Healthy MT Kids Fully Funded in Budget!

We have something important to celebrate!!

Today on very last day of the MT session Legislators are expected to pass a compromise budget that includes full funding for the Healthy Montana Kids Program, overwhelming approved by voters last fall. The budget also restores the 3% funding increase for public education.

A lot of this is thanks to you, the voters who cared enough to contact your legislators, write letters to the editor and speak out about the importance of funding health care for kids. Without the public outcry the Healthy MT Kids program would have been cut in half and 15,000 uninsured kids would be left without access to healthcare.

In compromises there are always losses. . .

Unfortunately concessions were made in order to get Republican support for the budget.

On particularly sad loss was that funding for birth control under CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) that was added mid-session into the budget was removed in the recent budget deal. Montana is one of only 2 states that doesn’t cover birth control under CHIP (which covers young people up to the age of 19) even though, ironically, prenatal care is covered. This is a shortsighted, inexcusable policy and MWV and our partners NARAL and Planned Parenthood will be back next session to work to get this changed.

Unfortunately funding for aging services and child support enforcement were also cut back to the levels approved in the initial House budget. Read a recent Independent Record article about the deal and what was cut and what stayed.

The long and short is that it has been a tough session, especially for those Montanans most in need. The original budget had a $32 million dollar cut to state investment in Health and Human Service; the compromise budget cuts $22 million, which of course is still painful for Montana families.

We are thankful that at least Healthy MT Kids and public education were saved from the chopping block, but know that we need to do better for Montana. And of course electing people who support the issues we care about is really the first and most important step in this process. Read an article about term-limits and how they may effect upcoming election and legislative work.

Want to know more details about how it all went down? Look for the Montana Women Vote summary of how our agenda faired in the 2009 session coming early next week.

Action in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee

Montana Women Vote, with our partner organization MT Human Right Network, engaged in direct action on Monday the 6th and descended on the Senate Finance and Claims Committee to protest the cut of 15,000 children from the Healthy Montana Kids Plan. Twenty two of us wore T-Shirts that said "FULLY FUND I-155! I REPRESENT 15,000 HEALTHY MONTANA KIDS VOTERS." Together representing the 330,000 voter who supported Healthy Montana Kids.

This protest was in direct response to actions by the committee. On Friday night, 10 Senate Republicans voted to pass an amendment that reduced funding for the Healthy Montana Kids Plan by half. For more picture visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/montanawomenvote/?saved=1

If I were you, I would be mad. -- Healthy Montna Kids funding cut by over 50%

Montanans like you voted in support of the Healthy Montana Kids Plan (I-155) by over 70% in November 2008 and late Friday night ten Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee went against the will of 329,432 voters by amending the voter initiative and denying medical care to 15,000 uninsured Montana children (half of the kids who would have been covered). The ballot cearly stated that $22 million would be invested by the state to recieve the federal match of more than $3.50 for each $1 Montana invests in the program. That investment apporved by voters has now been cut by more than half down to $10.7 million.

The Senate Republicans in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee argued that Montana voters did not understand what they were voting for and claimed the plan was too expensive even though all the money was set aside in a special revenue account and ONLY needed to be implemented.

What you can do?
Contact your Senators (info below) by Wed morning and tell them fully fund Healthy Montana Kids!

If you live in the areas below we especially need your help with these targets/possible swing votes:

• In the Huntley and/or Billings area contact Sen. Taylor Brown -- and forward this email or call on to all your friends ASAP
• If you are from the Flathead contact Sen. Ryan Zinke (Whitefish -voted against HMK in committee) and Sen. John Brueggerman (Polson -- the one Republican on the committee who voted for Healthy MT Kids) -- and forward this email or call on to all your friends ASAP
• If you are from the Bitterroot, please contact Sen. Rick Liable (voted against HMK in committee) -- and forward this email or call on to all your friends ASAP
  

If you do not live in these areas . . . do you have friends or family in Billings, the Flathead or the Bitterroot? Please call them or email them ASAP and ask them to contact these Senators. We need help to get this message out and promise it will only take 90 seconds or less of your time to call.

Super easy ways to contact your Senators

• Leave a phone message call 406-444-4800 between 8am and 5pm and you message will be delivered right to a Senator's desk
• Email your legislators by filling out this form http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/61st/legwebmessage.asp

Don't know who your Senator is? FIND OUT! http://nris.mt.gov/gis/legislat/2009/

P.S. The full Senate will consider the budget on Wednesday morning. 15,000 kids are counting on you to contact your Republican Senator TODAY! Have you already taken action on this issue? Please we need you to do it again!

Help Stop Cuts to Healthy MT Kids!

If I were you, I would be mad. Montanans like you voted in support of the Healthy Montana Kids Plan (I-155) by over 70% in November 2008 and late Friday night ten Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee went against the will of 329,432 voters by amending the voter initiative and denying medical care to 15,000 uninsured Montana children (half of the kids who would have been covered).

The Senate Republicans in the Senate Finance and Claims Committee argued that Montana voters did not understand what they were voting for and claimed the plan was too expensive even though all the money was set aside in a special revenue account and ONLY needed to be implemented.

What you can do?Contact your Senators (info below) by Wed morning and tell them fully fund Healthy Montana Kids!If you live in the areas below we especially need your help with these targets/possible swing votes:

In the Huntley and/or Billings area contact Sen. Taylor Brown -- and forward this email or call on to all your friends ASAP.

