Every Child Counts Newsletter
Legislative Update
March 13, 2009 |
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Legislative Term of the Week:
Reprinted Bill: A version of a bill that has been amended and passed by a Chamber with the amendments incorporated into the bill. Reprinted bills are printed on pink paper.
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Quote of the Week:
"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long- range risks and costs of comfortable inaction."
John F.Kennedy ________________
RESULTS Workshop on Sunday, March 22 in Waterloo, Iowa
At the meeting, you will learn about RESULTS and their anti-poverty work, get trained on effective advocacy techniques, and take action on health care reform. You will also learn how you can become a volunteer with RESULTS. For more information, click here. ________________
President Obama wants to overhaul education from 'cradle to career'.
Read or view video of the President's speech on education here. _________________
Reinvesting in Child Care: Benefitting Babies
Ten Policies States Can Implement Now to Improve Infant/Toddler Child Care with Economic Recovery Funds. Download a copy. From CLASP
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Maximizing Resources from the Stimulus Package: Possible Strategies for Funding Quality Rating and Improvement Systems Anne Mitchell and Louise Stoney, Alliance for Early Childhood Finance. Download a copy. From BUILD
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| Greetings! |
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Well, the first funnel week is over. You will see below that many of the bills have been removed from the list. This means that they did not survive funnel week; however, there is still a possibility to see them appear as language in appropriation, tax or other policy bills in the future. I will double check all of the bills in the next week but as of today the list below is the best information I have.
You will notice the payday loan bills are gone. They did not make it through the funnel. The House Commerce Committee Chair needed one more vote to pass it out, unable to get the votes, the bill was pulled from the Commerce Committee agenda. We are not giving up hope on this important legislation. We will keep you posted as to next steps.
Next week, attention will once again turn toward the budget. The budget subcommittees took last week off to let the other committees focus on funnel week.
Enjoy the Update ~
Sheila
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| The Federal Update |
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Early Childhood Hearings
Next week, the House Education and Labor committee is hosting two hearings on Early Childhood Development. The first hearing, a full committee hearing, will be held on March 17. The title of the hearing is "The Importance of Early Childhood Development." No witnesses have been announced as of this time. The second hearing, an Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Subcommittee hearing, will be held on March 19. The title of the hearing is "Improving Early Childhood Development Policies and Practices." No witnesses have been announced as of this time. If you are interested, you should be able to catch both hearings via web cast by going to the committee's web page.
Sebelius Nominated to Become HHS Secretary, DeParle to Head Office of Health Reform
On March 2, President Obama nominated Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sebelius has been Governor of Kansas since 2003. Her background as a state chief executive and a state insurance commissioner were key reasons why the President made this appointment.
Obama has also announced the appointment of Nancy Ann DeParle to lead the newly established White House Office for Health Reform. DeParle is a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services and a former director of Medicare and Medicaid under President Clinton.
Sebelius will now have to go before two Senate committees: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and Finance.
Harkin and area leaders to host weekend events
Senator Harkin will hold several events this weekend about health care, including the CHIPRA legislation, as well as the Recovery Act. I hope you will consider attending. Please take the opportunity to thank him for his vote on the CHIPRA legislation.
March 14, 2009
9:30 A.M.
St. Ambrose University
Rogalski Center - Third Floor
518 W. Locust Street
Davenport, IA 52803
12:30 P.M.
Broadlawns Hospital
Hunsaker Conference Room - Fourth Floor
1801 Hickman Road
Des Moines, IA 50314
Sunday, March 15, 2009
1:15 P.M.
Community Health Center
300 West Broadway #6
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Signed Into Law
As noted in a previous update, Congress had been working on an omnibus appropriations bill to fund the federal government for fiscal year 2009. Previously, the federal government had been operating under a "Continuing Resolution" since the last fiscal year ended.
FY 2010 Budget
The President has published fact sheets with some useful information pertaining to the various Departments and their budgets:
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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
HF 562 - (formerly HF 383 )- STATE CHILD CARE ADVISORY COUNCIL -Requires one of the seven members of the Council on Human Services to be a member of the Child Care Advisory Council. Makes changes to the membership on the council, including that a slot for an unregistered child care home provider be for a "family, friend, and neighbor child care" provider. Identifies four additional slots for the advisory council (business, from nominees by the Chamber of Commerce executives, community empowerment office, and Iowa after-school alliance, the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children). Allows the council to advise the DHS on additional matters, including the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant and other funding sources. Requires the DHS to give the council various financial information. Requires the council to make reports to the DHS and the Governor. Introduced by Representative Petersen, et al. UPDATE - Passed Out of Committee on March 2nd. Eligible for debate in House.
