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: linda.upmeyer@legis.iowa.gov • House Majority Leader: Chris Hagenow, R-Windsor Heights: chris.hagenow@legis.iowa.gov • House Minority Leader: Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown: mark.smith@legis.iowa.gov • Senate President: Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny: jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov • Senate Majority Leader: Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock: bill.dix@legis.iowa.gov • Senate Minority Leader: Robert Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids: rob.hogg@legis.iowa.gov 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.
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