Hundreds Lobby Legislators in Sacramento

The concerned citizens came from as far away as San Diego, as close as the other side of town, and just about everywhere in between. They were not just diverse geographically, but represented a wide range of cultural communities and drew healthcare advocates both young and old.

Sarah Mercer of the Latino Issues Forum addressed the assembled crowd before they broke into dozens of small groups to lobby their legislators.

After making it through security, IOH supporters filled the halls and packed the elevators to meet with legislators. I caught up with a group of health advocates that had just left the office of Assemblyman Guy Houston (R-San Ramon) and were on their way to the offices of Assemblyman Sandré Swanson (D-Alameda) and Assemblyman Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City). (Ruskin was not in his office at that time, but his chief of staff was more than happy to meet with us.) The group discussed their concerns on specific health policy issues and relayed their own personal healthcare stories.

We broke for lunch before heading back inside for the Senate Health Committee hearing slated at 1:30pm. There was a huge line forming outside the hearing room doors as the preceding Education Committee hearing finished up.

AB 8, the merged bills of Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) passed through committee, as did a number of other health bills. (Check out IOH's liveblogging from inside the hearing here, and Wright's legislative update here.)

To see photos from the Lobby Day, check out the Flickr slideshow below.