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Disability Policy Consortium Weekly Update
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July 12, 2010
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Greetings,
Voting ends tonight at 11:59PM!! We have come so far because of you! We are currently ranked 236 and need to be in the 200 win!!! Please take a few minutes to make sure your vote went through AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO VOTE!
We can win, but not without your help! We need 400 more votes!!! http://bit.ly/DPCWIN
The 20th Anniversary is right around the corner. Celebrations are taking place throughout the state. Please check out our website for a calendar of events near you!
Sincerely,
Robyn Powell
Assistant Director, Disability Policy Consortium
rpowell@dpcma.org| 617-542-3522
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2010 Elections
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The 2010 Election season is upon us. In three weeks, the Legislature will move into informal sessions so everyone can go home and campaign for the next 4 months. There are many more races this year with opponents in the primary, Republicans and independents challenging the Democrat incumbents.
Elections pose an opportunity for citizens to raise issues of importance with the people seeking to represent them. This is a really good time for disability advocates to ask about why incumbents voted to cut for dental services for MassHealth subscribers, why they continued to allow cuts to the Mass Rehab Commission's home maker program that keeps people in their homes with 4 hours of services a week, and your favorite pet peeve.
You might also want to look at the Olmstead Initiatives Report on the DPC web site for some issues to raise with people running for office.
It is also a good time to volunteer to work in someone's campaign. This will give you really good access to the candidate during the next 2 years if he/she gets elected.
A list of all candidates for House and Senate candidates is posted on our web site at http://www.dpcma.org/Issues/Elections2010/tabid/829/Default.aspx
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Help push the Architectural Access Board legislation
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Advocates have been working with the Architectural Access Board for years to increase accessibility to buildings and increase he accessible housing stock. Now we are asking people to assist us by asking the Governor to help push HB45 through the legislature.
HB45 was submitted by the Executive Office of Public Safety in January 2009 to bring the Architectural Access Board's underlying statues into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If the legislation passed the AAB could rewrite its regulations and submit them to the Department of Justice for certification. Once certifies as "conforming", builders and architects could then rely on one code book rather than 4 or 5.
The process of building accessible building (including housing) would be measurable easier, quicker, and less costly.
Here are ways in which you can help:
1. Copy the draft letter is on the DPC web site (Letter to the Governor on AAB Legislation, http://www.dpcma.org/Members/LegislationBudget/tabid/717/Default.aspx ), print it and mail it to
Governor Deval Patrick
State House
Boston MA 02133
2. Go to the Governor's web site and email him directly:
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3utilities&sid=Agov3&U=Agov3_contact_us
3. Call the Governors office:
617 727-4005 (Boston)
413 784-1200 (Springfield)
4. Wait for our email alert later today and respond directly through email.
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