| MAP
Advocate |
Vol.10 No. 12
March 29, 2004
Take Action.
Call Senators Dayton and Coleman and Urge Support of
What Works
An amendment will be introduced to the federal TANF bill this week that would allow states such as Minnesota to seek a waiver to use funds previously set aside for abstinence-only until marriage programs for programs better suited to meet state needs. The amendment is being offered by Sens. Baucus (D-MT) and Chaffee (R-RI). More information on the amendment is below. At the present time, Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) has stated he will speak out on the Senate floor in favor of this amendment. Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) is still considering his position. They need to hear from you. Contact Sen. Dayton and thank him for supporting what works and what Minnesotans want. Then, contact Sen. Coleman and urge him to do the same.
Dayton to Support Amendment Allowing Federal Funds for Comp Sex
Ed,
Coleman Considering
An amendment will be introduced this week to allow state's flexibility
in its use of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds that
are currently used for abstinence-only until marriage programs. Recognizing
the failure of these programs in reducing unintended pregnancies and STDs,
the waiver would allow states to use the money for programs that better
address the needs of its citizens. Currently, Minnesota uses TANF funds
for Education Now and Babies Later (ENABL), which a recent study found
to be ineffective in encouraging young people to delay sexual activity.
The current system is forcing states to spend dollars on programs that
do not work;
Minnesota has invested $5 million dollars on ENABL. See the Take Action
piece above and make a call now to give Minnesota the flexibility it needs
to protect the health of young people.
Comprehensive
Family Life and Sexuality Education Bill Keeps Moving
Through Committee Process
The Comprehensive Family Life and Sexuality Education bill (SF2443) has worked its way to the Finance Committee in the Senate for possible inclusion in an omnibus funding bill. The bill broadens the state's HIV/STD school curriculum mandate to include pregnancy prevention, and clearly defines comprehensive sexual health education standards for satisfying the mandate. It also proposes funding to re-establish the HIV Regional Training Sites. Although the bill has yet to have a hearing in the House of Representatives, there are still a few avenues to advance comprehensive sexual health in that chamber and interest is growing on both sides of the aisle on this bill. Legislators should hear from you and your friends calling for support of comprehensive sexual health education -- especially members of the Minnesota House.
Will Minnesota Join the Ranks of States in ADAP Crisis?
The Governor sees the looming crisis with Minnesota's
AIDS drug and insurance reimbursement program and has recommended a $2.1
million one-time fix in his budget proposal. However, the matter is not
addressed in the House omnibus health and human services bill intended
to address health care cost containment -- HF 1681. It's not clear if
the Senate is going to take up the matter either since "no new taxes"
budgeting has left legislators with few dollars to work with to address
such emergency health needs. The political guess at the Capitol right
now is that nothing will happen with any of the budget bills that come
out of the House or the Senate because they will be so radically different
that no compromise will be reached. It could be that the legislature ends
up adjourning with adopting any budget bills, leaving the Governor to
fill the $185 million projected budget gap from the state's rainy day
fund. Stay tuned.
African-Born Prevention
Funding Falls Victim to "No-New-Taxes"
Governing
A measure to provide one-time funding of $300,000
targeting the emerging HIV epidemic among African-born Minnesotans (SF2678/HF2826)
has not received a hearing in either the Senate or the House and is likely
dead for this session. This much needed legislation would have created
a public awareness campaign targeting a community that accounts for 21
percent of the new HIV infections in Minnesota that is
linguistically and culturally appropriate. The reluctance to fund needed
initiatives such as this has been fueled by the constraints of Minnesota's
no-new-taxes budget which has resulted in severe cuts in health and human
services and an inability to respond to emerging health needs.
Omnibus Bills? What are these all about?
As we approach the final weeks of session, much talk and debate turns to the contents of omnibus bills. What does this term refer to? Instead of sending every piece of legislation to the House of senate floor individually, many will be rolled into one bill called an omnibus bill that contains several policy, tax and appropriations measures in one very large bill. Generally, each committee will send their own omnibus bill to the floor for further debate and a vote. Once on the floor, these bills are still subject to amendments of measures that did not successfully make it through the committee process. This year, HIV advocates should pay particular attention to the Education Omnibus bill and the Health and Human Services Omnibus bill where abstinence-only until marriage, efforts to repeal minor's consent and "no promo homo" language may be proposed in floor debate.
