The Importance of Professional Advocacy at the State Level: A Coalition Model

Abstract

Professional advocacy communicates a viewpoint for or against a policy or issue, and is used to influence change to public policy, legislation, and/or regulations. State audiology associations are perfectly positioned to organize advocacy efforts for the profession at the state level. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review the types of advocacy available to state organizations and the steps for hiring a lobbyist. In addition, the article presents a unique advocacy model in which multiple audiology and speech-language pathology organizations in the state of Ohio joined to form the Ohio Speech and Hearing Governmental Affairs Coalition (OSHGAC). There are numerous advantages of an advocacy coalition, most importantly a shared financial responsibility. Finally, several examples of the OSHGAC recent legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts are reviewed.

Most of the important decisions regarding the practice of audiology and the regulation of audiologic care consumers receive are made at the state level. Minimum standards of practice, the audiologists' scope of practice, healthcare policy, and many funding issues are managed by state legislative bodies and other state-level government agencies. Therefore, advocacy efforts at the state level are essential in shaping state laws regarding audiology and other issues impacting audiologists and their patients.

Although the definition of advocacy may vary depending on who is asked, at the core, advocacy is about communicating a viewpoint for or against a particular policy or issue and taking the necessary steps to achieve that change. ¹ There are several techniques or tools that can be used by individuals or groups to influence change to public policy, legislation, and/or regulations.

State audiology associations, their members, and all audiologists are responsible for educating policy makers, state level administrators, and the public about the value of audiology services. Most elected or appointed officials know very little about hearing and balance disorders, or the effect they have on a child's development and education or an adult's ability to remain employed or independent. These officials depend on audiologists and other key stakeholders to help them understand these issues and guide policy decisions.

Advocating for change to public policy can appear intimidating for many healthcare professionals who spend their time caring for patients. Some may be unsure of the political process, while others fear they may say or do something wrong. Audiologists are on the front lines every day and have countless patient experiences they can draw upon that can impact healthcare policy. Consider advocacy as simply telling the story about a specific policy decision that has affected the patient's access to, or coverage of, needed services.

One of the advantages of advocacy at the state level is that our elected representatives are much more accessible, and it is far easier to build a relationship with them. You can often reach a state representative directly by phone or meet with them personally at their office in your local community. They are much more motivated to represent the needs of their constituents, as the number of constituents they represent is far smaller than for elected officials at the federal level. Also, in an era of congressional gridlock, our advocacy efforts at the state level can have far greater impact and be more satisfying for the professional.

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for engaging in public policy making or advocacy at the state level. The objective, however, of this review is to examine and evaluate various ways to advocate and explore opportunities for partnerships and alliances with other key stakeholders. Examples of successful state-level advocacy efforts and opportunities for professional involvement are discussed.

Advocacy 101—Where to Start

The role of a state audiology association is to serve the professional needs of their membership. As such, many of these organizations directly engage in influencing public policy, and other advocacy and lobbying efforts on behalf of their members and patients. Each state association may approach or manage advocacy differently. Some may hire a lobbyist to advise and organize their efforts, while others use free online services to monitor legislative and regulatory activities in their state or utilize the skills of volunteers to assess concerns. Most often, state associations use some combination of these methods as different issues arise. The leadership of state audiology associations is tasked with engaging their members to determine what issues are important to them and then prioritizing those issues. Only then can the leadership develop the most efficient and effective way to manage the high priority issues and mobilize their members to act.

Based on the advocacy options available, state associations often make decisions on how they will proceed based on the financial costs associated with their approach. The lowest cost financially for the organization would be to engage volunteer members who have a keen interest in legislative and regulatory matters. The volunteers may have no formal education in healthcare policy or advocacy; however, there are numerous resources available online, in print or through national audiology associations they could access to develop these skills. First, the volunteer must understand the basics of the legislative and regulatory process. Legislation establishes the principles of public policy, while the regulations more definitely describe how the law will be implemented and enforced. Following the introduction of legislation, or a bill, it will be assigned to a legislative committee for further examination. Members of the legislature are appointed to committees to hear matters related to specific public policy issues such as commerce and labor, criminal justice, and health and human services. Once a bill is debated, revised, and then approved by the assigned committee, it moves to the full legislature for consideration. Any bill could be revised in the legislature and debated again. If a bill has significant support, it may move to a full vote of the legislative body. If passed by majority vote, it is sent to the governor's office to be signed into law. Once the law is enacted, rules or regulations must be created to establish the parameters for implementation and enforcement. The rule-making process begins at the administrative agency responsible for issues within the new law. Often the agency engages stakeholders in the rule-making process. Public hearings also are held where further comments can be provided to the agency. In Ohio, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) reviews all new, amended, or rescinded rules to ensure they do not exceed the rule-making authority granted to the administration agency before they are enacted. ² Other states may have different processes for final approval.

