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Online
Registration
NYSALM's
Annual Meeting and Lobby Day 2010 - Celebrating our 10th Anniversary
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MIDWIVES!
We are thrilled
to welcome a record number of consumers to join us on April 12th
in Albany to support the Midwifery Modernization Act. "The
Well," an open area in the Legislative Office Building just
down the stairs from the Hearing Room where our Annual Meeting will
take place, will be the spot for a rally from noon to 1pm. To learn
more about the incredible support we are receiving from midwifery
clients from across the state, visit:
FreeOurMidwives.org
Press releases
will be going out to local papers throughout the state before Lobby
Day and the local media, including television coverage,
will be present for the event. NYSALM is inviting all legislators
to join the rally and see for themselves the incredible support
we are receiving for this bill from consumers. Our clients understand
that removing the requirement for a written practice will increase
their access to care, choice of care provider, and availability
of midwifery services throughout the state. Their passion
and committment is clear - let's match their enthusiasm with a strong
presence of midwives at Lobby Day.
The Well is
also a passageway between different parts of the Legislative Office
Building and has heavy foot traffic from the public throughout the
day. This is a wonderful opportunity to get our message out to the
public.
You can help
garner client support - we encourage every midwife to get five
clients to attend the rally (and join a lobbying group
if she wants to). If you're driving up to Albany, fill the empty
seats in your car with your clients. If you can't attend Lobby Day,
pay the transportation cost for some of your clients to attend.
Midwife supporters can get information (including information for
ride sharing) and register at the FreeOurMidwives
website and on our website.
The consumers
at FreeOurMidwives.org have an ongoing photo project. They are collecting
photographs of babies and children born with the love and help of
a midwife, children of midwives, midwives and babies, women and
their midwives, and families and their midwives. These photos will
be projected in the Well during the rally for the public to see.
Learn more about the photo project and participate here.
A weekend
of connection and renewal:
A midwives' gathering and retreat the weekend before Lobby Day.
River &
Mountain Midwives PLLC of the Hudson Valley is hosting a retreat
in Columbia County, NY from April 9-11. The retreat will be held
at Powell House, a Quaker conference and retreat center in Old Chatham
on 57 acres of grounds with lawns, hiking trails, spectacular views
of Rensselaer County, a bird sanctuary and two ponds.
For more information,
please visit
their web site
General
information points about the Annual Meeting and Lobby Day
- Registration
will start at 8:30 am in the Well. Coffee and bagels will be available
outside of the Hearing Room (just up the stairs from
the Well). We are STRICTLY PROHIBITED from bringing food or beverages
into the Hearing Room.
- There will
be several wonderful items for both a raffle and silent auction
- including a week at a vacation time-share, professional sports
tickets, beautiful hand-made items, items for your midwifery office,
and autographed books and DVDs. We will accept cash, checks, and
credit cards for raffle tickets, but cash and checks are preferred
methods of payment. The items will be displayed in the well from
8:30 am to 2pm, and the raffle drawing will take place at 2pm.
- The morning
introductory session, invited legislative speakers, and Annual
Meeting will take place in Hearing Room C between 9am and 11:30
am. Any consumers who arrive during this time will be in the Well.
- While we
try to make as many appointments as possible in the afternoon,
some meetings will take place as early as 10:00 am. You may need
to step out of the Annual Meeting or the rally to attend your
meetings. Please be flexible and find a NYSALM board member if
you have any questions or concerns on Lobby Day
- Many of
your meetings may be with a legislative aide to the Senator or
Assemblyperson. These aides have the ear of the legislator and
are usually very interested in hearing what we have to say and
encourage the legislator to consider our points. Do not be discouraged
if you do not meet directly with the legislator. Know that meeting
with the aide is often as good if not better.
- If this
is your first time lobbying, don't worry! We make sure that each
group is a balanced mix of experienced lobbyers, novices, students,
and consumers. However, this might mean that you are in some groups
to meet with legislators that are not from your geographical region.
Please be flexible and we encourage you to meet with your legislators
in their home offices if you did not meet with them on Lobby Day.
- We will
try to end the Annual Meeting at 11:30 am to give you an opportunity
to get lunch before the rally. Alternately, you may choose to
have lunch at 1pm when the rally is over. There are several places
to eat within the Empire Plaza.
- Several
lunch carts with various cuisines are set up on Washington Street,
across the plaza that is in front of the Capitol building. In
prior years we have exited the Legislative Office Building via
the State Street exit to walk across the plaza, but this exit
will be closed on April 12th. You will need to exit the building
via a different exit to walk to Washington Street. Please see
the concourse
level map, google
map, and options
for dining in the Empire Plaza.
Online
Registration
ABC's
of Lobbying
Review
the Revised NYSALM Bylaws
Members will vote on the bylaws changes at the annual meeting
Agenda
for Lobby Day
Hotel
and Dinner the Night Before Lobby Day
Reserve your hotel room for a discounted rate
The group dinner will be served at 7:30 pm
A
Midwives' Retreat Before Lobby Day
Directions and Maps
NYSALM
Background
Licensed
Midwifery in New York State
What
we're lobbying for
NYSALM
Sponsored bill - The Midwifery Modernization Act (MMA)
S5007
/ A8117
An
act to amend the education law, in relation to the Midiwfery
Practice Act, with the intent of updating the Act and eliminating
the written practice agreement requirement.
Read
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