Pharmacy Day at the State House February 19, 2015 Pharmacy Day at the State House February 19, 2015

Student Pharmacists Make All The Difference

Pharmacy Day at the State House  Register online at  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 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 assume.  Pharmacy issues are not obvious!  Be 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 SCPhA’s Legislative Resources  Find your Legislator Find your Legislator  SCPhA’s Legislative FAQ’s SCPhA’s Legislative FAQ’s  Schoolhouse Rocks  I’m Just A Bill (explains how a bill becomes a law) I’m Just A Bill  A Look At Legislative Day (Maryland) A Look At Legislative Day (Maryland)  Pharmacy Day from a Lobbyist’s Perspective (Missouri) Pharmacy Day from a Lobbyist’s Perspective (Missouri)

Questions? Contact: Laura Reid SC Pharmacy Association