Q&A with WRPA State Lobbyist Doug Levy

Learn About Doug Levy & Legislative Day

What are your primary functions as the State Lobbyist for the WRPA?

As WRPA’s state lobbyist, I’m responsible for helping to develop the annual Legislative Agenda, promoting priority issues for WRPA, and protecting WRPA’s interests to head off any legislation or budget initiatives that are adverse to us. I’m also responsible for ongoing communications with WRPA Member agencies, for keeping local parks officials informed and aware of happenings in Olympia, and hopefully for enhancing agencies’ knowledge of how to move the needle forward for local parks and recreation overall.

What is Legislative Day?

The annual Great Outdoors Day/Legislative Day is a day in Olympia and on “the Hill” where both WRPA and our co-sponsors, the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition (WWRC), can bring a concentration of Members to Olympia to speak with a unified and loud voice about our priorities and about the importance of outdoor recreation and the outdoors when it comes to quality of life, public health, economic development, and environmental stewardship.

Why should recreation professionals attend Legislative Day? 

Advocacy with the State Legislature is not a spectator sport. Only by getting involved, participating, and making our views heard—in a sustained way and over time—can we make a difference in the policy-making and budget decisions that are before our State Legislature.

Is there anything that attendees “must do” while at Legislative Day? 

Just showing up is the most important thing! After that, working hard to get in front of your legislators, maintaining a positive attitude, and outlining WRPA and single-agency priorities in a credible and easy-to-understand way, are the biggies.

What is the best part of your job? 

I thoroughly enjoy working on issues, projects, funding initiatives, and pieces of legislation that make a difference for local parks agencies and the people who run them. And I love interacting with local parks professionals who by their very nature are can-do, positive, healthy people.

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