Fast Pace at Capitol Continues

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1 A publication of the Governorʼs DD Council & ID Action Reorganization Bill on Fast Track Major changes to the State Government Reorganization bill made this week as the House readies itself to debate the 255-page bill. PAGE 5 Fast Pace at Capitol Continues Legislators remain committed to public input despite accelerated schedule. Legislators continue to work with impressive speed starting their days bright and early, and working until late in the evening. Legislators and lobbyists say it feels like week 12 instead of the end of week 4. At this rate, there is little doubt legislators will be able to wrap up session early and save the state $800,000 or more for their effort. Sometimes speeding things up can have unintended consequences, like forgoing public input and skipping subcommittee work. But that has not been the case. In fact, legislators patiently listen as lobbyists and advocates present their cases and suggest changes to bills during subcommittee work. Then on Fridays, they hurry home so they can participate in their local public forums. Despite all this activity, they do not seem rushed, just busy. It is impressive that legislators have not sacrificed public input in order to speed up the session so thank them for taking the time to make sure Iowans voices are heard. In this Issue PAGE 1 PAGE 2 PAGE 2 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 9 PAGE 9 Fast Pace at Capitol Continues Issue Briefing: Autism, Mental Health Parity, Brain Injury & More The Capitol Beat Reorganization Bill on Fast Track Bill Tracker: Newly Introduced Bills Public Forums List New Website Tool: Grassroots Action Center The most important political office is that of the private citizen. Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

2 Issue Briefing Updates on the issues of importance to Iowans with disabilities. Remember! If you see something you like below, and want to contact your legislators about it, try using our new online grassroots action center. No more looking up addresses, looking for the names of your legislators, checking spelling, and making sure you address your elected officials properly. The system does it for you - and gives you tips on making your message even more effective! Go to: Insurance Coverage for Autism Families of children with autism flooded the Capitol last week to show their support for two bills introduced last year - SF 1 and HF 1. These bills require insurance plans to pay for up to $36,000 annually for the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism (and no limit on the number of visits). A national expert attended the meeting to discuss the experience of the 15 states that currently have autism insurance mandates. Based on an independent analysis of 11 of those states, insurance premiums increased by less than 1%. Based on this finding, the report estimated that Iowans would pay about $1 more per month if these bills were to pass. Considering one in every 71 boys is diagnosed with autism, advocates say this is a good deal for Iowa families and the state. "You have to be impoverished to get help," acknowledged one parent testifying before the Senate subcommittee reviewing SF 1. "We have been through bankruptcy twice, but when it comes to the health and safety of your child, you will do anything." If the Iowa Legislature passes this legislation, Iowa will join Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 The Capitol Beat Bipartisan bills are in short order this year - only 32 of the 1,441 bills that have been introduced to date. That s only about 2% of the bills introduced this year. These bipartisan bills eliminate the state building code requirement for sprinklers, allow choice in auto repair when insurance is picking up the cost, providing state funds for private school textbooks, changing "mental retardation" references to "intellectual disability" in the Iowa Code, creating a non-profit institute for public policy, making changes to property taxes, providing a sales tax exemption for head hunter services, requiring campaign finance reporting to be electronic, and creating a tax credit for regenerative medicine (stem cell) researchers. The Iowa Senate unanimously confirmed two of the Governor s new department heads Charles Krogmeier (Department of Human Services Director) and Bret Mills (Department of Economic Development Director). After the last few years, this is a major victory for the Culver Administration, which saw several appointments fail to get the needed 2/3 vote of the Iowa Senate to be confirmed. This week (Friday, February 12) is the first funnel deadline. Bills will die if they do not get voted out of committee by the end of the day. Believe it or not, we are nearing the halfway point of legislative session February 19 is day 40 of the 80-day session. So let your legislators know if you want to see a bill become law time is running out, even though we are only wrapping up week four! 2