Beyond this general knowledge about the legislative and regulatory process, the volunteers also will need to educate and inspire their colleagues and patients to connect with and educate their legislators about an issue or seek their support for a legislative or regulatory change. While there is great effort needed by these select volunteers, there also can be great reward. Elected representatives appreciate hearing and learning about a policy issue directly from their constituents. Furthermore, they are more likely to be supportive when they hear the impact a policy has had on the constituent's life.

Every state offers free online access regarding the status of legislation. However, unless you know the bill number, or have prior access to information that an introduced bill could impact audiologists or patients receiving audiology services, it would be challenging to monitor all legislative activity. More states are now offering easy to use and customizable online tools to track the status of a bill and stay abreast of legislative proceedings. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NSCL) lists more than 35 states that offer this type of tracking service. ³ By adding keywords or phrases, the volunteer can receive notifications of new legislation that may impact audiology, or updates as the bill moves through the legislative process. Other states offer legislative and regulatory updates through their Twitter or social media accounts. The volunteer can simply sign up to receive postings about a particular bill.

Some state associations choose to hire a professional legislative agent or lobbyist to assist with selected public policy matters for the organization or for all of these matters. Lobbyists are professional advocates who are paid by the organization to influence political decisions. They may persuade a legislator to propose new legislation or amend existing laws and regulations. They may independently educate policy makers about the issue, or work with volunteers to do so. ⁴ Many lobbying firms also offer their clients legislative and regulatory monitoring of any and all legislative or regulatory activities that may impact the profession or consumers needing their services.

For professionals in states where no state-level audiology organization exists, individual advocacy may be the only option. When state organizations exist, and they are directing their members to contact a government agency or a legislator about a particular issue, this is considered direct lobbying. Grassroots advocates are defined as individuals who are willing to contact their elected officials to take action about an issue without encouragement from an organization or group. ⁵ The audiology grassroots advocate could target the general public through an online petition, open letter, or through distribution of a flyer regarding the issue, and then ask the public at large to contact their legislator to support or oppose the bill.

Hiring a Lobbyist

One of the most important roles of a professional lobbyist is to assist the organization in developing an effective strategy that will make a strong case for a particular position. The audiologists bring subject matter expertise, whereas the lobbyist knows the legislators, the current political climate, and the legislative process. Lobbyists can help craft a message in a way that assists with passage of legislation the organization wants or halts movement on legislation that may be detrimental to the profession. Lobbyists also can help the organization understand some of the opposing points of view and suggest compromises that may meet the concerns of all stakeholders.

As state associations consider hiring a lobbyist, they may contact the Secretary of State's office or the Ethics Commission to obtain a list of registered lobbyists. Lobbyists are required to register in each state. ⁶ Searching online for lobbyists will provide information about education, experience, size of the firm's staff, and areas of expertise. This will help the organization determine if the lobbying firm has common interests and if they should be considered. Contacting leaders from other state health associations such as physical therapy, physician assistants, optometrists, etc. is also a great option as a successful lobbyist for another health care association will have established contacts with legislators and staff who frequently support healthcare legislation.

After the organization makes a list of their advocacy needs, they can begin contacting the lobbyists to ensure there are no conflicts that might disqualify them from being considered. Some firms may not be accepting new clients, while others may have conflicts with other clients they already represent. As with any relationship, you want to hire a firm whose characteristics are compatible with your state association. Once the field of possible candidates is narrowed, it is important that you establish a group of association leaders who will interview the firm. The interview should take place in the lobbying firm's office, allowing those interviewing to get an impression of the firm and professionalism of their staff.

