NC AHA Advocacy Hits the Ground Running

 

With the elections a mere week behind us and the dust barely settled, we have wasted no time in moving forward with our 2013 state policy issues.  This week several of our top priorities saw important progress, pulse oximetry screening, primary stroke center designation and tobacco control issues.  The stage is set for our issues to see more action before the end of the year.

Now is the time to reach out to your newly elected legislators.  So, make sure your lawmaker hears from you about the issues that are important to you.  With redistricting many of you have a new lawmaker, so to learn who represents you visit:  http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.html

On November 14th, the Perinatal Health Committee of the Child Fatality Task Force (CFTF) met and recommended that the full CFTF support requiring adding congenital heart disease screening using pulse oximetry to the newborn screening panel to ensure all newborns are screened before leaving the birthing center.  Then, on November 15th, the Legislative Committee of the Justus Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force (JWHDSPTF) met and approved policy recommendations that include primary stroke center designation, recurring funding for the stroke advisory council and community education, funding NC’s tobacco use prevention and cessation programs at the 2011 level of $17.3 million, and to oppose any efforts to weaken the state’s smoke-free restaurant and bar law.  The full task forces, CFTF and JWHDSPTF, will meet in December to vote on their final recommendations.

To learn more about these policy issues and more, visit the NC You’re the Cure community site (http://yourethecure.org/aha/advocacy/issues.aspx) or contact Betsy Vetter, [email protected].

And, once you have contacted your lawmakers, let us know about it!  It’s easy with this simple webform: http://yourethecure.org/aha/advocacy/actioncenter.aspx.

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