3 Issue Briefing (continued from page 2) Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina & Texas in mandating health coverage for autism diagnosis and treatment. The bills chances do not look very promising at this point, despite the advocacy of the Senate bill sponsor Sen. Daryl Beall, who is a grandparent of a child with autism. If you care about this issue, contact your legislators and the subcommittees working on these bills: Sen. Tom Rielly of Oskaloosa, Sen. Bill Heckroth of Waverly, Sen. David Hartsuch of Bettendorf, Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell of Ames, Rep. Bruce Hunter of Des Moines, and Rep. Greg Forristall of Macedonia. Advocacy Tip: One reason given by those opposing this mandate is that it does not apply to all insurance plans, only those that are regulated by the state (since federal law does not allow the state to regulate self-insured plans). This limits the reach of the legislation to only about 25% of the state's health plans. However, one advocate used a great analogy: if you were on a dock with two life jackets, and there was a sinking ship with ten people on the boat, do you keep the life jackets with you because there aren't enough to go around, or do you throw them out and hope at least a couple people are saved? 3 Mental Health Parity The mental health parity bill (HF 234) continues to sit on the House Calendar, but do not get concerned about its lack of movement right now. Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, the legislator who will lead the debate in the House (called a "floor manager"), has been hosting a series of input meetings with insurance companies and the business community to see if any reasonable changes could be made to address concerns without gutting the bill. If you want all stateregulated insurance plans to be required to pay for the costs of any mental illness or substance use disorder, contact your State Representative now. Others on the fence: Rep. Brian Quirk of New Hampton, Rep. Doris Kelley of Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Rep. Dolores Mertz of Algona, Rep. Mike Reasoner of Creston, Rep. McKinley Bailey of Story City, Rep. Larry Marek of Riverside, and Rep. Geri Huser of Altoona. Advocacy Tip: Insurance companies say this increase in coverage would force insurance premiums to go up by 5-10%. Advocates say these numbers are extremely inflated, and point to other state experiences, information from the Congressional Budget Office, and independent actuarial studies that show full mental health and substance use coverage increases premiums by less than 1%. In addition, studies have shown that 90% of any premium increase are due to "biologically based mental illnesses" which Iowa law already mandates. Adding all mental illnesses and substance use disorders would have nearly no effect on premiums (that is a potential increase of up to.1%). Brain Injury Prevention As the old saying goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. One piece of legislation is being proposed this year to prevent brain injuries (and keep kids safe). SF 2055 requires older youths (ages 11-17) to wear seat belts in both the front and back seats. Right now, seat belts are required only in the front seat for that age group. According to the Iowa Brain Injury Association, this age group sustains the most injuries and death because of motor vehicle accidents (84% of the 1,823 unbelted youth injured in Iowa motor vehicle accidents from were in the year old group; 85% of the 71 unbelted fatalities during the same period were back-seat passengers). CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

4 Issue Briefing (continued from page 3) The Senate Transportation Committee approved this bill unanimously on Tuesday, February 2. If this is important to you, contact your legislators (while this is in the Senate, we hear the House does not have the votes to pass it, so contact your Representative too). Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Iowa Department of Human Rights has proposed a bill (HF 2150 & SSB 3183) that cleans up Iowa Code and so that it conforms with the current federal ADA language. The bill eliminates old references to "persons with physical disabilities" and replaces it with the more inclusive "persons with disabilities." The bill clarifies that service animals do not need to be trained by a recognized training facility (since there are none in Iowa). Curb cuts (accessible slopes) are now required on all new or repaired intersection curbs. The subcommittees on these bills met this week, the Senate unanimously passed its bill (SF 2150) out of committee, and the House plans to take action on their bill early next week. Rep. Lisa Heddens of Ames and Sen. Joe Bolkcom will floor manage the bill - so you can send your comments or thanks to them directly, as well as to your legislators. Dependent Adult Abuse Two years ago, the Iowa Legislature spent many hours working with state agencies, advocates for dependent adults, hospitals, health care providers and nursing homes to determine whether Iowa's definitions of "dependent adult abuse" were good enough, or if they made it too easy for caregivers to be charged with dependent adult abuse. The discussions produced a bill that created what bill sponsor Rep. Bruce Hunter of Des Moines called a "delicate balancing act." Last summer, the Department of Inspections and Appeals filed their rules implementing the law passed two years ago, but health care providers, hospitals, and nursing homes said the rules went too far and did not reflect the agreement made. Advocates for persons with disabilities and older Iowans say the rules did exactly as the legislation intended - raise the standard for dependent adult abuse so caregivers were not facing abuse allegations for minor errors, but making sure it was still a standard that protected vulnerable Iowans. Now legislators are considering a bill filed by the nursing homes, hospitals and healthcare providers to make it even more difficult to prosecute for dependent adult abuse. As Rep. Hunter said recently about the proposed changes, ""It would make it very, very difficult, if not impossible, to prosecute somebody in a nursing home or a hospital," he said. "Yes, we want to make prosecution difficult because dependent-adult abuse is a serious charge, but we don't want to make it impossible." At this time, the House has decided to stop all action on their bill (HSB 612), and the Senate plans to amend their bill (SSB 3103) to strike all controversial sections. Audiology Insurance Coverage Rep. Janet Petersen of Des Moines did a quick bit of maneuvering this week when she failed to find the votes in the House Commerce Committee (which she chairs) to pass a bill that would require insurance plans to pay for audiological evaluations and hearing aids for children. She quickly had the bill reintroduced in the House Human Resources Committee (HSB 682) and received the necessary support to move the bill out of subcommittee and to a full committee vote next week. If you care about this issue, contact your State Representative. 4

5 Reorganization Bill on Fast Track In our last update, we reported on the progress being made to pass a 255-page bill that may save the state close to $300 million through increased efficiencies and reorganizing government operations. The bill (SF 2088) was amended on Thursday evening (February 4) and passed out of the House State Government Committee and later the House Appropriations Committee. The bill is now on the House Calendar and ready for debate. The plan is that all amendments to the bill are to be filed by the end of the day on Tuesday, February 9. The House plans to take up the bill on Wednesday. Legislative leaders hope to finalize the bill next week, sending it to the Governor for a signature that locks in the savings and frees the way for budget targets to be set. New amendments: Reach an agreement among legislators to allow mental health providers to prescribe a seven-day supply of mental health drugs without prior Medicaid authorization (instead of the bill's original limitation to a three-day supply). Currently, providers can prescribe a 30- day supply under Medicaid law. Removes the closing of a Mental Health Institute and replaces it with broad language directing DHS to develop and implement a "continuum of mental health services. As a part of developing the continuum, the department shall determine the most cost-effective means of delivering mental health services through the institutions administered by the department. In addition to other needs, the continuum shall provide for the co-occurring treatment needs of persons with mental illness who also have intellectual disabilities or substance abuse disorders." Rep. Renee Schulte of Cedar Rapids said this change would allow the state to move toward the use of smaller community facilities 5 and close institutional beds as these community-based facilities become available. Rep. Schulte said the reinvestment of savings would allow the state to develop community capacity before a closure occurs. The anticipated changes save $1 million, with any extra savings are to be invested in community-based services. The DHS council must approve plans prior to implementation, and emergency rules are granted so that savings can be quickly achieved. Adds the MH/MR/DD/BI Commission bill (SSB 3075 & HSB 569). This bill (which we'll stop tracking now in the infonet