Hospital Association Honors Rep. Lois Kolkhorst For Contributions to Health Care (HUNTSVILLE, TX) State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) received the Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award during a special reception with hospital leaders today at Huntsville Memorial Hospital. John Hawkins, senior vice president of advocacy and public policy for THA, recognized Rep. Kolkhorst for her legislative accomplishments on behalf of health care during the regular session of the 81st Texas Legislature. "Lois Kolkhorst proved to be a dynamic, effective leader for the House Public Health Committee, which handled some of the most complex policy issues at the Capitol this session," Hawkins noted. "Rep. Kolkhorst led her committee through hearings on such diverse issues as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program to quality improvement and reporting of adverse events. Scope of practice and other health care workforce issues also were considered by the hard-working committee," he noted. "With her strong background in budgeting and education, she understood how educational capacity is related to the critical shortage of registered nurses, and she helped bring about a creative solution," Hawkins explained. Rep. Kolkhorst served as a sounding board for the Texas Nursing Workforce Shortage Coalition – a diverse partnership of health care organizations, business groups and education leaders led by the Texas Hospital Association and Texas Nurses Association – as the group developed its proposal for increased funding for the state’s nursing schools. Although no longer a member of the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Kolkhorst worked with her former budget colleagues to ensure that some $49.7 million was included in the final budget to increase the number of RN graduates in Texas. In addition, she sponsored legislation – House Bill 4471 – that allows all Texas nursing schools to be eligible for upfront funding through the Professional Nursing Shortage Reduction Program. This was third legislative session in a row in which Rep. Kolkhorst has advocated for increased funding for nursing education. "This influx of new funding for nursing education is a significant step in the right direction, and it would not have been possible without Rep. Kolkhorst's leadership," said Hawkins. THA created the Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award in 1997 to honor state legislators and other public officials who are highly supportive of issues important to hospitals and health systems during legislative sessions. Rep. Kolkhorst is one of 12 recipients chosen from the 2009 legislative session. This is her third consecutive award from THA. "I'm proud to be acknowledged today, but I'm even more proud of the great work being done in hospitals all across Texas,” Rep. Kolkhorst said. "Receiving the Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute Award means a great deal to me and my constituents."
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