WOMEN'S ISSUES NETWORK (W.I.N.-AZ) 
Legislative Update #6
Your Voice Matters: What's Next after the 2017 Legislative Session? 
Thanks to your advocacy this year, we were able to make a lot of progress for sexual assault survivors, single parents working to overcome poverty, JTED students, children living in poverty and refugees.

In the month since the 2017 Arizona State Legislature adjourned, we've been reflecting on the progress made, evaluating lessons learned from the setbacks and engaging with state leaders to influence how laws affecting women and children are implemented. 
Southern Arizona Has a Seat at the Table
Governor's Office and Dept. of Economic Security (DES) Convene Stakeholders on Implementing HB2372 and Improving the TANF Program   

On Friday, June 16, the Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona joined six other non-profit stakeholders at a convening to discuss the TANF Program and the legislative changes approved by HB2372. In the meeting organized by leadership from the Governor's Office and new DES Director Michael Trailor, we provided input from our grantee partners in the field on several ways the TANF Program could be further improved for women and children, including:
  • enhancing communication and training for nonprofit partners about new program rules
  • re-designing documents and materials for an audience with low literacy skills
  • and reforming the sanctions and appeals process.
Currently, the TANF Program affects an estimated 1,500 families in Southern Arizona each month, the majority of whom are headed by single mothers. The new law goes into effect August 9, 2017. We will be working closely with DES to share enrollment information with our grantee partner organizations and to continue the dialogue on ways to improve the program for women and children on the path to financial independence.

Because of your advocacy during the legislative session, the Women's Foundation was invited to this important convening--Southern Arizona has a seat at the table. 
Don't Miss Upcoming Forum on Health Care Legislation
As the U.S. Senate works behind closed doors on a proposal to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act, our partners at Tucson Medical Center are hosting a free Community Health Forum next Monday, June 26. 

Health Care Reform and What it Means to Providers and Patients
Come hear what health care leaders have to say about about how federal health care legislation will impact patients and their families. The moderator for this forum is Judy Rich,  president and CEO, TMC HealthCare. Panelists include:
  • Greg Vigdor, president and CEO, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, who will share the impact on health care and the economic sector
  • Dr. Daniel Derksen, professor, Public Health Policy and Management Program, who will discuss the impact on rural health
  • Nancy Johnson, president and CEO, El Rio Health, who will share the primary care perspective
  • Dr. Francisco Garcia, assistant county administrator, who will discuss the impact on public health
  • Dr. Tommy Schechtman, pediatrician and past president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who will share the impact on children's health.
Community Health Forum
Monday, June 26, 2017
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Doubletree Convention Center 445 S. Alvernon Way
The forum is free, though registration is required. Register online here. 
W.I.N.-AZ Bill Tracker: 2017 Legislative Wrap-Up
This year, the State Budget debate, held behind closed doors, centered on funding for K-12 education, universities, and monies to cover the impact of Prop 206. We monitored the teacher pay debate closely. In the approved $9.8 billion budget, teachers will receive a 2% pay increase phased in over two years. In the final days of the session, the Legislature also passed a budget bill that requires the state's Department of Health Services to apply to manage the roughly $5 million a year that the state receives in Title X funding. Currently, the majority of that money goes to Planned Parenthood.

The Women's Foundation, working in coalition with several partners, took positions on 12 bills this session (8 that we supported and 4 that we opposed). Here's a recap:
 
Big WINS on Bills We Supported:
  • HB2091 - Repeals the fingerprint programs for the TANF and SNAP programs. Signed by the Governor on May 22, 2017.
  • HB2229 - Improving JTED courses and programs, allowing credits earned from career technical education to be counted toward the minimum course of study; for female students in STEM fields, this law is especially important. Signed by the Governor on May 8.
  • HB2238 - Strengthening punishment for persons convicted of sex trafficking crimes. Signed by the Governor on April 18.
  • HB2248 - Expands JTED's vocational educational programs beyond secondary education to adult students. Signed by the Governor on March 21.
  • HB2268 - Ending the backlog of untested sexual assault kits; justice for survivors. Signed by the Governor on March 21.
  • HB2372 - Expands TANF Program with additional 12 months of assistance, with strings attached, removes eligibility barriers for SNAP for persons with felony convictions, amends work requirement to include education toward GED, vocational training or Associates Degree. Signed by Governor on May 22.
  • SB1108 - Modifies eligibility of TANF requirements to allow cash assistance for children placed in foster care. Signed by the Governor on May 22.
Big WINS on Bills We Opposed:
  • HB2137 - Would have provided a tax credit for medical preceptors, excluding training or experience performing abortions. This bill was defeated in Committee.
  • HB2496 - Would have expanded consumer access lines of credit and allowed predatory lending in Arizona. This bill was defeated when the Senate President refused to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.
  • SB1468 - Would have penalized nonprofits and churches with a fine of $1,000 per day for assisting refugees. This bill was defeated and never heard in Committee.
There is Still Work to Do:
 
Through your advocacy, we and our partners successfully stopped several pieces of harmful legislation and made progress on several bills now signed into law. This session, we also faced some setbacks:
  • HB2418 - This bill would have exempted diapers, feminine hygiene products and infant formula from the luxury tax. Though it passed the House Ways & Means Committee, the bill did not advance to the House Floor. That this issue got some traction this year was a WIN for women and children, and we will have another bite at the apple next year.
  • SB1367 - Requires a physician performing an abortion where the fetus is delivered alive to report an document measures performed by the physician to maintain the life of the fetus. Dictates a certain level of resuscitative care in the rare cases when a later abortion procedure produces a live birth. Though opposed by the medical community and several community partners, this bill was signed into law by the Governor on March 31.
There is certainly still work to do. In Arizona, it's not uncommon for legislation to be introduced two or three years in a row before becoming law. Next year, during the 2018 Legislative Session, if you're interested in receiving our full 20-page bill tracker, please contact us to request a copy.  
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