Page 10 - Layout 1

BCMS LEGISLATIVE
NEWS

With Midterm Elections just around the corner,

BCMS members work to complete visits with

candidates and elected officials

By Mary E. Nava, MBA, Chief Government Affairs Officer, BCMS

It has been a busy year for members of the
BCMS Legislative and Socioeconomics Committee
– from the start of the year, leading up to the
March 6 election primaries and May 22 primary
run-offs, to the July 31 special emergency election
to fill the Senate District 19 seat held by former
Senator Carlos Uresti, which at the time of this
writing, early voting is in progress for the runoff
election coming September 18 – committee mem-
bers have worked tirelessly to meet with numerous
candidates to discuss medicine’s issues.
Committee members met with candidates vying
for the Senate District 19 seat: Republican candi-
date, Pete Flores and Democrat candidate, Pete
Gallego. In addition, the committee met with sev-
eral candidates running for the seats being vacated
by Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, House District
121, including: Mark Whyte, Carlton Soules and
Steve Allison, who won the runoff in May on the
Republican ticket. Committee members also met
with Republican candidate, Chip Roy and Democ-
rat candidate, Joseph Kopser, both vying for the
seat being vacated by Congressman Lamar Smith,
U.S. House District 21. Additionally, the commit- From the top, left to right: On January 24, Committee members
greeted Steve Allison, now the Republican candidate for House
tee also met with the Democratic candidate for District 121. BCMS member, David Shulman, MD (left) with Con-
Texas House District 118, Leo Pacheco. The gressman Henry Cuellar, U.S. House District 28, at a reception in
honor of Congressman Cuellar held on June 29 in San Antonio.
group also visited with two Fourth Court of Ap- On August 15, Committee members welcomed Justice Marialyn
peals judges, who are both up for re-election in Barnard, who is up for re-election to the Fourth Court of Appeals,
Place 2. Legislative and Socioeconomics Committee members visit
November: Marialyn Barnard and Rebeca Mar-
with Republican congressional candidate for U.S. House District
tinez. Committee members discussed numerous 21, Chip Roy on August 22. On August 22, committee members
topics of importance to medicine with the candi- visited with Joseph Kopser, the Democratic congressional candi-
date for U.S. House District 21. Committee members met with
dates, including: scope of practice, insurance net- Justice Rebeca Martinez on August 22, who is up for re-election
works, Medicaid, access to care, the Affordable to the Fourth Court of Appeals, Place 7.
Care Act, the State budget and taxes.

For local discussion on these and other legislative advocacy topics, consider joining the BCMS Legislative
and Socioeconomics Committee by contacting Mary Nava, chief government affairs officer at
mary.nava@bcms.org.

10 San Antonio Medicine • October 2018