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Doing what we are called to do; doing what we are able to do; doing what must be done.

  

March 15, 2015

ICM 40-Day Legislative Prayer Calendar

for Georgia General Assembly

Please submit a prayer or meditation for one of the 40 days of the legislative session.  Read submitted prayers/meditations at 40-Day Prayer Calendar.
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General Assembly is in adjournment until Wed., 3/18/15.
ICM General Meeting, Tues., March 17 - Get Ready for the Last 10 Days of Session!

Get informed, motivated, mobilized and ready for the last 10 days of the legislative session!


Join us at ICM's next General Meeting, Tuesday, March 17, 6:30 p.m., Druid Hills United Methodist Church, 1200 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta.

Crossover Day has come and gone, and we have 10 days left in the legislative session.  However, no grass is growing under our legislators' feet.

Hearings have been scheduled in the Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee for Wednesday, March 18, for SB 8 Safe Harbor/Rachel's Law Act and in the House Education Committee for SB 133 the Governor's Opportunity School District legislation. 

Criminal and juvenile justice reform bills have crossed over from the House to the Senate's Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. Other bills dealing with education, the mandatory reporting of child abuse and immigration will be addressed, as well.

Refreshments and networking from 6:30 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.  ICM general meetings are open to the public.  Please RSVP to [email protected].
CHILD PROTECTION:  Hearing Scheduled:  SB 8 / SR 7 - Safe Harbor / Rachel's Law Act, Wed., March 18th
Senate Bill 8 and Senate Resolution 7 (Sen. Unterman) are scheduled to be heard in the House Juvenile Justice Committee when the legislature resumes Wednesday, March 18, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 606 Coverdell Legislative Office Building.
  
SB 8 Safe Harbor / Rachel's Law Act --

-    Provides for much-needed funding for services for child victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking through impact fee on adult entertainment establishments, thus recognizing the real and verified spatial relationship between the adult entertainment industry and sex trafficking  ($5,000 per year or 1% of previous year's gross revenues)

 -  Extends the statute of limitations from age 23 to age 25 for a victim of sex trafficking to take civil action against a perpetrator.

 -  Requires sex traffickers to be included on the Sexual Offender Registry. 


The Safe Harbor portion of the bill no longer includes the original provision that protected the child victim from prosecution.

.

SR 7 - Constitutional Amendment 

Provides that the funds from the impact fee be allocated to the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund for the purpose of providing care and rehabilitative and social services for children who have been or may be sexually exploited.  SR 7 will need to be passed as a constitutional amendment during the November 2016 election in order to become effective 


Note:  The companion bills HB 244 and HR 223 did not make it out of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Judiciary Committee.  Therefore, they did not cross over on March 13th.
 

We need you to speak up now on behalf of Georgia's children in order to get SB 7 and SR 7 passed out of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and sent to the floor of the House for a vote before this session ends on April 2.

 

TAKE ACTION
Please contact members of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and urge them to -- 

"Please vote "Do Pass" out of committee of SB 8 Safe Harbor/Rachel's Law Act and SR 7 the Constitutional Amendment. Studies have identified and documented a real connection between the adult entertainment industry and sex trafficking. Other states, like Texas and Utah, similarly hold the adult entertainment industry accountable for its impact on our most vulnerable. Child victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking should be afforded the full span of services needed in order to become resilient youth who grow into thriving adults.  Vote to provide funding and protection to the children of Georgia."  

Note:  Please remember, if your Representative is a member of the Juvenile Justice Committee, please identify yourself as a constituent from his/her district.

Click on link for contact information:

House Juvenile Justice Committee Members

 

Find out who represents you in the House by going to: http://mvp.sos.state.ga.us/ or www.openstates.org.

EDUCATION:  SB 133 / SR 287 - Governor's Opportunity School District Hearing Scheduled in House Education

Senate Bill 133, the Governor's "Opportunity School District" legislation, passed out of the Senate prior to Crossover Day and is scheduled to be heard in the House Education Committee, Wednesday, March 18th, 3:00 p.m., Room 606 Coverdell Legislative Office Building (CLOB).

 

Report from Georgia Budget and Policy Institute:

Opportunity School District Needs Transparency, Community Role

 

Close Scrutiny Advised before Passage

Georgia Senate Bill 133 sets out the parameters of Gov. Nathan Deal's plan to allow the state to run public schools, partner with local school districts to run them, convert them into charter schools or close them. The special district would be overseen by a new superintendent who would report directly to the governor. A related resolution calls for a Constitutional Amendment [SR 287] on the November 2016 general election ballot to cement the plan into Georgia law. (Read full report)

 

Join us Tuesday, March 17, at ICM's General Meeting, 6:30 p.m. to unpack this report and the bill further in preparation for Wednesday's hearing in the House Education Committee.

JUVENILE JUSTICE:  Juvenile Life without Parole Still Possible in the U.S.

United Nations Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan E. M�ndez*

 

"...life sentences without the possibility of release for children are expressly prohibited by international law and treaties, including article 37(a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child [which the U.S. has not signed]. The Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its general comment No. 10 (CRC/C/GC/10), and the Human Rights Committee, in its general comment No. 21, confirmed that life imprisonment without the possibility of release is never an appropriate punishment for an offence committed by a juvenile offender.  

The vast majority of States have taken note of the international human rights requirements regarding life imprisonment of children without the possibility of release. Significantly, the United States of America is the only State in the world that still sentences children to life imprisonment without the opportunity for parole for the crime of homicide."

