Louisville Medicine Volume 67, Issue 9 | Page 8

EVENTS LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION RECAP AUTHOR Kathryn Vance O n Thursday, Jan. 6, in partnership with the GLMS Foundation, GLMS physicians hosted state legislators, and Metro Council members at Angel’s Envy Distillery for the 2020 Legislative Reception. This annual event provides an opportunity for physician members to meet with local and state representatives to discuss pressing health care issues. Five Metro Council members and four Kentucky State Repre- sentatives attended this year, including Reps. McKenzie Cantrell, Nima Kulkarni, Kimberly Moser, and Attica Scott, as well as Metro Council members Rick Blackwell, Cindi Fowler, Anthony Piagentini, Barbara Sexton Smith, and David Yates. Pat Padgett, Executive Vice President of the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA), Cory Meadows, Deputy Executive Vice President and Director of Advocacy of KMA and Brent Wright, MD, President of KMA were also in attendance. GLMS and KMA will focus this year on increasing tobacco 6 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE prevention and cessation support, especially youth tobacco use prevention. We will urge improvements in vision screening pro- grams for driver’s license renewal. The event space, a lovely room overlooking Main Street, featured posters showing crucial statis- tics regarding Kentucky’s budget allocation for these topics. GLMS continued advocating for these issues in Frankfort at the 2020 KMA Physicians’ Day at the Capitol on Feb. 6. Talking in person to the policymakers always helps to improve teamwork and all parties’ understanding of policy and planning decisions. If you would like to join the GLMS Policy and Advocacy Team, please contact Kathryn Vance at [email protected]. If we can help you contact a legislator, call or email us at kathryn. [email protected] or at 502-736-6338. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend these events. We hope our efforts will bear fruit for a healthier Kentucky. Kathryn Vance is the communication specialist for the Greater Louisville Medical Society.