Legislative 2005

Legislators were in recess the week of Town Meetings. Health care issues continue to be the focus of a great deal of testimony, discussion and debate. There is a great effort to act on significant legislation so bills are voted out of the committees and House and Senate in time to make crossover.

• H. 115 An Act Relating to Advance Directives for Health Care took testimony in early March week on pain management. The House Human Services Committee plans to vote on H. 115 on 3/10.

Gabrielle Mikula monitored activity on this for VNPA.

• H. 227/S.95 An Act Related to Safe Staffing and Quality Patient Care had a first reading 2/11 and was referred to the House Housing and General Affairs Committee

• H. 466/S. 96 An Act Relating to Prohibiting Mandatory Overtime had a first reading 2/11 and was referred to the House Housing and Military Affairs Committee

• H. 465 An Act Relating to Disclosure of Health Care Staffing Had a first reading 3/8 and was referred to the House Health Care Committee.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee has been taking testimony on models of health care including one from Sweden; and on heard a presentation from Con Hogan (former Commissioner of Human Services and a member of Coalition 21), and Deborah Richter, MD ( of Health Care For All and Coalition 21) on their book The Future of Health Care in Vermont.

APRNs must be informed and participate in the planning for health care delivery in the future!