In March 2016, the South Carolina Podiatric Medical Association sent a $2 bill to all 124 South Carolina House members in an attempt to gain their attention and get support for a bill (H.B. 3143) that extends the surgical scope of practice of podiatrists to the ankle which has been limited in South Carolina by a 50 year old law, leaving the state out of step with most other states.
It made the news (eg) as the Chair of the House Ethics Committee wrote to all members asking them to send the $2 to the ethics committee as keeping the money would violate the law. They are not permitted to accept anything in return for voting a certain way.
According to an article in The State the letter stated:
The letter — from Kevin Ray, the association’s president — opened with an appeal noting the amount of money that patients spend out of state to see podiatrists – $20,000 a patient.
“With the estimated number of patients, this could exceed $4,000,000 per year not including the aggravation to the patient,” Ray wrote.
The letter concluded by saying South Carolina has less than half the licensed podiatrists it should have and asks lawmakers to support the bill “and help move South Carolina forward in equal parity with 46 other responsible states.”
Full text of the letter:
The South Carolina Podiatric Medical Association did write to the chair of the House Ethics Committee to apologize:
Reactions:
- Some social media comments picked up on this only being $2, when politicians get large sums of money from other interest groups and political action committees.
External Links:
South Carolina Podiatric Medical Association sends $2 to each politician (Podiatry Arena)
Related Topics:
South Carolina Podiatric Medical Association
HB 3143
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