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MEMORANDUM
To: Family Decisions Coalition Members
Re: Report on March 27th Press Conference and Lobbying
From: Lois Steinberg
Date: April 3, 2000
Press Conference
The Press Conference was held in the Legislative Office Building in
Albany.
Approximately 15 press and TV reporters turned out. Albany Channels 6 and
10
included the conference on their 6:00 p.m. newscasts. So far, articles
have
appeared in The NY Law Journal on March 30th and The Syracuse Herald
American
on April 2nd. If anyone has seen others, please let us know.
Speakers included Jean Murphy, executive director of FRIA, Rev. Frank
Geer,
director of Religious Services at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and two
doctors who were involved in the Pouliot case in Syracuse, Dr. Kathy
Faber-Langendoen [text of comments here] and Dr. Catherine Caldicott.
Everyone who has
commented,
thought the speakers were very effective.
Lobbying
We had 11 meetings covered by 14 people in two teams, each with physician,
nursing, institutional, clergy and patient advocate representation.
Who we met:
Legislative staff for Senators Bruno, Hannon, Hoffman, DeFrancisco,
Farley,
Dollinger, and Assemblymen Silver and Gottfried. Also, Jim Clyne,
Assembly
staff person on health.
What they told us:
Nothing will go through the Senate without Hannon's OK and Hannon will not
OK
if the Catholic Conference opposes it. Members would find it hard to
support because they fear religious opposition. Silver's aide said it's
hard
to make members vote in ways that will make people mad when they know the
Senate will never approve. Nitido, of Gottfried's office said the same
thing. However, he noted that no one has discussed the bill with Silver
recently.
Legislators' reactions to the bill are "emotionally charged." Senator
Farley, is an example. His mother was in a terrible auto accident - all
her
bones were broken, she was taken to the hospital and heard the nurse say:
"We
shouldn't bother with a stimulant for this one, right?" The doctor said
"try
it anyway." It took her three years to recover, but she persevered, was
always crippled but went on to raise 6 sons and lived into her 90s.
All Senators appear to defer to Hannon on health issues, or as one of our
participants put it: "pass the buck." We went there to ask them to put
pressure on Hannon, but they told us that we should be doing that!
According
to Bruno's aide, his tendency is to let the Senator in charge of an issue
deal with it.
What might help:
Al Cardillo (for Bruno), who said he was very familiar with the FHCDA,
thinks
a good strategy would be to make clear the deficiency of New York law. He
thinks legislators do not understand the need for this bill. We need to
educate all members of the legislature, both Senate and Assembly.
Jane Preston (for Hannon) thinks we need to educate the public to "create
an
environment that will make people more receptive to the issue. According
to
her, we need a "massive public opinion campaign to get people to put more
pressure" on legislators. We should also get support of the Governor and
the
Public Health Council.
A couple of people thought more negotiation might help.
Next Steps:
- A follow up letter to the people we met with.
- A letter to all legislators attached to press clippings about the
press conference.
- Organize Albany based team to handle on-going lobbying.
- Get costs for a postcard campaign.
- Set up e-mail chain letter.
For more Information, E-mail Family Decision Coalition
For questions about website, E-mail Jack Freer
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