Incoming Assembly
Republicans met on Thursday, November 4th to
select a new Republican Leader. Their choice
was Central Valley Republican Connie Conway, who was just
re-elected to her second term in the California Assembly.
Ms. Conway served as
Republican Caucus Chair during the past session, and made an
unsuccessful bid to oust Assembly Member Martin Garrick as
Republican Leader towards the end of last session, and was
subsequently replaced as Caucus Chair.
Last session,
Assemblymember Conway served as Vice Chair of the Assembly
Appropriations Committee and as a member of the Health and
Business & Professions Committees (that oversees physicians
and other licensed health care professions.)
Her new legislative
post gives Ms. Conway a great deal of influence over policy
- in particular the assignment of Republican committee
members and the direction of the state budget.
Assemblymember Conway
has one of the highest concentrations of Health Care
Districts located within the boundaries of her seat of any
member of the California Assembly.
It is important that
Administrators and Trustees serving Health Care Districts
within the boundaries of Assemblymember Conway's legislative
seat make an effort to reach out to the new Republican
Leader to reinforce existing relationships or to begin
building a new relationship with her.
Try to schedule a
meeting with her in her District Office before the end of
the year. Provide her and her staff with background
information on Health Care Districts, their importance to
the state and Californians throughout the state - and most
importantly what role your District plays in your community.
(If you need general talking points and handouts on
the role of Health Care Districts in California, please
contact Anna Bennett at
annab@achd.org and
we can forward these to you.) Ms.
Conway's district office contact information is:
Assembly Member Connie Conway
113 N. Church Street Suite 505
Visalia, CA 93291
Phone: 559.636.3440
Website:
http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/34
The services your
District provides, the populations you serve, the number of
her constituents you provide services to and the number of
her constituents employed by your District are all important
points to reinforce with her. In
addition, extend an invitation to Ms. Conway and her key
staff to tour your facilities and attend a District Board
Meeting.
Ms. Conway is in a key
position to impact policies that will have long-term
ramifications for Health Care Districts.
It is up to each of us to make sure she does so with a solid
understanding of our Districts and those we serve.
I am available to respond to any questions you may have on
this issue. You can contact me at
tomp@achd.org
or at 916.266.5210.