CDCAN DISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
CDCAN LOGOCalifornia Disability Community Action Network
Advocacy Without Borders: One Community
News Impacting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors & others, including Asian Pacific Islanders, Latinos, African Americans communities across California and beyond - Reports go out to over 45,000 people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs & others,  organizations, policy makers across California
REPLY TO: MARTY OMOTO 
 martyomoto@rcip.com   website:   www.cdcan.us
 REPORT #093-2008  -  MAY 7, 2008 - WEDNESDAY
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings
* Issue of Access Rights & SB 1608
* Towhall Telemeeting  Set May 8th 1 to 2:40 PM
* Sen. Corbett, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair
* Peggy Collins, Corbett Chief of Staff
Others Scheduled Include Gene Wong, Chief Consultant Senate Judiciary Committee, Catherine Blakemore, PAI Executive Director, CFILC Director and also Many Disability Rights Advocates Opposed to the Bill
 
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - A bill, SB 1608 by Sen. Ellen Corbett (Democrat - San Leandro) dealing with the issue of the rights of children and adults with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, the blind and others to accessible communities will be the focus of a CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting, May 8th, Thursday afternoon from 1 to 2:40 PM.  The townhall telemeeting will specifically provide updates, questions and answers and debate on the pros and cons of SB 1608.  The townhall is open to anyone, and is meant to bring public policymaking to people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors and others who cannot afford to come to Sacramento or have health or other issues.  People can participate via toll free lines and the internet (high speed access) live, or for later listening via an audio recording on the CDCAN website (also free) at www.cdcan.us   The bill was amended on May 6 (latest copies of the bill are available on the CDCAN website). 
 
The legislation which has drawn controversy and opposition, passed out of Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on April 28th by vote of 9 to 0, and passed out of Senate Judiciary Committee on April 29th by vote of 4 to 0 (with Sen. Dick Ackerman not voting).  The bill was referred to Senate Appropriations Committee for hearing.  No hearing date has yet been set, but the bill will need to be heard in that committee on or before May 23 - the deadline for Appropriations Committees in both houses to report their bills to the Assembly or Senate bills that were introduced in their houses this year. 
 
The bill is also authored by Senators Tom Harman (Republican - Orange, 35th District), the vice chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Darrell Steinberg (Democrat - Sacramento, 6th District) and the incoming President Pro Tem, George Runner (Republican - Antelope Valley, 17th District) and Ronald Calderon (Democrat - Montebello, 30th District).  Principal co-authors are Assemblymembers Cameron Smyth (Republican - Santa Clarita, 38th District) and Lois Wolk (Democrat - Davis, 8th District). 
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting:
MAY 8th (THURSDAY) 1 to 2:40 PM
Subject: ACCESS RIGHTS & SB 1608
 
How To Connect (toll free number): 1-800-608-4143 (there is NO passcode)
OR You Can ALSO access on the web (if you have access to high speed internet)
Step 1: Go to RollCall Conferencing website: http://www.800rollc all.com/webprese nter/
Step 2: Enter the Guest login participant code: 68147694  
Step 3: Type in your first name and (if you want), your last name your organization and email address. You don't have to do that however.
Step 4: Click on the "Log In" button
Step 5: Your computer will flash a security warning - click "yes" and click on audio stream. 
Note: You can ask a question by typing it in
 
Since 2003, CDCAN Townhall telemeetings provide an opportunity for thousands people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, workers - especially those on limited incomes, communities of color or with health needs and limited resources that prevent travel, to participate and find out directly from top policymakers and other advocates on critical issues. A single townhall telemeeting often attracts hundreds of people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, workers and community organizations who provide supports and services and others across the State. Townhall telemeetings that featured in past months the head of the Medi-Cal program, and also the head of the Department of Developmental Services attracted close to or over 500 people each.  In addition, hundreds more listen to the audio recordings posted on the CDCAN website.
 
Who Will Be On the May 8th Townhall
Representatives of the legislative authors, besides Corbett who will be on the entire townhall telemeeting to provide updates and answer questions include Peggy Collins, chief of staff to Sen. Corbett (former senior staffer for Sen. Wes Chesbro, who previously chaired the Senate Select Committee on Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health) and Gene Wong, chief consultant to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Kathryn Dresslar, chief of staff for Sen. Darrell Steinberg (Democrat - Sacramento), the new incoming Senate President Pro Tem, may also be on the townhall. 
 
