The Online Publication of the Reiki University

IMPORTANT!!  Sample Letter to NY State Elected Officials

    Please write in opposition to two very poorly drafted, costly (to taxpayers and recipients of Reiki and alternative healing) New York State bills, A8704 and S4857. 

    New York legislators are particularly sensitive to input from New York State constituents (voters), but since these bills are "models" for other states and internationally, respondents from other states and countries around the world are urged to write to our New York State elected officials.

    Please get all of your friends, those in your healing practice to act in opposition to these bills by writing letters to elected officials detailing your concerns, as follows:

Sample letter:
Hon.__________
address________
Albany, NY (zip code)_____
date:_________

Dear         ,
    As a healer and consumer of alternative healing, I strongly oppose the following very badly drafted bills which are being considered in the New York State legislature, namely A8704, and S4857, which seek to regulate a 'catch all' of unlicensed, non medical healing modalities, including "but not limited to" Reiki spiritual laying on of hands healing, along with an extended list of specified and unspecified healing arts, including "folk practices," "food," "water," "heat," and "cold," the use of which are never defined in these bills.
    As you are a New York State elected official, I need to know your position regarding these bills.  If you have supported either A8704 or S4857, I strongly urge you to withdraw your support and/or sponsorship immediately and to state this in your answer to my letter and in a public announcement.
    According to (even the) supporters of A8704 and S4857, the NYNHP (quoting from their website), "there has never been a consumer complaint about the quality or efficacy of a modality" which is being considered in these bills.  Therefore, from their own admission, this legislation is unnecessary!  Non medical healing modalities do not require regulation as if they were medical modalities capable of causing harm, or constituting "malpractice."
    These bills would constitute a nightmare to administer, as these modalities are undefined and in many cases are unfamiliar or unknown to the "State Health Commissioner" who would be in charge of drafting "enforcement" policies, which could constitute a "witch hunt" against excellent teachers and practitioners of alternative healing modalities.      This legislation would cause unnecessary expense to the taxpayers of the State of NY, of which I am one and to which I strongly and particularly object, in these times of austerity and recession.
    These bills would subject practitioners and teachers of these healing arts to possible disciplinary actions (including felony charges, subpoenas and confiscation of personal property, violation of privacy rights, etc.) for practicing spiritual healing arts.  A number of these healing arts, such as Reiki and native American healing, Christian Science and Anthroposophy (Rudolph Steiner methods) are protected under the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to spiritual practices of any person's choice, or as part of native American treaty rights which the administration of these bills would violate!
    Sufficient laws already exist on the books covering "practicing medicine without a license" and allowing for the punishment of any practitioner (or person) who might abuse anyone through litigation and complaint under previously established New York State law. 
    I respectfully insist on keeping my right to affordable healing empowerment and alternative care, the right to transmit G-d's healing energy (which can do no harm) through laying on of hands without interference of the state, as dictated by my conscience to all those who request my teaching, empowerment or healing skills without unnecessary prosecution or persecution by the State of New York. 
    I insist that other spiritual healers and alternative healers as specified and unspecified in these 'catch all' bills also have this right and that the people of the State of NY also have these individual and inalienable rights, as we are law abiding citizens and there is no evidence of any demonstrated need for any such regulation.

with gratitude and respect for your help in this matter,
Sincerely (with peace and healing),


FILL IN THE FOLLOWING:
YOUR NAME__________________
YOUR ADDRESS_______________
YOUR CITY___________________
YOUR ZIP____________________
YOUR PHONE #________________
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS___________
   
Please send us a copy (Xerox) of your letters, this will help us in organizing strong vocal opposition to A8704
and S 4857. 
Send your Xerox(es) to:

NY State Healer's Empowerment Coalition
P.O. Box 754217
Forest Hills, NY 11375

Then, please voice your strong opposition to New York State bills A8704 and companion bill, S4857, stating how these bills will limit your right to practice and/or receive affordable self empowerment and Reiki healing and other non licensed alternative healing:

Regarding S4857 and A8704, please urge Governor Pataki's opposition to these bills, write to:

Gov. George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

(regarding S4857)
Hon. Joseph Bruno, NY Senate Majority Leader
909 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 11247

(regarding A8704)
Hon. Sheldon Silver, NY Speaker of the Assembly
932 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248

To find your New York State Senator and his or her mailing address, go to the following url (and follow instructions):

http://www.senate.state.ny.us

To find your NY State Assemblyperson, and his or her mailing address, go to the following url (and follow instructions):

http://www.senate.state.ny.us

The sponsors of this legislation should be contacted to let them know your opinion of these bills:

A 8704 is being sponsored by:
Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (of Astoria, Queens)
and
Assemblywoman Vivian Cook (of Queens)

S4857 is being sponsored by:
Senator Kemp Hannon (of Nassau County, Long Island)

Thank you very much for your concern and for your effort to defeat this very bad piece of legislation.

NY State Legislation - bad bill for healers & consumers

____________________________________________
Note:  You may wish to access the actual bill, A8704, from the NY State Assembly legislative website:  http://www.assembly.state.ny.us

You may wish to access the bill, S4857, from the NY State Senate legislative website:
http://www.senate.state.ny.us

When you get to the "home page" of each website, just type in the bill number in the appropriate area and this will take you to the bill (all 13 pages of it) and you can read it for yourself.

Thank you very much for your concern and for your effort to defeat this very bad piece of legislation.
with peace and blessings, Ellen
Ellen Louise Kahne
for the:  NY State Healer's Empowerment Coalition
(founder) Reiki Peace Network and Reiki University
http://www.ReikiPeaceNetwork.com
HealNet@aol.com

Note:  You may wish to access (view) the actual bill, A8704, from the NY State Assembly legislative website:  http://www.assembly.state.ny.us

You may wish to access (view) the bill, S4857, from the NY State Senate legislative website:
http://www.senate.state.ny.us

When you get to the "home page" of each website, just type in the bill number in the appropriate area and this will access the bill (all 13 pages of it) and you can read or print it out.