Lobbying at the 2013 Montana legislature – A University of Montana student’s perspective

As the rays of sun peek over the mountains, striking the outside of Montana’s Capitol, four floors of legislators shuffle through the halls to committee hearings, meetings and their offices. The hushed conversations of hundreds of lobbyists throughout the Capitol reverberate off the walls where legislators sit discussing and deciding Montana’s future.

Asa Hohman, the Associated Students of the University of Montana student lobbyist, works through the mass of politicians, scheduling meetings, attending committee hearings and answering questions about what UM students want.

"I kind of equate it to professional stalking," Hohman said. "I have to bug people to sit down and chat with me and have any kind of meaningful conversation, so it’s a lot of hammering them into submission before they’ll talk to me."

by Jackson Bolstad

Full Story: http://www.montanakaimin.com/features/article_3ed08ce8-a335-11e2-87d8-0019bb30f31a.html