The following are steps of the interview and hiring process of lobbying firms that should be included:

• Association leaders come prepared to discuss your organization, your advocacy goals, and any current issues affecting the profession.

• Association leaders should outline how advocacy has been managed in the past and the effectiveness of those strategies.

• It is important to inform the lobbyists about other organizations that may either support or oppose your association's positions.

• Describe the organization's current relationship with elected representatives they have worked with in the past.

• Be prepared to ask about the lobbying firm's working relationship with other lobbyists, especially those who may represent groups who have either opposed or supported your organization's position.

• It is also important to consider the diversity of the firm's staff, particularly relative to political party representation. The party in power may change, so you want to hire a firm who works effectively with both parties.

• Finally, it is important to be very precise about the expectations you have for the firm including participation in monthly meetings, conferences, or frequency of reports. As you conclude the interview, ask the firm to assess how suitable they are for your association. Based on the organization's needs, request a proposal for services.

Some state associations will choose to hire a lobbyist on a contractual, full-time basis. The firm represents the organization to elected and appointed officials for the specified term of the contract. A termination clause should be included in the contract specifying the notification requirements by either party. Other associations hire a firm to simply monitor legislation that may impact their members. A representative of the organization receives alerts when legislation is introduced or moves through the legislative process. No additional action is taken by the lobbying firm, but this allows the organization to mobilize members to take action. A lobbyist also can be hired to manage a particular policy issue for the organization (i.e., policy-specific lobbying).

The organization's decision on how the lobbyist will represent the association will determine costs. Firms that provide monitoring services are less expensive, as are policy-specific lobbying, as this tends to require shorter periods of engagement by the firm. The cost of hiring lobbying firms also varies from state to state. It is best to consult with other similar size organizations in the state who have hired a lobbyist to compare costs.

A Unique Model

Another approach state audiology associations may choose as they consider advocacy options for their organization is to build coalitions with allied nonphysician healthcare professionals. Many nonphysician providers have similar challenges with healthcare policy, and smaller associations can benefit from combining both financial and human resources. An example of this approach is the Ohio Speech and Hearing Governmental Affairs Coalition (OSHGAC). OSHGAC is a coalition of speech and hearing professionals in the state of Ohio that was founded in 1982. The OSHGAC was formed to address state public policy priorities for the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology in the areas of healthcare coverage and reimbursement, education, and professional practice. Its mission is to monitor and respond to all legislative, regulatory, and administrative issues that affect speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and consumers of their services. While the member organizations have changed since its inception, current member organizations include the Ohio Academy of Audiology (OAA), the Ohio Council of Speech and Hearing Administrators (OCSHA), the Ohio School Speech-Language Pathology and Educational Audiology Coalition (OSSPEAC), and the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OSLHA). Together these organizations represent many of the 8,000 speech-language pathologists and 1,000 audiologists working in Ohio.

OSHGAC is composed of three representatives appointed from each of the four participating organizations. These representatives work together to set annual legislative priorities based on existing and prior legislative efforts, or long-term goals of the OSHGAC. The priorities set by the coalition include audiology, speech-pathology, and speech and hearing center interests. A white paper is composed annually by the lobbying firm and is used to identify the OSHGAC legislative priorities and to educate elected and appointed officials about audiology and speech-pathology services (see Appendix A for the 2021 OSHGAC white paper).

The OSHGAC meets on a monthly basis, with the exception of July and August when the state legislature is in recess. Meeting agendas are centered around a “legislative report” prepared and presented by the lobbyist. The legislative report summarizes introduced legislation that might affect the practice of audiology, speech-language pathology, the facilities where these services are provided, or consumers of speech and hearing services. The OSHGAC representatives, with advice from the lobbyist, discuss what, if any, action should be taken regarding the proposed legislation. Action items may include watchful waiting, engagement with legislators, mobilizing members to contact their representatives to submit written testimony, or to identify members to provide in-person testimony.

