About us
CalHyPAC is the California Dental Hygienists’ Association’s Political Action Committee, a separate entity from the CDHA. This Committee was created in 1982 and is a voluntary, non-profit, political advocacy committee. CalHyPAC is a critical component to CDHA’s advocacy effort to support sound dental hygiene practices and increase access to oral healthcare.
What is CalHyPAC?
It’s difficult to have your voice heard in a state of 40 million people. CalHyPAC is the Political Action Committee (PAC) that gives dental hygienists a voice in elections.
PACs are legal entities authorized by the state for raising funds used to participate in politics. PACs are regulated by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), which requires CalHyPAC to submit filings regularly.
Your CalHyPAC leadership raises funds that are used to support or oppose state Senate and Assembly candidates. CalHyPAC is the political arm of CDHA. When you donate to CalHyPAC you are giving dental hygienists, as a profession, a voice in the election process. Using a PAC is often more impactful than contributing to a campaign as an individual.
How does CalHyPAC work?
The California Legislature is composed of 80 Assembly seats and 40 state Senate seats. Assembly members are elected every two years, state Senators are elected every four years. Elections for Senate seats are staggered so that every two years either the even or odd numbered Senate seats are on the ballot for election by the voters.
Assembly and state Senate candidates seek donations from interest groups like dental hygienists- trade association, business groups, labor unions, environmental organizations, taxpayer groups and public employee unions like teachers, civil servants, law enforcement and firefighters.
CalHyPAC leadership determines which candidates to support for elected office. The contributions from PACs enable candidates to promote their agenda and educate voters about what they stand for. It is expensive for candidates to reach voters with their ideas. Costs include buying TV, radio, digital advertisements, yard signs, and paying staff and experienced advisors.
Why CalHyPAC?
CalHyPAC is critical to CDHA’s advocacy work. Just about every type of industry, profession, business or “interest” participates in their government with a PAC.
Every sector of our economy and every type of issue area from medical, unions, energy, education, agriculture, to transportation to name a few use PACs. For instance, the dentists have a significant PAC, which has a great deal of influence in California politics.
PACs allow individuals with a common interest the opportunity to come together and support with their dollars the issues and candidates they care about. The PAC gives dental hygienists more impact than individually supporting or opposing a candidate or cause.
Opportunity
CalHyPAC provides dental hygienists with the opportunity to collectively support candidates and campaigns that support sound dental hygiene policies and increasing access to oral healthcare.
These elected officials determine RDH scope of practice and determine how RDHs are allowed to operate in California. That is why supporting CalHyPAC is a vital part of supporting your profession.
Participating in the political process in this manner extends dental hygienists’ reach and influence in state politics, with those who determine the future of the dental hygiene profession.
Dental Hygienists exercise their right to participate in California elections by supporting the PAC, which is used to support candidates for elected office who care about what CDHA cares about: access to oral healthcare and the practice of dental hygiene.