Attacks
on Same-Sex Marriage Represent This Year's Legislative
Homophobia
Thousands made their way to the State Capitol
last week to speak out on a proposed constitutional amendment banning
same-sex marriage. While supporters of the amendment literally pounded
on walls and doors to intimidate legislators, thousands of others showed
up on March 25 in a display of civility, simply to ask for fair treatment.
Although the House passed the measure to allow a vote on whether the Minnesota
constitution will be changed to forbid same-sex marriage, a similar
proposal was defeated in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee
instead approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would forbid
the judicial branch from defining marriage. MAP opposes attacks on GLBT
civil rights, as such attacks are one of the root causes continuing to
fuel the HIV epidemic in Minnesota and the US.
For more information on the status of the constitutional amendments, see
Outfront Minnesota's Web site: http://www.outfront.org/
Town Hall Forum on Global AIDS at University of MN, April 2
The University of Minnesota Medical School
and Physicians for Human Rights are hosting a Town
Hall Forum on Global AIDS Friday, April 2 from 2 to 4:30 pm. The panel
presentation will be featuring MAP's Director of Community Affairs and
Education, Bob Tracy, as well as Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) for a discussion
on what is being done (as well as what isn't) and what Minnesotans can
do to address the global AIDS epidemic, with time for discussion and questions
from the audience. The forum takes place as word pours from the national
media questioning the U.S. government's resistance to allowing access
to more affordable, generic AIDS drugs, and budget proposals are coming
out of the Administration and Congress that once again fail to live up
to the $3 billion-a-year committed through headlines in 2003. The forum
will be held at the McNamara
Alumni Center Memorial Hall. See News
& Views for more information on the Global epidemic.
Federal HIV Funding Picture "Not Good"
The Administration's budget proposal for 2005
has been floating about. In very general terms, it includes "flat
funding" for HIV prevention and care. Which in real terms, means
we can expect cuts. With the ballooning deficit, advocates are expecting
to see budgets coming out of the U.S. Senate, and especially the U.S.
House that will reduce funding for domestic HIV prevention and care. Even
the much publicized Global AIDS Initiative is still being recommended
for funding by the Administration that falls short of the originally promised
$3 billion annually. The only "good news" on the federal front
is the introduction in the House of the Early Treatment for HIV Act (HR
3859), which would allow states to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income
HIV-positive people who have not yet developed AIDS. A similar bill is
expected to be introduced in the Senate. While chances of passage are
probably slim given the federal budget situation, this seems to be one
of the best plans going for reducing
the chronic problem of underfunding for programs such as the Ryan White
CARE Act and ADAP [AIDS Drug Assistance Program]. Earlier this month,
Hennepin County was informed of a 5 percent cut in CARE Act Title I funding
targeted for the Twin Cities metro area effective this year. State officials
are bracing to hear about additional cuts
likely to hit CARE Act Title II funding available for statewide use.
Elizabeth Dickinson to Join MAP as Community Affairs Manager
MAP is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Dickinson
will be joining MAP's Community Affairs team as the Community Affairs
Manager starting April 1. Elizabeth will be assuming the role of MAP's
lead lobbyist at the State Capitol as well as overseeing our community
organizing and the launching of a new youth health initiative. Bob Tracy
will
remain in his position as Director of Community Affairs and Education,
providing leadership to Community Affairs as well as PrideAlive, Positive
Link, Legal Services, Workplace Services and Systems Advocacy. Laura Fredrick
Wang will continue being responsible for communications with advocates
and mobilization, but will also take on
MAP's new outreach program focusing on youth health issues such as comprehensive
sexual health education and minor's consent. Matt Peterson as Community
Affairs Executive Assistant will remain in the role of Webmaster for the
Public Policy page of mnaidsproject.org.
Bob Tracy Joins Board of National Association of People With AIDS
Bob Tracy has been elected to the Board of Directors at the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA). This exciting move will ensure that Minnesota will have a voice in national HIV policy at this very critical time. Visit NAPWA's Web site for more information about who they are and what they do: http://www.napwa.org/
MAP Advocate is published by the Minnesota AIDS Project every two weeks while the Minnesota Legislature is in session, and monthly during the rest of the year. It is available through the MAP web site mnaidsproject.org and through email list service. If you wish to order the MAP Advocate, visit our Join the Action Network page, or contact MAP Public Policy by phone or email.
MAP Public Policy
Minnesota AIDS Project
1400 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-341-2060
800-373-2437
public.policy@mnaidsproject.org
Mission & Values | Executive Director | Board of Directors | Annual Report | Publications | Calendar of Events | Employment | Contact Us
Last Updated:
Friday, March 30, 2007
[an error occurred while processing this directive]