An Active Week for Advocacy at the CMA
This past week has been a busy one in terms of advocacy at the CMA. Let’s go over what’s been happening and how you can get involved.
Public Policy Meeting
Committee members listening at the June 13th meeting
On Thursday June 13th, the CMA’s Public Policy Committee met to discuss positions on proposed State House Bills and other policy issues. Led by Public Policy and Political Consultant, Malcolm Porter, the conversation was lively and input from all sides was heard. Here are some highlights from the meeting:
Dr. Patty Davidson testifying against HB 224
The committee discussed House Bill 224, which proposes to widen the permissions of certified registered nurse anesthetists. CMA member, Dr. Patty Davidson testified against this bill recently, citing concerns about the bill’s ambiguity and how it might impact the delivery of anesthesia care for children.
House Bill 240 aims to prohibit negligent storage of a firearm and to provide criminal penalties if a minor gains access to an improperly stored firearm. The committee decided to support Dr. Ahmad Mostafavifar, who has been a big proponent of this bill, to testify.
An update on medical marijuana was provided. The State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) recently delayed making a decision on expanding the qualifying conditions in which one could obtain medical marijuana to include autism spectrum and anxiety. The committee also discussed the current data surrounding medical marijuana which you can review here.
Read the rest of the meeting record here to learn more about what was discussed.
Members of the CMA Testify Against House Bill 178
Eight Central Ohio physicians testified in front of the state senate in opposition to House Bill 178, which aims to modify weapons law and permit concealed carry of a firearm without a license. Read some selected testimonies below by clicking on the photos.
Dr. Catherine Romanos - CMA Board of Directors
Dr. Andrew Schamess - CMA Member
Dr. Roma Amin - CMA Board of Directors
Dr. Ean Bett - CMA Member
Advocacy in the Loop
As a member of the CMA, one of the many benefits is access to the Loop, which is a kind of message board/ information feed where members can share information and opinions on a variety of topics. This week Public Policy Committee Co-Chair, Dr. William Cotton, posted about House Bill 132 and House Bill 268 and how they each have language in them what could threaten immunization effectiveness.
Join in on this and other posts on the Loop by clicking here. If you can’t remember your password contact Casandra Foster so you can join the discussion.
Do you want to get involved with advocacy at the CMA? Come to the next public policy meeting on August 15th or visit the CMA advocacy page to learn more about what’s going on and how you can participate.