Advocates who will comment and also answer questions in support of the bill who will be on the townhall telemeeting are Catherine Blakemore, executive director of Protection and Advocacy Inc (PAI) and Teresa Favuzzi, executive director of the California Foundation of Independent Living Centers (CFILC). 
 
A response panel of advocates including those in opposition to the bill will also be on hand, including Laura Williams, president of Californians for Disability Rights, Maggie "Dee" Dowling, a longtime and respected East bay area based disability rights advocate and local radio talk show host, Connie Arnold, another longtime and respected Sacramento based disability rights advocate, Richard Skaff of Designing Accessible Communities, Christal Hopkins, a Fresno disability advocate who has promoted inclusion of African Americans with disabilities, Anna Wang, an east bay area disability rights advocate and parent of a child with autism. Also part of the response panel (some invited and not yet confirmed) include Anthony Goldsmith, Paul Rein and Walter Parks, Shella DuMong and others.   

Everyone participating in the townhall telemeeting will have the opportunity to ask questions. 
 
Two Other Access Related Bills Rejected
The Assembly Judiciary Committee on April 29th rejected on a partyline vote, 3 to 7, another access rights related bill, AB 2533 by Assemblymember Rick Keene (Republican - Chico) that would have required a 30 day notice (referred sometimes as "notification") before a person could file a lawsuit for access violations 
 
The Senate Judiciary Committee also on April 29th - the same day it approved SB 1608, strongly rejected another access related bill, SB 1766 by Sen. Tom McClintock (Republican - Thousand Oaks), by a vote of 5 to 0.  That bill called for a six month delay before a person could file a lawsuit for access violations.   
 
Copies of both of those bills are also on the CDCAN website at www.cdca.us
 
Bill Has Drawn Support - But Also Controversy and Opposition
The authors of the bill say the legislation is needed and will promote access rights using a comprehensive approach of continuing education for some professionals, creation of a independent commission to promote access compliance and awareness, and a process, for some who meet certain requirements, to ask for a early settlement and evaluation conference where there is litigation for possible access violations. 
 
Opponents however say the bill will undermine access rights and promotes non-compliance and enforcement and that the issue is compliance and enforcement at all levels.  They say the bill would create a commission on disability access that will not be independent but dominated by representatives of business and will likely promote further delays in access. Some opponents oppose the provisions that call for early settlement and evaluation conferences as "containment" of access rights. 
 
SCHEDULE OF CDCAN TOWNHALLS (MORE TO BE SCHEDULED)
 
