SOUTH CAROLINA
Speech-Language-Hearing Association

LEGISLATION

Legislative Updates from the SCSHA Lobbyist

National Legislation

State Legislation

SCSHA Legislative Contact Information

SCSHA Legislative Updates

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

August 2007

NATIONAL LEGISLATION

For a complete update concerning ASHA’s national legislative efforts, go to ASHA’s SLP website at http://www.asha.org/about/legislation:advocacy/slp-advocate/.  This site provides a synopsis of the most recent activities of ASHA’s Government Relations and Public Policy Divisions.  Some of the most significant issues this year are listed below:

1.      Review of IDEA Part B final regulations

2.      Salary supplement legislation for public school SLPs

3.      Extension of the Medicaid therapy cap exception process

4.      Announcement of incoming Congressional leaders fiscal year 2007 appropriations

5.      Renewal of state associations

6.      Legislation for newborn hearing screening

7.      Actions and discussion of ASHA state Legislative Counselors (LCs), State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALs) and the Counsel of State Association Presidents (CSAP)

 

STATE LEGISLATION

SCSHA Legislative Day 2006 was held Thursday, May 11th.  The day began with a light breakfast at 8:00 for all legislators and staff.  The Senate was not in session.  However, there was good attendance by the House members and their staff.  Approximately 30 Representatives and 50 staff members attended.  The 2066 SCSHA Ambassador, Caleb Fore, attended along with his parents Doug and Gina Fore.  Free hearing screenings were offered.  Students from the University of South Carolina conducted the hearing screenings.  After the breakfast, the 15 SCSHA members in attendance met in the lobby area between the Senate and House chambers to discuss current speech and hearing issues with several state representatives.   Representative Kenny Bingham introduced Caleb and his family from the House balcony.

 

SCSHA Legislative Day 2007 is scheduled for Thursday, April 26.  The schedule of activities will be similar to those of the past years.  The day will begin with a breakfast with hearing screenings offered and end with meeting with legislators in the legislative lobby of the State House.  Weather permitting; a group photo will be made of all attendees on the front steps of the State House.

 

A new bill, S. 323 has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Nikki Setzler. This bill states that a financial incentive will be awarded to full-time public school speech –language pathologists who have earned the ASHA CCC for the life of the certificate.  The bill was sent to the Judiciary Committee for review.

 

The SCSHA Executive board voted at the June 2006 meeting to accept a membership request to investigate current Medicaid and insurance reimbursement rates and begin legislation to increase the current rates.

 

Alyson Price, SCSHA Legislative Committee Chair has been recruiting members to serve on the committee and would welcome more members.  This committee has been charged by the Executive Board to develop an extensive grassroots system to be used when specific legislators need to be contacted.  The committee would like to have one or two lead contacts for each geographical area of the state to disseminate information to all members of the area.  Hopefully, personal contact will result in more active participation by the membership in legislative efforts and put more pressure on legislators with voter contact.

 

SCSHA Legislative Contact Information

For more information, you may contact:

VP Governmental Affairs
Traci M. Hogan, MA, CCC-SLP
tamslp3@charter.net

 

SCSHA LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

 

March 2007

 

Bill S. 323 passed the Senate Education Subcommittee March 7!  Celeste Blackmon and Rebecca McKenzie Appling did an excellent job speaking on behalf of the association.  We offer a tremendous “Thank You” to the approximately 15 SCSHA members that attended the hearing!  It demonstrated to the senators how important this bill is to the public school membership.   Also, Thanks to those who contacted their senators asking them to vote “yes”on the bill.  The senators were aware of the contacts and commented about the number of them.

 

Senator Fair of Greenville District 6 spoke favorably of the bill to the other committee members.   We were very pleased with his comments!  Please take the time to send him a hand written note thanking him for speaking to the committee in such an encouraging and favorable way for bill S. 323.

 

Next, the bill goes to the Full Senate Education Committee.  We expect this to be in about 2 to 3 weeks.  Please plan to attend the committee meeting once the date and time are announced.  It will be announced on the SCSHA list serv and through the legislative grassroots contact system.  Please begin contacting the senators of the committee asking them to vote “yes” for bill S. 323.  The senators on the committee are listed below.  To find YOUR senator and contact information, go to www.sc.statehouse.net  and click on “Find Your Legislator.”

 

John Courson, Chm.
EDU@scsenate.org

Robert Hayes
set@scsenate.org 

Linda Short  
LHS@scsenate.org

Michael Fair
CP@scsenate.org

Darrell Jackson
DJI@scsenate.org

Randy Scott 
SCOTTR@scsenate.org 

Nikki Setzler
NGS@scsenate.org  

William Mescher
SLC@scsenate.org

Kay Patterson 
KAY@scsenate.org

Harvey Peeler
MED@scsenate.org

Ralph Anderson
RA@scsenate.org

John Matthews
JWM@scsenate.org 

Luke Rankin
LR@scsenate.org

Chauncey Gregory
SFG@scsenate.org

Phil Leventis
PL@scsenate.org 

Ray Cleary
CLEARYR@scsenate.org 

 

                                   

 

 

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