Time For Action! Make Your Voice Heard!
                 If not you, then who?  If not now, then when?

Two pieces of legislation have been introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that need your support. The first bill, HB1223, would establish a statewide asthma tracking system. The second bill, HB 720, is a re-introduction of a bill that would ban smoking in public places throughout the state.

It's time for YOU to make a difference!

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Asthma Tracking Bill (HB 1223)

Representative Michael Sturla has introduced HB 1223 in the PA House of Representatives.  This bill seeks to establish a statewide asthma tracking system. This directly affects our patient population! The legislation would develop and maintain a comprehensive tracking system to monitor the investigation of factors contributing to the difference in the rates of asthma among different socioeconomic, racial, and age groups in the Commonwealth, as well as provide recommendations for improving greater access to health care for groups with high prevalence of the disease. In addition, this legislation would target resources to those areas that are shown to be the most heavily impacted.

What YOU Need To Do To Support This Bill:

  1. Obtain your State Representative's name and email address (see Governmental Affairs Homepage).
  2. View a sample letter we'd like you to send via email by clicking here. Cut and paste the body of the letter into an email message. Be sure to add your Representative's name at the top of the letter and your name and other information at the bottom of the letter.
  3. To allow us to know how many emails have been sent, please BCC the email to 2008GovAffairsChair@psrc.net

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Indoor Smoking Ban Bill (Clean Indoor Air Act - HB 720)

Representative George Kinney has sponsored this bill which is another attempt to ban indoor smoking in public places in the state of Pennsylvania.  Another version of this bill was heavily amended and passed the PA Senate.  However, the House of Representatives defeated that bill.

Right now the House and Senate are in what's known as "Conference Committee" where representatives from each group try to hash out the differences between their respective bills to come up with one that both can agree on.

We need to keep the pressure on so that a bill is passed by the end of 2008!!


What YOU Need To Do:

  1. Obtain your State Senator & Representative's name and email address (see Governmental Affairs Homepage).
  2. Send an email or letter to your both of your legislators telling them that you would like them to support a smoking ban in public places throughout the state.  Enter your reasons why you believe this would be a benefit to the public and, more importantly, the workers in these establishments who are forced to inhale smoke while they work.
  3. To allow us to know how many emails have been sent, please BCC the email to 2008GovAffairsChair@psrc.net