INPAC, a bi-partisan committee of NJSNA, was very busy this past year! We developed a survey and then interviewed candidates/incumbents for upcoming Assembly elections. The committee’s survey included questions for candidates/incumbents about their support of three important NJ nursing bills: #A4202 The Nurse Title; #A3683 Patient Protection and Safe Staffing; and #A944 Eliminating Certain Restrictions for Advanced Practice Nurses. With 40 legislative districts encompassing 80 seats, and two (or more) political parties, the districts were split among the six regional representatives of INPAC. The two regional INPAC representatives then had 24-28 candidates/incumbents to contact. Region representatives sent emails, made phone calls and went to candidate/incumbent’s offices for interviews. In total 48 interviews were held; some phone calls/emails went unanswered, therefore, websites (when available) were reviewed. In total, 58 candidates/incumbents were endorsed, of which 46 were elected/re-elected. Unfortunately, we lost 8 incumbents who had supported the APN bill. Region representatives are again reaching out to those who weren’t interviewed to discuss these important issues.
INPAC members attended seven fundraisers to meet candidates or incumbents and discuss nursing bills. We held a significant fundraiser in June and thank you to all those who came to the event or donated afterwards as this afforded board members to attend these functions without using their personal funds. Members also participated in the Healthy Nurse Healthy NJ Unity Walk in September.
Through the Voter Voice platform, we sent four broadcast emails to 7,625 NJSNA members introducing INPAC, encouraging voting and the ANA RN Day of Action.
The INPAC Board of Trustees attended the NJSNA Professional Conference in October. We sat at an information table, answered questions and distributed Registered Nurse/Registered Voter buttons and chocolate candy.
INPAC is planning a Day at the Statehouse in Trenton, NJ, with the Legislative Committee for May. Please watch your emails about this exciting event! Also, watch for the ANA Hill Day usually planned for June in Washington, DC. INPAC meets monthly as “Advocates in Action” therefore, any NJSNA member who would like to join a meeting or if you are in a Policy class, please contact us for information.
In closing, INPAC thanks Laura Geron (Region 3) for her service to the Board as her term has concluded. We welcome for another term Caroline Seward (Region 4) and Nicole DeCroce (Region 6). As Chair, I wish to thank all of our Board of Trustee members for their service this past year as it was a very busy and productive year!: Region 1: Daria Napierkowski and Louisa Ghilbert-Toledo; Region 2: Nancy Elman and Laura Geron; Region 3: Denine Warren-Simmons and Caroline Seward; Region 4: Yvette Shangold and Caroline Seward; Region 5: Paula Greenbaum and Gina Galosi; Region 6: Nicole DiCroce (Secretary) and Linda Hassler (Chair); Member at Large: Hollie Gentry; Congress of Policy and Practice: Tracy Vitale; New Jersey Nursing Student: Mya Solis; Consultant: Former Assemblywomen Barbara Wright; NJSNA CEO and Treasurer: Judy Schmidt. NJSNA President Peggy Daingerfield, NJSNA Deputy Director Nina Vaid Raoji, and NJSNA Membership Services Administrator Jen Chianti.
