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Public Policy
The Southern Early Childhood Association is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the South's children and families. In order to assume that responsibility, we follow the progress of public policy debate and legislation, both nationally and in our 14 Southern states. This page is dedicated to providing you with the latest in public policy information.
Scroll down to view SECA Policy Briefs and other valuable public policy resources.
***Public Policy Alerts***
A Policy Resource for Our State Affiliates
6/17/10 - Yesterday, a bill that will have far reaching effects for states and many of the families in your states stalled in the Senate. The bill would increase the federal deficit and concerns about increasing that deficit caused consideration of the bill to be halted.
H.R. 4213 would do the following (among other provisions):
• Extend unemployment compensation for long-term unemployed
• Extend expiring tax breaks that are usually extended every year
• Provide additional funding to prevent a decrease in doctor’s payments for Medicare patients
Originally the House considered a bill that would extend COBRA health coverage (and help pay for it) for the unemployed and provide extra funds for Medicaid to the states. These provisions were dropped in the House.
Children’s advocates are concerned on two fronts:
1) Many families still face long term unemployment, unemployment benefits are being exhausted and health care coverage will not be available for some time.
2) The recently passed health care reform bill will increase the Medicaid population significantly and state budgets are already facing enormous challenges with the downturn in the economy.
If you’re like me and trying to take care of an elderly parent, the loss of the supplemental Medicare funding will make it harder for the elderly to access care through doctors who cannot absorb the fee cuts.
We’ll keep you informed. This bill could have significant far-reaching consequences for states and, if states are required to enhance the funding for Medicaid with expanded populations served, the money has to come from somewhere in state budgets. You need to be aware of what’s on the chopping block in your state now and begin to strategize how to protect the investments we’ve made in young children to date.
5/26/10 - Oklahoma Legislature - House Bill 3029 contains amendments to state law that concern accreditation penalties and would prohibit the State Department of Education from Withdrawing accreditation from or imposing a financial penalty on schools that fail to meet class-size requirements, including for early childhood education, or that fail to meet the certification requirements for library media specialist, media program and media program expenditure standards during the fiscal years ending in June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2010. Additionally:
- It also exempts all school districts from any policy, rule or law which requires school districts to form, convene or participate in any advisory council or committee, including textbook committees, during said years.
- It directs district boards of education ot leave mentor teacher positions open during said years.
- It also allows school districts to redirect funds intended for textbooks to other purposes.
The House bill received a "do pass" from a conference committee on May 24, 2010. For more information, go to http://www.sde.state.ok.us/Law/Legis/house.html
Public Policy Resources
The documents below provide useful public policy information in an easy-to-understand format
Budget & Finance
Quality & Performance
Advocacy & Lobbying
Other Issues
Helpful Links & Resources
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