For all members who are attending this year’s SEIU Local 1991 Lobby Days, here are links to the issues we will be fighting for in Tallahassee.
Read ahead and get prepared for an exciting session! Agenda here: 2014 Lobby Day Agenda
SEIU Local 1991 Bills
The Florida Hospital Patient Protection Act (SB 1026/ HB 905) proposes to mandate common sense staffing ratios in order to reduce patient mortality, tackle the nursing shortage and lower healthcare costs to medical facilities. Read the talking points: StaffingBill2014
Safe Patient Lifting (HB 289/SB 554) proposes to require new patient lifting and handling policies and practices developed by hospitals and their employees. Read the talking points: SafeLift2014.
Jackson Funding and Medicaid Expansion
Florida must repeal the “tiering” provisions of its Medicaid reimbursement system and find a way to accept federal dollars to expand Medicaid to Floridians in the coverage gap. Failing to do either will have consequences for public safety net hospitals like Jackson. Read the talking points: JacksonFunding2014.
Expand ARNP Scope of Practice
Florida is the most restrictive practice state for ARNPs in the country, which only contributes to steadily increasing healthcare costs and decreasing access to primary care. A coalition of healthcare advocates is supporting modernizing the law to allow Florida to take full advantage of all the training and skills of nurse practitioners. Read the talking points: ARNP2014.
Protect Pensions
House Speaker Will Weatherford tried to starve the state pension system last year, failing only because the Senate wouldn’t go along with it. He’s back this year with a similar proposal to require new employees (except police and fire) to enroll in 401(k)-style investment plans. Read the talking points: Pensions2014.