An Overview of Pharmacy Day at the State House

Pharmacy Day at
the State House
February 19, 2015
Student
Pharmacists
Make All The
Difference
Pharmacy Day at
the State House



Register online at
www.scrx.org
Dress Code: business casual;
wear your white coat and
SCPhA pin
Already planning to attend?

We are also asking you to
PROMOTE! PROMOTE!
PROMOTE! Feel free to post
our flyers in your pharmacy,
around campus, on
Facebook etc.

February 19, 2015

8 am-12 pm

Schedule:

Meet at 8 am

Presentations about the current issues,
what advocacy is and why it is important,
how to talk to your legislator etc.

Meet with legislators, drop off gifts/cards
to offices

Group photos

Get introduced to House and/or Senate
(if possible)

Wrap up around 12 pm
**All of this is subject to change based on
the House/Senate schedule. We will keep
you posted on specifics as we get closer to
the event.
Contests


Poster Contest
Create a poster for
Pharmacy Day at the
State House.

Must be relevant to
current legislation.

Posters are to be brought
to Pharmacy Day at the
State House.

All participants will have
name entered into a
drawing to win a
Jawbone Jambox
wireless speaker.

RSVP/Attendance
Contest

All who RSVP AND
attend will be entered
into a drawing to win a
Fitbit Flex.
What do I need to
know before
attending
Pharmacy Day at
the State House?
You need to know…
what’s at stake?
 Your
livelihood: $3.5 - $4 Million+ (est.
lifetime earnings of a new grad)
 Professional
happiness
 Pharmacy’s
future role in health care
 Quality
of health care for your patients
You need to know…
what the first steps are to
getting involved.

Register to vote.

Vote – in every election!

Legislators are known to track voting frequency.
Habitual voters get the most attention because they
vote and tend to be influential.

Know your elected representatives – and their
challengers.

Keep in mind that relationships with your legislators
do not happen overnight.
You need to know…
about the issues.


Stay up to date by reading information from SCPhA, like:

Small Doses

Palmetto Pharmacist

Fax and/or email blasts

Text alerts
What to know:

Know what opponents are after,

Know most important issues, and

Know your talking points.
You need to know…
how to talk to your legislators.
Tips For Talking to Your Legislator (video)
 Keep
it simple.
 Never

 Be
assume.
Pharmacy issues are not obvious!
courteous and positive.
 Follow
up!!!!!
You need to know…
what to do after.


Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up

Thank you letters

New this year! We will be doing follow up letters with a
call to action. If we do handwritten letters, we will let
you know as soon as we have specifics. If you wish to
help write the letters, please let us know. We will provide
the cards, envelopes and the text for the letter.

Phone calls
Share with SCPhA

Your contacts

Your results – good or bad!
You need to know…
how to put it all together.

Stay informed.

Register and VOTE!

Communicate with elected officials.

Communicate with and support your professional associations.

Give to your PAC.


What is a PAC?

PAC is short for Political Action Committee.

Donation to the PAC are solely dedicated to our political activity. The PAC works to
increase pharmacy's visibility with the South Carolina Legislature, our Congressional
Delegation and other policy makers. By donating to this fund, pharmacists, technicians, and
supporters of pharmacy in South Carolina can help raise awareness of the profession.
Funding will be used in a variety of ways to support our legislative effort. The limits of
activities that can be conducted are determined by the money we raise.
Make these habits!
Resources

SCPhA’s Legislative
Resources




A Look At
Legislative Day
(Maryland)

Pharmacy Day
from a Lobbyist’s
Perspective
(Missouri)
Find your Legislator
SCPhA’s Legislative
FAQ’s
Schoolhouse Rocks

I’m Just A Bill
(explains how a bill
becomes a law)
Questions?
Contact:
Laura Reid
SC Pharmacy Association
803.354.9977
laura@scrx.org