Legislative Receptions | History and Planning

VCNP History of Legislative Receptions 

In April 1998, VCNP leadership met in Charlottesville for a special board meeting, including our Lobbyist, Leslie Herdegen Rohrer, to discuss legislative strategy to increase prescriptive authority. A two-phase plan with timeline was determined: Phase I would remove the sunset clause for the ratio of NPs to MDs and in phase II would concentrate on efforts to proceed with expanded prescriptive authority. 1998 and 1999 would be spent in educating NPs about the legislative process and educating the General Assembly about NPs and their role as providers of healthcare services to citizens of Virginia. 

The VCNP Government Relations Committee was formed in late 1998. The committee monitored the General Assembly session and identified bills needing the vigilance or active involvement of VCNP. VCNP regions developed their own Government Relations Committees to continue the education process about our role to the Legislators. 

Our legislative highlights include:  

  • 1999 -SB 744 (Edwards)and HB 1958 (Jones) continued the NP/MD supervision ratio at 4:1 lifting the sunset clause that would have reverted the ratio back to 2:1 
  • 1999- HB 2341 (Jones) allowed NPs and PAs to dispense manufacturers’ sample 
  • 2001 – HB 818 (Devolites) Schedules III-V Prescriptive Authority phased-in thru 2001-03 
  • 2002 -SB 101(Howell) authorized NPs to refer directly to physical therapists 
  • 2004 – HB 855(Jones) Signature and Certification bill allowing NPs to sign any form which was signed by a physician 
  • 2006 – SB 456 (Devolites) Passage of Schedule II Prescriptive Authority for NPs 
  • 2008 – Senator Janet Howell patroned SB 63, which mandated at least one of the seven seats on the Board of Nursing to be a Nurse Practitioner 
  • 2012 – HB 346 (O’Bannon – a physician) passed eliminating the supervisory language in Virginia’s law, allowing NPs to work as part of a patient care team with a provision for collaborative practice with a written or electronic practice agreement. 
  • 2019 – HB793 (Robinson) allowed Nurse Practitioners with 5 years of experience (9000 clinical hours) the opportunity for autonomous practice licensure. (Original asl was for 3 years).  
  • March 2020 – COVID arrives in the USA.  NPs with 2 years clinical experience were able to apply for autonomous practice license due to an Executive Order # 57 by Governor Northam and a waiver quickly put in place by the Secretary of Health and the Department of Health Professionals and the BON.  
  • 2022 General Assembly failed to pass HB 1245 (Adams) which would have made the 2 years of clinical experience permanent for autonomous practice licensure.  
  • 2024 – HB 971 (Tran) was introduced and passed allowing NPs with 3 years of experience to apply for autonomous practice licensure, starting July 1, 2024. 

Who, what when, where, why? 

Who: Nurse Practitioners, legislators, candidates, and their aides (partner nurse groups if desired). 

What: create an opportunity to meet and develop relationships with legislators. 

When: Each Fall. This is before the next legislative session really gets going and they have more time to meet and listen. 

Where: a coffee shop, library, regional meeting, event hall, meeting room an academic institution, etc.

Why: To develop relationships, educate legislators about Nurse Practitioners, gain their understanding/support for nursing issues, especially those that may come up in the legislative session. 

Overview of VCNP legislative efforts 

Starting in 2000, the VCNP regions were encouraged to engage with our legislators in small groups to educate them about the role of the Nurse Practitioner and our legislative initiatives. By 2004, VCNP began hosting annual legislative receptions in their regions as part of their mission to provide timely, cost-effective healthcare access in the Commonwealth, and to continue to educate the General Assembly members regarding our role, training, and expertise in providing healthcare to all Virginians. Our regional legislative receptions continue to play a large role in maintaining an ongoing outreach relationship with our elected officials.

Legislative event planning 

Plan ahead, consider starting in the Spring to secure space and send Save the Date information.

Regions with multiple legislators are advised to have a subcommittee to plan the event.  

Decide on your event style: 

  • Will space need to be reserved? 
  • Will space allow food /drink? 
  • Will food need to be purchased/catered? 
  • What is the budget? (consult your local regional leadership)  
  • Will nursing partner organizations be invited?
  • Will there be a participation fee? 
  • How much time will nursing speakers be allotted? Plan to give an elevator speech of your practice, organization, and any current legislative concerns.
  • What will be the overall timeline? (set up, social network, speaker time, etc.) 
  • Will you have planning meetings?
  • Will you pose a specific question to the legislators, or ask generally about how they can assist nursing?
  • How much time will each nurse and legislator have to speak?

Use Constant Contact resource for program communications: 

  • Flyers can be made in Constant Contact. Consult your regional Public Relations Chair for assistance. Display logos of VCNP and partner organizations on formal invitations/flyers. 
  • Send “Save the Date: six-to-eight weeks before event to regional legislators, your region’s members, partner groups, and student Nurse Practitioner contacts.  
  • If there are local elections, invite the candidates as well.  
  • A legislator list should be available from the lobbyist. 
  • Send invitations with RSVP contacts a month before and include a deadline for RSVP.  

Before the event, send event information, parking information, access details, etc.

Details, Roles, Final planning 

Consider a few speakers from nursing to briefly describe APRNs and current concerns, or personal stories. DO NOT share potential bills/strategies unless directed by VCNP Executive Committee, state Government Relations Chair, or the staff Lobbyist.

Refine the specific question to be posed to all legislators (if using). Examples:  

  • How can nurse practitioners’ partner with legislators to increase access to care for all Virginians? How can nurses assist legislators? to improve concerns for care deserts as noted in the provided research article.  
  • What would cause you to reconsider your position on nurse practitioner issues? 
  • If not already familiar, research your legislator their interests and positions on past nurse practitioner issues. 

Consider procuring /printing name tags.

Ensure you have roles defined as needed for RSVPs speakers, timekeepers set up, clean up, welcome table for check-in, photography etc. 

Day of 

Have a great event! Engage with legislators one on one.  

Be sure to provide photographs to our PR team. 

Provide feedback to GR Chair and the lobbyist on legislator’s comments/ positions.  

If there were questions asked by a lobbyist that you need to research, take the time to do so and get back to them. 

Day after

Evaluate what went well and what process or function should be reexamined.