PCPA’s Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC) recently held a Targeted Bill Action day, during which a box of The Provider’s Dozen cookies (a box containing 11 cookies) was delivered to all senators and select House leadership at the Capitol. This event, combined with the efforts of other statewide organizations, is realizing much success.
Make
Further Legislative Contacts
Senate leadership has stated that House Bill 1813 (inflationary index for
mental health/mental retardation [MH/MR]) will come up for a vote before the
full Senate on October 16 – and we need your help. Senators must hear
from providers/consumers/interested parties that they should vote "yea"
on House Bill 1813 and that the legislation must become law. Refer to the
Targeted Bill Action talking
points for inflationary index legislation (dated September 26).
PCPA knows that community providers have been very active on the issue of long-term, stable system funding…but we need you to keep up the pressure! House Bill 1813 has one more step to pass the Senate – it must be voted upon by the full Senate. Then, due to amendments by the Senate adding clarifying language, the bill must return to the House for concurrence (that is, for the House to agree to the Senate amendments). Once the House would concur with the Senate amendments and vote to pass the bill again, House Bill 1813 would arrive on Governor Edward G. Rendell’s desk; it would require his signature to become law.
Legislative
and Governor Contacts
Please refer to the handout
containing key contact information, including that for all 50 senators, key
House leadership and legislative friends, and the governor’s office.
- When calling the Senate: Thank the senator for his/her past support of MH/MR/drug and alcohol (D&A). Tell the senator/staffer that you understand House Bill 1813 will come up for a vote in the Senate on October 16. State that the senator should vote "yea" on House Bill 1813, which would help stabilize funding for the MH/MR system. Then, remind the senator/staffer that the Senate still needs to vote “yea” on House Bill 1649 (dedicated alcohol tax initiative) to secure funding for the D&A system. Refer to the Targeted Bill Action talking points for dedicated alcohol tax initiative (dated September 26).
- When calling House leadership: Thank the representative for his/her past support of MH/MR/D&A. Tell the representative/staffers that the Senate is scheduled to vote on House Bill 1813 on October 16. Due to clarifying amendments inserted into the bill by the Senate, should the Senate approve the bill it will need to come back to the House for concurrence (i.e., agreement). Urge that the representative do everything possible to bring House Bill 1813 up for an immediate vote, should it come back to the House, and then to vote "yea" on House Bill 1813.
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When calling the governor’s office: Urge that the governor sign House Bill 1813 into law, should it arrive on his desk from the legislature. *Note that administration officials have not supported House Bill 1813 citing high cost as an obstacle.
