Stay engaged, involved, and up-to-date: 09/25/17 Week in Review


In the weekly updates from the Women’s Public Policy Network, we highlight some of the work we have been up to this week, share updates on bills affecting women that are moving at the Statehouse, and provide calls to action on bills pending in the Legislature. Sign up for our email list to receive these updates in your inbox every week!


A HUGE HEALTH CARE VICTORY, BUT THE FIGHT CONTINUES

Congressional Republicans were attempting to pass the Graham-Cassidy bill – a proposal that would have had devastating impacts for women – before the Sept. 30th procedural deadline when only 50 votes were needed.

But thanks to the calls made, emails sent, and protests held by advocates like you, we succeeded in defeating this last-ditch attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. While it’s important to celebrate this victory, the fight to protect health care from assaults at the federal and state level is not over. Stay tuned for future health care updates and calls to action!


WHAT DEVOS’S TITLE IX DECISION MEANS
In an earlier blog post, we discussed the likelihood that the U.S. Education Department would roll back Obama-era guidelines on Title IX. These guidelines – known as the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter – clarified and reinforced the obligations that colleges and universities have to take action when allegations of sexual assault are levied on their campuses.Now that Secretary DeVos has announced that those guidelines have been rescinded, there is concern for what that means for sexual assault survivors on campuses. This decision, made largely on Secretary Devos’s belief that more consideration needs to be made for the accused in these situations, is a direct attack on the rights of sexual assault survivors. It reinforces the shaming and blaming of survivors, and could potentially discourage survivors from coming forward.

But as our partners at the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence (OAESV) remind us, Title IX is still the law. That means that schools still have an obligation to take action and provide a safe and equitable learning environment free. We will join with other advocacy organizations and activists to step up and speak out to make sure that remains true. Read the full statement from the OAESV here.


The deadline to reauthorize funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is tomorrow, but Congress has yet to take action. And while a bi-partisan deal was reached in the Senate Finance Committee to extend CHIP funding, it still needs to be taken up and passed by the U.S. House and Senate.The momentum behind the proposal came to halt this week as Congressional Republicans focused instead on pushing a rushed – and ultimately failed – attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Now the program’s future remains largely unknown as the looming deadline approaches.

One Ohio mom and advocate shares her family’s story on our blog to demonstrate why the program is so critical and what’s at stake if the funding expires. Read the full post here.


WHAT’S NEW IN THE NEWS FROM THIS WEEK
WOSU 89.7 NRP News, September 26, 2017

LOOKING AHEAD: PARTNER EVENTS NEXT WEEK

There are no scheduled partner events for next week, but visit our Partner Events Calendar for more details on future events hosted by our coalition partners across the state. 


#OHLEG ALERT
We are tracking the progress of any state bills affecting women in the Ohio Legislature for the 132nd General Assembly. The Legislature is back in session from summer recess so things are picking up! Here’s a quick overview of some key highlights from this week and a look ahead to next week:
  • SB 126 (Tavares) – This bill prohibits certain health care professionals from using conversion therapy when treating patients that are minors. The Senate Health, Human Services & Medicaid Committee held a first hearing on the bill this week with sponsor testimony from Sen. Tavares. 
  • SB 150 (E. Brown) – The “Domestic Violence Survivors Protection Act” prohibits a person convicted of domestic violence or assault of a family member, or a person subject to certain protection orders, from having a firearm. It will receive a first hearing next Tuesday morning in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 
  • SB 171 (Hottinger) – Increases the penalty for violating a protection order under certain circumstances. The bill would then require those that have violated their protection orders to be electronically monitored by probation agencies. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a first hearing on the bill next Tuesday. 
We will keep tracking any new updates and will be sharing timely legislative updates on these and other women-centric legislation on Twitter using the #OHLeg hashtag. Follow us to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Statehouse.

RAISE YOUR VOICE TO PROTECT CHIP
With tomorrow’s looming deadline to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), nearly nine million children – and over 200,000 Ohio children – are at risk of losing the coverage they receive through the program.

Without a reauthorization of the funding, all states are expected to run out of money within the year – some even as early as this December. Congressional action is critically important to ensure the program continues without disruption.

TAKE ACTION: Contact your members of Congress and urge them to take action immediately to reauthorize CHIP funding. Tell them that nearly nine million children – including over 200,000 Ohio children – and their families are depending on them to extend funding for the program, and that they must make this a priority.