Management of the Coalition

The OSHGAC is governed by a set of by-laws that specify its purpose, membership, dues, member organization representatives, meetings, officers, and voting rights. The method of appointing representatives to the OSHGAC is determined by each participating member organization, which also determines their term of office. It is recommended that representatives hold their position for no less than 2 years to ensure continuity of representation. The coalition employs a traditional officer scheme (chair, secretary, treasurer), with each organization holding an “office” in a 2-year rotation, followed by an off-rotation furlough from officer responsibilities. The specific responsibilities of each office are detailed in Appendix B. As set forth in the coalition's by-laws, each OSHGAC member organization is responsible for paying a share of the fees for the lobbying firm. The specific amount required from each participating organization is determined biennially and is based on the 2-year average number of members in each participating organization. Because membership in the participating organizations fluctuates over time, the distribution of dues is reviewed and redistributed as needed on a biennial basis.

A political action committee (PAC) was established by the OSHGAC to support candidates for and in public office who have similar political philosophies with those of the OSHGAC member organizations. A PAC is defined by the Federal Election Campaign Act to be any committee, association, or organization that accepts contributions or makes expenditures to elected officials during a calendar year. ⁷ There are strict restrictions against corporate contributions; therefore, it is vital that the PAC is not incorporated, and that the committee operates separately from the organization with which it is affiliated. The Ohio Speech and Hearing Political Action Committee (OSHPAC) is no exception.

PACs have become a very common and necessary part of the advocacy process at both the state and national level. National audiology societies have established PACs to support elected candidates for federal office who have an interest in supporting consumers with hearing and balance issues and the profession serving them. It is reasonable that state associations would consider this a necessary part of their advocacy agenda. Legislators are asked to review and evaluate numerous legislative proposals during each general assembly. Additionally, term limits for legislators can shorten the ability for an organization to fully engage and educate policy makers about issues of importance. Monies generated by the PAC can be used to elect and reelect public officials who are already educated on your issues and understand the important work your organization and its members provide. At a time when there is constant struggle for attention just to have your issue be heard, a PAC can be another tool for state organizations to use and can be a great asset to your advocacy program.

OSHGAC Advocacy Efforts

During the almost 40 years of its existence, the OSHGAC has experienced both advocacy successes and failures at the state level. In an effort to highlight the critical nature of state-level advocacy, specific examples of more recent OSHGAC legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts are reviewed below.

• Successful support of legislation. In early 2021, the OSHGAC was approached by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and asked to support the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). Briefly, the ASLP-IC “is an occupational licensure compact which allows professionals to practice in multiple states without having to obtain additional state licenses.” ⁸ The pros and cons of supporting the compact were discussed at length by the representatives during an OSHGAC monthly meeting. An action item was generated asking the representatives to determine their respective organization's support or opposition to the compact legislation with the intent that a vote would be taken at the next OSHGAC meeting. OSHGAC representatives took this issue to their respective organizations; discussions took place among their executive boards and each organization solicited feedback from their members. Each member organization's vote was based on the majority of membership feedback, and the OSHGAC's decision to support the ASLP-IC legislation in Ohio was passed unanimously. The lobbying firm representing the OSHGAC then approached a legislator to support and introduce the ASLP-IC during the current legislative session (Ohio House Bill 252). The ASLP-IC received hearings with the OSHGAC providing proponent in-person and written testimony. Recently, the ASLP-IC (Ohio House Bill 252) was signed into law by the Ohio governor. ⁹

• Supporting legislation across multiple legislative sessions. State organizations should be prepared to play the long game when advocating for legislation. It is often the case that legislation introduced as a house or senate bill will fail to make it through a legislative session due to a lack of hearings or failure to be brought forth for a vote. If a bill fails to make it to the house or senate floor for a vote during a given legislative session, it must be reintroduced during the next legislative session. A recent example of this situation is provided by the OSHGAC's support of legislation requiring commercial insurance plans to cover hearing aids for children. Ohio House Bill 243 was introduced by two democrat representatives in 2018. The bill received sponsor testimony in 2019 but failed to receive another hearing before the end of the legislative session. The legislation was reintroduced with bipartisan support in the current legislative session as House Bill 198 and has received proponent testimony. Bipartisan support is always preferred as it results in the greatest chance for passage of the bill. Since healthcare issues are important to constituents in both parties, legislators are more inclined to work together and compromise, resulting in the best legislative language. The OSHGAC continues to monitor the status of the legislation in the House Health Committee and has provided written and in-person proponent testimony and actively solicits proponent testimony from members. Due to the advocacy efforts of OSHGAC, over 20 individuals provided written or in-person testimony in support of House Bill 198 including audiologists, surgeons, children, and parents affected by childhood hearing loss, and allied health organizations such as the Ohio State Medical Association.

