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Hypnosis Authority Cal Banyan Provides Hypnosis Certification Training Courses, Videos, Audios, Books & More - New Video Every Week
Hypnosis Authority Cal Banyan Provides Hypnosis Certification Training Courses, Videos, Audios, Books & More - New Video Every Week
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Dr. Dwight Damon, President of the NGH just sent this out to the Florida hypnotists. See his message below.
The NGH is providing strong and experienced leadership. Make sure that your current membership with both the union and the NGH is up to date.
These kinds of attacks on our profession often come up suddenly and we can have very little time to react, so having a strong membership in both of these organizations is essential no matter where you live in the USA or Canada!
Take responsibility for your ability to help yourself and others by renewing now if your membership has lapsed.
Let's do GREAT things together,
Cal
UPDATE REPORT ON FLORIDA LEGISLATION
MEMO: Here's what you can do-
A big thank you to all of our NGH members who have joined or renewed their memberships in our union -NFH 104- since we notified you of the attempt now being made to repeal our legislat ive exemption in Florida. And, thank you to other well-known leaders in our profession who have jumped in to fight the fight with a display of cooperation.
We've been preaching to our members through the years, that we all need to be in touch with our legislators even when we don't have any legislative problems in a state. You are a voter, a constituent, and your representative is in the state legislature because you helped him and her get there with your vote. They are there to represent you, and are happy to accommodate, but they need to know what your needs are.
A brief email, phone call, or letter to your state rep asking him or her no to support HB4039. Explain simply that if this repeal is ever enacted it will impact on your profession, put many citizens of Florida out of work, and allow other professions to unconstitutionally eliminate professional competition.
We are including the URL containing the names we have of committee members, and a polit e contact with them as we stated above could also be in order. Remember, the key is to be calm and professional in your contact with legislators. http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Committees/committeesdetail.aspx?SessionId=66&CommitteeId=2612
If you do want to do even more you could also email the Speaker of the House, Dean Cannon at the following website contact form:http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/emailrepresentative.aspx?MemberId=4340&SessionId=66
On Monday I will be talking with the International president of OPEIU, AFL/CIO, CLC which is the union that NFH 104 is connected with. We will discuss what they can do to help us in Florida. Right now, our legislative officer, Scot Giles, and Board members Jerry Kein and Tony DeMarco are also right on it with our good friend and loyal NGH member, Ralph Benko, a very experienced lawyer and political consu ltant in Washington, D.C.
Be well,
Dr. Dwight Damon
Dr. Dwight F. Damon, President
NFH local 104, OPEIU, AFL/CIO, CLC
Here is a link to the online union application,
http://bit.ly/eCWDdD
Cal
Wow, that's not good. Thanks for the heads up and the link to the online union application. I just renewed my union membership after having let it lapse a couple years ago. Membership in the union can be a useful marketing tool!
Hi Steve - Thanks for the comment. Glad we could help. Membership in the union is important. I remember once I let my membership and the Dr. Damon gave me a call! Wow, thanks for that Doc. I "re-upped" right away.
Can you share with our viewers how it is good for marketing? Sometimes they like to hear it from someone other than me. 🙂
Sure... first of all, joining the hypnotist union can be a good excuse for a blog post --- it can pique interest, when people find out there is a union for hypnotists! When i first joined, i mentioned it on my site and also the Client Bill of Rights, and i remember it was brought up by at least a couple of clients as something that they found interesting. It is congruent with the position that this is a real profession.
Also, many of the people i work with are in trades that are unionized, and I also remember talking about the subject with a union attorney. greater rapport thru solidarity and all that ^_^
I bet membership would also be a favorable point in attempting to present workshops and seminars to union groups (although I haven't tried this myself as i'm too lazy to pursue free public talks).
I am not a leftist by any means, but i think for these reasons this kind of union membership is a positive thing. in any case, it can be looked at as a form of professional insurance, in order to reduce the risk of restrictive legislation putting everyone in the state out of business.
PS. I wonder if this restrictive legislation was inspired by that incident last year where that Florida hypnotist made the news because she was posing as a doctor and calling herself a psychotherapist? She should have been prosecuted to oblivion under the existing laws... no need for even more laws which would just be ignored by delusional or deceptive people such as her anyway! If this legislation was inspired by that publicity (and even if it wasn't, it makes the case for it stronger), it points to an even greater case for every working hypnotist and hypno-organization to take a harder line against that behavior which puts each state at risk.
Hi Steve - Thanks for your additional input. I'm sure most hypnosis professionals never thought of using union membership in this creative way.
Regarding where the inspiration for attempting to change the hypnosis law in Florida came from, I don't know exactly what it was, but I am pretty sure it was out of total ignorance.
Thanks again for commenting.
Here is the latest news from Dr. Dwight Damon about the actions being taken by the NGH to fight the law change in Florida intended to removed hypnotists' right to practice!
Greetings,
I have been stressing for years the importance of knowing legislators and keeping us informed of any hypnotism legislative activities in your own state, but it was James Carnes, a member from Wisconsin, who notified us in N.H. on 01/25/11, after he saw a brief newspaper item about a bill being introduced to repeal our exemption in the Florida statutes. This is a serious situation, since it could set a precedent and be used to attempt to take away our practice rights in other states if it should succeed
01/26/11: We put out word to Michael Goodwin, International president of OPEIU, AFL/CIO, CLC, and we also initiated a fact finding project from our office.
01/27/11: Our NFH 104 Board of Directors conferred and Board member Jerry Kein did an e-mailing to the Omnigrads list. We did an e-mailing to all our NGH and NFH members in Florida with information.
01/28/11: We did a second e-mailing to update all NGH and NFH Florida members.
