Kentucky IA - Winter 2020

Most of you reading this are successful insurance agents. Enterprising business owners who proudly employ Kentuckians and help your customers protect themselves, their families and property from financial loss. By all accounts, a very noble profession. One your mother would be quite proud of.

But this article isn’t about you. It’s about me, Dustin Miller... and I’m a lobbyist. And, thanks to some not-so-ethical individuals, my profession is not one that is noted for being particularly noble. But I am trying to change that.

What does a lobbyist DO? I recently presented at 5th Grade Career Day, I was a fill-in because the local veterinarian had an emergency (nobody was more disappointed than the kids to see me). I realized in the first few minutes (after the disappointment washed over the students) that I had to answer the question...What does a lobbyist do? The dictionary says a lobbyist is a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators. Clear enough, but thought I needed something more descriptive, particularly for 5th Graders. Which led me to the meme below: I hope you enjoyed that! It makes me laugh. But, it is the simplest way to describe the lobbying profession.

So what does that look like on any given day?

I really do sit in a lot of meetings and listen to a lot of regulators and other lobbyists testify to committees, while I listen attentively for legislators’ reactions and votes. But, there is a lot more to it and with the General Assembly currently in session here is a better picture.

6 AM The average day starts with my phone buzzing (this will be a common theme) with emails, texts and phone calls. The correspondence ranges from emails from our Big I Kentucky President and Winter 2020 - Kentucky IA | 7