• Opposing legislation. The OSHGAC monitors and actively opposes legislation that infringes on the scope of practice of audiologists or speech-language pathologists. For example, legislation has been introduced in the past and current legislative sessions that seek Ohio licensure for music and art therapists. As written, the bill contains scope of practice parameters that infringe specifically on the scope of practice of speech-language pathologists. The OSHGAC continues to monitor the status of the legislation in the Senate Transportation, Commerce, and Workforce Committee, and is ready to provide written and in-person opponent testimony when needed.

• Regulatory advocacy. As is the case with most states, Ohio audiology and speech-language pathology professionals are regulated by a state licensure board. The state of Ohio recently underwent an occupational licensure consolidation process. This was of concern for the OSHGAC due to the nature of the proposed consolidation to the Speech and Hearing Professionals Board. Specifically, the legislature proposed to consolidate the audiology and speech-language pathology licensure board with vision professions (optometry and ophthalmology). Due to the inherent differences between speech and hearing professions with vision professions, including the fact that ophthalmology is a medical/physician profession, the OSHGAC actively opposed this consolidation to the proposed “Hearing & Vision Board.” The OSHGAC successfully argued against this consolidation. Importantly, similar efforts to consolidate licensure categories have been occurring in other states. Licensure consolidation is an example of reducing government regulations which is advocated for by conservative organizations at both the state and national levels. Regulatory changes, such as licensure consolidation, can potentially have a detrimental impact on the profession. Groups like OSHGAC, therefore, serve a vital protective role by arguing for or against such efforts.

• Long-term advocacy goals. It is the unfortunate reality that most legislation introduced at the state level moves slowly or can be blocked entirely due to partisan politics. Therefore, it is important to consider professional legislative advocacy efforts as long-term goals. For example, the OSHGAC has included the need to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for audiology and speech-language pathology as a legislative priority for many years. Increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates is considered a “big ask.” In other words, the likelihood of success is low. Despite the low chance of immediate success, the OSHGAC, with advice from their lobbying firm, decided to actively advocate for an increase to specific audiology and speech-language pathology reimbursement codes. To determine which codes to address, a working group was established. The working group compared current Medicaid reimbursement rates in Ohio to those in surrounding states and the national average allowing OSHGAC to select specific codes with the most need for increased reimbursement rates. In an attempt to mitigate the cost of the request, the group also sought to identify opportunities for Ohio Medicaid to save costs. The OSHGAC lobbyist then requested a meeting with the Ohio Medicaid Office in which speech pathologists and audiologists advocated for increased reimbursement rates for the selected codes. Although little forward movement is expected in the short term, the meeting with Ohio Medicaid was positive and the conversation has been started.

Conclusions

The importance of professional advocacy at the state level cannot be overstated, as legislation and regulatory changes can have a direct impact on the practice of audiology. State organizations are perfectly positioned to support legislation that advances the profession and to monitor and react to threats to scope of practice or changes to licensure. ¹⁰ Professional advocacy takes on many forms, from grassroots efforts of individuals to hiring a lobbying firm on a full-time basis. Maintaining a full-time relationship with a lobbying firm requires a substantial financial commitment. A coalition of nonphysician healthcare professionals, such as the OSHGAC, represents a viable model that can be implemented in other states to manage the financial burden of advocacy at this level. It is the responsibility of every audiologist to advocate for the profession and supporting the efforts of your state organization is the perfect place to start. ¹¹

Appendix A: OSHGAC 2021 White Paper.

OHIO SPEECH AND HEARING GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COALITION WHO WE ARE

Founded in 1982, OSHGAC is a coalition of speech and hearing professionals. Our member organizations include the following: the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OSLHA), the Ohio School Speech Pathology and Educational Audiology Coalition (OSSPEAC), the Ohio Academy of Audiology (OAA), and the Ohio Council of Speech and Hearing Administrators (OCSHA). Together these organizations represent many of the over 8,000 speech-language pathologists and over 1,000 audiologists working in Ohio.

