Jet Toney, Chair of the Georgia Professional Lobbyists Association, says he used over three decades of business relations to help stop the dietitian licensure bill passage during the January 2022 legislative session.
The bill aimed to provide exceptions to the dietetics practice act allowing credentialed individuals to give advice and counseling on diet and nutrition.
Toney says unlicensed individuals labeling themselves nutritionists and selling supplements and herbal life were in support of the bill.
“Folks that haven’t gotten their master’s degree wanted to do the things in the medical sphere that licensed dietitians train for.”
In an interview with Georgia State journalism students at the state Capitol, Toney says he went to the committee chairs and explained the unsafe measures of the bill. The bill did not pass during the Georgia General Assembly’s most recent session.
Lobbyists work closely with legislatures to provide valuable research and information about upcoming bills. These bills affect Toney’s clients however, lobbyists cannot stop or pass them in the session. Lobbyists tell information about how legislatures can counter their opponents and frame their messages.
They become valuable resources for legislatures. Toney says being a resource is the most crucial role of the job. A resourceful lobbyist is trustworthy and respective. Toney owes his success to his years of journalism skills. Successful journalists effectively communicate using research, concepts, and perspectives.
Toney says he always approaches legislatures and brings them to the voter level. Legislatives vote in place of their district voters. This way, they can become reelected.
“No more than 10 or 15 out of the 236 legislatives don’t care about being reelected. They’re that strong-willed and they’re down here [The Georgia Capitol] with an agenda.”
With 37 years of lobbyist experience, and Toney’s firm represents private higher education, the Georgia Society of Anesthesiologists, and affordable housing developers. He deals with on-campus gun carry laws to eviction policies that come through the Capitol.
Toney says he does not represent clients with conflicting matters. His approach is to see if his firm can accommodate the conflict, but it is not common.
“I just choose to be conflict-free. Our approach is to hang on to what we have and try to do a good job.”
Toney’s firm represents medical doctors and does not represent tobacco or alcohol companies.
“The way I look at it, I can’t come down here [Capitol] and talk about what’s good for the patients and then advocate for tobacco consumption. Now, I would like to get on to medical cannabis.”
TIANA MAXWELL REPORTS 