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Legislative Advocacy 101

Legislative Advocacy 101. September 19, 2006 MIHV Community Health Workers David Zander. Voting and Advocacy. Voting is for Citizens Citizenship classes teach you about the Federal level of American Government Advocacy is for both citizens and non citizens

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Legislative Advocacy 101

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  1. Legislative Advocacy101 September 19, 2006 MIHV Community Health Workers David Zander

  2. Voting and Advocacy • Voting is for Citizens • Citizenship classes teach you about the Federal level of American Government • Advocacy is for both citizens and non citizens • Advocacy can be at different levels of government (federal, state, county, city and school board)

  3. Democracy Democracy is not a Spectator Sport! Learning to play the game Learning the rules of the Game

  4. Definition of Advocacy • Advocacy is the act of arguing for, supporting, or recommending a cause or course of action • Advocate (verb) • To support or urge by argument • Recommend publicly • To advocate for higher standards and training for medical interpreters • To advocate for help for parents on homework

  5. Levels of government • Federal • State • County • City • School Boards

  6. As an Advocate you would • Speak or write in support of a cause • Plead for or on behalf of another person or group (e.g. elders) • Talk to your elected officials • Talk to candidates running for political office • Attend and speak up at town hall meetings • Visit, call or write to your legislators • Participate in events at the state capitol or host your own CHW Day at the Capitol (Feb-March 2007)

  7. CHW Legislative Agenda • What issues do you care about • What are your concerns • What challenges do you face as a community health worker • What are the solutions to these issues, concerns, challenges • Examples from a Lao Town Hall Meeting June 2006

  8. Advocacy at the State Capitol • Samples of Legislative Advocacy - some issues the SE Asian agencies are working on • Human and Sexual Trafficking • HIV AIDS Awareness in the Asian Communities • Meth. Addiction among SE Asian Youth • Early Childhood School Readiness • Casino Problem Gamblers • Help for foreign born social workers unable to pass the board of social work license exam

  9. Advocacy Groups • Hmong Mental Health Providers Network (HMHPN) (Xiong Vue at Wilder Southeast Social Adjustment Program) • Hmong School Readiness Coalition (Jesse Kao Lee / Ready4K) • Affirmative Options • Interpreter Group (Carol Berg at UCARE) • New American Employment Initiative

  10. Invitation to Town Hall Forums • Legislative Training and a Meet the Candidates for School Board Forum • Saturday, October 7th • 1 – 3 p.m. • Lao Cultural Center • 2648 West Broadway • MPLS, MN 55411 • League of Women Voters (Mpls)

  11. CHW Day at the Capitol • Reserve the Rotunda • Speakers • Invites to legislators • Booths • Letter writing • Sign and deliver letters to legislators • Schedule brief office visits to legislators • Stop by and tell them why you, their constituents, were there

  12. CHW Issues • What concerns are you wanting to speak up about? • Chose one or more issues you want to be advocates on for yourselves and for your clients • Health? • Education? • Adult Basic Education? • Employment? • Housing?

  13. Talking to a legislator • The green book • The red book • The blue book • Legislative website • Using the District finder • Senators • Representatives

  14. Process of Legislative Advocacy“Getting a Bill passed into law” • Researching an issue • Hearing from Clients • Talking to legislators • Getting A Bill Introduced • A key author • House and senate • Getting support from other legislators • Testifying in committee hearings • Conference Committees

  15. Examples of getting a bill passed • Restoring funding cuts • Asian Juvenile Crime Prevention • Problem – unexpected funding cuts • Governor Ventura vetoed $1 million to AJCP • Solution – ‘We will write a bill and get the money re-appropriated” Senator Linda Higgins • Key authors House and Senate • SUCCESS!

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