This page will have the latest information about Legislative activity. We will update the page as new information becomes available.

To find your Legislatures go to www.capitol.state.tx.us and enter your address. Please contact your legislators about our bills!!!

May 30, 2009

Legislative Bill Becomes Law

TDHA is proud to announce that SB 97/HB 456 was signed by Governor Perry and is now law! The provisions of this new bill will go into effect on September 1, 2009.   This new law will allow Texas Dental Hygienists to go into school-based centers, nursing homes, and community health centers for a period of up to six months before a dental exam is required by a dentist. To review the entire bill language, please go to www.capitol.state.tx.us.   Thanks to all of you who dedicated your time and efforts to help pass this important legislation. In July, TDHA Governmental Affairs Council will provide a comprehensive report of the legislative session which will be made available through the association’s web site at www.texasdha.org.

January 5, 2009

....................................Legislative Update...........................................

Subject: Senate Bill 97 and House Bill 168 

The Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association (TDHA) has great news regarding two bills that will impact our profession during the 2009 Texas Legislative Session.  Senator Leticia Van de Putte has pre-filed our Head Start Access to Care bill in the Senate (SB97) and Representative Myra Crownover has pre-filed our Local Anesthesia bill in the House (HB168).  This is important because bills with low numbers tend to be heard earlier in the Session and therefore have a better chance of passing.  We still need companion bills and hope to have those bill numbers soon. 

 

Please memorize our bill numbers and bill sponsors, so that you will have that information on the tip of your tongue if someone (like a legislator) asks!  Knowing our bill numbers will be very important during TDHA’s Legislative Awareness Day, February 22-23, 2009 in Austin. Registration forms for Legislative Awareness Day are available at:  www.texasdha.org

 REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15, 2009.  Mail completed registration forms and checks payable to TEX HY-PAC to:

 

Cindy Crisler, RDH

8332 Thornhaven Ct

North Richland Hills, TX 76180

 

Any questions: cindycrisler@att.net

August 24, 2007

SCHIP Reauthorization Passes House and Senate; Thank you for your Support with Advocacy!
ADHA would like to extend a thanks to all those who recently took the time to send letters to legislators in support of SCHIP reauthorization.  Over the past few weeks, ADHA, along with ADA and a number of other oral health organizations, have been reaching out to members to ask them to contact legislators and encourage funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).  SCHIP provides uninsured children from low-income families with health insurance coverage.   (http://www.adha.org/enews/08222007.htm#schip)

May 16, 2007

 ………..………………………Legislative Update………………………………..

The Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association is pleased to announce the filing of 3 bills this 80th Legislative session.  HB2993 is our Access to Care bill authored by Representative Michael Villarreal, while Representative Myra Crownover filed HB903, and Senator Leticia Van de Putte filed SB974 which would allow hygienists to administer local anesthesia in Texas.

Just acquiring bill sponsors was a huge success, but the efforts of hygienists from all over the state calling their representatives and senators as constituents propelled our bills even further.  We were granted hearings for both of our bills, HB2993, and SB974.

HB2993 received a favorable hearing by the House Public Health Committee on April 18, 2007 and was voted out of the PH committee on May 1, 2007 and into the calendar committee for an assignment to the general calendar.  HB2993 was later assigned to the calendar, but time ran out before the second reading could occur on Friday, May 12, 2007.

A hearing for SB974 was finally granted by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on May 8, 2007.  Senators on the committee seemed responsive to our testimony and we were hopeful that it would be voted out of committee that evening, but it was not.  Thursday, May 10th, 2007 was the last day for Chairman Nelson to call for a vote from the HHS committee, but she did not.   The last day of session is May 28th.  After that time, you will receive a final report of various bills pertaining to dental hygienists in Texas.

The Governmental Affairs Legislative Team wishes to thank all of you who testified either verbally or in writing, and all of you who worked behind the scenes as well.  Making phone calls, sending emails, and faxes, contacting legislators is what gave us the power to attain hearings this session.   Without your efforts this would not have happened.

Each session brings us little closer to our legislative goals, until then, we learn, we adapt, we overcome.  As our esteemed TDHA President Jones once said, “The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.”

Beth Stewart, RDH
TDHA President Elect
Governmental Affairs Council Co-Chair
B.Stewart@texasdha.org

March 8, 2007

HB 2993 has been filed by Representative Villareal.This bill pertains to our Head Start/Access to Care issue.

