Florida Legislature

Every year the Florida Legislature meets in session for 60 days to write or rewrite the laws of the State. The 2010 Session of the Florida Legislature commences on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 and is scheduled to end on Friday, April 30, 2010. The DCMA and FMA are committed to working with legislators during the legislative session to keep pushing for legislative and regulatory solutions to the many challenges facing the health care system. We will continue to fight vigorously against any measures that would decrease access to quality health care and harm the citizens of Florida.

But DCMA and FMA need your help to do so effectively. Even the most eloquent and effective lobbyist cannot always prevail in Tallahassee without a strong hometown constituency supporting their efforts. We need a grassroots advocacy effort. DCMA's formal grassroots advocacy program is the Legislative Key Contact Physician Program. A member of the DCMA is assigned to each legislator and asked to open communication and dialogue with legislators on a year-round basis. During session though, the success of a grassroots advocacy effort requires a team effort on behalf of the members of the DCMA, FMA and specialty societies. According to the FMA, grassroots advocacy is more effective when it is initiated first at the local level by providing local expertise to legislators on issues that are important to both the physicians and patients while at the same time soliciting lawmakers' views on these same issues. Below are some guidelines and useful information written by DCMA and FMA to help you in communicating with legislators.

As a grassroots advocate, it is imperative to act when called upon. Once access to the legislator is gained, you should be persistent but not preach after the initial message has been given. Reinforcement will be provided by the FMA lobbyists.

To assist you in being the most effective with legislators, the following suggestions are offered:

• Don't expect legislators to have a great deal of knowledge about the DCMA or the FMA but do expect them to know a great deal more about issues than might be realized. Information will most likely have been presented to them by their staff or by other groups, and some possibly in conflict with our policy or current position.
• Make a good argument for the DCMA/FMA position. If possible, have a written position paper or fact sheet on the issue expressing organized medicine's viewpoint and leave it with the legislator. Keep a copy of all distributed information and send copies to the FMA Division of Governmental Affairs. A legislator may wish to help because of a relationship he or she has now established with you, but will need valid reasoning in order to maintain a commitment throughout battles on critical issues.
• More than one visit may be necessary to explain a position. Legislators may need more time to review additional information or talk with others before they can give a firm commitment and even that commitment can change.
• Follow-up: Send a follow-up letter to the legislator. If the desired result is not achieved (and this will often be the case), let the FMA Division of Governmental Affairs determine what additional approach might be productive.
• Interpret the legislator's responses. "You can count on my vote" is a firm commitment. Anything less should be interpreted according to pressures on the legislator. Two factors must be kept in mind:

1.  Legislators will usually not give a totally negative response; and,

2.  Legislators usually will allow leeway to change their position, based on additional information or discussion.

Always remember to thank a legislator(s) who has taken the time to meet with you or has supported the policies of organized medicine.