Senate Bill 323 at the Forefront as NP Advocates Head to Sacramento

Ready to take up the call in support of the nurse practitioner profession, more than 150 CANP members and allies will head to Sacramento on May 24 for CANP Lobby Day 16.

Online registration for Lobby Day 16 will be open until Tuesday, May 17. Register today to be sure to add your voice to the chorus.

Attendees will get the latest information on bills under consideration by the State Legislature that have been deemed high-priority by CANP’s legislative advocacy team, in conjunction with the Association’s Health Policy and Practice Committee. They’ll also witness the presentation of the 2015 Nurse Practitioner Advocate of Year award to Micah Weinberg, President of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, a nationally-renowned health policy expert, and the keynote speaker at last month’s CANP Annual Educational Conference in Newport Beach.

But the centerpiece of the event will be the opportunity to continue the conversation in support of Senate Bill 323, the measure introduced in 2015 that would permit California NPs to practice to the full extent of their education, experience and expertise.

With SB 323 declared a two-year bill and thus still under consideration by the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions (where it failed passage last June), the political battle continues. Thus, the opportunity for NPs to tell their story at the State Capitol has never been more important.

Meanwhile, a number of other bills being monitored by CANP will be in the spotlight when attendees head to the State Capitol in the early afternoon for a series of face-to-face meetings with legislators and key staff members.  Among the new bills introduced this year that are on the radar is Assembly Bill 1795 (Atkins), which would change the legal definition of “period of coverage” provided by the State Department of Health Care Services for low-income individuals diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer from the current 18 and 24 months, respectively, to the full duration of the period of treatment. CANP has adopted a "support" position on the bill.

Part of the Lobby Day program will include guidance on how to effectively communicate with legislators and their staff. Here are are few tips to review ahead of time.

The event will kick off the night before (Monday, May 23) with a Lobby Day Reception beginning at 5:30 pm. On Tuesday, May 24, Lobby Day begins at 9:00 am and ends at 4:30 pm. It all takes place at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel.