State Legislators for Health Reform

The Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform consists of 110 state legislator members from 36 states who are working to move health reform forward in their states and at the national level. The group was formed in 2009 to push Congress to pass comprehensive health reform that aligned with progressive principles. Since the signing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the Working Group has focused on implementing the Affordable Care Act, on advancing progressive and innovative health reform policies in each of their states, and on allowing legislators to benefit from the expertise of the collective group in advancing health reform at the state level.

In addition to convening regular conference calls to discuss advancing progressive health reform in states across the nation, the Working Group hosts timely webinars and in-person events with state and national experts, identifies policy priorities for each legislative session, facilitates peer-to-peer legislator coordination and strategizing, and works to ensure the voices of state legislators in favor of health reform are heard in the national health care debate. Progressive States Network helps prepare members to advance those policy priorities in each of their states with information, tools, and resources.

Highlights

Since its founding, the Working Group of State Legislators has:

• Coordinated a letter signed by over 980 state legislators from all 50 states to President Obama and Congress urging them to adopt comprehensive health care reform.
• Worked with the National Conference of State Legislators to endorse the public option as part of comprehensive health care reform at the height of the national health care debate.
• Met with President Obama and then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, urging them to adopt a public option as part of comprehensive health reform.
• Submitted an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the Affordable Care Act, signed by 539 legislators from all 50 states.
• Through op-eds and media work in advance of the Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act, voiced determination to move health reform forward regardless of how the Court ruled:
  • "As Health Law Is Contested, Developing a Plan B," New York Times, March 26, 2012
  • "U.S. Supreme Court won't be last word on health reform in Washington state," Washington State Sen. Karen Keiser, Seattle Times, June 20, 2012
  • "Maine Voices: Care reform's future not in court's hands,"Maine State Reps. Linda Sanborn and Rep. Sharon Treat, Portland Press Herald, June 24, 2012
• Helped move the health reform dialogue forward following the Supreme Court decision in 2012 through a coordinated press effort and social media.

Chair of the Working Group

Senator Karen Keiser, WA

Senator Keiser has been a Washington State Senator since 2001 and has earned a reputation as a tireless advocate for improving health care. Before coming to the senate, she served in the House of Representatives from 1996 to 2001. Karen is chair of the Washington state Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee, where she works to improve the state’s health care delivery system. She also sits on four other committees including the Ways and Means and Rules committee.

She also is a vice-chair of the National Conference of State Legislators Health Committee and an Executive Board member of the Progressive States Network. Karen has earned numerous awards for her legislative and civic achievements including: 2012 American Cancer Society Legislative Champion, 2012 The ARC Employment Champion for the Developmentally Disabled, 2010 WSPA Distinguished Public Service Award, 2009 Progressive States Network State Leader Award, 2009 Children’s Alliance Champions for Children Award, and 2007 Center for Policy Alternatives State Legislator of the Year.