Ohio: House Democratic Caucus

As a lobbyist for Ohio's poor, Lisa Hamler-Fugitt has been giving state lawmakers a crash course on more than the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks she directs.

"I find myself being the historian on issues related to health and human services and on how the state has come to welfare reform," she said.

"At least half of my meetings are just spent putting this into a historical perspective."

Hamler-Fugitt is a veteran working to influence her ninth two-year state budget.

One recent week, she raced to more than 30 meetings with legislators and other advocates.

Thirty-two of the 99 state representatives who took office in November have never been lawmakers before, making advocates like Hamler-Fugitt and scores of other lobbyists the experts on the budget process and related issues.