Every Child Counts Newsletter
Legislative Update
February 13, 2009 |
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Legislative Term of the Week:
Calendar- A daily agenda of legislative business in a Chamber.
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Quote of the Week:
"It is far easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." Frederick Douglass
Presidents Helping Children, shows how past presidential leadership has been essential in improving child well-being. The document chronicles how former presidents fought for new programs that have benefited America's children, youth, and families, from Theodore Roosevelt holding the first White House Conference on Children to Bill Clinton sponsoring the State Children's Health Insurance Program (From Every Child Matters)
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| Greetings! |
Thursday was a big day for early childhood advocates as they rallied at the State Capitol for Early Childhood Iowa's Day on the Hill. Around 325 advocates attended a rally with Marie Whelan, CEO of Illinois Action for Children and then met with their Legislators. Thank you to everyone who participated in this great event!
The budget continues to dominate talk at the Capitol. Things will really heat up now that the Economic Recovery Package heads to the President's desk. Every Child Counts/Child and Family Policy Center continues to analyze the state budget. So far, we have found around 20 million in cuts to children's programs. We hope to have a detailed list to you next week. We need to communicate to Policymakers that Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers Can't Wait for the Economy to Get Better. We need to restore cuts and invest now! Earlier this week, the Des Moines Register ran an article on potentially harmful public health budget cuts. Speaking of public health, the Iowa Dept of Public Health is proposing a Health Modernization bill (HSB 111). This is an extremely worthwhile project of the Dept, but they propose drastic cuts or even elimination of many important maternal/child health programs to fund this. Check out the proposed cuts to fund the bill here.
On Thursday, HF 288 was introduced by Representative Mark Smith. This bill caps the interest rate at 36% for pay day loan institutions. This is one of Every Child Counts' legislative priorities for 2009. We look forward to working with the Commerce Committee as this bill moves forward.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Enjoy the Update ~
Sheila
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Federal Update
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CHIP
As you all know, the CHIP bill was signed last week. You can read a summary from the Center on Children and Families (CCF, Georgetown).
As far as Iowa, there are a few highlights:
- The bill provides for federal reimbursement for Iowa's expansion to 300% FPL on July 1st
- The bill allows us to receive federal funding if we cover legal immigrant children and pregnant women
- The bill provides financial bonuses if we continue to improve enrollment, retention, and renewal strategies
- The bill allows us to create a dental-only option for children that just need that coverage.
Economic Recovery Package
The House and Senate passed the Economic Recovery Package on Friday. It should go to President Obama sometime next week. It includes significant boosts in funding for children: Head Start, Early Head Start, child care, Title I, IDEA,teacher quality grants, and fiscal aid to states for public schools.
Funding includes:
· $53.6 billion for state stabilization with the bulk going for elementary and secondary education "and, as applicable, early childhood education programs and services" and some funding available for modernization
· $2.1 billion for Head Start, including $1.1 for Early Head Start and $1 billion for HS
· $2 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant including a $255 million set-aside for quality improvements, of which $93 million is allocated for improvements in infant and toddler care
· $10 billion for Title I (ESEA) grants to school districts
· $3 billion for Title I school improvement grants
· $11.3 billion for IDEA Part B state grants for special education
· $500 million for IDEA Part C(infants and families)
· $400 million for IDEA Section 619 (children before the age of school entry)
· $100 million for teacher quality partnership grants
The bill includes other very important benefits for children, as outlined in this excerpt from a press release from the Children's Leadership Council:
"Funding for education, health care, Head Start and Early Head Start, child care, nutrition, and after school programs reflected in the bill is an important hand-up for our nation's children and a strong step that will help create jobs for teachers and care-givers. Expansion of food stamps, the child tax credit and unemployment benefits will give the economy a much-needed jolt by putting funding in the hands of those most likely to spend it back into the economy where it can work for all Americans."
Here is a side by side comparison from First Focus of the Senate, House and final Conference bill. How child care breaks down for Iowa:
$15,755,256 CCDBG funds
$1,498,030 targeted funds for quality
$867,556 infant/toddler
$18,120,842 total CCDBG funds | |
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Bills
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 Early Childhood and School Readiness
HF 7- An Act establishing a parental involvement grant program and making an appropriation. Referred to Education. Subcommittee, Abdul-Samad, Bukta,and Sweeney. Subcommittee passed bill on 1/21. Referred to Approps
SF 8 - Act relating to transportation provided to children attending a preschool program administered by a community empowerment area. Referred to Education. Subcommittee, Appel, Feenstra, and Sodders.
