Legislative Updates

Posted 6/24/2011

Summer and Fall Meetings With Legislators Key to General Assembly Success
The 2010 General Assembly passed legislation paving the way for Speech Language Pathologists to be paid a salary stipend that would put them on par with teachers that receive a similar national certification.  Due to the economic recession and its effects on Kentucky’s budget however the Legislature was unable, at that time, to properly fund the stipend.

KSHA plans to make a hard push when the Legislature reconvenes in January to get the stipend fully funded.  Budget numbers are cautiously looking better as state revenues are coming in each month slightly above previous expectations.  Also, through the hard work of KSHA leadership, many more legislators now understand the great work provided by SLP’s and the inequity of the current salary structure.  All that said, we will need your help.

As state budgets rebound, there will be a long list of program funding requests for legislators to consider.  Many popular programs have been underfunded over the past several years and basically no new program funding has been considered since the recession began.  As we request funding for the salary stipend, we will be competing with many other associations, professions, industries, etc. who will be knocking on the same doors. 

The best thing you can do to ensure legislative success is get to know your legislator over the summer and fall.  When the General Assembly is in session, it is extremely difficult to introduce a new topic for discussion if legislators have not already been hearing about it.  Keep in mind, that legislators typically must analyze over 1,000 pieces of legislation each session and run on a schedule that affords very little time to digest new and complicated information.

I encourage you over the summer and fall to get to know your legislator.  Have coffee or lunch with them and tell them about what you do, the challenges you face and, most importantly, thank them for passing the legislation authorizing a salary stipend and impress upon them the importance of fully funding it during the 2012 legislative session.

These meetings in their home districts with legislators are priceless.  It allows you to catch them at a time when their stress level is down and when they can focus in on new information.  It also will be invaluable for them to have a “face with the name” when our advocacy efforts start during the 2012 session.
If you already know your state senator or representative, give them a call and catch up.  If you don’t know them, call them up, introduce yourself and tell them you’d love to sit down with them sometime over the next few months.  I am confident they will be happy to hear from you and gain a better understanding of what you do.

Patrick Jennings
KSHA Lobbyist

KSHA PAC Committee

PAC Chair
Mary Gray
mary.gray@va.gov

PAC Treasurer
Heather Marlow
h.marlow@rhrcc.org

PAC Custodian
Gail Murray
gmurray@arh.org

If you would like to be part of the PAC Committe or make a PAC Contribution, contact Heather Marlow, h.marlow@rhrcc.org

KSHA Lobbyist
Patrick Jennings
Commonwealth Alliances
502-607-8670
patrick@commonwealthalliances.com