MAP Advocate
April 25, 2007
Vol. 13. No. 15

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In This Issue:

1. Minnesota Update: AIDSLine Funding Passes Off the House Floor
2. Minnesota Update: Comprehensive Sex Education Passes Off the House Floor

Minnesota Update: AIDSLine Funding Passes Off the House Floor

The MAP AIDSLine bill was included in the House floor discussion on Friday, April 20 as part of the House Health Omnibus Bill. An amendment was proposed by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano) to redirect the funding from the MAP AIDSLine to the Education Now and Babies Later (ENABL) Program - an abstinence-only program that is targeted at teens and has been proven to be ineffective. Emmer's amendment failed 49-82. Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL-Minneapolis), the bill’s author, as well as Rep. Ron Erhardt (R-Edina) spoke against the Emmer amendment. The bill will now be heard in conference committee, where 5 members from both the House and the Senate will get together to work out the differences between the versions of the bill that passed in the Senate and the House.

TAKE ACTION: Please see the lists below to see how your Representative voted - and send them a thank you or contact them to discuss their lack of support! A “yes” vote is a vote against the AIDSLine.

Click here to find out who represents you.

YES:

NO:

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Minnesota Update: Comprehensive Sex Education Passes Off the House Floor

For the first time, the Responsible Family Life and Sexuality Education bill (now incorporated in the House Education Omnibus Bill (HF 6)) passed the House floor last week! Rep. Neva Walker (DFL-Minneapolis), the bill’s author, offered an amendment changing "opt-in" to language that would allow school districts the option to develop an "opt-in" policy, rather than requiring it. This was proposed as a compromise. The coalition continues to support "opt-out" as the preferred policy and it may still be possible to accomplish this in conference committee. The next step for the comprehensive sex education legislation will be the Education K-12 Conference Committee and then hopefully onto the Governor’s desk.

Take Action:
Please leave Representative Walker a message thanking her for her leadership and support this session. If you are Rep. Walker's constituent, please make note of this.

Representative Neva Walker
651.296.7152
rep.neva.walker@house.mn

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Visit the MAP Advocate archive to see what you missed.

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For more information about what's of interest to you at the Minnesota State Capitol, visit the Web sites of our allies at OutFront Minnesota and Sex Ed for Life.

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 isavailable through the MAP web site mnaidsproject.org and through email list service. If you wish to order the MAP Advocate, visit our Join the Public Policy 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

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Last Updated: Wednesday, May 2, 2007
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