July 2009 - Posts

The California Legislature is currently considering a measure that is long overdue.  Assembly Bill 1398 would provide California schools with the flexibility to use state Instructional Material Fund (IMF) dollars to purchase the hardware they need to run the software they likely already own.   The primary goal of our education system is to provide California students with the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful and contributing member of society.  To that end, how and what we use to educate our students can be as important as the content of the instructional material.  With technology having an increasingly more prominent role in our daily and professional lives it is imperative that the state ensure that students graduate with enough familiarity with technology to be successful in their future endeavors.

AB 1398 would allow Local Education Agencies, especially in urban and rural communities, more flexibility in utilizing digital content for instructional purposes by allowing grants from the IMF to be used to purchase hardware if used by the pupil and teacher for instructional purposes.  Currently, the IMF can be used to purchase software programs, video disks, compact disks, optical disks, video and audio tapes, lesson plans, and data bases, however, it cannot be used to purchase the hardware to make use of those materials.  At best, this amounts to a significant cost barrier for many schools that would like to incorporate more technology in instruction, and at worst is a de facto ban on technology for others.  The elimination of this prohibitive language would allow greater integration of technology in the classroom and thereby help in better preparing students for the jobs of the future by increasing their familiarity and literacy with the technology they will be using or improving upon. 

Additionally, any abuse or misappropriation of funds would be prevented from occurring because of the outcome of the Williams v. California settlement.  The settlement determined, among many things, that each student be guaranteed access to instructional material inside and outside of the classroom, thereby preventing the use of funds for technology resources that the students wouldn’t be able to access from home.  This measure is being supported by teachers, parents, and school districts throughout the state and is pending activity on the Senate Floor. 

If you agree with the premise of AB 1398, that our kids are growing up in an era where they are surrounded by technology, and that we should not force them to leave that technology at the door when they enter our schools, contact your Senator today and ask them to vote yes for our kids, yes on AB 1398.  We hope that with your support, AB 1398 will pass the Senate and make it to the Governor's desk.  Please also contact him to thank him for his support of digital technology in the classroom while urge him to sign AB 1398 when it reaches his desk.

Find Your Legislator -

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Contact the Governor -

http://gov.ca.gov/interact#subscribe

Copy of AB 1398 -

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1351-1400/ab_1398_bill_20090714_amended_sen_v98.html

Dell believes information technology has the capacity to improve the quality and efficiency of the healthcare system, as it has in almost every other industry.  We believe policy can enable that transformation by first Unlocking Information from paper records, and ultimately by Unleashing Innovation, to truly revolutionize healthcare.  Dell is actively working with policymakers to ensure that upcoming incentives to digitize health information, in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will truly unlock the information to enable its access and utilization, as patients direct.  But Dell is also thinking about ways to realign incentives in the healthcare delivery system, so that new and innovative tools and services can drive a revolution of quality and efficiency in the healthcare system. 

Currently, incentives in healthcare are misaligned – at times encouraging inefficiency, duplication and low quality care.  As Congress debates how to expand health insurance coverage to more Americans, we hope they will also consider how to realign incentives in the system to ensure that it begins to encourage the utilization of all health information to improve the treatment and care of individuals.  It is not enough to insure more people under the same broken system.  We must also reward providers that utilize 21^st-Century tools to analyze and utilize all relevant information to efficiently manage and improve the health of patients.  Health IT should be a central consideration in the broader health care reform debate.  If you agree, you might be interested in a recent article that asks ‘Where's the HIT in HCR (Health Care Reform)?’.

In an earlier post, Brian Jones talked about why Dell and other organizations have a government affairs function.  And while much attention is focused in Washington, DC – and rightfully so these days– organizations are increasingly recognizing the role of State Government Affairs in developing and implementing their public policy goals.  Usually, the DC and State strategy go hand-in-hand. And as Speaker Tip O’Neil often said “all politics are local”.  What happens in the home state affects what policymakers do in DC.

Over the next few weeks, the State Government Affairs team will be blogging about state activity and Dell’s public policy positions from Albany, New York to Sacramento, California and everywhere in between. We’d love to get your feedback and tell us what’s happening in your state regarding education technology, broadband, stimulus and other IT policy related issues.

I spend a great deal of my time every day supporting the efforts of Dell's US federal sales team.  As one of the largest providers of information technology solutions to the federal government, there is a myriad of issues that affect our team's ability to sell.  Therefore navigating through the often choppy waters of government procurement requires a united and strategic approach.  Dell federal sales vice president Max Peterson recently described this process in the context of an important issue facing our industry - cybersecurity.  You can see his comments here.

Part 3 - What Common Threads of Experience Do GA Professionals Share?

While there is no magical and pre-requisite set of experiences required for someone to be successful in the government affairs arena, there are some things that prove helpful.  Obviously, a familiarity and with the legislative process, both on the federal and state levels is crucial.  In addition, a similar familiarity of the Administrative process (rule-making, etc.) is also very important.  Relationships are key to successful GA professionals, so the more decision-makers people one knows, the better.  Good GA professionals are flexible and malleable.  For example they should have vast experience composing a wide range of documents, from memos to speeches to talking points to presentations.

Most successful GA professionals are very even-tempered and can handle stressful situations with ease.  Politics can be exciting, but it can also be volatile and tumultuous.  “Fires” can break out at any moment and the good GA professional knows how to stay calm, address the issues needed to be addressed, and navigate through the emotion and stay focused on the issues that need attention.

A recent survey of prominent government affairs and lobbying professionals yielded some common keys for victory.  They include: 

• Get the facts: Fully understand what the legislative or regulatory proposal does and how it will impact you and what you do.
• Know your policymaker: Gain an understanding of where a policymaker stands on an issue, and why, before discussing the matter with him or her. Never ask lawmakers to do something you know they can't do.
• Keep it simple: Develop a brief, concise message that explains why you support or oppose the proposal, and stick to it.
• Give examples: Prepare a number of solid examples to illustrate how the proposal will affect various constituencies for good or ill.
• Know your opponent: Review the opposing arguments and be prepared to provide sound rebuttals.
• Don't overdo it: Make your points in a businesslike manner. Being overly argumentative can hurt your cause.
• Never burn a bridge: In politics, today's opponent may very likely be tomorrow's proponent.  Always leave the door open to working together in the future.
• Choose your champions wisely: Sometimes keeping a lawmaker with no real stake in an issue out of the fray can be a real plus. If you can't get a “yes” vote, ask the lawmaker not to do anything that will hurt your position.
• Deliver the message: A face-to-face meeting with elected officials offers the best opportunity to make your point.
• Stay in touch: Don't just show up when you need something.  Be a regular and build relationships.
• Get involved: Increase your activity in local and national associations and coalitions, trade associations, and of course political fundraisers.  Get lawmakers to see you as the “Dell expert” on a particular issue.