* Disability Rights/Mobilization Townhall Telemeeting Postponed
* Nearly 2,000 People Protest Proposed Cuts To In-Home Services
* Budget Conference Committee To Meet Today At 10:15 AM

SACRAMENTO  -  This is an update on several events that scheduled today, and a brief report on an event held yesterday.  The death of President Ronald Reagan has impacted some expectations of passing a state budget by next week in part because of  memorials held in the State Capitol this past week and the observance by the state and federal government of the National Day of Mourning on Friday, June 11 that coincides with the state funeral in Washington DC for the former president.

Some Capitol observers thought there was a chance the state budget could have come up for a vote by the Legislature by June 15 - the state constitutional deadline that the Legislature has routinely ignored for the past 25 years.  Other observers felt that passage of the 2004-2005 budget was never going to happen by June 15 - though many feel that a budget will be passed before June 30th, the last day of the 2003-04 state budget year.

Disability Rights Townhall Telemeeting Postponed Until After Budget Conference Committee Meetings
* The regular monthly Disability Rights and Mobilization Townhall Telemeetings - scheduled for later this afternoon (June 10) has been postponed due to change in the budget timelines impacted by the passing of President Reagan, and will be held within a day or two after the final meeting of the budget conference committee. in order to provide the latest update on budget issues impacting people with disabilities and seniors.
* The Disability Rights Townhall Telemeetings, which was first held on December 12th, provides updates and information, including comments from prominent guest speakers to hundreds of people with developmental and other disabilities, their families, community organizations, workers and other advocates linked at different sites across the state.
* Previous townhall telemeetings featured policy makers including  State Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, the Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill, Assemblywoman Judy Chu and others.
* For more information - and to participate as a host site, please see the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.org under "Townhall Telemeetings".

State Budget Conference Committee Set to Meet Today (June 10) at 10:15 AM
* The joint legislative Budget Conference Committee, chaired by Sen. Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata, 2nd District) is scheduled to meet again this morning, June 10, at 10:15 AM in the State Capitol in Room 4203 (though as of 10:30 AM they have not yet convened).
* The committee met yesterday, though did not address any budget item directly impacting people with developmental or other disabilities and seniors.
* The conference committee - composed of 6 members, three from each house, to resolve differences in actions taken on the proposed budget by both houses before the entire budget package is voted on by the full Legislature, will likely meet on Saturday - and possibly Sunday.  Sen. Chesbro will likely announce the meeting schedule this morning for the weekend.. As previously announced, the Budget Conference Committee will not meet Friday due to the state funeral for President Reagan.  * Details on actions taken by the Budget Conference Committee impacting people with disabilities and seniors will be reported later today and over the weekend in CDCAN Capitol Wews Reports.
* Several issues impacting people with disabilities, including proposed cuts to regional center operations budget; legislative language regarding transition of people living at Agnews Developmental Center which is slated for closure in 2006; IHSS Quality Assurance Initiative, special education and other issues are pending.

Nearly 2,000 People March and Rally At Capitol For Rights & Opposition To  In-Home Services Proposed Cuts
* Nearly 2,000 people with disabilities, seniors, direct care and other workers and advocates arrived in Sacramento by buses coming from all parts of California yesterday afternoon, capped by a 2 block march to the State Capitol, with a rally on the South Steps in support for the rights of people with disabilities - and strong opposition to proposed cuts by the Governor to In-Home Supportive Services and other critically needed programs.  The noisy march and rally lasted about 2 hours, with many protestors going inside the State Capitol to meet with legislators and legislative staff.
* Protestors arrived by buses coming from as far as south as San Diego, and as far north as Chico in a "Care-A-Van For Home Care" that began on June 8th.  Hundreds of people rode up in the buses, which stopped off at several legislative district offices, and also in Los Angeles, at the Governor's field office there, to rally for in-home services for people with disabilities and seniors.  The event was organized by the Home Care Council.
* The protest yesterday follows up earlier massive protests held in April and May at the State Capitol where thousands marched and rallied to attend budget hearings on proposed cuts impacting children and adults with developmental and other disabilities, and also seniors.
* While the Governor has backed off on his original proposal to eliminate a major part of the In-Home Supportive Services (the "Residual Program"), he still is proposing massive reductions that will have the impact of rolling back wages of In-Home workers to the state minimum wage and reduce benefits, and have the impact of eliminating IHSS county public authorities and public authority advisory committees across the State,   The Governor is now seeking federal matching funds for the IHSS Residual Program which currently is supported only by state and local dollars.  Approval of that proposal to the federal government, which seeks an exception (or waiver) to existing Medicaid regulations, is pending - though the Schwarzenegger Administration has indicated confidence that the proposal will be approved.  Legislative budget related language that establishes the Legislature's assurances that the Residual Program current eligibility and benefits will be fully maintained even with federal matching funds is being finalized in the Budget Conference Committee.
* The Senate and Assembly budget subcommittees in May voted to reject those cuts , and also proposed reductions to SSI/SSP - though the full membership of both houses will need to give final 2/3rds vote approval, when they vote on the entire budget bill and budget related legislation later this month.   The issue is not before the Budget Conference Committee because the action taken by both houses is identical.
 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
*  PLEASE! HELP NEEDED URGENTLY!
   Contributions Needed to Continue Effort - Thanks Again!
As  of  6/10/04, many many, thanks again,  to the friends, people with disabilities and their families, community organizations and others who have sent in generous and needed contributions and donations.  As mentioned before, individual thank you letters are now being sent out (due to workload have been delayed!). However, until grant funding is finalized, contributions from people and organizations is still very urgently needed to keep the advocacy efforts going for the next several months. Please make check or money order  to:  California Disability Community Action Network  (or abbreviate CDCAN). CDCAN is not yet a non-profit organization but will be soon.  Send contributions to: California Disability Community Action Network,  1225 8th Street Suite #480, Sacramento, CA  95814.  A method to contribute by credit card (through Paypal) is NOW set up on our website, at www.cdcan.org.
* Who Is CDCAN?
The California Disability Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to thousands of Californians with developmental and other disabilities, their families, community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and other advocates. These action alerts and news reports is for all of them. In addition it also goes to news organizations, state and local government officials and staff.
* How To Receive CDCAN Capitol News Reports and Alerts
If you would like to get on this distribution (and conversely, get off of it) please send an email with that  request to:  martyomoto@rcip.com OR sign up via the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.org.  Sharing information is part of our organizing effort. Please feel free to forward or copy  this (attribution is nice). We're all in this together!
* How To Contact CDCAN
Marty Omoto, director/organizer  -  California Disability Community Action Network   WEBSITE: www.cdcan.org
1225 8th Street Suite 480 Sacramento, CA 95814   VOICE PHONE: 916/446-0013
FAX number: 916/446-0026        email: martyomoto@rcip.com
INFO HOTLINE TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-877-260-0267 (cannot leave messages) SAME INFO HOTLINE FOR SACRAMENTO AREA:  486-4652