SB 1048 SE is now dead as the chiropractic copay bill. There is no need for further calls to House NRPS Committee members, or to come to the meeting on April 9, 2008. This is because we were unable to get enough committee members to commit to vote yes before the deadline for posting the agenda for the committee. It is also because the Governor just vetoed Senator Gray's partial birth abortion ban bill. To save the lives of nearly born fetuses, Senator Gray has no choice but to use SB 1048 to amend on a different version of the partial birth abortion ban bill which she has good reason to believe the Governor will sign. There is not a single chiropractor who cannot understand her feeling that a ban on the killing of nearly born fetuses is more important than the copay bill. This is obviously a no-brainer as far as priorities.

This does not mean we are giving up for 2008. Far from it. Far, far from it. This session will not adjourn until the end of June. Between now and then, there will be many bills moving through the process. It will be possible for us to attach our copay language to at least one of these bills. There will not be much advance notice. Stay tuned for urgent notices of legislative action alerts. In the interim, find your own legislators by going to www.azleg.gov and clicking on How do I find my legislator. Follow the directions and identify your two state representatives and one state senator (not U.S.). Regularly send them emails and make calls explaining how important the copay/deductible is to you, and how you want them to find some way this session to get it passed, even if they have to amend it onto another bill creatively. Tell them you want them to work with Debra Brimhall  Pearson NOW to solve this problem. Be adamant. Be insistent. Be persistent. And call and email every few days. That's what the forty insurance company lobbyists do - bombard and barrage them. We must do the same if we are to win. We are 2.5 months from the finish line. Keep on truckin'!