SF 179 - An Act providing for a pilot project supporting high=quality child care for low=income children. Introduced by Senator Bolkcom. Referred to Human Resources. Subcommittee, Bolkcom (C), Boettger , Schmitz UPDATE - passed Senate Human Resources Committee on 3/11 with amendment.
HF 703 - (formerly HF 357) - An Act relating to preschool support provided through school ready children grants under the community empowerment initiative. UPDATE - passed House Education Committee with amendment.
HF 419 - An Act relating to regulation of child care by the department of human services by providing for licensing of child development homes, establishing a regulatory fee and appropriating the fee proceeds, making penalties applicable, and providing effective dates. Subcommittee, Mascher, Petersen and Soderberg. UPDATE - Human Resources Committee began debate on Wednesday but didn't complete the debate. They will pick up again on Monday, March 9th.
HF 565 - An Act providing for a state research and development prekindergarten through grade twelve school. Subcommittee, Kelley, May, Schulte, Wendt, and Winckler. UPDATE - passed out of Education Committee on 3/11.
NEW
HF 576 - An Act relating to the criteria used for selection of school districts for participation in the statewide preschool program for four=year=old children and providing effective and applicability dates Child Well-being and Development
SF 389 (formerly 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.
HF 382 - 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. Passed House Human Resources Committee. Eligible for debate in House. Companion Bill SSB 1103
HF 448 - A bill for an act requiring testing and abatement of lead hazards in certain residential dwellings and child care facilities, requiring inspections of certain residential housing for lead hazards prior to sale, establishing a childhood lead poisoning prevention and control committee. Referred to Human Resources. Sponsored by Ford, Hunter, Smith and Petersen. Companion bill SF 213.
HF 588 - An Act creating an excise tax on paint, primer, and speciality finish and directing moneys to fund the childhood lead poisoning prevention program. Introduced, referred to Ways & Means
Family Economic Success
An Act relating to individual development accounts available to certain persons with low income and providing effective and applicability date provisions. UPDATE - passed House Human Resources. Placed on debate calendar.
HF 636- STATE CHILD & DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT (Sands) Increases the income level before the state child & dependent care credit ends to $50,000, and increases the other income thresholds. (Ways & Means)
Other Bills of Interest
HF 10 - An Act relating to employees who are breast=feeding. UPDATE - Passed on of Labor Committee 11/6
SF 137 - An Act providing that wage discrimination is an unfair employment
practice under the Iowa civil rights Act and providing an enhanced remedy. Voted out of State Government. Passed Senate on 2/16 on a vote of 32 - 18.
UPDATE - Passed House State Govt committee
SF 264 - (formerly SSB 1218) - A study bill for an act concerning the appointment of members to local boards, commissions, committees, and councils. UPDATE - Placed on Calendar for debate.
NEW
HSB 268 - ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS (Education) Requires the state universities and community colleges to develop a statewide articulation system for an associate or bachelor of applied science. Requires the Regents to accept up to 80 hours of credit from a community college transfer. Requires the agreement to include the general education courses needed and a guarantee that an associates degree from a community college is fully transferable. Requires an appeal process and annual reviews. UPDATE- passed House Education Committee.
Bills Signed by the Governor
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. Signed by Governor Culver on 2/2.
SF 101- Establishing a shaken baby syndrome prevention program in the department of public health. Signed by Governor on 3/5. |
| Legislative Forums |
| Please take the time to attend a community forum in your area. Legislators hold these forums during the legislative session so they can hear from their constituents back home. They realize that it isn't always feasible to travel to the State Capitol to visit with them, so they want you to share your thoughts and views on issues during these forums. It is a great opportunity to get to know them and hear their views on issues, also.
March 14th
Atlantic
Sen. Boettger
10:00 a.m.
City Hall
Clinton
Sen. Stewart
9:00 a.m.
Clinton Chamber of Commerce
Senator Noble
11:45 - 12:45
Public Library
Johnston
Senator Noble
10:30 - 11:30
Public Library
Leon
Senator Reynolds
9:00 a.m.
Decatur High School
Logan
Senator Seymour
10:00 a.m.
Logan Comm. Center
Polk City
Senator Noble
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Polk City Bank
Rockwell City
Sen. Beall
8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Public Library
Sioux City
Woodbury County Legislators
10:00 a.m.
S.C. Public LIbrary at 6th & Pierce
Spencer
Sen. Kibbie & Johnson, Reps. May & Frevert
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Spencer City Hall | |
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