Bill Tracker) eliminates the number of duties of the MH/MR/DD/BI Commission from 16 to 6, changes the name to the Mental Health and Disability Services Commission, shifts many duties from the Commission to the Department of Human Services, requires comprehensive services plans be revised every five years, and changes the HCBS/Mental Retardation Waiver to the HCBS/Intellectual Disability Waiver. These changes were requested by the Commission to streamline their duties, and supported by DHS because it more appropriately reflects the resources available to provide staff support. The House will have an public hearing on this bill on Monday, February 8 at 10 a.m. The hearing is open to the public, but you must sign in if you plan to speak. It is always a good idea to bring copies of what you plan to say, so your comments can be included in the official record. You can attend to watch the hearing - you do not have to speak. The hearing will be held in Room 102 (the old Supreme Court Chambers on the first floor of the State Capitol)

6 infonet Bill Tracker The infonet bill tracking system is updated daily with new bills and changes in status. You can check on bills at any time at: Default.aspx?cid=INFONET. Because space is limited, we can only list new bills in mailed copies of infonet but the entire list is available in the Bill Tracker. Senate Files SF Brain Injury Fund (Status: Senate Appropriations Committee) - Creates a brain injury services fund and task force and establishes a 5% surcharge on various motor vehicle moving violations to pay for the fund. The fund is to be used to pay for various needs of persons with brain injury. Sponsored by Sen. Beall. Subcommittee: Sen. Dvorsky & Kettering SF State Government Reorganization (Status: House Floor) - Makes a number of changes to the structure of state government. Reorganizes the Department of Human Rights (DHR) - creates three divisions: Division of Community Action Agencies; Division of Criminal & Juvenile Justice; and Division of Community Advocacy & Services (which includes Offices of Persons with Disabilities and Deaf Services). Restructures the local Area Education Agencies. Establishes a false claims act, punishing people fraudulently claiming state property or funds. Allows a doctor to prescribe a 72-hour supply of Medicaid drugs without prior authorization, as is allowed with Medicare (rather than current two-week supply allowed). Requires Medicaid to develop a disease management program for children with chronic illnesses. Requires all HCBS Waiver services exceeding a median amount be subject to prior authorization and review before being allowed. Makes changes to the transfer of assets laws in Medicaid, to make sure assets such as a home or property are not transferred for less than fair price in order to avoid Medicaid debt collection. Closes the Clarinda Mental Health Institute. Ends new applications for the Family Support Subsidy (the program will not accept new applications and will phase out over time). Requires a review of state government efficiencies and structure every four years. HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENT: Makes a number of changes. Adds in HSB 560/SSB 3075 (the recommendations of the 6 MH/MR/DD/BI Commission). These changes revise the duties of the Commission (lowering from 16 to 6), changes the name to the Mental Health and Disability Services Commission, shifts many duties from the Commission to DHS, requires comprehensive services plans be revised every five years, and changes the HCBS/Mental Retardation Waiver to the HCBS/Intellectual Disability Waiver. Also eliminates the closure of a Mental Health Institute and replaces it with a directive to DHS to develop and implement a continuum of mental health services, including services addressing co-occurring disorders, and determine the most cost-effective way to deliver those services. DHS is instructed to do this in a way to save $1 million and redirect any additional savings to home and community based services. Adds in language from HF 209 directing DHS to amend the Medicaid HCBS waiver for persons with intellectual disabilities to require only the initial evaluation (ending annual re-evaluations to confirm diagnosis). Re-evaluations to determine level of care will continue to be done (savings expected in this change is $500,000). Also adds language to allow providers who transport persons with disabilities between work and home to bundle their reimbursement requests submitted to DHS, so that reimbursements can be paid in bulk (savings $250,000). Passed Senate 35-15; Floor Manager: Rep. Mascher SF Health Care Reform & IowaCare Plus (Status: House Human Resources Committee) - IOWACARE PLUS: Revises the IowaCare program and directs DHS to make changes to the program when applying for the IowaCare waiver extension (the program is set to expire this year). Expands eligibility to persons earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Expands the provider network (beyond the University of Iowa & Broadlawns) and directs DHS to establish a regional provider network using community health centers. Requires DHS to develop a sliding fee schedule, and allows for premium assistance for persons earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level. DIABETES REGISTRY: Establishes a diabetes registry to collect data on the disease, help providers improve care of patients with diabetes, and help lawmakers know how best to allocate public resources. IOWA CHOICE EXCHANGE: Creates a non-profit Exchange to help uninsured Iowans get affordable health insurance, governed by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the Governor. Subcommittee: Sen. Hatch (Chair), Ragan & Johnson SF Personal Needs Allowance Increase (Status: Senate Human Resources Committee) - Requires the Medicaid personal needs allowance of a resident in a CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

7 Bill Tracker (continued from page 6) nursing home, ICF/MR, ICF/MI or psychiatric medical institution for children (PMIC) be increased annually (cost of living adjustment). The current allowance is $50. Increases begin 1/1/2011. Subcommittee: Sen. Bolkcom (Chair), Hatch & Hartsuch SF Nursing Home Resident/Medicaid Resource Information (Status: Senate Human Resources Committee) - Requires all nursing home residents receive contact information for resources to assist with Medicaid eligibility and long-term care regulations within 30 days of admission. Requires nursing homes to document when the information was provided in the resident's file. Subcommittee: Sen. Schmitz (Chair), Boettger & Wilhelm SF Core Curriculum (Status: Senate Education Committee) - Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules including the Iowa core curriculum for grades K-8, including foreign language and American sign language requirements. Subcommittee: Sen. Beall (Chair), Hamerlinck & Schoenjahn SF Medicaid Explanation of Benefits (Status: Senate Human Resources Committee) - Directs Medicaid to develop and use an Explanation of Benefits (EOB), and give it to all Medicaid recipients so they fully understand the services billed on their behalf (and help DHS track services incorrectly recorded or not received). The EOB will also help DHS identify providers, provider groups, and geographic areas for evaluation of care and treatment patterns. EOBs are to include provider name, type and date of service, and amount paid by Medicaid. The EOB is to include a DHS contact number for the Medicaid recipient to report any errors. Subcommittee: Sen. Bolkcom (Chair), Seymour & Wilhelm SF 2145 & HSB Truck Registration/Persons with Disabilities (Status: Senate Floor) - Sets a flat registration fee for all trucks equipped to assist a person with a disability at $60. The person/person's family must own or lease the vehicle, and the person must use a wheelchair. Floor Manager: Sen. Heckroth; Subcommittee: Rep. Marek (Chair), Quirk, Kelley, Arnold & Worthan SF 2151 & HSB Funding Shifts for Federal Recovery (Status: House Appropriations Committee) - Makes $12.8 million of funding reallocations to allow the state to collect federal ARRA funds (economic stimulus funds). Transfers $1.8 million from the Mental Health Risk Pool to the Mental Health State Cases Program for FY 2010 to prevent service reductions in the program (there may still be some losing services). Passed Senate 31-16; Subcommittee: Rep. Heddens (Chair), Oldson & Heaton CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 7 SF Veteran Membership on Boards & Commissions (Status: Senate Floor) - Adds a military veteran with knowledge of veteran behavioral health needs to the Mental Health Planning & Advisory Council and the MH/MR/DD/BI Commission. Floor Manager: Sen. Warnstadt SF Passenger Restraints for Minors (Status: Senate Floor) - Requires that all persons under 18 years of age who are being transported in a motor vehicle, other than a school bus or motorcycle, be secured by an approved child restraint system or a seat belt in both front and back seats. Floor Manager: Sen. Beall SSB State Hiring/Veterans with Disabilities (Status: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee) - Directs the state to develop programs to find and hire qualified veterans with disabilities for state government jobs. Subcommittee: Sen. Beall (Chair), Kibbie & Wieck SSB 3145 & HSB 655 CPC/Civil Commitment - Requires the Clerk of District Court to notify the Department of Public Safety (DPS) of all adjudications of persons involuntarily committed to a mental institution for inpatient or outpatient treatment for mental illness. DPS will only use the information to submit