IEA_AARST_Radon_Reporter_JUNE_2024

8 | June 2024 CHAPTER CORNER Radon Advocacy Day - Kentucky Seventeen radon advocates and professionals met with more than 20 Kentucky lawmakers for Radon Advocacy Day on January 23rd. For the first time, Kentucky Radon Advocacy Day was held as a stand- alone event focused on radon-related advocacy. Strategically during National Radon Action Month, with this event, the Kentucky Chapter kick-started the year and revived efforts to unite in the fight for radon issues for the benefit of members, consumers, and ultimately public health. Right out of the gate, members of the organization mingled with members of the General Assembly. A legislative breakfast was held in a cozy room in the Capitol Annex building. A few dozen lawmakers attended the buffet-style meal. Posters with concepts, charts and data aided conversations. Representative Robert Duvall (R-Bowling Green) and Representative Kimberly Moser (R-Kenton) spoke to the group. Rep. Moser is a retired nurse and lung health ally. Rep. Duvall credits radon PSAs for saving his family’s life. He told a story about discovering dangerous levels in his family’s house and shared more about his wife’s battle with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Rep. Duvall represents Bowling Green, the district where Mammoth Cave National Park is located. Shannon Baker, American Lung Association Advocacy Director for Kentucky and Tennessee, also joined the group and offered advice for speaking to lawmakers. Speakers share • Relate to your lawmaker. Tell a story that speaks to the issues. • Be prepared to share relevant data. • Follow up with the lawmaker. Include the topic or reference comments from the conversation. Armed with IEA’s Kentucky State Radon Report Card and a general policy brief, advocates deployed to their district representatives’ offices for individual constituent meetings. Participants reported interactions were overall pleasant. Plans to continue building relationships with representatives across the commonwealth are underway. The event brought to Frankfurt IEA members from nearly a dozen different cities with some members traveling more than 70 miles each way. It took weeks of planning and hours of preparing for minutes with lawmakers, and made a lasting impression that can have an impact beyond this legislative session. Missouri Day at the Capitol Leaders from the Heartland Chapter, American Lung Association, Lung Cancer Connection, IEA National, and other lung health advocates participated in a successful Day at the Capitol on January 30 in Jefferson City MO to build support for Regulation through Certification (RtC) legislation. HB2451 was introduced in order to ensure public health and safety and provide consumer protections when hiring radon measurement or mitigation specialists. The IEA Heartland chapter was represented by Cherie Summa, JimMedley, Wes Hodgden, and Will Frost. More than 30 scheduled meetings and impromptu discussions occurred.