[Ohiogift] OAGC Advocacy Alert

[anngift at aol.com]

Advocacy Update – 5.24.13– Last Call To Make Your Voice Heard in the Senate –The full Ohio Senate Finance Committee has begun hearings on the budget bill,HB 59. While a substitute bill is expected to be introduced on Tuesday, May 29th,there are strong rumors that the Senate version of the funding formula will notbe ready by Tuesday. It is likely the Senate education formula will be insertedin an omnibus amendment after hearings are concluded. This means that the last chance for gifted advocates to voice support tothe Senate for the House passed version of the gifted component is next week. 


Despiteoverwhelming support from the education community for the House educationfunding formula changes, it is increasingly less likely that the Ohio Senatewill go along with the House plan without changes to incorporate at least someof the executive plan ideas.  Regardless ofthe overall funding formula selected by the Ohio Senate, giftedadvocates must convince the Senate to maintain the House changes to the giftedfunding and accountability component.  Gifted advocates need to continueto contact their own senator and the following individuals. Even if you have done so before, PLEASE take 15 minutes to email your ownsenator and the Senate leadership and some key members of the Finance committeewith this simple message: 


Regardless of theoverall funding formula the Senate adopts, please maintain the changes to thegifted funding formula included in the House-passed bill including the fundingprovided for gifted units at ESCs. These changes willprovide for a stable and predictable method of funding after a period oftremendous instability for gifted funding and gifted services. The executivebudget’s original proposal did not provide for the accountability and transparencyof funding needed for this population. A return to the executive budget giftedcomponent will highly detrimental to gifted children in Ohio. 


Please add your ownpersonal story about why gifted education is important to you and your family. 
OAGC will provide totestimony to the Senate Finance Education Committee sometime next week.Education testimony will be taken the afternoons of May 29th and May30th. Public testimony on all issues will be taken in the morning ofFriday, May 31. If you would like to testify in person or submit writtentestimony, you may do so by emailing Kim Henry at khenry at ohiosenate.gov for a witnessslip and the procedure for testifying. You will need to submit testimony 24hours in advance to Kim. Written testimony is important.  If you provided testimony in the past, pleaseconsider revising and submitting. The correct salutation is: ChairmanOelslager, Ranking Member Sawyer, members of the committee.  The committee is the Ohio Senate Finance Committee.If you have any other questions, please contact me at anngift at aol.com . 


To find your ownsenator, please click the following link and scroll to “Find Your Senator.” http://www.ohiosenate.gov/senate/index


Other Senate ContactsNeeded:

 
 
  
  
Sen. Scott  Oelslager (R)– Senate Finance Chair
  
  
  
oelslager at ohiosenate.gov 
  
  
  
614-466-0626
  
 
 
  
  
President Keith  Faber  (R)
  
  
  
faber at ohiosenate.gov 
  
  
  
614-466-7584
  
 
 
  
  
Sen. Chris Widener (R) 
  
  
  
widener at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-3780
  
 
 
  
  
Larry Obhof (R)
  
  
  
obhof at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-7505
  
 
 
  
  
Tom Patton (R)
  
  
  
patton at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-8056
  
 
 
  
  
Sen. Bill Coley (R)  – Senate Finance Vice Chair 
  
  
  
coley at ohiosenate.gov 
  
  
  
614-466-8072
  
 
 
  
  
Dave Burke (R)
  
  
  
burke at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-8049
  
 
 
  
  
Randy Gardner (R)
  
  
  
gardner at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-8060
  
 
 
  
  
Jim Hughes (R)
  
  
  
hughes at ohiosenate.gov 
  
  
  
614-466-5981
  
 
 
  
  
Shannon Jones (R)
  
  
  
jones at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-9737
  
 
 
  
  
Bob Peterson (R)
  
  
  
peterson at ohiosenate.gov
  
  
  
614-466-8156
  
 
 
  
  
Frank LaRose (R)
  
  
  
larose at ohiosenate.gov 
  
  
  
614-466-4823
  
 
  

 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osu.edu/pipermail/ohiogift/attachments/20130524/5157551e/attachment.html>