FYI

Terri Hamrick, MNM
Executive Director
Survivors, Inc.
Post Office Box 3572
Gettysburg, PA  17325
(717) 334-0589 Extension 22
Facsimile (717) 334-3576
EMail:  Terri@...
 
Mission Statement
Survivors supports those who experience domestic violence or sexual assault
and strives to create a world in which violence against women and children
is unthinkable.
 
 


-----Original Message-----
From: policy@... [mailto:policy@...] On Behalf Of
Nicole A. Lindemyer
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 2:29 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: IMPORTANT: 8/12 Hearing on HB 59!

This message is from the PCADV Policy Contacts List

I'm writing with good news! Mark your calendars because on August 12, the
House Judiciary Committee will be having a hearing on House Bill 59!
(Memory jog: this is our bill to raise revenue for DV services through a
slight increase in the existing marriage license surcharge and by creating a
divorce filing fee.) Our goal is to keep up our efforts to raise attention
and support for this bill so that we can ensure enough votes to see it pass
this fall!

The hearing will be at 10:00 AM in Hershey, at the the Derry Township
Municipal Building located at 600 Clearwater Road (the House Judiciary Cmte
often uses this site for hearings instead of holding them at the Capitol).

ATTENDING: We strongly encourage you to come to the hearing if you are able
to do so--and bring friends, staff, and other supporters! A big turnout
helps to show the widespread support for this legislation.

WRITTEN TESTIMONY: Please submit written testimony in support of HB 59!
Testimony can be in the form of a letter simply explaining how funding
shortfalls mean your program is not able to meet the needs of victims.
Victim stories and data/numbers are most effective. The testimony must be
submitted in advance, typically up to the day before the hearing; it can be
addressed to the House Judiciary Cmte Chair, Rep. Caltagirone, and I have
all the contact info. Please call or write to me to get the contact info,
tips on your testimony, or any other help you may need. You should also
send a copy of your letter/testimony to each of your Reps and Senators
(another way to keep their attention on it and/or garner their support!).

LETTERS TO REPRESENTATIVES: If one of your Reps is already a cosponsor (see
list below), please call or email them to let them know about the hearing.
It can be a message as brief as, "I know you are a supporter of (program
name) and a cosponsor of HB 59, a bill to raise desperately needed
revenue for domestic violence programs. Because you are a supporter and
cosponsor, I thought you'd be interested to know that HB 59 is set for a
hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on August 12. The hearing will
be at 10AM in Hershey at the Derry Township Municipal Building. Our funding
situation is dire and getting worse as costs keep skyrocketing, so we really
need to see this bill passed before the session ends this fall. We hope the
8/12 hearing helps garner additional support so that come fall, we may
celebrate its enactment and your role in bringing crucial resources to
domestic violence victims in need. Thank you!"

NOTE: We especially need programs in districts with Representatives on the
Judiciary Cmte to attend the hearing and to contact their Reps to tell them
they will be attending. (Nothing will ensure their attendance at the
hearing like knowing someone will be there to notice their absence!) To see
a chart with all the Judiciary members and the DV programs in their
districts, click here: [
http://pubs.pcadv.net/public_policy/Judiciary_Members_&_Programs.pdf
]http://pubs.pcadv.net/public_policy/Judiciary_Members_&_Programs.pdf

VISITS: Remember, this is the Legislature's summer break, so NOW is the
ideal time for you to be meeting with your legislators at home in their
districts! Call them and ask them to come visit your program, or set a time
to meet in their office. Ask if you can bring program brochures to leave at
their office for constituents. Ask if they can join your program for an
event in October for DV Awareness Month. However you do it, get on their
radar and maintain a constant presence by checking in with them often. You
need to build those relationships with legislators to get their support!

SENATE: The 8/12 hearing is in the House, but we STILL NEED TO BE ACTIVELY
LOBBYING IN THE SENATE on SB 269!!! We haven't seen a single additional
cosponsor sign on in the Senate in a long, long while. If we have any hope
of seeing this bill enacted this session, then each and every one of you
NEEDS to contact every legislator in both the House AND the Senate!!! This
bill could bring in an additional $3 MILLION--each and every year as a
reliable source of funding for DV services! But we can't do it unless every
program lobbies!

HB 59/SB 269 POSITION PAPER: Learn it, live it, love it. Or just read it.
Click here: [
http://pubs.pcadv.net/public_policy/HB59_&_SB269_Position_Paper_2008-FINAL.p
df
]http://pubs.pcadv.net/public_policy/HB59_&_SB269_Position_Paper_2008-FINAL.
pdf

The current cosponsors of HB 59 are: KILLION (the lead Republican sponsor),
CALTAGIRONE (the lead Democratic sponsor AND Chair of House Judiciary),
CAPPELLI, CLYMER, CURRY, DALEY, FREEMAN, KOTIK, LEACH, MANN,
McILHATTAN, MELIO, O'NEILL, PICKETT, REICHLEY, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH, R.
STEVENSON, SURRA, TANGRETTI, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD, RUBLEY, JAMES, FLECK,
BRENNAN, CRUZ, BEYER, MANDERINO, MAJOR, HARHART, GILLESPIE, DALLY, GIBBONS,
GALLOWAY, MAHONEY, LENTZ, PALLONE, ADOLPH, HESS, GRUCELA and MANTZ

In the Senate, the cosponsors of SB 269 are: ERICKSON (lead Republican
sponsor), C. WILLIAMS (lead Democratic sponsor), KITCHEN, FONTANA, STOUT,
RAFFERTY, ORIE, ARMSTRONG, MUSTO, O'PAKE, MADIGAN, WONDERLING, MELLOW and
BROWNE

To see our tracking table that shows which cosponsor Reps are on Judiciary,
click here: [
http://pubs.pcadv.net/public_policy/HOUSE_VOTE_TALLY_ON_HB_59_(July_08).pdf
]http://pubs.pcadv.net/public_policy/HOUSE_VOTE_TALLY_ON_HB_59_(July_08).pdf

Plesase, please call me if you have any questions at all. Hope you all are
having a happy and productive summer!

Nicole A. Lindemyer, Esq.
Policy & Special Projects Manager
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)
6400 Flank Drive, Suite 1300
Harrisburg, PA 17112
(717) 545-6400, ext. 205
nal@...

This list provided as a service of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against
Domestic Violence.