You have a good idea.
A passion for changing the world.
And you'd like some advice on how to actually do it.
That's how I can help you.
I'm Dan Johnson. This is my firm.
I help people change the world, one law at a time.
And I can help you too.
Email me and tell me what you'd like to do with your passion and interests. If you're not exactly sure yet, that's how I can help.
I specialize in policy development, helping clients turn a general goal into specific, actionable steps that an elected official can embrace and then convince her colleagues to vote for.
That's the fun part.
I've been working with advocates, passionate individuals, non-profits, trade associations and legislators for more than 20 years, primarily in Illinois.
I'm very proud to represent clients like Restore Justice Illinois, the Federation of Women Contractors, Black Contractors Owners and Executives, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association and the Match Group.
I advise and consult with individuals, foundations and companies who want to improve our government and our laws.
Some people say you can't fight City Hall. Or that the law is permanent like marble. They are wrong!
The law is malleable, like plastic. You just need to get to work and partner with politicians -- by asking them for help -- to shape the law in a better way. It's fun. And it's our responsibility to improve the world. Let's see if we can work together.
Frequently asked questions:
1. I run a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Can you help?
Yes. The Internal Revenue Code explicitly permits 501(c)(3) organizations to engage in lobbying, but there are limits. A 501(c)(3) organization can only spend up to 20% of its budget on lobbying. Any excess amount is subject to an excise tax.
I also help 501(c)(3) organizations with policy development and consulting: working through what incremental improvement to the world you want to make. That's the fun (and hard) part to move from a big goal to a specific, actionable proposal.
2. I have an idea for how to make things better. Can you help me as an individual?
Yes. Individual citizens are responsible for a lot of great improvements to our laws. You can create a non-profit organization and advocate through that if you want, but it isn’t required.
3. What are the registration requirements if I hire a lobbyist?
Any entity that hires a lobbyist has to register. If you want to change Illinois law, you have to register with the Illinois Secretary of State. The fee is $300. Further, that entity must report every two weeks their expenditures associated with lobbying (usually zero) and undergo an online ethics training course. handle all that for my clients (if you want), but you’ll have to do the annual online ethics courses yourself.
4. Do you charge by the hour?
Usually not. I generally charge a monthly or an annual all-inclusive fee.
5. We’d like to do a lobby day in Springfield. Can you help with that?
Yes. I actively encourage all clients to come to the Capitol and meet directly with state legislators, especially membership organizations. I will help with the logistics. It’s really powerful for members to meet their state legislators and ask them face-to-face to support their agenda. State legislators are remarkably accessible and most of them are extremely accommodating to find the time to meet with constituents. They are nice people. You should meet them.
6. When does the Illinois General Assembly meet?
In 2022, the General Assembly is moving up its schedule to meet every week from January 3 to April 8. The Governor signs or vetoes bill over the summer and then the General Assembly reconvenes in October and November for an additional two weeks.
7. When is the deadline to file a new bill?
The regular deadline to get a bill filed is mid January of 2022 (1/21 in the Senate; 1/28 in the House). However, there are always opportunities to introduce new ideas as an amendment to an existing bill whenever the General Assembly is in session, so the deadlines are more fluid in practice.
8. How do I know if my idea will pass?
The only real way to know is to try. Sometimes an idea is a little ahead of its time and can’t quite earn enough support to pass in the first year. In the second year, however, some of the legislators who weren’t quite ready to support a bill the first time they saw it may be ready to come around. That’s why it’s almost always a good idea to get your idea out there in a bill form, no matter how close to the end of the legislative calendar, as it will lay the groundwork for next year.
9. Do I need to hire a consultant or lobbyist like you?
No. You can always do this on your own. Everyone should! Talk to your legislators. They are nice! They like to hear from the people they represent to learn what people want to change about their government.
I can help speed up the process and get you on your learning curve faster. That's what 20 years of experience can help with. It’s a little like going to court. You don’t need to hire a lawyer to represent you, but you’re almost always better off if you do.
10. Do you need to have gone to law school to be a lobbyist?
No, but it helps.
11. Aren’t lobbyists shady?
A few are. But there are shady people in every industry. Most lobbyists are honest people representing clients. Sometimes the clients are shady but I don’t represent those guys. Then again, everybody deserves to be heard in a democracy and shady is in the eye of the beholder.
12. How do you know which legislator to ask to sponsor a particular bill?
Every legislator is trying to do the right thing, but they can’t be an expert in everything. They each develop a particular interest in certain topics. Since I’ve been working with the same legislators for years (we don’t have term limits in Illinois, so legislators tend to work in the Capitol for about a decade on average), I can match up a client with the legislator who will likely get enthusiastic about the bill and really make it his or her own.
13. How important is it to recruit the right sponsor for a bill?
Incredibly important. After all, it isn’t my bill or your bill — it’s the legislator’s bill. He or she is going to have to debate the bill on the floor. We can be there in committee to help, but not on the floor. Legislators can only pass so many bills every year, and finding the right one to really get excited about a client’s bill is crucial to success. With the right bill, the legislator is delighted to work on it, because that’s why they got into politics in the first place — making things better for people by passing good bills into law. Remember, legislators are nice! They care. They want to help. Otherwise, they would not have gotten into politics.
