The MEHA Policy and Procedure manual directs the MEHA Legislative Committee to act as a liaison between the Association and the state legislature. In that role we work to keep our legislators aware of the Association, to keep our members informed about the legislative process, and to provide members with names and methods to contact their individual representative and senator.

The Committee writes position papers on bills before the legislature and in 2004 plans to use key constituent grassroots members to forward the paper to their respective law makers. In the winter session of 2003 we successfully mobilized members to react to a bill in the House of Representatives that we opposed. The bill did not pass, and importantly, this activity created a new awareness of our Association within the House.

To further that name recognition, the Committee writes an annual special MEHA newsletter for the legislators, including contact names, phone numbers, and email addresses. The newsletter is designed to create awareness of the Environmental Health profession and offers to assist legislators with expert information when requested.

We encourage you as a MEHA member to contact your state representative and senator, inform them of your profession, and offer to connect them with experts in the field when they have questions. This web site has a sample letter that you may use. To determine who your legislators are, their telephone, email, and addresses, use the hyper link provided.