Take Action – Public School Funding, Raise the Age to 17, Voting Rights
SB 47 – Public School Funding Takes Away Tax Dollars and Gives Them to Private Schools
The bill has changed so please click on the linked bill above to see the summary to be sure you are speaking about the current provisions. The bill adds students with a 504 plan for 21 specified conditions to the voucher program. The State Board is authorized to add to the eligible conditions. The bill also eliminates the requirement that students attend a Georgia public school for at least one year for more groups of students.
Here are other points to remember:
- There is no requirement that a student be re-evaluated to determine the students’ continued needs or eligibility. For example, an elementary student might have an IEP to receive speech therapy that they would not need after a few years.
- – There is no requirement that a private school provide the services in the IEP or 504 plan that the taxpayers are funding them to receive.
– There is no report to the taxpayers as to whether the students are receiving services or not. - – Parents must give up all federal rights under IDEA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to take the voucher.
- – There has never been an independent evaluation of the voucher program so we have no idea about a number of things including its effectiveness.
- – Parental satisfaction has been the major measure for accountability for this program and nothing in this bill changes that. That is completely inconsistent with a belief in transparency and accountability for the use of taxpayer dollars.
Contact your state legislator and ask them to vote no!
CALL Senators to vote YES to HB 272 –RTA – Raise the Age
HB 272 raises the age (“RTA”) of youth served by juvenile court to include 17-year-olds charged with low level offenses. This bill does nothing to change the system regarding crimes that scare you (e.g., murder, armed robbery with a firearm, rape). It only changes the system for kids who are charged with crimes that annoy / make you mad (i.e., low level offenses).
Click here to read 8 important reasons Georgia should #RaiseTheAge
Dear Senator ________,
Please vote YES on HB 272 when it comes before you. This bill raises the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 up to 18. This bill does nothing to change the system regarding crimes that scare you (e.g., murder, armed robbery with a firearm, rape). It only changes the system for kids who are charged with crimes that annoy / make you mad (i.e., low level offenses). States that recently raised the age have not seen costs increase as they anticipated. Thank you for your service and for prioritizing Georgia’s children.
*Thanks to Voices for Georgia’s Children for this call to action.
Voting Rights Are On the Line
There are several actions you can take regarding voting rights – we ask that you consider taking as many as possible. We need to leave no stone unturned.
Action 1. Start by reading this article in the New York Times and in the Atlanta Journal Constitution for grounding in the issues that are at the forefront of the anti-voting bills in Georgia and other parts of the country. Then, please take actions below:
Action 2 – Contact Gov. Kemp and Lt. Gov. Duncan using the form from All Voting is Local
The 2020 election was the most secure in American history, according to Georgia officials. So why are they considering legislative changes that make voting less accessible?
Bills like HB 531, SB202, and SB 241 will impose tougher restrictions on both absentee and in-person early voting — and we will not allow it.
Action 3: Please keep this link from Fair Fight with phone numbers and emails regarding these terrible bills as it is updated with any changes or new information. SB 202 comes up for a vote on the floor of the capitol late morning on Thursday, 3.25.21 and calls need to be made as soon as possible. Thank you for your diligence in calling both houses to push back on bills.