January 2023 General Membership Meeting Recap
Happy New Year, Member We hope your 2022 ended with rest and celebration, because 2023 is off to a busy start! As we dive in to the 2023 legislative session, we are here to prep you with a few takeaways: Check out our meeting recording or keep reading for more! But first, a Few Updates from The Coalition! Coalition Legislative Priorities Sara Robbins gave a great overview of our legislative priorities – namely that we are focused on enhancing public benefits program that our unhoused community is entitled to. Specifically, The Coalition aims to pass legislation to reform the ABD (Aged, Blind, or Disabled) and HEN (Housing and Essential Needs) programs. ABD and HEN are programs designed to serve low-income people with disabilities who are applying for SSI or SSDI, providing time-limited benefits such as cash, housing, transportation, and basic needs support. A significant portion of our members serve clients accessing ABD and HEN, which means this legislation affects many of us directly! For more information on ABD and HEN, check out this blog post. The Coalition is supporting three bills: SB 5480, SB 5413, and HB 1260. These bills aim to reform ABD and HEN in a few ways: Keep an eye on your inbox for a Coalition Action Alert to pass these bills! How to Sign in PRO like a pro! Alison Eisinger, our Coalition’s fiercest advocate, walked us through some important tips on legislative advocacy. Being remote during the legislative session has its benefits, one of which being we can show our support and opposition for bills from the comfort of our own homes! Legislators know who shares their position on legislation, and it can influence how legislators vote! There are two easy ways to share your position on any bill in the legislative session: Hang in …