MAP Advocate
AIDS Advocacy Update
Vol. 6 No. 7
March 31, 2000
In this issue:
Push for STD Funding is Now
House Restricts Sex Education & Services
Senate Restores Content for STD/HIV Education
Patient Protection Advances in Senate
Contact the Gov...
CALL TO ACTION
Funding for STD prevention will be negotiated in the context of a larger appropriation bill known as the Miscellaneous Supplemental Bill (HF 2699/SF 3798). This bill deals with numerous spending proposals from health to agriculture. With funding for STD prevention in the Senate Health bill only, calls are needed now to House and Senate committee members to urge support of the Senate approved $175,000 to expand access to free STD screening (See CALL TO ACTION for details). Governor Ventura needs to be contacted as well, since he said he opposes any funding through a supplemental appropriation unless it meets an " urgent need." (See "Contact the Gov..." section).
The House approved amendments to the education finance bill (HF 3800) which would severely restrict HIV, STD and sexual health education and services for young people. One amendment prevents school-based clinics from distributing contraceptives, vouchers, or prescriptions for contraceptives without parental permission. Another amendment effectively prevents schools or state agencies (including the Department of Health) from undertaking any activity that might be interpreted as "encouraging sexual activity." The Senate considered a similar amendment to the one heard in the house, but a series of changes were added which disabled its original intent.
MAP will work to oppose these restrictions in conference committee. Calls to conferees are needed, but as of this printing these legislators have not yet been appointed. In the meantime, contact the K-12 committee chairs to ask them to remove these proposals. Call Sen. Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Mpls) at 651-296-7890 and Alice Seagren (R-Bloomington) at 651-296-7803. Continue checking our website to keep updated on the naming of education finance committee members, and be prepared to contact them as well.
Language that would have removed all requirements that K-12 STD/HIV education be "technically accurate and comprehensive" showed up mistakenly in the Senate K-12 repealer bill (SF 3216). MAP worked with author Senator Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Mpls) to offer an author's amendment to strike that portion of the bill, effectively restoring the STD/HIV school mandate to its original form.
The full Senate approved Sen. Linda Berglin's (DFL-Mpls) patient protection bill (SF3156) by a vote of 43-0. Only two Republicans voted for the bill, with the remainder abstaining from voting on it. The bill was weakened by restricting access to specialists through a standing referral to only those patients with serious and complex chronic conditions and disabilities. MAP supported the original intent of the bill, which allowed access to specialists for anyone who had a disability. The next step is the conference committee, where differences between the House and Senate versions will be resolved.
Calls, e-mails and letters are needed now to urge the Governor to support STD prevention funding.
Governor Ventura
Room 130 State Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0504 (Metro)
1-800-657-3717 (Toll Free)
1-880-234-1216 (TDD)
E-mail: governor@state.mn.us
MESSAGE TO VENTURA
"I urge you to support funding for STD prevention. STDs constitute an "urgent needs" budget because they have long gone unnoticed as one of the most serious health issues facing young people, women, gay and bisexual men and communities of color. "
Push for STD Funding is Now!
As you read in the MAP Advocate, the legislature will soon be deciding
how much (if any) money will be approved for STD prevention. This is your
call to action. Contact the committee members below and urge them to support
the Senate approved $175,000 to expand access to free STD screening.
CALLS, E-MAILS AND LETTERS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE LIST BELOW.
KEY MESSAGE:
Please support funding for STD prevention in the Miscellaneous Supplemental
Bill (HF 2699/SF3798)
OTHER TALKING POINTS:
* STDs are a serious public health problem affecting young people, women
and communities of color
* Huge disparities exist for STDs especially among young people and African-
Americans-indicating a serious health issue deserving an "urgent
needs budget"
* Minnesota has a limited capacity for conducting core public health functions
around STDs. The last time the MN Department of Health conducted a statewide
awareness campaign around STDs was in the 1970's.
Senate Conferees
Senator Don Samuelson (DFL)-651-296-4875
E-mail: sen.don.samuelson@senate.leg.state.mn.us
Senator Sheila Kiskaden (R)-651-296-4848
E-mail: sen.sheila.kiskaden@senate.leg.state.mn.us
Senator Leonard Price (DFL)-651-297-8060
E-mail: sen.leonard.price@senate.leg.state.mn.us
Senator Jerry Janezich (DFL)-651-296-8017
E-mail: sen.jerry.janezich@senate.leg.state.mn.us
Senator Jane Krentz (DFL)-651-296-7061
E-mail: sen.jane.krentz@senate.leg.state.mn.us
House Conferees
Representative Kevin Goodno (R)-651-296-5515
E-mail: rep.kevin.goodno@house.leg.state.mn.us
Representative Phil Krinkie (R)-651-296-2907
E-mail: rep.phil.krinkie@house.leg.state.mn.us
Representative Lynda Boudreau (R)-651-296-8237
E-mail: rep.lynda.boudreau@house.leg.state.mn.us
Representative Tim Finseth(R)-651-296-9918
E-mail: rep.tim.finseth@house.leg.state.mn.us
Representative Rod Skoe (R)-651-296-4265
E-mail: rep.rod.skoe@house.leg.state.mn.us
For further info on your legislators contact:
Senate info: 651-296-0504
www.senate.leg.state.mn.us
House Info: 651-296-2146 or 1-800-657-3550 www.house.leg.state.mn.us
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Last Updated:
Friday, March 30, 2007
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