to comply with federal law by submitting information to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Persons committed for inpatient or outpatient treatment are not allowed by law to have firearms (waiver process is included). Subcommittees: Sen. Kreiman (Chair), Hancock & Boettger; Sen. Kreiman (Chair), Sodders & Zaun; Rep. Smith (Chair), Schulte & Wessel-Kroeschell SSB Disabled Veteran Property Tax Protection (Status: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee) - Keeps property taxes the same on a disabled veteran's home (no more increases). Veterans must file once (by June 30) for the tax credit. Qualified veterans received injuries from active duty and were honorably discharged because of a service-related disability. Subcommittee: Sen. Kibbie (Chair), Beall & Noble SSB Governor's Supplemental Appropriations (Status: Senate Appropriations Committee) - Adds $50 million back funding for items the Governor held harmless from his 10% across the board cuts last fall (the "backfill"). Adds back funding for the current fiscal year (FY 2010) for public libraries, community empowerment, substance abuse treatment and prevention, tobacco prevention and control, dental care, HOPES, child health specialty clinics, University of Iowa contract to provide services to persons with muscular dystrophy and birth defects, PKU funding, prescription drug donation program, epilepsy foundation,

8 Bill Tracker (continued from page 7) brain injury association, lead screenings for children and followup services for those testing positive for exposure, and continued childhood vaccinations. Transfers remaining funds (about $1.5 million) from the MH/MR/DD Risk Pool to state cases program. : Sen. Dvorsky (Chair), Hatch, Schoenjahn, Kettering & Johnson House Files HF 2150 & SSB Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Status: House Human Resources Committee) - Changes the term "persons with physical disabilities" to "persons with disabilities" in Iowa law. Requires curb cuts (accessible slopes) at all intersections of newly constructed or repaired curbs, including paths. Eliminates the requirement that hearing and service dogs be trained at a recognized training facility. Eliminates penalties for someone denying or interfering with the use of a hearing or service dog, or other assistive animal. Floor Managers: Rep. Heddens & Sen. Bolkcom HF Contested Case/Domestic Abuse (Status: House Human Resources Committee) - Allows a person who has been determined to have committed dependent adult abuse to file a statement with DHS requesting erroneous data or findings be corrected. Requires the hearing be held within 45 days of the filing, and a decision within 90 days. Subcommittee: Rep. Hunter (Chair), Alons & Thede HF AEA Task Force (Status: House Floor) - Creates a Task Force to review the mission, structure, governance, and funding of the Area Education Agency (AEA) system. Members include education stakeholders and AEA service users, including a parent or guardian of a child receiving special education services. Recommendations due by 12/15/2010. Floor Manager: Rep. Wendt HSB 624 & SSB Special Education Updates (Status: House Education Committee) - Allows a child who becomes 21 during the school year to continue to receive special education services until the end of the school year. Makes other changes about informed educational consent and who is able to determine whether a child needing special education is able to make decisions related to his/her education upon turning 21. Subcommittees: Rep. Winckler (Chair), Ford & Sweeney; Sen. Schmitz (Chair), Kreiman & Johnson comprised of at least five counties with a general population of at least 75,000 and not more than 250,000. The initial pilot project period is limited to the three fiscal years beginning July 1, 2010, and ending June 30, The pilot project provisions are required to be outlined in an agreement between the department and pilot project counties and may include any of the following: pooling of state funding, pooling of medical assistance program home and community-based services waiver slots, decategorizing of funding streams, adapting any new program requirements to optimize implementation within the pilot project counties, establishing as a standard practice the use of functional assessment tools to determine the functional needs of a consumer and develop an individual budget allocation for each consumer, reallocation of the state funding distributed to the pilot project counties based upon individual budget allocations and county administrative costs and historical needs, and use of a levy rate limit for MH/MR/DD services fund property taxes in lieu of a dollar amount levy limit. The pilot project counties are required to provide evaluation and outcome information. A list of possible outcomes which