We had an amazing year in our fight for RDN Licensure and made greater progress than ever before in AZ history. On May 3rd HB2820 went to the Senate Committee of the Whole and received strong support with 19 out of 30 Senators supporting our bill. The House vote was 47 of 60 on May 5. This was one vote short of a 2/3 majority in both the Senate and House! Our bill then made its way to Governor Ducey’s desk, this would be the last stop needed to make Licensure a reality. Unfortunately, on May 13th we learned that Governor Ducey vetoed. As a result educating the Governor will need to be a focus for the upcoming year. Although this was disappointing, it is important to remember all that was achieved this year and continue the work necessary to get RDNs “on the map”. It is no longer acceptable to be one of two states without RDN recognition. Let’s continue to build on this critical momentum and be ready for next legislative year. Thank you all for your ongoing support and a special thank you to Michelle Berman and all the members of the Advocacy team. Policy change takes time and we will need your continued support for the next legislative year. We do not plan on stopping here!
Sincerely,
Maria Plant DCN, RDN, CNSC
President, Arizona Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2020-21