WHAT WE DO

• Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide screenings, evaluations, diagnosis, treatment, consultation, habilitation, and rehabilitation in communication development and disorders. Service areas include speech production, stuttering, language comprehension and expression, voice disorders, and swallowing disorders. Causes of speech and language disorders include neurological disorders, brain injury/trauma, autism, intellectual disability, hearing loss, developmental delays, physical impairments, emotional/psychological disorders and genetics, poor nutrition, and exposure to substance abuse and toxins before birth.

• Audiologists diagnose, treat, and manage individuals with hearing loss and/or balance disorders. Services provided by audiologists include hearing evaluations, hearing aid, and assistive listening device evaluation and fitting, aural (re)habilitation and counseling, tinnitus evaluation and management, cochlear implant adjustment and mapping, hearing conservation programs, intraoperative monitoring, auditory processing evaluation and management, and vestibular evaluation and rehabilitation.

• SLPs and audiologists serve all ages, from newborn to elderly, in settings such as hospitals, medical centers, public and private schools, universities, community speech and hearing centers, rehabilitation agencies, nursing homes, Head Start programs, VA Clinics, government health agencies, facilities for persons with multiple handicaps, and private practice offices.

CRITICAL ISSUES IN 2021

• Shortages of Related Services Providers and Caseload/Workload —This issue is of critical importance given (1) the role that SLPs and audiologists play in literacy development and academic success and (2) the shortage of “related service providers,” including SLPs and audiologists in Ohio school districts. We support legislation acting on the Ohio Department of Education's (ODE's) Related Services Shortage Task Force report recommendations on retention of practitioners in the schools.

• Commercial Insurance Coverage of Hearing Aids for Children —Support legislation requiring commercial insurance plans to cover hearing aids for children up to age 21. Research shows that children with hearing loss who receive late, or no intervention, cost the state more than $400,000 per child in special education costs. Twenty-three other states have passed similar legislation as HB 198 (Reps. Manchester and Russo).

• Increase Medicaid SLP and Audiologist Reimbursement —Current reimbursement rates for SLP and audiology services are woefully inadequate and have not changed since 2010. Additionally, Ohio does not reimburse certain codes that other states do, resulting in fewer clinicians accepting Medicaid, restricting access to care for lowincome Ohioans.

• Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC) —Interstate compacts can increase access to care to underserved Ohioans and expand opportunities for Ohio clinicians, while also protecting the state's ability to provide regulatory oversight.

• Support HB 122 —The use of telemedicine has made treatment options more accessible to previously unserved Ohioans. Authorizing the ability for SLPs and audiologists to utilize telemedicine in the ORC is a crucial step in ensuring they can continue providing these services as they have during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Oppose Efforts to License Music and Art Therapists —We oppose legislation attempting to license music and art therapists that includes scope of practice parameters that infringe on the SLP and audiology services.

APPENDIX B: OSHGAC BY-LAWS, OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES.

1. Chair

   1. The OSHGAC Chair should have been a representative on OSHGAC for at least 1 year prior to taking on the position of chair.

   2. The OSHGAC Chair shall:

      • i. Convene all meetings of OSHGAC.

      • ii. Submit all necessary reports to the Ohio Lobbying Activity Center.

      • iii. Prepare and e-mail an agenda 3 to 5 days before the scheduled meeting.

      • iv. Contact the OSHGAC Secretary to ensure that minutes of the previous meeting are distributed 3 to 5 days before the schedule meeting.

      • v. Write correspondence at the direction of the OSHGAC representatives.

      • vi. Communicate with the legislative agent as necessary.

2. Secretary

   1. The OSHGAC Secretary shall:

      • i. Record the minutes of each meeting of the OSHGAC.

      • ii. Forward the minutes to OSHGAC member representatives for editing.

      • iii. Maintain meeting minutes and copies of all formal correspondence and documents for OSHGAC.

      • iv. Be responsible for identifying a substitute for meetings in case of an absence.

3. Treasurer

   1. The OSHGAC Treasurer shall:

      • i. Oversee the billing and expenses of legislative activities.

      • ii. Monitor the OSHGAC budget with the OSHGAC Chair.

      • iii. Serve as the coordinator of all fiscal matters for OSHGAC, including submitting tax documents to the Internal Revenue Services and the State of Ohio Department of Taxation.

      • iv. Be responsible for paying the legislative agent fees and expenses.