With the 2022 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session coming to a close, we have much to be grateful for as a profession and many to thank. As the Chair of the Council on Legislation for the Louisiana State Medical Society, I want to start by thanking you, the members, for responding to our ask for your participation and for making your voice heard in Baton Rouge this past year. Early in the session, we hosted the 2022 Legislative Reception and White Coat Wednesday events. While the details of these events will be chronicled elsewhere, suffice it to say that for two years in a row, we have “outgrown the facility” based upon your turnout and willingness to engage. With well over 120 members in attendance this year, there can be no doubt that our society is experiencing a new “finest hour” of professional advocacy. Next to thank is your Council on Legislation. This is the committee or “council” of the society, made up of individual members (one from each District), who work year-round to ensure success when the legislative session arrives. In addition to attending the fifteen plus meetings we hold every year, they offer strategy and insights into key issues and relationships at the Capitol based, in many cases, on decades of experience in the Legislative process. We do Sunday evening conference calls throughout session in addition to the three or so other meetings we hold on your behalf each year. You would be incredibly proud of your fellow members if you witnessed the commitment they bring to the table in this effort. They are truly advocacy warriors for the profession! I would also be remiss if I didn’t highlight the incredible work of our LSMS Governmental Affairs team, especially Maria Bowen, our Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Lauren Bailey, our Vice President of Legal Affairs. They work tirelessly, year- round, but especially during session, to ensure your objectives, as described in LSMS policy, are achieved. Maria has completed her fourth session now with the LSMS, but it is hard to imagine where we would be without her. When she joined, we discussed how priority number one would be to re-engage the grassroots membership of the LSMS. I am comfortable, based upon the success of White Coat Wednesday, in saying that this crucial first step is achieved. “ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR PROFESSION!” DAVID BROUSSARD, MD - Council on Legislation for the Louisiana State Medical Society, Chair
I do get asked by members throughout the year what they can do to help become better advocates for the profession. There is no question that the answer is to form a relationship with your individual state Senator and Representative and support them politically. Starting such a relationship is easiest to accomplish with a first-time candidate, but in my experience, even established elected officials are surprisingly receptive if you reach out to them outside of the time-crunch of the legislative session. Many of you are already aware of the members from growing up together or interacting casually in your personal lives, so that makes the introductions easier. It also helps if the first time you are reaching out to them, you simply introduce your profession along with some of your “feel good” priorities (making telemedicine better or helping with the opioid epidemic, as examples) and don’t have a specific “ask.” This budding relationship will be developed even further when you have the opportunity to work on or contribute to their next campaign. These efforts don’t bring a direct return, but will help you in getting their attention during the busy season of session and at least allow you the opportunity to articulate your position on ways to help improve legislation they are considering.
Don’t hesitate to approach me at the upcoming LSMS House of Delegates in August if you have questions and want to get more involved in professional advocacy. We will no doubt face big challenges in the coming years and we will need you at the table with us!
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE ANSWER IS TO FORM A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR INDIVIDUAL STATE SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE AND SUPPORT THEM POLITICALLY.
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J LA MED SOC | VOL 174 | SUMMER 2022
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