01/29/11: We received an offer of help from member Ralph Benko, who is well-versed in legislative matters and located in Washington, D.C. Ralph was put in touch with our Legislative Liaison Officer, Scot Giles, who has successfully handled these situations for our profession for the past 18 years.
01/31/11: I had a phone conference with Michael Goodwin, International president of OPEIU, AFL/CIO, CLC, the union that our National Federation of Hypnotists (NFH 104) is affiliated with. We discussed the situation regarding what they could do to help us in Florida, and shortly after our conversation, Attorney Robert Levy, Florida union lobbyist, came on board to help us. Attorney Levy has worked with Scot Giles on previous Florida issues, so they will now work together on this situation.
Right now, NFH Vice President Tony DeMarco and our NGH Board members are also right on it, and as NGH/NFH president I am participating from our N.H. headquarters. I'm pleased to report that we have received a good number of union sign-ups from our members, especially since we made a six-month term available to reduce the initial cost to a new union member. In the meantime we are also continuing to receive donations to build up our legislative fund.
Joe B. McCawley, who, in 1959, was the first to challenge the laws in Florida, called to say that he would match up to $500 that we receive for the legislative fund between now and February 15, 2011. This is an opportunity to double your donation, thanks to the thoughtfulness of one of our profession's pioneers. So, if you click on the link below, send a check, or call with a credit card we should be able to build up the account, which is used strictly for legislative matters concerning the profession in general. Right now we only have $2000 in the fund, so do what you can and let's take Joe B. up on his generous offer!
Be well,
Dr. Dwight Damon
Dr. Dwight F. Damon, President
National Guild of Hypnotists
NFH, local 104, OPEIU, AFL/CIO, CLC
Link to give donations, https://ngh.net/legislation/ngh-nfh-legislation-donation-form/
Link to join the union now, https://ngh.net/legislation/nfh-union/union-application-online/
You will have to copy and past the links above into a browser to go to these pages.
Here is the latest, Latest, LATEST... Good news from the Doc at NGH...
GOOD NEWS THIS MORNING:
I know all our members have been watching the Florida legislative situation unfold, so I am taking the liberty of forwarding an important e-mail we
received. It's good news, but it doesn't mean we never have to worry again about legislation concerning our profession in Florida. We must always be alert everywhere about any laws that might impact us, so that we can take immediate action.
If you are one of our many members, especially in Florida, who contacted Rep. Diaz, by all means, take a minute to thank him for reconsidering and
taking his positive action step.
Now, here is his e-mail:
From: "Diaz, Jose"
Date: February 1, 2011 8:24:37 PM PST
Subject: Florida House Bill 4039
February 1, 2011
To whom it may concern:
First of all, I want to thank you for contacting me
regarding HB 4039. If you are receiving this email, it is because you have recently contacted me to express your concerns about my proposed legislation.
I have received dozens of emails from concerned citizens who would like to know what my intentions were with HB 4039. As I have mentioned to several of you over the telephone, this year, the Florida House was tasked with cleaning up our statutes to make sure that there were no duplicative, superfluous, or excessive regulations. I proposed HB 4039 to help de-regulate what I felt was an over-complicated and excessive regulation, which currently criminalizes the practice of hypnosis without a medical degree (or under the supervision of same).
My proposed legislation originally intended to only get rid of Chapter 485, but the deletion of that chapter also affected Fla. Stat. 491, which has had the possible unintended consequence of further limiting the practice of hypnosis. That was never my intent.
Though there are several other references to hypnosis in Florida Statute and in the Florida Administrative Code, I would like to point out that Chapter 485, which was the main subject of my proposal, severely limits hypnosis and makes the practice of same illegal for almost anyone who is not a licensed medical doctor, psychiatrist, dentist, chiropractor, etc. The only exception is that someone can practice hypnosis under the supervision and legal responsibility of those certain medical practitioners. See Fla. Stat. 485.003(3) for complete list.
My understanding is that the fear of malpractice, civil liability, and revocation of licenses make it a rare occurrence for many of these medical practitioners to refer such work out to lay hypnotists and/or hypnotists with national certifications. In fact, there appears to be no licensing in Florida for lay hypnotists.
In these rough economic times, I know how important it is to preserve Florida's work force. As I mentioned before, my intent was never to threaten anyone's career or profession. It is for all these reasons that I am going to withdraw HB 4039. I certainly do not wish to cause any further strife or confusion. I applaud you for your diligent grassroots efforts and wish you luck in all your future endeavors.
Kind regards,
Jose Felix Diaz
State Representative, District 115
jose.diaz@myfloridahouse.gov
Thank you Representative Diaz!
Legislation liaison officer Scot Giles, our union lobbyist Attorney Levy, NFH VP Tony DeMarco, our NGH Board members, and I will still stay right on it to be sure, and perhaps to use it for a positive action regarding improving our situation in that state.
We hope to continue receiving union sign-ups, especially since we made a six-month term available to reduce the initial cost to a new union member. In the meantime we are also continuing to receive donations to build up our legislative fund.
Remember, Joe B. McCawley, is going to match up to $500 that we receive for the legislative fund between now and February 15, 2011. We received $100 already this morning on that challenge, and this is an opportunity to double your donation. So, if you click here, send a check, or call with a credit
card we should be able to build up the account, which is used strictly for legislative matters concerning the profession in general. Right now we only have $2000 in the fund, so do what you can and let's take Joe B. up on his generous offer!
Be well,
Dr. Dwight Damon
Dr. Dwight F. Damon, President
National Guild of Hypnotists
NFH, local 104, OPEIU, AFL/CIO, CLC
That's good news. Florida is a over-regulated in some ways and under-regulated in others. E.g. you cannot get an extended warranty on treadmills but doctors are not required to have medical malpractice insurance even if they operate out of hospitals. At least this proposal is being withdrawn.