Legislative Days full pg

LEGISLATIVE DAYS

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
McCormick and Schmick's Seafood Restaurant
6:00pm - 10:00pm

Click here to download a copy of the invitation. If you have any questions please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thursday, May 13, 2010

All Day at the Capitol

Easter Seals actively supports people with disabilities and their families by appealing to Local and State Officials, Congress and federal agencies to create and support programs that help people with disabilities gain greater independence.

Legislative Day was created to build awareness of Easter Seals in the state legislature as well as an opportunity to develop a strategic state government relations plan.

We will go door-to-door dropping off literature and speaking with senators, representatives and staffers. We will also be hosting an awards dinner to recognize those who have made a significant difference in our community. For more information please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Senate Leadership Award

Senator Mark Leno (D) San Francisco/San Rafael

Senator Leno chairs the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review on Health and Human Services Committee, and serves on the Senate Health Committee. This past year he worked diligently on SB 810, the California Universal Health Care Act, and as the dialogue continues we are sure we can expect him to continue his role with this critically important topic. We also wish to acknowledge Senator Leno for his work on SB 781, Residential Care Facilities Eviction Procedures; a bill sponsored by Disability Rights Advocates that became law on January 1 of this year. Senator Leno is a strong advocate and is definitely not afraid of taking on difficult issues.

Assembly Leadership Award

Assembly Member Jared Huffman (D) San Rafael

Assembly Member Huffman carried a bill sponsored by the California Disability Services Association aimed at correcting implementation problems with the DDS Trailer Bill legislation around respite and day services. Although the bill failed passage, Assembly member Huffman's outstanding advocacy and his unwavering commitment make him a leader in protecting the rights of people we serve. AB 1260 (Huffman): Developmental services: regional centers. Revises the maximum purchase by a regional center of respite services for consumers, from a maximum number of days per year and hours per quarter, to a percentage of the annualized volume of respite services utilized by a consumer who received those services in the 2008-09 fiscal year. Revises the requirement for specified vendors to offer an alternative senior program component to be permissive, and revises the requirement for regional centers to provide information and offer an alternative senior program to be permissive.

Assembly Advocate Award

Assembly Member Julia Brownley (D) Santa Monica

Assembly Member Brownley chairs the Assembly Education Committee; and is a member of Budget Sub-Committee #1, Health and Human Services; Sub-Committee #2, Education Finance; Assembly Select Committee on Higher Education. She authored AB 1269 -Working Disabled. The Medi-Cal California Working Disabled program was established in order that disabled persons can "buy in" to Medi-Cal, whether or not they receive disability income benefits, provided their earned income falls below 250 percent of the federal poverty level. This bill was signed into law and will extend eligibility to enrolled participants who are temporarily unemployed.

Assembly Advocate Award

Assembly Member Hector De La Torre (D) South Gate

Assembly Member de La Torre chairs the new Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee, which is carefully examining state agencies and their expenditures, while looking for avenues to save taxpayer's money and to ensure that state programs are being administered in efficient and effective ways. Assembly Member De La Torre says his committee will be looking for "best practices" across state government to see which departments and agencies are most efficient. He also serves on Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 – Health and Human Services. He introduced AB 400, which requires the FISCal system to additionally include a state budget transparency component that allows the public to access non-confidential General Fund and federal fund expenditure data, such as the amount of expenditures and a brief description of its purpose, by using an Internet Web site. His Bill had bipartisan support and was signed into law. AB 1585 State Agency Reporting Requirements. Will allow the state to stop wasting time and money on reports that are no longer needed, saving the state money and allowing for better service to the public. The bill has bipartisan support.

Distinguished Community Service Award

Henry Michon, Board Member ES Bay Area

As a volunteer, his inspirational leadership has helped raise funds for both Easter Seals Bay Area and Easter Seals Superior. As an executive with Safeway and as a board member, he has reached out and successfully engaged other local corporations raising well over $5 million over the past 6 years alone. As he raised money he also raised awareness of the critical problems facing the individuals and the families supported by Easter Seals. His leadership, his commitment and the results he delivers in support of individuals with a disability is impressive. Easter Seals recognizes him with this Distinguished Community Service Award.