Strong Work Everyone!!!

Thank you Becky for the following update! Good work everybody!


Good Monday...

In case you haven't heard, SB397 (the bill would have allowed routine dispensing of drugs by medical practitioners at employer-based onsite clinics) and SB521 (the bill to prohibit substitution of anticonvulsants without the consent of both the prescriber and the patient) were both tabled in the House Human Services committee last week. While it's possible that the bills could be resurrected it's highly unlikely, as that would require a reversal of the votes from last week. The bills are essentially dead, thanks to all of you!

Some of you called legislators you knew that were on the committee, some of you wrote, and some of you sent an e-mail message, and as a result every member of the House Human Services committee heard from at least one pharmacist, and some heard from many. You all did what you could and notified others, and you accomplished what was seemingly impossible!

SB397 had passed the Senate on a 50-0 vote and was stopped cold in committee in the House, while SB521 passed the Senate on a 48-2 vote and met the same fate in the same committee. Please take a second to call, write or e-mail the committee members you previously contacted and thank them for their wise vote to table both of these bills. Also, please spread the word to others that helped but don't have e-mail. I'll try to call them too.

I received a nice e-mail from Jim Smith of MPA, thanking all of you for your help. This wouldn't have happened without you!

I've printed the list of committee members below, and want to thank each one of you again for your excellent work!

Thanks.....

Becky Deschamps, RPh
Stoker, Ron – Darby (no pharmacy) (Becky will call Wayne Hedman in Hamilton and others)
McGillvray, Tom – Billings Shannon Robison 656-8188
Becker, Arlene – Billings Margie nafts 237-8100
Caferro, Mary - Helena
Dutton, Ernie – Billings Dan Jurovich 259-2562
French, Julie – Scobey Robert Haugo 487-5911
Ingraham, Pat – Thompson Falls S. Shear 827-4349
Jones, Bill – Conrad Jesse Parks 278-3267 Peter McKeone 271-3211
Kerns, Krayton - Laurel Carl Wallila 628-8747, John Barsness 628-7217, Robert Baldner 628-6022
McAlpin, David - Missoula
Milburn, Mike – Cascade (no pharmacy)
Peterson, Ken – Billings Ed Kent 657-4155
Reinhart, Michele - Missoula
Sands, Diane - Missoula