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News from Every Child Counts
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5/04/12
Apparently it is May the Fourth Be With You Day today. Not being a Trekkie, this isn't a national holiday for us, but for all of you who are fans of the Star Trek series - hope it is a good day! While we are on the subject of outer space, the House did not meet at all this week and the Senate convened on Tuesday. The Senate debated and passed HF 2465 Standings bill with a strike and replace Senate amendment. The House refused to concur and it will head to conference committee. The House and Senate announced an agreement on the Education budget. The two chambers were about $115 million apart. You can read the conference committee report here. They continue to work on education reform. On Thursday, both Chambers were working on the HHS budget. At that time they were still several million apart and had not discussed divisive policy issues like the planned parenthood/abortion language passed in the house but not in Senate (and not in Gov's budget). Also on Thursday, the Senate and the Governor announced a compromise on property taxes which includes the Earned Income Tax Credit. They agreed to increase the credit from 7% to 15%. You can read the bill here (EITC language is on page 1). Later in the day, House Republicans announced they were going to come out with their own property tax bill. HSB 676 was introduced today. This bill increases the EITC from 7% to only 10%. If you remember the Senate passed a bill earlier this year that increases it to 20% over two years. The DM Register has a nice side by side comparison of the two bills on their website. Both parties continue to work on a compromise on Mental Health reform, also. It looks like work could be done next week. Both Chambers plan to be in session next week. We hear that many Senate members have a prior commitment after Wednesday so they will try to finish up before then. There are even committee meetings scheduled for Monday.
We look forward to wrapping up this session and moving on! Have a happy Cinco De Mayo and Star Wars Sequel Day (apparently a follow up to May the Fourth Be With You Day) tomorrow! Sincerely,
Sheila Hansen & Danielle Oswald-Thole
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 New Legislation For Child Care For Working Families New legislation for child care for working families: Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced a bill called the Ensuring Child Care for Working Families Act of 2012 (H.R. 5188). The bill would provide assistance for child care for all families with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The families would have to be working, participating in education or a training program. |
Bills of Interest
 Quality Early Care and Education
SF 2219 - A bill for an act relating to the continuation of the Iowa early intervention block grant program and including effective date provisions. Passed Education Committee on 2/15. This bill deals with class size and literacy programs (not Early ACCESS). Passed Senate 26-24 on 2/27. Currently on House Calendar for debate. Fiscal Note
SF 2321- A study bill for an act relating to the funding of, the operation of, and appropriation of moneys to the college student aid commission, the department for the blind, the department of education, and the state board of regents, and providing effective date provisions. Conference Committee. Senate- Schoenjahn, Chair; Quirmbach, Horn, Hamerlinck, and McKinley. House- Dolecheck, Jorgensen, Cownie, Winckler, and Willems
SF 2284 (ed reform)- A bill for an act relating to programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, the board of educational examiners, the state board of regents, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools; and providing for the retention of certain fees and for the use of certain funds. Fiscal Note can be read here. Conference Committee. Senate - Quirmbach, Schoenjahn, Bowman, Hammerlinck, Boettger. House - Mascher, Steckman, Dolecheck, Chambers and Forristall.
Child Health and Well-Being
SF 2315 - An Act relating to redesign of publicly funded mental health and disability services.. Update - Passed House on 4/24.Passed Senate earlier. Now back to Senate for 2nd time.
Child and Family Economic Success
SF 2161 - An Act relating to the amount of the earned income tax credit. Increasing credit from 7% to 13%. Passed full Senate on 48-0 on 2/15. SF 2024 - An Act relating to workforce training programs in community colleges and making appropriations. Passed Senate 26 - 22 on 2/22. Signed by Governor: SF 2325- A bill for an act relating to the income tax checkoffs for the child abuse prevention program fund and the veterans trust fund and volunteer fire fighter preparedness fund, and including retroactive applicability provisions. Signed 4/19/12.
HF 2226 - A study bill relating to child abuse reports and disposition data. Signed 4/12/12. SF 2318- A bill for an act relating to the Iowa health information network, providing for fees, and including effective date provisions. Signed 4/12/12.HF 2390- A bill for an act relating to obscene material, commercial sexual activity, and human trafficking, and providing penalties and making penalties applicable. Signed 4/4/12. HF 2368- An Act providing for the issuance of a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth, providing for a fee, and including effective date provisions. Signed 3/26/12.
SF 2247- A study bill relating to terminology changes in Iowa Code references to mental retardation. Signed 3/22/12. SF 2225- A bill for an act relating to child abuse by prohibiting retaliation for reporting, providing for implementation of reporting policies at postsecondary institutions, requiring planning for training requirements, and providing for the distribution of information on child sexual abuse, and providing a remedy. Mandatory reporting task force created. Signed 3/30/12
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"For too long we seem to have surrendered personal excellence and community value in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product now is over 800 billion dollars a year, but that gross national product, if we judge the United States of America by that, that gross national product counts air pollution, and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwoods and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic squall. It counts Napalm, and it counts nuclear warheads, and armored cars for the police to fight the riots in our city. It counts Whitman's rifles and Speck's Knifes and the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children. Yet, the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play; it does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worth while. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans."
Robert F. Kennedy
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Profiles of Risk: Child Care
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by Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness |
This brief, the seventh in the "Profiles or Risk" series examining characteristics of homeless families in the United States, explores differences in child care by housing status. Ever-homeless women receive child care subsidies less often than their stably housed peers and are the most likely to use informal arrangements that provide few developmental supports for children. 
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Get timely updates from the Child and Family Policy Center:
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How is state policy affecting the families around you?
Tell us about it! Sheila Hansen
Every Child Counts
Director
Danielle Oswald-Thole
Every Child Counts Outreach Coordinator and Policy Advocate
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A donation to
Every Child Counts helps us do what's good for Iowa kids
and families.
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Health Care Update
Iowa Adverse Childhood Experiences Summit - June 11, 2012You are invited
to the Iowa
ACEs Summit
to learn about often
overlooked root causes of
adult disease and disability
and innovative solutions
for reversing Iowa's trends.
12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Sheraton West DM Hotel
1800 50th Street
West Des Moines, IowaFor more information, click here.
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Legislative Forums
Many of you can't make it to the State Capitol in Des Moines - that doesn't mean you can't have some face to face time with your state legislator.
Legislators host forums in their districts throughout the session. They get a chance to update constituents on the issues and listen to concerns from constituents .
House Republican Forums (it appears the House Republican forum schedule has not been updated in sometime - you have to click on member name and then click on forums)
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Children's Mental Health Matters!
Children's Mental Health Week
May 6-12, 2012
Join mental health advocates this year and wear a green ribbon! It brings awareness to the needs of children with emotional, behavioral, mental and social disabilities and their families across Iowa.
Why Green?
In the 1800s the color green was used to brand people who were labeled "insane." The children's mental health community decided to continue using the color green, but with a completely different focus. Green signifies new life, new growth, and new beginnings. Therefore, we wear the green ribbon to raise public awareness, better the lives of children with serious emotional disorders and show our support of these children and their families.
For more information visit Iowa Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health.
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