14. Don’t state legislators have staff to do all this for them?
Surprisingly, not really. Each legislator has a total expense account of $150,000 to cover all district staff, rent, mailings and office supplies. That’s it. They also get one administrative assistant in Springfield. They just don’t have many policy staffers working for them, like they do in DC (where Members of Congress have a staff of 20 or so). The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate have a large staff of 30 or so, including many great policy people, and those people are available to individual legislators, but it’s not the same as having a staff devoted to a legislator to work on developing a policy agenda. That’s why they are looking for people like you to bring them good ideas that can make for good bills they can work to pass.
15. I’m not comfortable getting started with my idea because I haven’t thought through every possible ramification. Should I try to get a bill filed anyway?
Yes! That’s what amendments are for! Don’t be scared about getting an imperfect bill filed. Most bills get changed, amended and improved several times until they are ultimately implemented. You don’t need your idea to be absolutely perfect in order to engage in the legislative process. You just need a general sense of what you want to do. Half the battle is getting other stakeholders that probably know more than we do to pay attention to our idea and offer suggestions on how to improve it. Without a bill filed by a legislator, it is often impossible to get stakeholders to a table to hammer out a better bill. One you’ve got a good idea, get in the game. See where it takes you. It is fun.
16. I don’t have a group. I just have an idea. Can I hire you to help me pass a law?
Absolutely. A surprisingly large number of laws were sparked by one person who just decided to get involved. Give me a call.
17. Shouldn’t I hire you through a 501(c)(3) organization?
You can. But you don't have to. The value of donating to a registered charity is the tax deduction which reduces your after-tax contribution by about a third. So instead of donating $100,000 to a 501(c)(3), you can spend $60,000 and hire Progressive Public Affairs for the same after-tax impact, without the many reporting requirements and restrictions that 501(c)(3) organizations contend with. You get a bigger policy impact bang for your same after-tax buck if you don’t go though a 501(c)(3). But if you want to, feel free.
18. Can you work in other states or nationally?
Sure. Email me. Or give me a call.
19. Can I hire you as a consultant? I'm not sure if I want to hire a lobbyist.
Yes, you can.
20. How much is that?
I don't know. Give me a call and we can figure it out. First call is always on the house.
A passion for changing the world.
And you'd like some advice on how to actually do it.
That's how I can help you.
I'm Dan Johnson. This is my firm.
I help people change the world, one law at a time.
And I can help you too.
Email me and tell me what you'd like to do with your passion and interests. If you're not exactly sure yet, that's how I can help.
I specialize in policy development, helping clients turn a general goal into specific, actionable steps that an elected official can embrace and then convince her colleagues to vote for.
That's the fun part.
I've been working with advocates, passionate individuals, non-profits, trade associations and legislators for more than 20 years, primarily in Illinois.
I'm very proud to represent clients like Restore Justice Illinois, the Federation of Women Contractors, Black Contractors Owners and Executives, Hispanic American Construction Industry Association and the Match Group.
I advise and consult with individuals, foundations and companies who want to improve our government and our laws.
Some people say you can't fight City Hall. Or that the law is permanent like marble. They are wrong!
The law is malleable, like plastic. You just need to get to work and partner with politicians -- by asking them for help -- to shape the law in a better way. It's fun. And it's our responsibility to improve the world. Let's see if we can work together.
Frequently asked questions:
1. I run a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Can you help?
Yes. The Internal Revenue Code explicitly permits 501(c)(3) organizations to engage in lobbying, but there are limits. A 501(c)(3) organization can only spend up to 20% of its budget on lobbying. Any excess amount is subject to an excise tax.
I also help 501(c)(3) organizations with policy development and consulting: working through what incremental improvement to the world you want to make. That's the fun (and hard) part to move from a big goal to a specific, actionable proposal.
2. I have an idea for how to make things better. Can you help me as an individual?
Yes. Individual citizens are responsible for a lot of great improvements to our laws. You can create a non-profit organization and advocate through that if you want, but it isn’t required.
3. What are the registration requirements if I hire a lobbyist?
Any entity that hires a lobbyist has to register. If you want to change Illinois law, you have to register with the Illinois Secretary of State. The fee is $300. Further, that entity must report every two weeks their expenditures associated with lobbying (usually zero) and undergo an online ethics training course. handle all that for my clients (if you want), but you’ll have to do the annual online ethics courses yourself.
4. Do you charge by the hour?
Usually not. I generally charge a monthly or an annual all-inclusive fee.
5. We’d like to do a lobby day in Springfield. Can you help with that?
Yes. I actively encourage all clients to come to the Capitol and meet directly with state legislators, especially membership organizations. I will help with the logistics. It’s really powerful for members to meet their state legislators and ask them face-to-face to support their agenda. State legislators are remarkably accessible and most of them are extremely accommodating to find the time to meet with constituents. They are nice people. You should meet them.
