Legislative Update

Dear Colleagues and FNPN Members:

As we now approach the 2010 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature, which begins on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, it is imperative that our legislators hear from you, their constituents, about the importance of putting HB 677 and SB 188 on the committees agenda and why we need these bills passed this year! We all must take a moment and write/email our bill sponsors, Senator Mike Bennett and Representative Juan Zapata to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts. We must also contact Senator Don Gaetz and Representative Nicolas R. "Nick" Thompson to request that our bill be placed on the agenda this session.

You can go to FNPN website Legislative Action page and see how to email legislators.

Our voices must shout out to the legislators to “Give us Parity” on our bills as we bring forth our prescribing bill for the 16th straight year. We have little over 60 days to lobbying for our bill. But rest assured that many of us have been “working” off session to make connections, recruit advocates, and educate others about the impact this bill will have on access to high quality, affordable health care in Florida.

FNPN will also monitor hundreds of bills this legislative session to watch over health care issues to keep you informed. Visit the FNPN Legislative page often to keep up-to-date with the bills that can, or will, affect your practice. Bills frequently include new rules that impact your daily practice or perhaps new cost and fees for your practice. We are very interested in the stopping the pain clinic pill mills and hoping to work with other partners to develop best strategies and solutions to stop this abuse. The next two months will be busy as Bill content changes rapidly during session due to the lobbying efforts to influence decisions.

I will provide you weekly updates during the session, brief and to the point and will use the “NP ALERT” subject line in emails to notify you of problems with our bill or if your attention is needed for urgent action. Last year, ARNPs made hundreds of calls, sent hundreds of emails, wrote letters to the newspaper editors, and personally visited, or contacted, their legislators. Your continued activism will be our best defense against the huge lobbying effort of organized medicine. Legislators tell us they need to know what their constituents care about, and from our perspective, access to health care is our top priority. NPs offer just that--better access and affordable care.

Please send me your comments and suggestions as we join in solidarity to pass HB 677 and SB 188 in 2010.

• Frances M. Rankin (Sahebzamani)

• Vice President Legislative Affairs

• Florida Nurse Practitioner Network

 

Representative Nicholas R. "Nick" Thompson

Lee County/Ft Myers: Chair of the House Health Care Regulation Policy Committee

Capitol Office

1301 The Capitol

402 South Monroe Street

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300

Phone: 850) 488-1541 (850) 488-1541

 

Senator Don Gaetz

217 Miracle Strip Parkway SE

Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548

(850) 897-5747

Senate VOIP: 40400

FAX (850) 833-3910

Toll Free:1-866-450-4366