How To Connect  to any of the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings
(toll free number): 1-800-608-4143 (there is NO passcode)
OR You Can ALSO access on the web (if you have access to high speed internet)
Step 1: Go to RollCall Conferencing website: http://www.800rollc all.com/webprese nter/
Step 2: Enter the Guest login participant code: 68147694  
Step 3: Type in your first name and (if you want), your last name your organization and email address. You don't have to do that however.
Step 4: Click on the "Log In" button
Step 5: Your computer will flash a security warning - click "yes" and click on audio stream. 
Note: You can ask a question by typing it in
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting:
MAY 8th (THURSDAY) 1 to 2:40 PM
Subject: ACCESS RIGHTS & SB 1608
Hear about the issue & bill - update - question & answers (everyone can ask!)
GUEST SPEAKERS: 
* Sen. Ellen Corbett, author of the bill [invited] and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; 
* Peggy Collins (chief of staff - Sen. Corbett)
* Gene Wong (Chief Consultant - Senate Judiciary Committee)
and
* Catherine Blakemore (Executive Director - Protection & Advocacy Inc. - PAI)
* Teresa Favuzzi (Executive Director - California Foundation for Independent Living Centers - CFILC)
RESPONSE PANEL: 
* Anthony Goldsmith (disability access attorney - Los Angeles)
* Connie Arnold (disability rights advocate - Sacramento)
* Maggie "Dee" Dowling [invited] (disability rights advocate/radio talk show host - Bay Area)
* Christal Hopkins (disability rights advocate - Fresno)
* Paul Rein [invited] (disability rights attorney - Bay Area)
* Walter Parks (invited not yet officially confirmed)
* Richard Skaff (Designing Accessible Communities, Bay Area & disability rights advocate)
* Laura Williams (President - Californians for Disability Rights Inc - CDR)
* Anna Wang [invited] (parent/disability rights advocate - East Bay Area)
Note: others may be included - everyone can ask a question who participates in the townhall
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting:
MAY 14, 2008 (WEDNESDAY) 4 PM
Subject: Governor's Budget Revisions  (specifically the impact on children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, people with traumatic brain and other injuries, people with MS, Alzheimer's and their families, community organizations and workers who provide supports and services and others) 
GUEST SPEAKER:
KIM BELSHE, Secretary - California Health and Human Services Agency
NOTE:
* With May 14th a pivotal date that advocates and policymakers anxiously wait for when the Governor will release his budget revisions or changes (called the "May Revise" or the "May Revision")
* The last appearance by Belshe in a CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting earlier this year drew well over 500 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, families, workers and other advocates across the State.
* The Governor last week warned that the budget gap is getting wider - and could grow to over $20 billion by the end of the 2008-2009 State Budget year unless major cuts and other budget changes are made. 
* Schwarzenegger Administration officials, while confirming that no final decisions have been made yet, say that if the State's financial picture worsens, major spending cuts are likely to a wide range of critical health and human services that impact children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, community organizations, workers and others.   The Governor has said that while he opposes raising taxes, he would be open to finding new sources of revenues. 
* Belshe, who is widely respected by policymakers and advocates, oversees most of the departments that fund or administer programs and services for children and adults with disabilities, including developmental disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, persons who are Blind, persons who are Deaf, people with Alzheimer's, MS and other disorders, their families, community organizations and workers.  Those programs include regional centers, developmental centers, In-Home Supportive Services, adoption and foster care programs, SSI/SSP, Adult Protective Services, programs that serve seniors under the Department of Aging, programs under the Department of Rehabilitation and more. 
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting:
MAY 16, 2008 (FRIDAY) ***POSTPONED - WILL BE RESCHEDULED***
Subject: More On Governor's Budget & Action Steps
GUESTS: ADVOCATES (to be announced
 
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings Open to Anyone
The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are free and open to everyone, and include question and answer period.  The CDCAN Townhall Telemeeting held on Wednesday, April 30th, featured Terri Delgadillo, director of the Department of Developmental Services and other department officials attracted hundreds of people across the state. 
These townhall telemeetings are held to help people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, community organizations and workers - including those in hard to reach areas of the state and communities of color (including Asian Pacific Islanders, Latinos, African American communities) to stay connected together with information directly with state policymakers and other advocates.  [Note: CDCAN issued a budget action alert last week - see CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us for details]
 
Townhall Telemeetings Have Attracted Thousands Of Participants Since 2003
The first townhall "telemeeting" was organized in August 2003 by CDCAN in an effort to connect people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, community organizations and workers who provide services and supports, and others, together with information and the opportunity to hear updates and ask questions of major policy makers.  No other local or statewide group has done similar ongoing events to bring policymaking and policy makers and advocates to where the lowest income people with disabilities and others live. 
 
Since then thousands of people have participated in the non-partisan telemeetings, which are accessed by toll free lines and also through an internet website via highspeed internet connection.  It has been the only opportunity for people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors and others across the State to hear and ask questions directly of top legislators, advocates and top state officials. 
 
Other Townhalls To Be Scheduled
Other CDCAN Townhalls will be scheduled soon focusing on Medi-Cal, including implementation of the Deficit Reduction Act and updates on efforts to impose a moratorium on seven of the federal Medicaid regulations and also update on budget issues. Other townhalls will be scheduled covering In-Home Supportive Services, SSI/SSP, civil rights including special education due process rights and housing, depending on resources available.    (CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are free to anyone but it does cost CDCAN a lot funds to put on a single townhall - donations and contributions are helpful - see below)
 
 
URGENT!!!  YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED
Townhall Telemeetings, reports and alerts and other activities cannot continue without your help!
Advocacy Without Borders - ONE Community:
Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, including People of color, different languages, cultures,  Families, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action.
This report - and the CDCAN townhall telemeetings, and other events and projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without borders toward unified action.  We are one community.
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com    CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports.  sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):

CDCAN
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: the paypal option on the CDCAN website is temporarily not working and will be fixed soon. 

 The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY MANY THANKS to Alta California Regional Center, FEAT (Families for Early Autism Treatment), Friends of Children with Special Needs, Life Steps, Easter Seals California, Parents Helping Parents, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Work Training, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California