NOTE:

Another Lyme hearing has been scheduled by the House for the following day. However, these efforts are focused on the first hearing.

Lyme Disease Bill

Maryland Senators Colburn, Dyson, Jacobs and Stolzfus have recently introduced a comprehensive Lyme Disease Bill. The bill, # SB596, has basically been designed to provide necessary treatment for those with Lyme and other tick borne diseases. It will permit physicians to properly treat patients without being unjustly persecuted or being required to adhere to restrictive or outdated guidelines, and will provide basic insurance coverage for treatment.

Lyme Disease Bill SB596:
http://mlis.state.md.us/2005rs/bills/sb/sb0596f.pdf

Hearing Scheduled & Letters Requested

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 10, 2005 for 1:00 PM. The hearing will be conducted in the James Senate Office Building in Annapolis, MD.

The Lyme Disease Education and Support Groups of Maryland encourages everyone who has an interest in the growing problems surrounding Lyme disease and those who would like to support the bill, to attend the hearing and/or submit a letter or written testimony supporting the bill.

Opponents to the bill will be mainly concerned with two topics; the insurance provision covering long term treatment and the physician protection issues. We need to address both of these topics when we contact the Senators.

Please be sure that your letters reach the Senator's offices by March 8, 2005. Letters of support for the Lyme Disease Bill can be mailed to:

For questions concerning the bill or the hearing, please contact Senator Colburn's office at 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3590

Tips for Letters

Briefly tell the politicians how Lyme disease has affected you and/or your family. Tell the politicians we all need help! It does not have to be long and detailed. To help them understand our situation, please include the following information. Please be sure to mention the bill number, # SB 596, and that you support it.

1. The difficulty getting a doctor to properly diagnose or treat you. Approximately how many did you see? If you live in Maryland, did you have to go out of state for treatment?
2. How long were you sick before getting a diagnosis? What were you misdiagnosed with prior to a proper diagnosis?
3. Insurance problems you have had. The cost to you and your family in dollars (estimate).

Emails

To send emails to all of the senators, please Click Here (Link removed) unless you use web-based email. Others can see the Senate Website (link removed). Marylanders should also cc LymeDAESM@aol.com

Transportation to the Hearing

Busses will be available to transport those wishing to make the trip to Annapolis on March 10, 2005. One bus is scheduled to leave Harford County, Maryland and one will head north from the lower eastern shore of Maryland. The eastern shore bus will make stops in Cambridge and Easton in route to the state's capital.

To sign up for the bus leaving Harford County, please contact Jean Galbreath at 410-838-LYME (5963) or email JGLYME@aol.com To sign up for the bus trip from the eastern shore, please contact The Lyme Disease Association Eastern Shore of Maryland at 410-896-9965 or email LymeDAESM@aol.com

Tips for those attending

For security reasons, you MUST have a photo ID to enter the building.

Attending the hearing- Numbers DO make a difference. Please encourage everyone you know to be there. Visibility is important. Lyme ribbons will be provided by the LDADESM Group, however, if you have one, please wear it.

Anyone planning to speak or submit written testimony (other than individual letters mailed or emailed to the offices) must sign up in the lobby of the hearing room no later than 12:30 PM on the day of the hearing. Allow extra time to get there due to back ups going through security check points. Pre-registration for speakers is also necessary (see note below).

Those who are not speaking are also advised to arrive by 12:30

In the hearing room you may not move around or speak to others. Everyone must remain seated and quiet.

A conference room in the James Building, (2nd floor across from elevator) will be set aside until 5 PM for those meeting or waiting for the chance to speak.

The following information has been provided by the Senator's office to assist you with your efforts.

James Building: If you are unable to use the stairs up to the elevators, there is a wheelchair/handicapped lift to your right as soon as you enter the James Building. That will take you to the 1st floor where you can reach the elevator. Our office is on the 3rd floor of the James Building (#315). If you take the elevator or the stairs, it is the room directly in front of you when you reach the 3rd floor. I made arrangements for those involved with the Lyme Disease bill to meet in a conference room prior to the bill hearing. We have use of this room until 5 PM. It is on the 2nd floor of the James Building, directly in front of the stairs and elevator, just as our office is on the 3rd floor.

