Grassroots Playbook, Media Outreach Ramp Up Efforts in Support of SB 491

Last month’s passage of SB 491 by the State Senate represents an historic achievement that would not have been possible without the grassroots efforts of thousands of CANP members and allies who sent messages of support during the bill’s progression through the upper house.  Now that the process is set to resume on the Assembly side of the Capitol, the battle begins anew.

The measure to remove practice barriers for nurse practitioners in California, authored by Sen. Ed Hernandez, passed the Senate on May 28 by a vote of 22-12, one more than the minimum needed for passage.  The bill is now expected to be referred to the Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection, representing the first step towards the bill moving through the lower house.

“There’s no one that knows health care as well as you do.  You are the best advocates for issues that concern you,” Hernandez told a gathering of CANP board members and chapter leaders in January.  “Government’s role is to protect the patient.  It’s your association that protects your profession.  It’s the work and commitment of your professional association that allows you to see patients and to practice to the full extent of your qualifications.”

CANP members and allies have answered the call, combining to send more than 15,000 messages of support via CANP’s online Grassroots Action Center.

Those contributions have been instrumental in the bill’s success to date, and will be even more critical on the Assembly side.  Powerful forces in opposition are certain to intensify now that the bill has advanced from the Senate.  In a nod to the reality of the political landscape, Sen. Hernandez has expressed his intent to amend the bill in the Assembly in order to address some of the concerns raised by opponents.  CANP is actively engaged in these discussions.

A new online campaign targeting members of the Assembly policy committee was launched June 7.  Because the greatest impact on elected officials comes when they hear from the people they represent, participation in this campaign is limited to constituents of those Assemblymembers.

If your Assemblymember is not on the committee, there are still many ways to reach out to them, outlined in CANP's newly-developed Grassroots Playbook.  The Grassroots Playbook is a key component of CANP’s Senate Bill 491 Resource Center, filled with fact sheets, talking points and other materials to support the actions outlined in the playbook.

As grassroots action fuels the fight behind the scenes, debate over the measure has incited a flurry of media activity, in large part due to the work of public relations professionals contracted by CANP.  The SB 491 Resource Center contains examples of some of the dozens of op-ed articles that have appeared in newspapers throughout the state over the past three months, including a collection of excerpts from editorials in support from major newspapers.

With the campaign now one giant step closer to removing outdated barriers and permitting NPs in California to practice to the full extent of their training and expertise, members and allies continue to have a vital role to play.  Here are some of the ways to assist:

• Review the Grassroots Playbook for guidance on direct outreach to elected officials
• Visit the Senate Bill 491 Resource Center, filled with materials supporting the actions outlined in the Grassroots Playbook ,to help you better understand and make the case for the bill.
• Utilize the Grassroots Action Center and send a message to the members of the Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection urging their support (participation limited to constituents of committee members).
• Spread the word among fellow members and your professional colleagues, and encourage them to get involved in the effort.
• Urge fellow NPs to become a CANP member and add to the collective voice in support of removing practice barriers for California NPs.