WPHA-WALHDAB
JOINT PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
June 23, 2005
WPHA voting members present:
WALHDAB voting members present:
Sarah Beversdorf
(phone) Diane Cappozzo
Kathy Blair
Sharon Hampson
Julie Patefield Halvorsen
Lowell Haugen
Jan Klawitter
Dale Hippensteel, Co-Chair
Nancy
O’Dell Sally Nusslock
(phone)
Eric Osterman,
Co-Chair Jim Ryder (phone)
Barb
Theis
Non-Voting:
Staff present:
Lon
Newman Steve
Lorenz
Dawn Berney
Michael Welsh
Tim
Hoven
NEXT MEETING: Thursday, July 28 from 11 a.m. – 2
p.m. at the Wisconsin Medical Society, Madison
Action items in BOLD CAPS
The meeting was called to order at 11:07 a.m.
Eric Osterman added new legislation and SB 205 to the
agenda for the meeting.
Assembly passed their version of the Budget on Tuesday.
Senate should take it up next week. They will need 17 votes and currently
only have 15.
Family planning waiver:
Timeliness of committee votes and positions for quick
turnaround was discussed. WFPRHA letter asking the Governor to veto the
language was reviewed. Statute states that Family planning funds must be bid
out. Governor wants to award contracts based on performance, quality, etc.
rather than by politically driven awards.
Budget discussion:
There was discussion of sending a letter to provide
Governor some political cover and align us with a partner organization,
WFPRHA. HOVEN CONSULTING will draft a letter that the committee can
review and make recommended changes.
AB414:
Republicans are currently caucusing; Tim will be
leaving this meeting to go there as this bill is scheduled to go to the
floor today. A letter of opposition went out from WPHA/WALHDAB and an
editorial was routed. Hoven anticipates that it will pass today.
Senate companion bill 202 may not be able to get out of
committee based on current estimation of votes. The Senate is the best
option for stopping this bill. The group discussed any potential options for
negotiation and agreed that it is not a possible to negotiate with this
bill. The group agreed to continue to oppose both bills and Hoven will
advise on the progress of both bills. HOVEN CONSULTING will send a
letter to the Senate committee. DAWN BERNEY will e-mail data on
potential loss of revenue and health insurance savings to businesses as a
result of being smoke free to Michael Welsh.
AB 278: Public Nuisance bill
An amendment will not be added to this bill, even
though Senator Roessler was originally supportive. There was a discussion on
how the committee should approach this issue and whether or not this is a
battle that the committee should fight. If there is not pre-emption, then
local municipalities can still enact and enforce their own nuisance laws. It
is highly likely that Governor will veto this bill. The group agreed to stay
registered in opposition at this point, but not put specific efforts behind
it.
Tim reported that the sale of unpasteurized milk
(AB453) and potluck (AB 454) bills are not moving quickly. The advertising
birth control on UW Campuses (AB343) passed last week. There will be no
action in the Senate at this time, but it will come up again in the fall.
Hines’ cigarette tax bill (AB451) went to committee and will likely stay
there.
AB385: No position
This bill would exempt emergency workers during a
public emergency so long as they had been licensed in the last 10 years. The
bill would provide liability coverage to those whose license has expired, so
that health care workers would be available during such an emergency.
Michael Welsh will e-mail the definition of health care facilities. Eric
Osterman inquired about the positions of the DHFS or DPH on this issue and
whether either organization feels that this bill is necessary and/or
beneficial in such an emergency. The group discussed the priority rating of
this bill and if time and effort should be spent on this issue. A suggestion
was made that perhaps the committee should seek another organization that
WPHA/WALHDAB could partner with to raise the bill’s priority level. It was
agreed the bill was not a priority at this time, but re-consideration would
be given if the associations are asked to take a position. JAN KLAWITTER
will follow up with DHFS & DPH.
AB 454: If testimony is needed, Eric/Dale will seek
someone to testify.
AB453: If testimony is needed, Eric/Dale will seek
someone to testify.
A motion to oppose AB453 and AB454 was passed by voting
members of both organizations.
SB 205 was added to the agenda. Julie Halvorsen
reviewed the bill for the group. The bill basically provides an exemption to
a small niche of people that is a step backwards regarding the public
health. WEHA is looking for the committee’s support to oppose the bill. WPHA
has registered in opposition. Both WPHA and WALHDAB took a vote and agreed
to oppose this bill.
AB343:
Passed the assembly by a slim margin and will go to the
senate with a 50/50 chance of passing. It is anticipated that the Governor
will veto regardless.
AB451:
Companion bill was referred to committee where it will
likely stay. There will be a hearing on the Senate bill, but it will not
likely go further.
Recently introduced legislation:
AB450:
There is currently a minimal fine for underage drinking
& driving. This would increase penalties. Halvorsen/Klawitter made a motion
to support this legislation. The motion carried unanimously.
AB455: Increase the beer tax by $1.
Klawitter/Cappozzo made a motion to support this bill.
The motion carried unanimously.
SB221: Requires physicians to provide info on shaken
baby syndrome
This would be another mandate with good public health
policy intentions. There will be a fiscal note and DHFS would have to
produce appropriate materials. This is the next in the line of physician
mandates. There is some disagreement about how the injuries happen.
Members also questioned the location, time and audience for the training.
Blair/Klawitter made a motion to take no action on this bill. The motion
carried unanimously.
Klawitter/Hampson made a motion to oppose AB 285 &
SB155. The motion carried.
ERIC OSTERMAN will add the legislative
priorities to future agendas and meeting minutes.
The committee discussed the potential for drafting a
resolution on future conference locations that the community must be a smoke
free community. A number of groups have passed resolutions to place
conferences in smoke free communities or facilities at a minimum. DAWN
BERNEY will forward copies of APHA and Colorado resolutions that have
passed to ERIC OSTERMAN for him to forward to the committee to review
and draft a resolution. Sarah Beversdorf expressed interest in participating
on a team to draft a resolution and develop an implementation plan. ERIC
OSTERMAN will add this item to the July meeting agenda. ERIC OSTERMAN
will also send the link for Association of Non-Smokers Rights (ANR) to the
committee.
Core funding strategies team’s plan is to review other
states funding and what funding options are available in Wisconsin. Model
Statutes project is in process with Representative Hines.
DOH will be encouraging the mergers of local health
departments. This issue has arisen more than once and there is current
discussion that these mergers may receive added incentives through grants.
This could be an opportunity for the committee to be more proactive and be
ready for this issue to come up at a different level. A white paper could be
drafted or modified from existing WPHA white papers on merging departments
with DHFS. ERIC OSTERMAN will add this item to the next meeting
agenda and will look at the Kettle report and a copy of the WPHA white paper
on mergers. HOVEN CONSULTING should watch for this issue to arise and
notify the committee of pending legislation that includes such mergers.
Meeting was adjourned at 2:03 p.m.
