Advocating for Change: How Working with Lawmakers Can Impact Programs for the I/DD Community

As a part of the FL SAND Fellowship program, I had the opportunity to travel to Tallahassee in March to advocate for a variety of issues. I shared personal stories with legislators to help influence policies that directly impact the disability community.

One of the issues that I was very passionate about was law enforcement training. I did my homework on the related issues, gathered personal stories of mine and other self-advocates, and at the end of my conversation with Senator Kristin Arrington, she decided to cosponsor SB 1364: Autism Spectrum Disorder Training for Law Enforcement Officers during the 2025 legislative session. 

Michelle Zeman (L) met with Senator Kristin Arrington (R) to discuss SB 1364: Autism Spectrum Disorder Training for Law Enforcement Officers. Because of her advocacy, Senator Arrington agreed to cosponsor the bill.

Here are some tips and general advice on advocating with lawmakers.

1. Follow disability agencies to see what their priorities are. Agencies like Florida Self-Advocates Network’D, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, the Autism Society of Florida, the Arc of Florida, and Disability Rights Florida publish their legislative priorities before the year’s legislative session. Researching agencies’ priorities can help you identify common goals, understand important issues within the I/DD community, and work together with those agencies to make a bigger impact. In my case, I spoke with a colleague of mine and also looked at the Autism Society of Florida’s legislative priorities – specifically, the section titled “Baker Act Dilemma.”

   
   

2. Use your story to make an impact. Your story matters! Your story shows how laws and policies affect real people, and it helps lawmakers see why change is needed. I spoke about a friend who was unnecessarily Baker Acted and was treated horribly while in the hospital. When I was done sharing this story with Sen. Arrington and told her about how law enforcement training needs to be neurodiversity affirming, she agreed and said that she would be willing to co-sponsor SB 1364 to create bipartisan support for the bill. 

   
   

3. Keep your points short and simple. There is a lot of work that needs to be done for the I/DD community. You might find that you want to talk about many issues. However, the biggest impact comes from keeping comments brief yet meaningful: I was able to do this by limiting my comments to the most impactful details, like the treatment my friend received in the hospital.

   
   

4. Thank legislators for their time. Even if the lawmaker doesn’t cosponsor a bill, the fact that they took time out of their very busy day to listen to you is important. It shows that they are willing to hear from the people they represent and care about what you have to say. A simple “thank you” builds a relationship for the future. Although I was successful in this case, I remember a time not long ago, while advocating for a different issue, that a lawmaker disagreed with my position. Despite this, the lawmaker still took the time to meet with me and discuss the issue while also explaining why they didn’t agree. 

I am incredibly thankful to Sen. Arrington for taking the time to listen, show her support for the I/DD community, and for cosponsoring a bill that could impact how law enforcement interacts with autistic individuals. Her support helps us move closer to safer, more understanding, and neurodiversity-affirming responses in our community. 

In closing, while it takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication to get a law passed, it all begins with ideas and issues that affect people. While SB 1364 and its house companion HB 1273 are not expected to pass this session, every law starts with someone raising their voice about something that needs to be changed. Advocacy will continue until this bill passes. Whether it’s a personal story or an issue within your local community, the work you put in to share these concerns can create change. It may take time, but persistence, clear communication, and support from others can turn those ideas into real solutions that make a difference.