Step Up for Kids in the 2016 Legislative Session. January 6, 2016

Transcription

1 Step Up for Kids in the 2016 Legislative Session January 6, 2016

2 Let s set the stage: Why do we have Children s Advocacy Day?

3 Register for CAD at Checklist for a successful Children s Advocacy Day: Learn about the Blueprint for Kentucky s Children policy agenda at Find out who your legislator is at Click on Who s My Legislator on the home page Before January 14th

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5 Make an appointment with your legislator Call: Ask for your legislator s office (Senator or Representative) Checklist for a successful Children s Advocacy Day: Before January 14th Let the staff know that you are a constituent of (fill in name of legislator) and you would like to set up a time to meet with him/her on January 14 th,which is Children s Advocacy Day. If the staff person asks what you want to meet about, mention that there are several issues related to children you would like to talk about. Give the staff person the names of everyone in your group who will attend the meeting.

6 Checklist for a successful Children s Advocacy Day: On January 14th Arrive by 9:30 am: Check in to the Capitol building with a photo ID Register on the 2 nd floor of the Capitol (the Mezzanine) and get a folder with important CAD information including fact sheets, room numbers, and a schedule of the day Check out the posters with information on the Blueprint priorities on the Mezzanine Rally begins at 10 am

7 Checklist for a successful Children s Advocacy Day: On January 14th Things to do from 11-1 pm: Meet with your legislators Attend Blueprint policy sessions in the Capitol Annex Rooms 111 and 113 Check out the art and essays by Kentucky children and youth in the Capitol tunnel Attend committee meetings (a list of meeting times and locations will be in your folders) Check out the resource table under the stairwell in the Annex Grab lunch in the cafeteria KIDS COUNT Reception at 1 pm: Join us to celebrate 25 years of Kentucky KIDS COUNT with legislators in the Capitol Mezzanine and welcome them into session. House and Senate Chambers in session at 2 pm You will need gallery passes to observe

8 Checklist for a successful Children s Advocacy Day: After January 14th Write your legislators and thank them for meeting with you. Hand written notes are best! Follow KYA s blog and social media to stay up to date on progress during session. You can keep making a difference after January 14 th!

9 A quick overview: Advocacy vs. Lobbying Advocacy is: Educational providing data or information on an issue or policy Sharing experiences that can help inform a legislator Building relationships with policymakers Lobbying is: Getting paid by your employer to ask a policymaker to vote a specific way on a specific policy change or piece of legislation One component in the broader context of advocacy Lobbying is NOT: Asking your legislators to support legislation on your own personal time, as a citizen or constituent Simply stating your position on legislation Responding to a legislative request for technical assistance on legislation Providing non-partisan analysis of a policy

10 Tips for meeting with your legislator: Introduce yourself Be friendly and professional Share relevant materials including the fact sheets provided Make sure to cover the main points and get to the ask It s best to say I don t know and follow up if you don t have an answer Most visits are 15 minutes or less Be social and then get to your point

11 What is the Blueprint for Kentucky s Children?

12 Give children the opportunity to grow up healthy and become successful adults. Successful kids launch a prosperous future for Kentucky. Guarantee age-appropriate responses by not charging children age 10 and under in the court system Only use courtroom shackling when a child poses a safety risk to self or others Automatically erase or seal records of youth who get back on track after a non-violent offense

13 Ensure supports and systems are in place to create communities that are safe and responsive for kids and families. Thriving communities launch strong families. Check the child abuse registry, in addition to criminal background checks, for public school personnel Allow nurses with expertise in child sexual abuse to examine child victims in emergency rooms Accommodate a child s testimony about a pattern of abuse in court Pay child care providers adequately for care of children in the Child Care Assistance Program Protect children and pregnant women from the harms of secondhand smoke by adopting a statewide smoke-free law Equip the Department of Community Based Services to better protect children Streamline accountability and funding for schools that serve children in state agency care

14 Support families to help them start strong and continue on a stable path to care for their children. Strong families launch successful kids. Ensure access to services to keep families together safely and support kinship care families when children are unable to stay with their birth parents Increase access to quality child care for working parents by raising the eligibility level for the Child Care Assistance Program Enact a state refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Help parents get back to work by erasing criminal records for low-level felonies after time passes with no more offenses Adopt a statewide Uniform Residential Landlord Tenant Act (URLTA)

15 Questions? Contact: Andrea Bennett x 127 Learn more about the Blueprint for Kentucky s Children 2016 legislative policy priorities and read policy fact sheets at Stay up-to-date on policies affecting kids and families in Kentucky by joining Kentucky Youth Advocates listserv at and connecting with us on social /KentuckyYouthAdvocates

16 Thank you for stepping up for Kentucky kids!