February 28, 2007

SB 974 has been filed by Senator Leticia Van de Putte.  This bill pertains to the administration of local anesthesia under the direct supervision of a dentist.  This duty will be considered a permissible duty and therefore a detnist may choose whether or not to allow a hygienist employed by him/her to administer the local.

January 26, 2007

HB 903 has been filed by Representative Crownover.  This bill pertains to the administration of local anesthesia under the direct supervision of a dentist.  This duty will be considered a permissible duty and therefore a dentist may choose whether or not to allow a hygienist employed by him/her to administer the local.

Other Bills of Interest:

• SB364-Relating to the licensing and regulation of dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental laboratories; providing penalties.
• HB1065-Relating to the authority of a dental assistant to apply a pit and fissure sealant.
• SB692-Relating to the authority of a dental assistant to apply a pit and fissure sealant.

National Legislative News

November 3, 2005

ADHP Report Language Passes US Senate
Conference Committee the Next Step

In an early victory for the creation of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner (ADHP), last week the United States Senate passed H.R. 3010, the fiscal year 2006 spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), by a 94-3 vote.  The report accompanying the bill, S. Rpt. 109-103 includes a provision encouraging the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to "explore development of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner who would be a graduate of an accredited dental hygiene program and complete an advanced educational curriculum, which prepares the dental hygienist to provide diagnostic, preventive, restorative and therapeutic services directly to the public in rural and underserved areas."  

It's important to note that report language does not carry the weight of law nor does it allocate any funding for the ADHP. However, the report language is important encouragement to the HRSA to take steps in furtherance of the ADHP.   

"This is a small but critical victory on the road to accomplishing our goal to create an ADHP," said ADHA President Katie Dawson, RDH, BS. "I especially want to thank all of the dental hygienists at the state and local levels who contacted their federal officeholders and urged them to include language that advanced the ADHP."

The House of Representatives approved its version of the fiscal year 2006 HHS funding bill in June.  The House report language does not mention the ADHP. Accordingly, ADHA will work to ensure that the Senate report language is maintained when House and Senate negotiators meet in conference committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate bill.  Conference committee negotiations are not yet scheduled.  

Watch for further updates from ADHA on crucial next steps for this initiative and how grassroots dental hygienists can continue to be an important partner in our efforts.  

October 5, 2005

ADHP Legislative Success
ADHA Language Included in Senate Appropriations Bill

The American Dental Hygienists' Association is pleased to report a legislative accomplishment that should be instrumental in addressing the nation's oral health access to care crisis, and the advancement of the Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (ADHP). This summer, the Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously approved H.R. 3010, legislation making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006.  The Committee Report accompanying the bill, S. Rept. 109-103, includes the following ADHA-requested language:

The Committee is aware that dental disease disproportionately affects our Nation's most vulnerable populations, including many in rural America.  New ways of bringing oral health care to rural and underserved populations are needed.  The Committee encourages HRSA to explore alternative methods of delivering preventive and restorative oral health services in rural America.  Specifically, the Committee encourages HRSA to explore development of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner who would be a graduate of an accredited dental hygiene program and complete an advanced educational curriculum, which prepares the dental hygienist to provide diagnostic, preventive, restorative and therapeutic services directly to the public in rural and underserved areas.  

"The inclusion of this language in the appropriations bill is both a victory for ADHA and an important step in providing expanded access to oral health services to underserved communities," said ADHA President Katie Dawson, RDH, BS. "ADHA officers and staff have spent much time in our nation's capital discussing oral health care, the access to care crisis, and the ADHP. The ADHA contingent met with the offices of members of the United States House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and with executive branch officials. Seeing some positive progress from all of their hard work is truly gratifying," Dawson said.

Dental hygienists from several states were also instrumental in the effort. The Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association in particular worked tirelessly with Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies to request inclusion of the language.  Though it was Senator Inouye's request that the language be included, dental hygienists in other states provided critical grassroots work including contingents from Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington and Wisconsin.

"This is a great first-step for ADHA," said Dawson. "Now we need to develop a groundswell of support from the grassroots dental hygienists to express support for the ADHP report language. While report language does not carry the weight of law, it is important encouragement to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to explore development of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner," Dawson said.

Be watching your e-mail and the ADHA webpage to learn how you can help get involved in the legislative efforts.