A Successful Day at the Utah Capitol

On February 7th, American Heart Association here in Utah hosted our first in-person Heart on the Hill lobby day since 2020. We are so grateful for all the board members, state advocacy committee members, Utah staff, and volunteers that showed up to the state Capitol to help us lobby! 25 of us packed the halls of the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City, including several advocacy staff joining from different Western Region states. After a morning board meeting, followed by a legislative process refresh and issue presentation on Postpartum Medicaid by bill sponsor and issue champion, Representative Rosemary Lesser, advocates marched up to the House and Senate chambers to lobby in favor of legislation to extend postpartum Medicaid access for Utah women and show our presence at the Capitol by wearing read. We were able to share valuable information with many lawmakers. This was many of our volunteers’ first experience lobbying, and I think it was a resounding success.

In addition to efforts on the Hill, our operations and communications staff here in Utah have been working with volunteers to coordinate events, message our issues, and keep the momentum going for the incredible work the Utah team is doing.

As we continue to host more in-person events, our first thought is always the safety of staff and volunteers, as well as gratitude for all the hard work put into virtual advocacy and events that helped propel our work forward even as the pandemic drove life to a halt. Recognizing that Covid is still a threat, we continue to strive for hybrid events and advocacy to make sure our staff and volunteers have the greatest access possible. Attending Heart on the Hill isn’t possible for all of our volunteers for various reasons, and that’s why we continue to elevate You’re the Cure as a wonderful tool to make sure your voice is heard on the issues you care about.

The Utah Legislature is in session through early March, so now is a great time to see what actions your can take on You’re the Cure to help us get important legislation through the finish line. Thanks again to all of our dedicated supporters and we look forward to having more in-person and hybrid events throughout 2023.