Welcome to the MSHA Legislative Action webpage.

Over the years, the Maryland Speech-Language-Hearing Association has built a tradition of successful legislative advocacy for its members and for the consumers they serve.

MSHA’s Legislative Agenda

For each session of the Maryland General Assembly, the MSHA Executive Board develops a legislative agenda. This agenda is constructed in conjunction with our lobbying firm, Rifkin, Levitan, Livingston, and Silver. The agenda assists in focusing our communication with local legislators to maximize our influence on policymaking.

How can I be involved?

All MSHA members are encouraged to be involved in the development and promotion of our legislative agenda. Whether you have ten minutes or ten hours, many opportunities exist for you to make your opinion count in the shaping of our state policy.

• Be a member. Just by renewing your membership to MSHA, you are contributing to a political cause that promotes one of your greatest passions – helping people with communication and hearing disorders to have the best life possible.
• Know your legislators. They are easy to find by visiting mdelect.net and typing in your name and address. All of our legislators list various means of making contact (phone, local office, Annapolis office, e-mail, fax) and they are very accessible. They want to hear your opinion. They want to hear the stories of the children and adults with whom we work. And they want your vote in the next election!
• Listserv. MSHA hosts a listserv for state-level SLP and audiology news. This is the most efficient way to stay up-to-date with legislative news (once the session starts in January, things tend to move very quickly).
• Visit the MSHA website. One of the features that will be up and running in early 2008 will be an on-line Action Link, where you can quickly access your legislators and optimize your involvement in government affairs with the ease of clicking your mouse.
• Volunteer for Legislative Action Day. This event traditionally takes place on President’s Day. All participants are provided with training in our legislative objectives and an opportunity to speak with their legislators.
• Volunteer for MSHA’s Legislative committees. As you can imagine, planning and development opportunities abound. If you have an opinion, an idea, a motive for legislative action, you will find an outlet for it here. Contact the MSHA office to convey your interest in participating in a committee.
• Run for office on MSHA’s Executive Board. If you are ready to take the next step in your service to your profession, consider joining the dedicated team of your peers who guide our state-level endeavors.