|
Attention home educators your calls needed.
In our recent newsletter we shared some of the potential legislation that we have been working on in preparation for this legislative session.
The first week of session we were very thankful to have several homeschool students join us for our Lobbying Days. The students worked with DiAnna Brannan our volunteer lobbyist. They spent time lobbying for bills and also passed out 160 packets of information promoting home education to all legislators and key personnel. Some students even got the opportunity to help DiAnna “run a bill” and “drop it” into the system!
As a result we were successful in introducing three bills plus a companion bill.
Two of these bills have hearings next week and we need your help.
We have worked many hours to get these bills introduced and hearings scheduled. However, this is only the beginning. We have some very powerful and influential opposition to these bills. CHN has met with some of these organizations. One has committed not to oppose the bill but we are still waiting to hear back from the others.
We have met with most of the committee members and while many legislators support these bills; there are still many who need to be swayed.
Ways you can help pass this much needed legislation:
- Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Ask your State Representatives to support HB1110 and HB1288.
- Come to the hearing and show your support.
- Come to the hearing and testify. We need home educators to testify who have had issues with the school district using or sharing information from the declaration-of-intent form. If you are able to testify please call DiAnna Brannan at (253) 639-3325 or her cell (206) 854-9122.
Hearing Tuesday January 27, 2009 at 10:00 House Education Committee.
(John O’Brian building 1st floor, hearing room not yet scheduled)
HB1110 An act relating to prohibiting advertising and marketing to students receiving home-based instruction. This bill makes it clear that information from the Declaration-of-Intent (DOI) form is not to be used by school districts for advertising public school-at-home programs. The purpose of the DOI form is to show compliance with the compulsory education law and was not meant to be used by local school districts nor is there any compelling reason for them to do so.
Hearing Friday January 30, 2009 1:30 House State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee.
(John O’Brian building 1st floor, hearing room not yet scheduled)
HB 1288 An act exempting the annual parental declaration of intent to home school from the public disclosure act. This bill would close a perceived loop hole in federal law and clarify in state law that the declaration-of-intent (DOI) form is exempt from public disclosure. In the past some school districts have misinterpreted federal and state law and have given out information from the DOI form to third parties. This law makes it clear they cannot do that.
NOTE: CHN has introduced these bills in cooperation with Christian Heritage Home Educators, Home School Legal Defense Association and Washington Homeschool Organization.
HB1110 and HB1288 do not touch the homeschool law. CHN will oppose any bill that amends the homeschool laws and would hope that all homeschoolers would join us.
| 
