As a state chapter we are committed to pursuing licensure for our field.
This page will be used for updates and announcements pertaining to Licensure.
***
Update April 7, 2008 - Licensure is on hold due to
lack of financial support from
New York State Practitioners
(Orthotic, Prosthetic and Pedorthic). We will be accepting pledges and will
rehire lobbyist when we reach our goal of $100,000 in pledges. Do not send money
in at this time, only pledges to see if there is enough support to continue.
***
Update June 4, 2007 - Please click on these
links to learn more.
Legislative
Alert - Important Act Now Before It's To Late!!!
Memorandum of Support - An act to amend the educational law, in relation to
creating the profession of orthotics, prosthetic and pedorthic practice.
We need donations and support now or our
efforts will be in vain, we already have a bill number. The state chapter alone
does not have the funding to continue paying our lobbyist!!!
Update March 19, 2007
LICENSURE BILL
INTRODUCED IN STATE SENATE
Great News!! The AAOP-NYS Licensure bill has been introduced in the New York
State Senate by Senator John Flanagan (R-Long Island). The bill now goes to the
Senate Higher Education Committee for consideration.
The introduction of the bill is the culmination of nearly a year's worth of
work, including researching nearly all the state laws in the dozen or so state's
that require licensure.
The text of the bill and the sponsor's memo can be accessed by following this
link .
James S. McCulley, McCulley & Associates, 150 State Street, 4th Floor,
Albany, NY 12207, (518) 432-3300, jmcculley@lobbynewyork.com
Time line for NYSO&P Licensure. Updated January 11, 2007 by our
Lobbyist Jim McCulley
The 2007-2008 legislative session began on January 3rd with Governor Spitzer's
State of the State Address. The Legislature begins slowly, meeting only one or
two days a week during the month. By the middle of the month both houses will
likely have named Committee Chair's and members of all Legislative Committee's.
The licensure legislation will be referred to the Higher Education Committee's
in both Senate and Assembly. The Assembly Committee does not have a Chair at
this time and we are waiting for the Assembly Speaker to name a new chair.
Traditionally, committee's meet sporadically, if at all, during January.
The Governor will submit his budget to the legislature at the end of January.
The Legislature will then begin hearings on the budget in February and
negotiations between the Governor and Legislature will occupy a majority of
their time until the beginning of the state fiscal year on April 1. During this
period, legislative committee's will begin meeting but considering only a few
bills at a time and most of them non-controversial.
Here is summarized time line of our strategy.
January
January 9. Submitted bill draft for changes (delete language allowing
repairs etc...to be done without a prescription). Bill draft should be back by
the end of the week or early next week.
Week of January 15. Meet with potential bill sponsors.
Week of Jan 22 or 29th. Bill introduced.
February-March
Once the licensure bill is introduced and printed it will take several weeks
for other interested groups to identify the bill and to submit comments to the
Legislature. These groups will likely contact the bill sponsors with their
comments. The sponsors will share these comments with us and we will have the
opportunity to refute their arguments against the bill (if any). That would be
an appropriate time for AAOP members/supporters to contact their local
legislators and to have interested AAOP members (President etc..) meet in Albany
with the sponsors of the bill. We may also want to meet with other organizations
that have commented on the bill.
April-June
After the budget has been adopted, the legislature will begin picking up the
pace and considering more bills. Our goal will be to try and get the licensure
bill to be considered by committee as quickly as possible. After a bill is
introduced, it is referred to committee (sometimes more than one). The Committee
Chair decides if and when to put a bill on an agenda for consideration by the
committee. If the committee votes in favor of a bill it either goes to another
committee or to the floor of the house for a vote (a bill can sit on the "floor"
for weeks/months).
July-December
If the bill is passed by both houses it then goes to the Governor for his
approval or veto. This process can also take months. During the last weeks of
session hundreds of bills are passed by the legislature, often in the dead of
the night. When the Legislature is in session, the Governor has only 10 days to
veto or sign a bill and couldn't possibly make informed decisions on hundreds of
bills at at time. Bills that are passed are slowly sent to the Governor, over a
period of months. If passed, we will use this time to meet with the Governor's
staff, generate letters of support etc...
If signed into law we will then start working with the State Education
Department to make sure that AAOP is represented on the board and on the
regulations that will be necessary to implement and enforce the licensing law.
Plans:
We Need Volunteers
and Financial Support.
Glen Case, CPO.
gcase1@nycap.rr.com and Martin Mandelbaum, CPO.
marty@mhmoandp.com will be
spearheading this effort and can address questions or concerns that you may
have. We need to communicate with you to succeed. NYSAAOP has retained the
lobbying firm of McCulley & Associates Inc. James McCulley; our lobbyist can
be contacted at 518-432-3300 or jmcculley@LobbyNewYork.com (website:
www.lobbynewyork.com). Fortunately
NYSAAOP has graciously provided limited funding for this project but we
cannot finance this effort without your additional support. The projected
associated fees this year will be in excess of $ 40,000.00 therefore
donations of all sizes are needed and necessary for NYS Licensure to become
a reality. It is imperative that each of us stand together and participate.
If every
provider/practitioner will donate $100.00 this year we will be able to cover
our expenses. All excess funding will be placed towards expenses accrued in
the following year.
Our outcome for licensing
is dependent on YOU!
We will need
volunteers! We will need individuals who can travel to Albany to rally as
needed to advance this bill. Volunteers will also be needed who can be part
of a constructed communication link to all orthotic and prosthetic providers
within the state. At times they will need to call, fax or send letters to
their various government officials. In this endeavor the adage holds true
that, there are strength in numbers. A case in point is that of Florida
which achieved licensure in one year. We too can and should aspire towards
this lofty ideal. Our patients and our profession will only benefit from our
undertaking. Thank you.
NYSAAOP and the lobbyists
cannot do this alone.
Support Licensure with a passion!
Make pledges to
Marty Mandelbaum, CPO.
marty@mhmoandp.com or
Joann Marx, CPO via e-mail
and
send checks to
NYSAAOP Licensing Fund
c/o Marx
1659 Lincoln Ave
Bohemia, NY 11716-1415