6. When does the Illinois General Assembly meet?
In 2022, the General Assembly is moving up its schedule to meet every week from January 3 to April 8. The Governor signs or vetoes bill over the summer and then the General Assembly reconvenes in October and November for an additional two weeks.
7. When is the deadline to file a new bill?
The regular deadline to get a bill filed is mid January of 2022 (1/21 in the Senate; 1/28 in the House). However, there are always opportunities to introduce new ideas as an amendment to an existing bill whenever the General Assembly is in session, so the deadlines are more fluid in practice.
8. How do I know if my idea will pass?
The only real way to know is to try. Sometimes an idea is a little ahead of its time and can’t quite earn enough support to pass in the first year. In the second year, however, some of the legislators who weren’t quite ready to support a bill the first time they saw it may be ready to come around. That’s why it’s almost always a good idea to get your idea out there in a bill form, no matter how close to the end of the legislative calendar, as it will lay the groundwork for next year.
9. Do I need to hire a consultant or lobbyist like you?
No. You can always do this on your own. Everyone should! Talk to your legislators. They are nice! They like to hear from the people they represent to learn what people want to change about their government.
I can help speed up the process and get you on your learning curve faster. That's what 20 years of experience can help with. It’s a little like going to court. You don’t need to hire a lawyer to represent you, but you’re almost always better off if you do.
10. Do you need to have gone to law school to be a lobbyist?
No, but it helps.
11. Aren’t lobbyists shady?
A few are. But there are shady people in every industry. Most lobbyists are honest people representing clients. Sometimes the clients are shady but I don’t represent those guys. Then again, everybody deserves to be heard in a democracy and shady is in the eye of the beholder.
12. How do you know which legislator to ask to sponsor a particular bill?
Every legislator is trying to do the right thing, but they can’t be an expert in everything. They each develop a particular interest in certain topics. Since I’ve been working with the same legislators for years (we don’t have term limits in Illinois, so legislators tend to work in the Capitol for about a decade on average), I can match up a client with the legislator who will likely get enthusiastic about the bill and really make it his or her own.
13. How important is it to recruit the right sponsor for a bill?
Incredibly important. After all, it isn’t my bill or your bill — it’s the legislator’s bill. He or she is going to have to debate the bill on the floor. We can be there in committee to help, but not on the floor. Legislators can only pass so many bills every year, and finding the right one to really get excited about a client’s bill is crucial to success. With the right bill, the legislator is delighted to work on it, because that’s why they got into politics in the first place — making things better for people by passing good bills into law. Remember, legislators are nice! They care. They want to help. Otherwise, they would not have gotten into politics.
14. Don’t state legislators have staff to do all this for them?
Surprisingly, not really. Each legislator has a total expense account of $150,000 to cover all district staff, rent, mailings and office supplies. That’s it. They also get one administrative assistant in Springfield. They just don’t have many policy staffers working for them, like they do in DC (where Members of Congress have a staff of 20 or so). The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate have a large staff of 30 or so, including many great policy people, and those people are available to individual legislators, but it’s not the same as having a staff devoted to a legislator to work on developing a policy agenda. That’s why they are looking for people like you to bring them good ideas that can make for good bills they can work to pass.
15. I’m not comfortable getting started with my idea because I haven’t thought through every possible ramification. Should I try to get a bill filed anyway?
Yes! That’s what amendments are for! Don’t be scared about getting an imperfect bill filed. Most bills get changed, amended and improved several times until they are ultimately implemented. You don’t need your idea to be absolutely perfect in order to engage in the legislative process. You just need a general sense of what you want to do. Half the battle is getting other stakeholders that probably know more than we do to pay attention to our idea and offer suggestions on how to improve it. Without a bill filed by a legislator, it is often impossible to get stakeholders to a table to hammer out a better bill. One you’ve got a good idea, get in the game. See where it takes you. It is fun.
16. I don’t have a group. I just have an idea. Can I hire you to help me pass a law?
Absolutely. A surprisingly large number of laws were sparked by one person who just decided to get involved. Give me a call.
17. Shouldn’t I hire you through a 501(c)(3) organization?
You can. But you don't have to. The value of donating to a registered charity is the tax deduction which reduces your after-tax contribution by about a third. So instead of donating $100,000 to a 501(c)(3), you can spend $60,000 and hire Progressive Public Affairs for the same after-tax impact, without the many reporting requirements and restrictions that 501(c)(3) organizations contend with. You get a bigger policy impact bang for your same after-tax buck if you don’t go though a 501(c)(3). But if you want to, feel free.
18. Can you work in other states or nationally?
Sure. Email me. Or give me a call.
19. Can I hire you as a consultant? I'm not sure if I want to hire a lobbyist.
Yes, you can.
20. How much is that?
I don't know. Give me a call and we can figure it out. First call is always on the house.