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State Legislative/Policy Accomplishments
The LDA has been active working with groups in many states throughout the Northeast to help facilitate passage of doctor protection, prevention, Lyme disease task force and other related legislation. For current state legislative achievements, please click here. For some some early legislative successes see information below.
2002 Lyme disease Diagnosis and treatment Act
Doctor Protection for Long Term Treatment CHAPTER 159, 2002-H 7996A. Enacted 06/25/2002. Introduced By: Representatives Rabideau, and Ginaitt.
2003 (effective 2004) Mandatory Insurance Coverage for Lyme Disease
“Lyme Disease Diagnosis and Treatment” Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 5-37.5-5. Mandatory coverage for certain Lyme disease treatments. Introduced By: Senators Michael Damiani, Representative Raymond Gallison, Jr Date Introduced: February 11, 2004 Section 5-37.5-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-37.5
2009 Connecticut HB 6200 Doctor Protection
Effective July 1, 2009, the new law allows clinical judgment in diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease. Sponsors Fawcett, Bartlett, Lyddy, Reeves, others, instrumental in passage. LDA worked with many Connecticut Lyme groups and legislators in Hartford. View bill signing photo album.
2006 Civil Investigative Demand (CID) against IDSA filed by AG Blumenthal
In November, CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal filed a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) concerning guidelines for Lyme disease issued earlier that year by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). The CID enabled Blumenthal to look into possible anti-trust violations by IDSA in development of its guidelines. LDA with CALDA and TFL, its affiliates, brought the situation to the attention of the AG on behalf of patients.
2006 HB 1013 (Homan) and SB 2022 (Wise) Florida Lyme Legislation Introduced
LDA worked with Florida’s patient community to have Lyme disease legislation introduced in 2006 in Tallahassee, asking for insurance mandated coverage of long-term antibiotics and other newly-developed therapies as deemed medically necessary by the treating physician. The legislative committee recommended a substitute study bill to replace the Lyme bill. Unfortunately, time constraints did not permit that bill to be crafted to ensure that patients and Lyme literate physicians would be on that committee to provide direct input into the study process. Therefore, LDA worked with Florida Lyme Advocacy, an LDA affiliate, to let the bill die.
2005 New Hampshire Declares Lyme Disease Awareness Month
New Hampshire Governor declares May Lyme Disease Awareness Month on May 26, 2005. LDA President invited to speak at the event and meet with support groups there.
2005 Legislature Passes Resolution
Supporting more federal research and physician and public education in New Hampshire
2005 OPMC Memo Protecting Treating Physicians
The following memorandum was issued June 15, 2005 by OPMC Director Dennis Graziano to every staff member of the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) and copied to all the members of the Board for Professional Medical Conduct and its chief counsel. LDA spent several years working with NYS legislators on doctor protection, with this being the end result.
Public Education Law
The Lyme Disease Association of New Jersey, now LDA, helped to write and secure passage of the following education laws in New Jersey’.
P.L. 18A 35-5.1, 5.2
The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall develop curriculum guidelines for the teaching of information on the prevention of Lyme disease within the public school health curriculum. The guidelines shall emphasize disease prevention and sensitivity for victims of the disease. The Commissioner of Education shall periodically review and update the guidelines to insure that the curriculum reflects the most current information available.
P.L. 18A 35-5.3
The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall also provide curriculum guides for the training of all teachers who instruct students with Lyme which emphasizes the special needs and problems of students with the disease, in order to provide information about how best to teach those students. Each school district shall annually provide training to all teachers who instruct students with Lyme disease, based upon the guidelines.
1993 Governor’s Lyme Disease Advisory Council
The law established the (NJ) Governor’s Lyme Disease Advisory Council, GLDAC, the first in the nation, designed to apprise the Governor of problems relating to Lyme in NJ. The current LDA president was GLDAC chair in 1997. The LDA(NJ) worked with legislators to develop and pass this legislation.
1997 S 560 Tick-Borne Disease Vector Management
Authorizes Boards of Chosen Freeholders [county government] to designate mosquito commissions and others to undertake tick-borne disease vector management programs.
2005 Medical Board Administrative
The NJ State Board of Medical Examiners worked with LDA to have Lyme literate physicians placed on the NJ State Board of Medical Examiners Review Board.
2006 Assembly Resolution Passed
Memorializes Congress and President to enact “Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2005.”
2009 Senate Resolution Not Considered
Had SR 133 removed from consideration by NJ Senate. SR 133 would lump Lyme disease in with diseases of unknown origins in a proposed NEI (neuro endocrine immune) center, decreasing ability of patients to get treated for Lyme disease. LDA led this battle on behalf of patients.
2007 Defeat IDSA Guidelines Distribution Bill HB836
Helped defeat HB 836, which died in the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee without the committee taking action. The bill mandated the Maryland Department of Health to disseminate “latest consensus guidelines” (read IDSA) to physicians in Maryland. LDA’s Maryland Senate Testimony Against Bill – April 4, 2007
2002 New England Governors’ Conference, Inc. Resolution
The LDA is very excited that the New England Governor’s Conference passed Resolution 166, A Resolution of the New England Governor’s Conference, Inc. Concerning Lyme Disease & Other Tick-borne Illnesses. Introduced by Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Almond’s office, it was adoption certified on August 26th, 2002, and signed by Chairman Almond. Other Governors who make up the Conference are Jane Swift, MA; John G. Rowland, CT; Angus S. King, Jr., ME; Jeanne Shaheen, NH; and Howard Dean, MD, VT.