NASBP is Expanding its Grassroots Advocacy Network and Needs your Help

Would you like to get more involved with surety issues at the state and/or local level? Have you noticed legislation or an ordinance that was detrimental to the surety industry and wanted to know how you could make an impact? NASBP is looking for volunteers to assist with the Association’s grassroots advocacy efforts. Become a NASBP Government Affairs Representative (GAR) and serve as the “eyes and ears” of the Association for state and local government relations matters impacting surety.

Under the guidance, direction, and assistance of the NASBP national staff and the Government Relations Committee, NASBP GARs engage in the advocacy process to protect and promote surety bonding. NASBP has responded to myriad state and local issues thanks to NASBP members making the Association aware of them.

NASBP GARs help the surety industry and the Association in many ways. Some of these ways include reporting their state legislation and regulations and state and local procurement agency activity to NASBP; identifying the local issues that could proliferate and have an adverse impact in suretyship or lead to potential federal issues, such as local contracting authorities eliminating bonding requirements on federally-funded projects; assisting with local educational components that introduce elected and public officials to the value of bonding requirements; making the public aware of the assistance available from NASBP on educating small and emerging contractors on bond readiness; and identifying potential local organizations that could join in a coalition with NASBP to oppose selected issues and measures.

NASBP is undergoing this initiative now to prepare for the 2014 legislative season. If you are interested in becoming a NASBP GAR and would like more details about this exciting volunteer opportunity, please contact Shannon Crawford, Manager of State Relations at 202-464-1170 or scrawford@nasbp.org,