrc.ky.gov, such as john.doe@ky.gov.
- Candidate contact information can usually be found on the candidate’s website or social media pages. You can also check the candidate filings on the Secretary of State website (see above)
Sample Letter Outline
- Paragraph One: State who you are and that you are their constituent. Write 1-2 sentences about yourself and your ties to the community. Include the name of your city/town, and some personal information such as how long you or your family has lived in Kentucky; what kind of business your family is in; how many children you have; or where you go to church/school. If you know anything you have in common with the legislator, mention it here.
- Paragraph Two: state the purpose of your letter. Here is what we suggest:
I am opposed to a mandatory COVID vaccine, and I am concerned that current Kentucky law does not protect my right to make medical decisions for my family.
I am specifically concerned about the last sentence in KRS 214.036, “in the event of an epidemic in a given area, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services may, by emergency regulation, require the immunization of all persons within the area of epidemic, against the disease responsible for such epidemic.” Representatives Maddox and Hart have pre-filed BR 301 which would address this concern.
I would like to know where you stand on this issue and ask that you please support BR 301.
(Be sure to include this sentence, or something similar, so that they know you are asking them to respond to you.)
Optional: 2-3 sentences about why this is important to you. Use your own words. Are you or a loved one vaccine injured? Are you religiously opposed? You believe that when there is a risk there must always be a choice? DON’T GO OVERBOARD!
If this legislator is up for re-election in 2020 and has an opponent in the general election, you can say that their response will help you decide how to cast your vote.
• Paragraph Three: Thank them for their time, and specifically state that you look forward to receiving their response.
Conclude with your name and include your Kentucky mailing address