Miller Building: Take the elevator to the 2nd floor. The Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee room is to the right. Whether you plan on speaking or just submit written testimony, you must sign the witness list which is set up in the lobby of the hearing room. You must also submit 20 copies of your testimony (the last door down on the right leads to the staff room where you submit your testimony). This must be done before 12:30.

Allow yourself plenty of time. There is sometimes a bottleneck trying to get through security. If you have any questions, please call our office: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3590 or 410-841-3590

Notice to those speaking

You MUST have a photo ID to enter the building.

The Senators prefer to have no more than 12 speakers for each bill. In order to be sure each topic is addressed, we have started a list to be sure to cover the main points. Please contact one of the Maryland Support Groups listed below so we are aware of who will be presenting speeches and can adjust accordingly.

Lucy: AfterTheBite@toad.net
Jackie: LYMEDAESM@aol.com
Jean: JGLYME@aol.com

Please keep in mind... anyone who will be speaking will also need to be pre-registered by contacting Senator's Colburn's assistant, Lynette Kenny 1-800-492-7122.

The chair person at the hearing will not allow any one person to speak for more than three minutes, for any reason. You will be timed while speaking and cut off when your time is up. They do not want information to be repeated and will stop you if your topic has already been covered.

If you plan to speak, the written testimony you submit that day may be longer than the 3 minute speech and may include other information as desired.

Additional Notes

Please be aware- There will be a number of other bills being heard that day, so it may prove to be a VERY long day.

Due to the stress involved and additional walking required, you may want to bring wheelchairs in case there aren't enough seats. If you can borrow wheelchairs to bring, please do. Someone may need them.

Anyone with canes or crutches may want to use them in case there is a lot of standing to do.. or walking. There is a wheelchair lift and an elevator available. Be sure to bring a small snack/drink if you need to eat prior to taking medicines.

Directions to the hearing

From Baltimore/Washington:

- Traveling on Route 50 East toward the Bay Bridge, take Exit 24A - Rowe Blvd
- Go approximately 1 mile and make a right onto Taylor Avenue (the Navy Stadium will be on the right)
- Take the 1st right into the Stadium Parking Lot

From the Eastern Shore:

- Traveling on Route 50 West, take Exit 24A - Rowe Blvd (this is the 2nd exit past the Severn River Bridge)
- Follow the same directions as above once you get on Rowe Blvd

The cost for parking at the Stadium is about $4.00 - there will be a guard to take your money. There is a sheltered bus stop located across from the attendant's stand.

Take the shuttle marked "stadium shuttle". Buses run from this location to Baltimore also so make sure you get on the right bus. (The shuttles are usually smaller-sometimes similar to a trolley-than a regular MVA bus). The Trolley shuttle costs about $.75.

Get off the Shuttle at the Legislative Services Building. If you.re not sure where that is, ask the driver to tell you when he/she gets there. Cross the street to the Miller Building/James Senate Office Building (if you face the State House, the Miller/James Buildings are on your right, directly across the street from the Governor's Mansion). Go to the side entrance of the Miller/James Buildings. YOU WILL GO THROUGH SECURITY AT THIS POINT AND YOU WILL NEED SOME FORM OF PHOTO ID TO GAIN ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDINGS. Once you go through Security, you can either go left to the James Senate Office Building or right to the Miller Building.

News

STAR DEMOCRAT:
(Links Expired)
At last, action on the Lyme Disease front, Feb. 27
Assembly to look at Lyme disease diagnosis, treatment, Mar. 4
Speak up for bill to give better Lyme Disease care, Mar. 8
Star Democrat Hearings List, see Friday
See bottom right corner of above articles to comment on each
Or, Send letters to Star Democrat

OTHER PAPERS:
Daily Times Article, March 6
Daily Times, March 10
Click to send letter to Daily Times editor
Cambridge Daily Banner Hearings List

Legislature Links

Maryland General Assembly Homepage
Listen to Proceedings Online
March 10 Senate Hearings (Expired Link)
March 11 Assembly Hearings (Expired Link)

Links for More Details

Another Hearing Mar. 11
Attention Marylanders
Poll Questions
Poll Results
Writing Info & Other Details
Senator Email List
Sample Letter
Northern Harford County Bus Information
Eastern Shore Bus Information
More About Writing
MD Lyme Bill (pdf)