MAP Public Policy
Current Issue of the MAP Advocate
MAP Media
Releases
News Articles of Note
HIV
in Minnesota - By the Numbers
Knowledge and Attitudes about
HIV in Minnesota - A 2001 Survey
On Watch
in Saint Paul - Minnesota Legislature Web Site
Register to receive MAP Advocate updates by email
MAP Advocate
HIV Advocacy Update
April 25, 2005
Vol. 11. No. 11
TAKE ACTION!
Contact your state Senator NOW to save HIV Prevention in Minnesota!
Call or email your state Senator today to tell them to stop a homophobic, ill-advised amendment to the House health committee's budget bill. The amendment includes the following language, "the Minnesota AIDS Project is not eligible for any grants from the commissioner of health or the Department of Health." Contact your state Senator today and tell them to "add an amendment to the Health and Human services omnibus bill to delete the House's earlier amendment." The amendment added by the House to restrict MAP from receiving state health grants MUST be stopped! Don't know who represents you? Click here to find out .
Join Us at the Capitol THIS Wednesday, April 27, for the "Camp Out for Comp Sex Ed"
Join us at the Capitol THIS Wednesday, April 27 from 5-9 pm at the "Camp
Out for Comp Sex Ed." Join Minnesota teens, their parents, educators,
and folks who value medically accurate, comprehensive sexual health education
together to call upon their legislators to support comprehensive sex education
in schools and minors' rights to consent to health care. To register,
email us at publicpolicy@mnaidsproject.org
or call 612-373-9162. Camp Out for Comp Sex Ed is being coordinated
in partnership with Sex Ed for Life and our friends at MOAPPP [Minnesota
Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting].
Click here for a copy of the "Camp Out for
Comp Sex Ed" flyer to use in your school.
IN THIS ISSUE:
MN House Health Committee Attacks HIV Prevention
Leadership of the Minnesota House health committee is finishing the work on its budget bill [HF1422]. The bill includes a direct attack on all HIV prevention programs that receive funding from the Minnesota Department of Health. The bill includes a prohibition of state funding for "Web sites, pamphlets, or other communications that contain sexually explicit images or language." It also states, "the Minnesota AIDS Project is not eligible for any grants from the commissioner of health or the Department of Health." This would eliminate funding for MAP's services targeting gay/bi men, HIV-positive gay/bi men, African American men who are part of street substance using communities, and the MAP AIDSLine. Rep. Tom Emmer [R-Delano] introduced the proposals with encouragement from the Minnesota Family Council. This year the group seems to object to the MAP PrideAlive Web site, ironically, a service that is not funded with MDH dollars. What's at stake here is the ability of not just MAP, but of any organization to do good public health and try to prevent this sexually transmitted infection by using materials that are specific and culturally relevant.
MAP would like to clarify last weeks MAP Advocate, which stated that Rep. Tim Wilkin [R-Eagan] introduced the proposal. It was actually Rep. Emmer [R-Delano] we apologize for any confusion; unfortunately, when riders are attached to bills authorship can be confusing.
MAP Holds a Press Conference on House Health Committee Attacks on HIV Prevention
Last Friday, April 22, the Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP) held a press conference to express concern and outrage at the House health committee attacks on HIV Prevention. Lorraine Teel, MAP Executive Director spoke, along with Dr. Alan Lifson and Dr. Simon Rosser of the University of Minnesota, Sarah Rybecki, Co-Director of the Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center, and Gretchen Musciant, the Minneapolis Health Commissioner. Lorraine summed up the ridiculousness of these attacks, saying that, "We have to talk about sex if we are going to help people understand how to eliminate or reduce infection. Isn't it ironic that we can use sex to sell toothpaste, cars and frozen pizza but not to sell safer sex to adults." Both the Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune covered the press conference in their Saturday editions. To read remarks from the Press Conference click here.
Senate Panel Continues to Consider State ADAP Reforms
At this time, revisions to the HIV Prevention and Health Care Access Bill [SF 1836], a.k.a. the "HH" bill will still be included in the Health and Human Services omnibus bill. The bill seemed doomed once the Department of Human Services released a $22 million cost report. MAP revised the bill to remove all new costs, while still making significant policy reforms that will prevent DHS from acting unilaterally, as it did last year, when making changes in the State's HIV drug and insurance assistance program. Read the revised bill on the MAP Bill Tracker .
Comprehensive Sex Ed Bill Still Trucking, but your Representatives Need to Hear From YOU!
The comp sex ed bill has found its way into the Senate Education omnibus bill this session, which is great! However, we need to convince House members to include a similar revision in their omnibus bill to keep the legislation moving forward this session. Please call or email your state Representative and let them know how important comp sex ed is for prevention of HIV, STDs and unplanned pregnancies. Don't know who represents you? Click here to find out. Want to learn more about the Comprehensive Sex Education bill? Click here to read more.
Endangered: Regional Training Site Funding Support
for Comprehensive Sex Education
As a result of the "no new taxes" Governance we are seeing roadblocks
to the Renewed Funding for Regional Training Sites bill. While a formal
amendment for renewed funding was withdrawn in the Senate Education Finance
committee by Senator Kelley, it is still possible funds may be found later
in the process. Please call members of the Senate Education Finance Committee
to urge their support for these sites. To read more about this bill and
to find contact information for Senate Education Finance Committee members,
please click
here .
Hopeful Signs for HIV Prevention Education for African-born Minnesotans
Senator Linda Higgins presented an amendment to the Senate Health Budget Committee to include funding for HIV Prevention Education for African-born Minnesotans in the senate Health Omnibus bill. Although this amendment was not formally adopted, there is a sense of bi-partisan support within the committee. To insure this critical initiative is funded, please contact members of the Senate Health Finance Committee. Click here for more information on the bill and to find contact information for members of the Senate Health Finance Committee.
How Do Your Legislators Vote? Check Out MAP's 2004 Key Votes
How do your legislators stand on issues like minors' consent, comprehensive sex education and abstinence only sex education? To find out, visit MAP's 2004 Key Votes document online. Click here to view your legislator's key votes.
With the recent attacks by some legislators on Minnesota AIDS Project funding and on the ability of any group funded by Minnesota Department of Health to do effective HIV prevention, it is extremely heartening to receive support. The Public Policy team at MAP would like to thank all the people who called their legislators to protest this misguided tactic.
On Friday afternoon, we visited many legislators to update them on our press conference and to offer fact sheets about the source of our funding and what programs they support. At least a dozen aides told us that they had already received calls of support for MAP---and many had received multiple phone calls protesting interference with HIV prevention efforts.
We have also heard from people who do not receive the MAP Advocate who have wanted to show their support, so we know many of you contacted your friends and colleagues to pass along information. Please encourage them to receive the MAP Advocate.
Thank-you all so much for all of your efforts, and please continue contacting your legislators---it truly makes a difference. And if you can go further, consider sponsoring someone or participating yourself in the upcoming MN AIDS Walk. While funding from Minnesota Department of Health is critical to some of our programs, most of our funding comes from private sources--from people like you who are committed to stopping HIV in Minnesota. Thanks again.
Click here to get more information about the Minnesota AIDS Walk.
Join 10,000 Minnesotans at the Minnesota AIDS Walk on Sunday May 15 to show your support for the fight against AIDS and raise funds for the Minnesota AIDS Project. With the prospect of state prevention funding being cut, it's really time to step it up and step out for the AIDS Walk. Click here to get all of the details and set-up your own on-line campaign to collect pledges.
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 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]