In Georgia, children as young as 13 can be tried as adults.
Georgia-Based Living Water for Girls Speaks at United Nations on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Lisa Williams, founder of Circle of Friends and the Living Water programs participated in the UN's 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women - "Unfinished Business from the Beijing Platform for Action: American girls speak out against commercial sexual exploitation," Friday, March 13th, 2015.  Ms. Williams's presentation included an overview of the Living Water restoration programs and her work with commercially sexually exploited girls and young women.


Azariah and Rachel (Rachel's Law), youth leaders, advocates, students and survivors from Living Water for Girls, accompanied Ms. Williams.  Both participated as panelists and gave voice to the thousands of child victims in the U.S.

 

Well done!

EDUCATION:  YWCA Forum on Educational Opportunities for African American Girls
Beloved Community Circle Dialogue -"Unlocking Opportunities for African American Girls:   A Call to Action for Education and Equity"

 

Guest Speaker:  Marsha Francis, instructor in Education Studies Program at Spelman College and doctoral student at the University of Georgia, will focus on the intersection of gender and race and how it impacts the educational opportunities for African American girls.

Date:  Thursday, March 19th

Time:  6:30pm - 8:00pm

Location:  Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr Boulevard, NW, Atlanta, GA 30313  

 

RSVP

CHILD PROTECTION:  DFCS to Hold 2015 Statewide Adoption Match Meeting "Partnering for Permanency - Making Connections"

If you are interested in adopting an older child or a sibling group, please plan to attend the Partnering for Permanency "Making Connections" Statewide Adoption Match Meeting. Case managers from across the state will be presenting children who are waiting to be adopted through displays and video presentations. 

 

During the Partnering for Permanency "Making Connections" Statewide Adoption Match Meeting you may receive more information about a particular child or children through direct contact with their case manager or representative. An informational meeting will also be held for those families who are interested in beginning the adoption process.

 

This event is sponsored by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. To learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please call (877) 210-KIDS.

Date:  Thursday, March 26, 2015

Time:  6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Location:  Hilton Atlanta Airport, 1031 Virginia Avenue, Atlanta, 30354

HEALTH CARE:  Affordable Care Act

Provided by Georgians for a Healthy Future:

 

Did you know that thanks to the Affordable Care Act, you can receive certain preventive services at absolutely no cost? It's true! One of the key requirements of the ACA is that insurance companies must cover recommended preventive services at no cost to the consumer - even if you haven't met your deductible. These include services such as mammograms, annual physicals, colonoscopies, well-woman exams, cholesterol screenings, tobacco cessation, and many more.

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Last month it was announced that over half a million Georgians enrolled in coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Now a new report released by the Department of Health and Human Services contains even more encouraging data about the state of enrollment in Georgia. According to the report, 31% of Georgians that enrolled were between the ages of 18-34, which is a key age group since they tend to be healthier than older adults. Additionally, 90% of Georgians that selected a plan through the Marketplace received financial assistance in the form of Advanced Premium Tax Credits. The average monthly premium for Georgians using a tax credit was $73.
 

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INFORMED AND ENGAGED





-- Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church offers several ways for persons to use their time, gifts and talents in the service of children and families in need.  Take a look, find your place and Serve Locally!

--  Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment, A.B.L.E. - March Meeting Tuesday, March 17, 7:00 - 8:30 PM, at North Decatur Presbyterian Church, 611 Medlock Rd., Decatur, 30033


--  Save the Date!  Kate's Club holds "Spirit of Kate's Club" gala, May 16, 2015.  

 

--  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Are you a Citizenship Education Teacher or Program Director?  Explore our newest guide designed to help you build an effective citizenship curriculum for your students!   Guide to the Adult Citizenship Education Content Standards and Foundation Skills: A Framework for Developing a Comprehensive Curriculum


Are you a Citizenship Educator or Volunteer?  Explore our newest guide designed to help you teach the basic knowledge students need to understand on Form N-400, Application for Naturalization!  Understanding Key Concepts Found in Form N-400, Application for Naturalization: A Guide for Adult Citizenship Teachers

ICM Mission and Goals

 

The Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM) is a grassroots, advocacy movement dedicated to improving the well-being of children in Georgia.  ICM was formed in 2001 as an intentional association of individuals and communities of faith from all religious traditions.

 

The Interfaith Children's Movement strives to be a voice for all children in Georgia, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard. 

 

ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as: 

ATTENTION  

Grand Theft Auto V is not a video game for children.

Commonsensemedia
.org says "Crime, violence, sex, drugs, and alcohol = not for kids."

Sign ICM's petition today to the Entertainment Software Rating Board to change the rating of this video game.  

Go to:
Make a Special Contribution 
to ICM Today!

 

Your contributions help to create a better Georgia for children.  Make a monthly tax-deductible gift of $25.00 or a one-time gift of $100.00. Please make a secure, on-line, tax-deductible contribution. Do what must be done... GIVE to ICM today.
 
Make a Donation
Prevent Child Abuse Georgia

GA HELPLINE

1-800-CHILDREN

Please share this number widely.

 

Contact PCA of GA if your agency or organization would like to be included in the Helpline Resource and Referral Database

 

Contact Person:

Julia Neighbors

404-413-1419 or [email protected]

Information Resourcing

ICM E-Newsletter Archive

Find Your Legislators
Wednesday's Child Georgia

   

 

Wednesday's Child, sponsored by the Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption, is a weekly television feature about adoption that helps find permanent, loving, adoptive families for children in foster care.
 
Wednesday's Child Georgia is a partnership of the Georgia Department of Human Services, Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption  and Fox 5 TV - Atlanta.

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

 

 

One of the most important things faith communities can do for children is to pray for them.

 

Every child is a child of God.  All children deserve justice, compassion and our prayers.

 

ICM encourages every faith community to become a spiritual witness for children. Hold a worship service in your church, synagogue, masjid / mosque or temple and invite others to join in praying for the well-being of all children.