Responding to Attempts in Your State to Pass UCITA
ßProvide Information to Legislators
ßAscertain which Version of UCITA is Being Considered ßAlign with other Interest Groups, such as Insurance Companies, Publishers etc. ßConsider compromises, such as removal of anti-criticism provisions, time bomb provisions, etc.
ß
Most Legislators will not have much idea what UCITA is about, only that it is a uniform law recommended for passage by a seemingly authoritative agency.  Make sure your legislators know that UCITA is unusually controversial and that those few states that have adopted it are already not uniform.  Emphasize that there may be other revisions that may not be as bad and that delay is therefore prudent in order to await developments and avoid the necessity of addressing the issue yet again soon.
 Let them know also that the library/academic community are not the only ones interested -- that many important business groups are concerned also. Take steps to align yourself with these groups, such as Ins. Companies; they are likely to be far more influential than you because they have other interests actively at stake in the Legislature and they also can do more to assist if not ensure an individual legislator’s re-election. Finally, always consider compromise -- this is what the lawmaking process is all about and it is what legislators almost always dearly want to see happen.  That is, they want to pass something that pleases ALL their constituents, at least to some degree.