may be realized by the pilot projects is provided. Subcommittee: Rep. Heddens (Chair), Smith & L. Miller HSB Insurance Mandate/Hearing Aids for Children (Status: House Human Resources Committee) - Requires health insurance plans to cover audiological services and hearing aids for children, beginning 1/1/2011. Minimum covered services are to include evaluations performed by a licensed audiologist, hearing aids recommended by a licensed audiologist, coverage for an ear mold and a hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear payable every 24 months for children up to 18 years of age, and coverage for up to four additional ear molds per year for children up to three years of age. Subcommittee: Rep. Petersen (Chair), T. Olson & Alons HSB MH/DS Pilot Projects (Status: House Human Resources Committee) - Authorizes the Department of Human Services (DHS) to implement county mental health, mental retardation, and developmental disabilities (MH/MR/DD) services regional pilot projects. A pilot project area must be 8

9 Try It Out! Our Grassroots Action Center makes contacts with your legislators simple & fast. In our first issue of 2010, we announced a new tool on our website that allows you to contact your legislators about the issues you care about quickly. The system makes advocacy easy: Your legislator is automatically identified. You get tips on writing your note. The system addresses and signs the note for you. You can send the same note to both your legislators with the click of one button. Join the many advocates that have already tried it out! Step One. Go to the Action Center ( Step Two. Sign in with your address and zip code. This tells the Action Center who you are. The first time you use this tool, you need to verify your address and name. We need a street address or the system will not work (PO boxes will not work). You only need to do this once. Step Three. You are now in the Action Center. You will be given the choice of advocating on a hot topic, or an issue of your choice. Simply click on your choice. Step Four. The system automatically finds your elected officials, and addresses and signs your for you. All you need to do is write your message (sometimes weʼll help you get started). Then click send. Step Five. You will now have the option of forwarding our Action Center to a friend. This allows friends to use the action center to contact their elected officials. Speak Out. Get Involved. Take Action. Educate your elected officials about the issues that matter most to you! GO Upcomiing Publliic Forums Legislative town hall meetings and public forums are a great place to advocate for you issues. A full list of forums is at: Because of space, we cannot print all of the 200-plus forums planned in the next three months. Below is a list of the communities having forums over the next two weeks check your local newspaper, call your legislator, or go to Forums are planned in the following communities on: Friday, February 12 Albion, Gilman, LeGrand, Marshalltown, Melbourne & St. Ansgar Saturday, February 13 Arnold s Park, Atlantic, Aurora, Clarksville, Clermont, Clinton, Council Bluffs, Gilbert, Greene, Lamars, Lisbon, Luther, Mt. Vernon, Orange City, Oskaloosa, Oxford Junction, Sioux Center, Spencer, Stanhope, Story City & West Union Sunday, February 14 Adel Friday, February 19 Boyden, Cedar Falls, Clear Lake, De Soto, Dexter, Hull, Redfield & Van Meter Saturday, February 20 Adel, Akron, Algona, Ames, Audubon, Bennington Township, Boyden, Burnsville, Cedar Rapids, Clarion, Corning, Creston, Denver, Fairfield, Glenwood, Harlan, Humboldt, Mason City, Maynard, Mt. Ayr, Newton, Oelwein, Olin, Sheldon, Webster City, Westgate & Urbandale

10 A publication of ID Action & Iowa s DD Council PO Box Des Moines, Iowa PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DES MOINES, IA PERMIT NO Your US Representative is: [US Representative] Your State Representative is: [Representative] Capitol: 515/ Home: [IAHouseHomePhone] [IAHouse ] Your State Senator is: [Senator] Capitol: 515/ Home: [IASenateHomePhone] [IASenate ] [FirstName] [LastName] OR CURRENT RESIDENT [ADDRESS] [Address2] [City], [State] [Zip]-[Zip4] 2010 Issue #2 February 7, 2010 infonet is a free publication of Iowaʼs Developmental Disabilities Council and ID Action, and is written and produced by Amy Campbell & Craig Patterson of Campbell/Patterson Consulting LLP. Please contact us to change your address, receive infonet by , add a friend to our list, or leave us a comment/suggestion. We encourage you to share infonet with others, and copy or distribute it as often as you like. If you use parts of infonet in another publication, we ask that you use the following citation: From infonet, a publication of the Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council, ID Action PO Box Des Moines, Iowa /