Iowa Legislative Alert

IOWA LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Issue: The Iowa Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition will hold a Lobbying Workshop and legislator visit on February 22nd, 2017.

Points of Contact:

Using the list attached to this alert, along with the action alert, contact your elected Representative and Senator. Others that are helpful to contact:

• House Speaker: Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake: [email protected] • House Majority Leader: Chris Hagenow, R-Windsor Heights: [email protected] • House Minority Leader: Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown: [email protected] • Senate President: Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny: [email protected] • Senate Majority Leader: Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock: [email protected] • Senate Minority Leader: Robert Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids: [email protected]

Analysis

Iowa law licenses dietitians for the providing of nutrition assessment, goal setting, counseling, or advice. There is an exemption in the law for licensed physicians and surgeons, nurses, chiropractors, dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists or physical therapists that make dietetic or nutritional assessments, or give dietetic or nutritional advice in the normal practice of their profession or as otherwise authorized by law. However there is no such exemption for holistic nutrition professionals. The Iowa Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition will be holding a Lobbying Workshop along with meetings with key legislators.

Recommendations

We should politely disrupt the legislative day and urge policymakers to consider finding ways to open up the practice of nutrition. Specifically, we should call attention to parts of the law that are anticompetitive, and encourage them to investigate whether licensure of dietetics prevents competition, by creating a monopoly for a single profession. In closing we should ask the legislator to expand the exemption language for those not licensed as a dietician to provide nutrition advice, assessment, education and information.

SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE (S)

Dear: ______

I am writing to express concern regarding the law for whom may provide nutrition education, advice, counseling, assessment, and information. Presently, the law states that only a dietician may provide such services, and requires a license specifically designed for dieticians. This has created a monopoly so that only dieticians may provide such services, unfairly limiting competition from other highly trained, and equally competent providers.

For example, a weight loss coach, PhD level nutritionist, or any number of holistic nutrition providers are barred from providing nutrition education advice, counseling, assessment, goal setting, or information. There is no harm to the public for these providers to give such information, but Iowans are captive to a single industry, a single profession, and a single choice in nutrition. Current exemption language, Section 152A.3, does not sufficiently provide protection for those who are providing nutrition assessment, guidance, education, and information, and should be improved.

As your constituent I urge you to consider how the nutrition industry could be expanded to allow for others to provide nutrition information and services through the exemption language in the law. This would not only reduce costs for everyone, by reducing or eliminating an industry monopoly, but it would also allow for greater job creation, and choice.

Sincerely,

(Your signature here)

Iowa Legislators

Chamber Name District County E-mail

Senate David Johnson 1 Osceola [email protected]

Senate Randy Feenstra 2 Sioux [email protected]

Senate Bill Anderson 3 Woodbury [email protected]

Senate Dennis Guth 4 Hancock [email protected]

Senate Tim Kraayenbrink 5 Webster [email protected]

Senate Mark Segebart 6 Crawford [email protected]

Senate Rick Bertrand 7 Woodbury [email protected]

Senate Dan Dawson 8 Pottawattamie [email protected]