WPHA-WALHDAB
JOINT PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
May 26, 2005
WPHA voting members present:
WALHDAB voting members present:
Sarah Beversdorf
(phone) Sharon Hampson (phone)
Jan Klawitter
Kathy Munsey
Mary Ann Lippert
Sally Nusslock (phone)
Nancy
O’Dell Jim Ryder
Eric Osterman
Barb Theis
Non-Voting:
Staff present:
Ann Conway
(phone) Steve Lorenz
Kathy
Farnsworth Michael Welsh
NEXT MEETING: Thursday, June 23 from 11 a.m. – 2
p.m. at the Wisconsin Medical Society, Madison
The meeting was called to order at 11:07 a.m.
The group reviewed the Public Affairs Session and the
legislative table at the Joint Annual Conference. Committee members received
positive feedback from many attendees, attendance at the session was great
and several people stayed after the session to talk with Tim Hoven and
Michael Welsh. Barb Theis stated that several regions have responded that
they would like Michael Welsh and Tim Hoven to come out and speak at
regional meetings at the regions’ expense and that such a presentation would
be beneficial to board of health members. Michael Welsh will develop pricing
and get back to Jan Klawitter and Kathy Munsey. The committee commended
Hoven Consulting on the high quality presentation, the seamless interaction
with members after only 6 months and thought that they handled the question
and answer portion of the program extremely well. Their handling of
confrontational issues head-on enhanced the credibility of the legislative
partnership between WPHA, WALHDAB and Hoven Consulting. There was discussion
about ensuring that attendees knew who their legislators were, which might
enhance the legislative table next year.
The proposed usage of Injured Patients and Families
Compensation Fund (IPFCF) funds for the state budget did not pass the Joint
Finance Committee. Therefore the Quality Board will not take place due to
lack of funding. POVD, which was proposed to fall under the Quality Board,
will stay with DHFS. DHFS was tasked with making recommendations on how to
proceed long-term and should report back next March.
The budget update regarding cigarette sales tax over
the Internet was discussed.
Jan Klawitter will forward AB 385 to the committee.
If the legislature can close the budget without
cigarette tax they will, if not then it will come up again.
Rumors about raiding Tobacco Control Board funding are
circulating. Michael Welsh will look into it and report back to Jan
Klawitter and Kathy Munsey.
WALHDAB is still determining their positions on some
legislative issues on the grid and should be able to report back after the
June regional meetings.
Jan Klawitter will forward a copy of the editorial
regarding the Oshkosh restaurant smoking issue to the committee. Eric
Osterman recommended that the committee support 100% smoke free within the
state. He also recommended that the committee investigate the logistics
behind pushing for the 75% versus 100% to start. This issue is much bigger
and goals need to be viewed in the long-term (100% statewide) vs. the
shorter term (75% by community). Mary Ann Lippert pointed out that this is a
part of the organizations’ maturation as a political entity and working with
a lobbyist and that the political system does not always allow organizations
to attain their goals on the first try. Some long-term goals need to be
taken in smaller stages.
Barb Theis voiced concern that her region is opposed to
the committee’s continued support for AB440. The committee agreed that
pulling support at this time could be very damaging to the joint committee’s
credibility with the legislature. The committee agreed not to pull or
promote its support at this time. Kathy Farnsworth feels that the committee
should express its concerns to the authors of the bill.
If the political support is not there for a statewide
100% initiative, perhaps the strategy should be to get 100% in several local
communities until there are enough communities to justify pushing for a
statewide initiative.
Sarah Beversdorf/Kathy Munsey moved that a subcommittee
of the Joint Public Affairs Committee be formed to develop a proactive
strategy that the committee could use to continue our efforts for tobacco
control. The subcommittee would develop specific criteria against which
future legislation can be judged for its merits in relation to goals of the
organizations. The committee would also gather necessary research and data
to support the plan (i.e., other states). The subcommittee will bring the
strategy to the full committee and the Boards of both organizations to
review and approve as founding principals for our campaign to control
tobacco. The motion carried. Eric Osterman, Mary Ann Lippert, Jim Ryder and
Sharon Hampson agreed to be the sub-committee.
Sharon Hampson commented that the public in her area
has voiced support for public health’s efforts on tobacco control and thinks
they are heroic, but that public health should be doing more.
There is a hearing today at the Capitol on emergency
contraception. There were many students in attendance, so watch the news
tonight.
The committee should use the summer to gather plans and
policy items together from both organizations to be more proactive regarding
legislative issues, rather than reacting to new issues as they arise. The
committee discussed oral health, the Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan,
being engaged with the Public Health Council and review of past resolutions
needing policy from both organizations as potential areas of focus during
the summer and early fall.
Michael Welsh provided an update on the Public Health
Statutes legislation. He reported that the updated model act document has
been forwarded to Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) and is currently being
drafted. Feedback has been received that nutritionists and public health
educators feel that their importance in public health has been left out of
the statutes. Jan provided this information to Liz
Zelazek and Liz will respond to those people with information on the process
and involvement of nutritionists and educators.
Future planning for the statutes could potentially
include a presentation at the regional meetings from Dick Sweet, with the
opportunity for membership to provide feedback but not seeking any changes
or rewording. Jan Klawitter will follow up with Liz Zelazek to ensure that
we reengage the organizations that have been involved in the statute process
previously. Michael Welsh anticipated that the draft should be done by the
end of June. Jan Klawitter and Liz Zelazek will investigate and ensure that
the edits forwarded by Darryl Farmer (item 254.59) regarding environmental
health were included in the document for drafting.
The subcommittee on core funding for public health has
struggled to get together. It is anticipated that they will be reporting at
the June meeting. It was requested that legislative priorities be listed on
future agendas.
Eric Osterman and Dale Hippensteel will become the
committee co-chairs as of the June meeting. Kathy Munsey will get back to
Steve Lorenz on the official changes on the committee’s WALHDAB voting
members. Jan Klawitter and Eric Osterman will be switching positions and
both will remain WPHA voting members.
WIC issues were discussed and the potential for
statewide research regarding the number of newborns
in the WIC program and the possibility of getting county-wide and regional
data to better support WIC funding was discussed.
Meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
