ACTION NEEDED - CONTACT THE SENATE PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION COMMITTEE

On Tuesday, January 20th, the Senate Professional Registration Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeanie Riddle, will meet for its first meeting of the 2021 legislative session. Although it has not been specifically noticed for hearing, there is a real possibility that SB 8 will be heard in Riddle’s committee on Tuesday.

SB 8, filed by Chairwoman Riddle, is nearly identical to last year’s SB 942, which as you may recall contained disastrous provisions that redefined surgery and prevented NPs with doctorate degrees from using the title. As a result, we are asking all APRN’s to contact members of the Senate Professional Registration Committee and ASK THEM TO OPPOSE SB 8. Although it is unlikely that they will take a vote on the measure, they will likely be hearing testimony on the bill. AMNP and other nursing associations stand united in our resolve to defeat this measure, and we would like YOUR help.

Attached is a joint letter that has been sent to members of the Senate Professional Registration Committee. It outlines our concerns and sends a strong message that legislation like this is the last thing that they should be considering, especially during a global pandemic. Feel free to review this letter to help guide your thoughts, but we encourage you to form your own correspondence that details why you believe this is bad policy for Missouri. The attached letter is a guide only.

In addition to emailing your concerns to the committee, we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL THE OFFICES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS starting on Tuesday morning (January 19th). This is especially important if you are a constituent of one of the following senators:

Sen. Jeanie Riddle
573-751-2757
jeanie.riddle@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Eric Burlison
573-751-1503
eric.burlison@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Doug Beck
573-751-0220
doug.beck@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Karla Eslinger
573-751-1882
karla.eslinger@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Mike Moon
573-751-1480
mike.moon@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Barbara Washington
573-751-3158
barbara.washington@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Paul Wieland
573-751-1492
paul.wieland@senate.mo.gov

***Please note that we are NOT asking you to contact all senators, but instead ONLY the senators on the Senate Professional Registration Committee listed above.

Passage of this bill could have significant consequences for Missouri NPs and your patients, so YOUR involvement is essential.

If you have questions or would like some additional guidance, please email us at nursepractitioners@missourinp.org

Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes of your time. It is both necessary and appreciated.