Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This text of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America may be one of the most known pieces of law in history. Most people think of it as protecting free speech, the press and religion. However, if you look at the text, there are not three rights protected, but five. The other two are the right to assemble in peace, and the last one, “petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” If you asked most people what that meant, it would give them pause. Do people even do that? Yes, they do. Most of it falls under what we call “lobbying.”
Lobbying as a verb takes is roots from the days in Parliament in Britain, where business was conducted in the halls or lobbies outside the chambers. Any lobbyist today would agree that business still takes place in exactly those spaces. Lobbying is a dirty word to many, but it is through this activity that we as citizens are able to petition our governments for redress.
The Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia is a non-profit organized as a 501(c)6. As such, it is legally allowed to engage in political activity. It is also ethical for it to do so. Professional organizations allow individuals to join their voices to be heard. With over 8,000 members representing 11,000 + LPCs in Georgia, our voice can be loud indeed. It is through the work of your LPCA that our profession has grown stronger. LPCA was instrumental in obtaining our ability to sign a 1013. Without our action, LPCs could not diagnose clients, meaning no ability to bill insurance. It was with the leadership of LPCA that Georgia was first in the nation to pass the Interstate Compact. LPCA has a duty to its members to “petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
As LPCA President, it fell to me to help our Executive Director, Gale Macke, man the table for the three days of the 33rd Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators. This was a grand opportunity for us to meet and talk with our legislators about the needs of our profession. This year, there are many new Georgia legislators who need to get to know us and what LPCs can do for the citizens of Georgia. I wish all of you could have seen Gale in action. She is working hard on your behalf. We were able to make strong contacts and move our message forward. In the next three months, we will be busy working with the men and women under the Gold Dome.
I also want to thank our other board members who answered the “Call to Action” for the event. Johnny Jenkins, Tracey Pace, David Markwell, and Tonja Simmons Lee all showed up. On Sunday, it was hard to walk past our table with so many of us out in front. I appreciate everyone taking time from their schedule in order to help us.
Finally, I want to thank all the members of LPCA who make this possible. Without your membership, we would be unable to do what we do. There are more members of LPCA than there are social workers and psychologists in the state. We have a voice, and though our profession has only been around a third as long as the others, we are making a huge difference in the lives of the citizens of Georgia and soon beyond.