SF 6 - This bill lowers the compulsory school attendance age from age six to age five. The bill makes a number of conforming changes, including the elimination of language establishing the conditions under which a child may be admitted to kindergarten and first grade in a public school. Introduced, referred to Education. Subcommittee, Heckroth, McKinley, and Sodders met on 1/20.
HF 100 - Requires that a child who turned 5 after the September 15 deadline for starting kindergarten be enrolled if the child was enrolled in another state and the child's parent makes a request. Allows a child who turns 5 after the deadline to be enrolled if the child demonstrates sufficient ability on DOE evaluations. Referred to Education
HF 156 - An Act providing an appropriation for a pilot project to implement a child care center that operates twenty=four hours per day, seven days per week.
Child Well-being and Development
HF 139 - A study bill for requiring health insurance coverage for costs relating to mental health conditions, including alcohol or substance abuse treatment services, and creating a mental health insurance advisory committee. 1-14-09 Subcommittee assigned, Wessel-Kroeschell, Hunter, and Upmeyer. 1-15-09 Subcommittee reassigned, Wessel-Kroeschell, Hunter, and Schulte. H.J. 86. Subcommittee moved bill to full Committee. Companion Bill - SF 16 Subcommittee, Schmitz, Quirmbach, and Seymour
HF 56 - An Act relating to early childhood immunizations for influenza containing mercury and making penalties applicable. Referred to Human Resources. Subcommittee, Wendt, Koester, and Steckman.
HF 63 - An Act relating to the dental screening program for children 2 enrolling in elementary or high school. Referred to Human Resources. Subcommittee, Mascher, Alons, and Hunter.
SF 101 - Establishing a shaken baby syndrome prevention program in the department of public health. Referred to Human Resources. UPDATE - Passed Senate 49 - 0. On to the House. Subcommittee meeting HF 65 on 2/16 at 11:30. Steckman-CH, Heaton, Smith
SF 48 - An Act relating to health care, health care providers, and health care coverage, providing for appropriations, providing penalties, and providing retroactive and other effective dates. Has many divisions - one of interest may be - IOWA CHOICE INSURANCE EXCHANGE. Division II of the bill contains new Code chapter 514M. The purpose of the chapter is to ensure that all children and all other Iowans in the state have affordable, quality health care coverage, and to decrease health care costs and health care
coverage costs. Referred to Human Resources. Subcommittee, Hatch, Bolkcom, and Seymour.
HF 187 (Van Engelenhoven) Prohibits foster care parent from providing child care if a foster child is present who has been found by the DHS to have abused another child. Referred to Human Resources. Subcommittee - Mascher, Petersen and Forristall
HSB 111 -A study bill relating to the public health system by providing for the voluntary accreditation of certain public health agencies, the adoption of Iowa public health standards, the establishment of an accreditation data collection system, creating a fund, and providing for a penalty and an effective date. 1-29-09. Subcommittee reassigned, T. Olson, Schulte, and Wendt.
NEW
HF 255 - An Act providing for mandatory universal newborn and infant eye examinations. Introduced by Rep. Gayman. Subcommittee, Hunter, Mascher, and L. Miller. Subcommittee on 2/16 @ 4:00. Family Economic Success
HSB 64 - An Act relating to disaster assistance by providing a jumpstart
housing assistance program, disaster aid individual assistance grants, and community disaster grants, making appropriations, and providing effective and retroactive applicability dates. UPDATE - Signed by Governor Culver on 2/2.
HF 288 - An Act modifying provisions applicable to the regulation of delayed deposit services businesses and providing a penalty. This is a bill to regulate the pay day lending businesses. Introduced by Rep. Smith. Referred to Commerce.
Other Bills of Interest
HF 14 - An Act repealing the Iowa English language reaffirmation Act. Referred to State Governnment. Subcommittee - Lensing, Isenhart and Rants
HF 10 - An Act relating to employees who are breast=feeding. Referred to Labor
HF 110 - Makes it a simple misdemeanor with a $100 fine to leave a child unattended or not properly supervised in a car. Does not include a person outside the car who can see the child. Requires the DOT to use 50% of the fines and fees collected for a program to publicize the hazards. Referred to Judiciary
SF 137 - An Act providing that wage discrimination is an unfair employment
practice under the Iowa civil rights Act and providing an enhanced remedy. UPDATE - Voted out of State Government.
NEW:
HF 202 - An Act relating to the assignment of health care coverage and dental care coverage benefits. Referred to Commerce. Subcommittee, T. Olson, Petersen, and Sorenson |
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