The House and Senate have each passed their version of the budget and rejected the other chamber’s. They have named their top negotiators, called budget conferees, to work out the differences between the two versions of the budget in a conference committee. Please contact the budget conferees to let them know the important items for children to include in the final budget.

It is particularly important that you contact the conferees IF YOU ARE A CONSTITUENT! That is who they listen to most. But at this point in the process, all Virginia citizens may contact the conferees to express their opinions.

The MESSAGE:

 You may use our email system to send a message—please personalize, and especially note if you are a constituent. Or you may call or email them directly with the contact info listed below. Here’s what we want to say:

–        Thank you for providing additional mental health funding. We appreciate that both the House and Senate funded children’s mental health services; please include the full $1 million that the Senate included. We are also grateful that the House included funding for suicide prevention efforts and mental health first aid, and we support those initiatives as well.

–        Please support the Senate’s position on Early Intervention/Part C services for infants and toddlers: it would provide $6 million to fill an $8.5 million shortfall for FY14. Each million dollars lost means that 250 babies and toddlers with disabilities will not be able to get services.

–        Thank you for restoring funds to the evidence-based home visiting programs Healthy Families and CHIP of Virginia. Please support the Senate’s position that restores more of the funding the programs lost during the recession.

 

THE BUDGET CONFEREES ARE:

HOUSE:

Delegate Lacey Putney, DelLPutney@house.virginia.gov   , 698-1019

Del. Beverly Sherwood,   DelBSherwood@house.virginia.gov, 698-1029

Delegate Kirk Cox, DelKCox@house.virginia.gov   , 698-1066

Delegate Steven Landes  , DelSLandes@house.virginia.gov, 698-1025

Delegate Chris Jones, DelCJones@house.virginia.gov, 698-1076

Delegate Johnny Joannou, DelJJoannou@house.virginia.gov, 698-1079

 

SENATE:

Senator Charles Colgan , district29@senate.virginia.gov , 698-7529

Senator Walter Stosch , district12@senate.virginia.gov , 698-7512

Senator Thomas Norment,  district03@senate.virginia.gov , 698-7503

Senator Janet Howell, district32@senate.virginia.gov , 698-7532

Senator Emmett Hanger , district24@senate.virginia.gov , 698-7524

Senator John Watkins , district10@senate.virginia.gov , 698-7510

 

Thank you for speaking up on behalf of children!

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