Arizona Nurses Association political action committee: Be a part of the action!, The

Arizona Nurse,  Jan 2001  by Drugay, Marge

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The Arizona Nurses Association Political Action Committee (AzNAPAC) is a separate division of the association, organized to advance nursing and health care in the state of Arizona. Voluntary, unincorporated and non-partisan, it operates in conformity with the policies, bylaws and positions of ANA and AzNA. The purpose of AzNAPAC is five-fold:

Stimulate nurses and others to become active and effective in governmental affairs and public policy decisions;

* Assist nurses and others in organizing for effective political action;

* Educate candidates about professional nursing and general health care issues;

* Endorse, raise funds for, and make contributions to candidates for public office in Arizona who have clearly demonstrated responsible awareness of nurses' needs and the health needs of people; and

* Educate nurses and others regarding the elective process, the legislative positions of office holders and candi- dates, and the important political issues related to nurses, nursing and health.

A Board of Trustees, appointed by the AzNA Board of Directors, governs the AzNAPAC. Officers consist of the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, and the number of Board members may range from 5-11. The current Board for this biennium is listed in Table 1.

During an election year such as this one, the Board has been very active since the primary elections. This year we developed a candidate questionnaire, based on the legislative agenda and key nursing issues. This was distributed to all new candidates throughout the state. An endorsement by the PAC is based on several factors: return of the questionnaire; responses that demonstrate support of nursing issues; interviews; voting records of incumbent candidates; and discussions with our lobbyist Rory Hays. The PAC Board was responsible for interviewing the potential candidates and providing recommendations for endorsement. In all, 31 candidates were endorsed for primary races, and 81% of these were successful in the primary, which allowed their name to be placed on the ballot for the general election. In the general elections held November 7, 56 candidates for state Senate and House offices were endorsed, and 50 or 89% of these were elected.

What does this mean to nurses in Arizona? It means that there are elected officials who have indicated an interest and understanding of issues that relate to our concerns. Candidates were all provided with a copy of our Legislative Agenda, which is the backbone of our legislative activity. The officials know that their actions on nursing issues will be monitored, and that nurses will expect support in votes that affect nurses or the health of the people of Arizona.

Clearly articulating our positions on nursing and health issues is crucial to the role of educating both candidates and elected officials. For this reason, the PAC is taking a more visible role in the development of position statements for review and approval by the AzNA Board of Directors. In an era of competing health care agendas throughout the state, it is important that the voice of nursing in Arizona be clear, consistent and present in the Legislature. To do this we need the involvement of every member of the association.

The PAC needs and encourages nurses to become politically aware and involved, and that activity doesn't require a major commitment of time or energy. This election year has clearly demonstrated the power of the ballot, and has created energy and questions about the political process. Nurses need to understand the direct relationship between the care they deliver and the activities that take place at the state and federal level. No matter what domain of nursing you are in-clinical practice, education, research or any other--there is a role for you in the political activity in Arizona.

The benefits of becoming a regular PAC contributor are many. You can have a direct voice in endorsement of candidates by becoming a member of the PAC Board of Trustees. You will learn more about the political process as well as having a better understanding of the legislation under consideration in Arizona as a PAC supporter. You will gain the satisfaction of knowing that your contributions will be going to support candidates that have an interest in nursing issues, and will assist in educating other nurses about political activity. If you have an email address, you will have the added benefit of a special email distribution list that looks at political topics of interest from the state and national level. Recognition at events such as Legislative Day and the Biennial Convention are also part of the rewards that PAC members receive. A list of the AzNAPAC contributors for the current biennium is shown in Table 2.

Future activities for the PAC include participation at Legislative Day on February 20, 2001, and other events are in the planning stages for the Biennial Convention to be held September 27-29 at the Hilton Mesa Pavilion. Speakers are available for any chapter meetings; please contact the co-chairs. There are vacancies on the current Board, and we welcome your interest in submitting your name for these positions now or for the next biennium. Come join the PAC and be a part of the (P)ACtion!

Copyright Arizona State Nurses Association Jan 2001
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