If you are from the Flathead contact Sen. Ryan Zinke (Whitefish -voted against HMK in committee) and Sen. John Brueggerman (Polson -- the one Republican on the committee who voted for Healthy MT Kids) -- and forward this email or call on to all your friends ASAP

If you are from the Bitterroot, please contact Sen. Rick Liable (voted against HMK in committee) -- and forward this email or call on to all your friends ASAP

If you do not live in these areas . . . do you have friends or family in Billings, the Flathead or the Bitterroot? Please call them or email them ASAP and ask them to contact these Senators. We need help to get this message out and promise it will only take 90 seconds or less of your time to call.Super easy ways to contact your SenatorsLeave a phone message call 406-444-4800 between 8am and 5pm and you message will be delivered right to a Senator's desk.

Email your legislators by filling out this form http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/61st/legwebmessage.asp

Don't know who your Senator is? FIND OUT! http://nris.mt.gov/gis/legislat/2009/P.S. The full Senate will consider the budget on Wednesday morning. 15,000 kids are counting on you to contact your Republican Senator TODAY! Have you already taken action on this issue? Please we need you to do it again!

House Defeats Five Anti-Choice Blast Motions

This update comes to us from our friends at Planned Parenthood of MT!

Anti-choice legislators in the Montana House of Representatives attempted to "blast" 5 dangerous bills out of committee and onto the House floor for a full vote. Despite pressure from anti-choice Representatives and lobbyists, 43 House Representatives stood up for Montanans and defeated ALL 5 anti-choice "blasts." These 43 Representatives remained consistent in their opposition to these bad bills that would have hurt Montana women and families.

The bills blasted: SB 46 & 406, severely weaken Montanans’ constitutionally guaranteed right to privacyHB 661, places additional regulations on licensed abortion providers to provide abortion careSB 374, unconstitutional and puts vulnerable teenagers at riskSB 327, has three anti-choice provisions including defining life beginning at conception.

So how did your Representative vote? Check out the list of 43 House members who resisted them ALL! Don't see your Rep. on the list, give them a call and LEAVE A VOICE MESSAGE for individual legislators during business hours: 406-444-4800.

Shannon Augare (D, Browning) Dick Barrett (D, Missoula ) Paul Beck (D, Red Lodge) Arlene Becker (D, Billings ) Bob Bergren (D, Havre) Anders Blewett (D, Great Falls ) Carlie Boland (D, Great Falls ) Mary Caferro (D, Helena) Frosty Calf Boss Ribs (D, Heart Butte ) Margaret Campbell (D, Poplar) Jill Cohenour (D, East Helena ) Sue Dickenson (D, Great Falls ) Robyn Driscoll (D, Billings ) Bob Ebinger (D, Livingston) John Fleming (D, Saint Ignatius) Timothy Furey (D, Missoula ) Dennis Getz (D, Glendive) Wanda Grinde (D, Billings ) Art Noonan (D, Butte ) Robin Hamilton (D, Missoula ) Betsy Hands (D, Missoula ) Teresa Henry (D, Missoula ) Galen Hollenbaugh (D, Helena) Chuck Hunter (D, Helena) Mike Jopek (D, Whitefish) Deb Kottel (D, Great Falls ) Margie MacDonald (D, Billings ) Sue Malek (D, Missoula ) Dave McAlpin (D, Missoula ) Bill McChesney (D, Miles City ) Edith McClafferty (D, Butte ) Mike Menahan (D, Helena) Pat Noonan (D, Ramsay) Mike Phillips (D, Bozeman ) Jennifer Pomnichowski (D, Bozeman ) Michele Reinhart (D, Missoula ) Diane Sands (D, Missoula ) Jon Sesso (D, Butte ) Kendall Van Dyk (D, Billings ) Dan Villa (D, Anaconda) Franke Wilmer (D, Bozeman ) Bill Wilson (D, Great Falls ) Brady Wiseman (D, Bozeman )

VIEW THESE BILLS HERE:
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/SB0046.htm http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/SB0406.htm http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/HB0661.htm http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/SB0497.htm http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/SB0374.htm http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/SB0327.htm

Take Action on Federal Paycheck Fairness

This action alert came from the MT Women's Lobby:

Please contact Senator Baucus and Senator Tester and ask them to co-sponsor and support the federal Paycheck Fairness Act (S.182). The House of Representatives has passed this legislation. Please take a moment to call or email our Montana's Senators. Scroll down for contact info.

TALKING POINTS:
* As your constituent, I strongly urge you to cosponsor and support the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182). Passage of the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was a critical first step, but we also need the Paycheck Fairness Act to achieve pay equity.
* The Paycheck Fairness Act is a comprehensive bill that would create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law, empower women to negotiate for equal pay, strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts, strengthen penalties for equal pay violations, and prohibit retaliation against workers who ask about employers' wage practices or disclose their own wages. Together with the Ledbetter bill, this critical piece of legislation can help to create a climate where wage discrimination is not tolerated, and give the administration the enforcement tools it needs to make real progress on pay equity.
· Women in Montana earn an average of 70 cents for every dollar a man earns. American Indian women earn 58 cents. While we have come a long way since the Equal Pay Act was signed into law in 1964, pay discrimination is still prevalent. The Paycheck Fairness Act is a much needed update of the 45-year-old law, closing loopholes and creating deterrents to pay discrimination.
· Due to rising unemployment rates, an unprecedented number of women are now the family breadwinner - making pay equity even more critical, not simply to family economic security but also to the nation's economic recovery.
· With a record 71 million women in the workforce, wage discrimination hurts the majority of American families, both in terms of their economic security today and their retirement security tomorrow.

How to Contact Senators Baucus and Tester:
Senator Jon Tester (202) 224-2644 http://tester.senate.gov/ Helena Office: 449-5401
Senator Max Baucus (202) 224-2651 http://baucus.senate.gov/ Billings Office: 657-6790