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Action Alert! Senate Committee Takes Action To Fund The DDA Waiting List!
Greetings!

We have been advocating for the Lorraine Sheehan Health & Community Services Act as a way to raise revenue for the DD Waiting list and other community service needs. This week, an alternate alcohol tax bill (SB 994) was introduced in the Senate and was passed by the Budget and Taxation Committee. This legislation phases in a different and smaller alcohol tax over three years.  Of the revenue that will be generated by SB 994, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee dedicated $5m in FY2012, $10m in FY2013, and $15m in FY2014  for the DDA Waiting List.

 

This is a major accomplishment at a time when many services are experiencing cuts or level funding.   This would not have happened without people with developmental disabilities, families, providers, advocates and our allies taking action - and we're not done yet!

 SB 994 must now go to the floor for full Senate passage, and then it will cross over to the House of Delegates for their review.  The Senate is expected to vote Monday night.

 

WE ALL MUST ACT TO ENSURE THAT SB 944 PASSES THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE AND RETAINS THE DEDICATED FUNDS FOR THE WAITING LIST. PLEASE EXPECT A SERIES OF ACTION ALERTS OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO AS THE BILL WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.

 

What you can do to help (before Monday night!)
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WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW (Before Monday night):

 

Call or email the champions of this effort to thank them for their leadership on SB 944: Senator Verna Jones-Rodwell, Senator Rich Madaleno, Senator Ed Kasemeyer, and Senator Mac Middleton.

 

In addition to the Senators listed above, the following members of the Budget and Taxation Committee voted in favor of SB 994. If one of them is your Senator, call or email to thank them: Senators Nathaniel McFadden, Ulysses Currie, Nancy King, Roger Manno, Douglas Peters, and James Robey.  

FYI: Members of the Budget and Taxation Committee who voted against SB 994 include Senators David Brinkley, Richard Colburn, George Edwards, and Ed DeGrange. 

 

In addition to thanking the bill champions, please call or email your State Senator to urge their support of SB 944 (with the dedication of funds for the DD Waiting List).  This needs urgent action before Monday evening!

 

How to find contact information for your Senator:

Click this link: http://mdelect.net/ and enter in your address. This will pull up your legislators and allow you to link into their specific contact information.
Thank you for your support!
SB 994 will reduce underage drinking, save lives, and provide desperately needed funding for people on the DDA Waiting List.  Please call or email your Senator before Monday night and urge their support!