The Power of ONE
 
Dear MPHA members, friends and family:

This is one of those times that we are reminded of the power of ONE.  Today (wednesday) LD 1259, An Act To Increase Access to Nutrition Information (menu labeling), passed its first reading in the Senate by ONE VOTE. 

LD 1259 will go on to its second reading in the Senate tomorrow (Thursday).  Please stop what you're doing and take ONE minute to pick up the phone now to call your Senator.  Call your Senator at 287-1515 or the Senate message line at 1-800-423-6900 and be prepared to simply say who your senator is, your name and town you reside, and "I want to ask Senator XX to please support LD 1259- the menu labeling bill".  If you know that your Senator supported this bill (see roll call vote below), we still need your calls of thank to ensure they don't change their vote.  The restaurant association is out in full force on this bill and we need our collective voice of public health to be louder than than theirs. 

After all, it may be your ONE phone call that makes the difference in Mainers having the information they need to make healthier food choices in restaurants.

State of Maine Legislature
Rollcall for Senate Roll-call #161: LD 1259
Member       Party   Vote       Member      Party    Vote

ALFOND of Cumberland D -Yes      McCORMICK of Kennebec R -No

BARTLETT of Cumberland D -Yes   MILLS of Somerset R- Yes

BLISS of Cumberland D- Yes         MITCHELL of Kennebec D- Yes

BOWMAN of York D- Yes               NASS of York R- No

BRANNIGAN of Cumberland D- Yes NUTTING of Androscoggin D- Yes

BRYANT of Oxford D- Yes              PERRY of Penobscot D- Yes

COURTNEY of York R- No              PLOWMAN of Penobscot R- No

CRAVEN of Androscoggin D Y        RAYE of Washington R- No

DAMON of Hancock D- Yes            RECTOR of Knox R- No

DAVIS of Cumberland R- No          ROSEN of Hancock R- No

DIAMOND of Cumberland D N       SCHNEIDER of Penobscot D- No

GERZOFSKY of Cumberland D- Yes SHERMAN of Aroostook R- No

GOODALL of Sagadahoc D- Yes     SIMPSON of Androscoggin D- Yes

GOOLEY of Franklin R- No            SMITH of Piscataquis R- No

HASTINGS of Oxford R- No           SULLIVAN of York D- Yes

HOBBINS of York D- Yes               TRAHAN of Lincoln R- No

JACKSON of Aroostook D- No       WESTON of Waldo R- No

MARRACHÉ of Kennebec D- Yes

Other MPHA Legislative Updates....

Workplace laction ensured for all women!   
MPHA actively supported LD 373, a workplace lactation bill that promises all nursing mothers a sanitary and private place to pump breastmilk while at work.  MPHA was at the mock bill signing today and we want to make sure people please thank Representative Melissa Walsh Innes (D-Yarmouth) for introducing this bill and putting the health of babies and mothers first! 

Clean air while you dine soon to be reality.
Friday, June 12th at 2:30pm, Governor Baldacci will be holding a mock signing in his office for LD 820: An Act to Prohibit Smoking in Outdoor Eating Areas in his office at the State House.  MPHA played a significant role in supporting this measure as an ordinance in Portland and also as a bill this session at the State house.  Please come and support this landmark legislation that will help provide clean air regardless of where we dine in the beautiful State of Maine.  Contact Amy Olfene at Health Policy Partners if you plan to attend.

Thank you to everyone who supported these public health bills (and many others) with phone calls and e-mails to their legislators over the past few months.  It DOES make a difference!!