Weekly Resistance Newsletter Indivisible St Johns February 10 2019

YOUR WEEKLY RESISTANCE NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

GENERAL MEETING

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

Dr Jen Cowart, MD, gave a great presentation on Why Medicaid Expansion would be good for Florida. She offered a data based discussion of not just the morality but the economic benefit to our state.  Basically, because our previous governor rejected the Federal offer of 100% funding for Medicaid expansion in Florida, other states that accepted the expansion funding are benefitting from our tax dollars.  These states have realised big outcomes in cost savings and health. In Florida alone, over 1.3 million residents are eligible for the expanded Medicaid, of whom well over 300,000 adults do not currently have any insurance coverage. Medicaid Expansion would help in these ways

•                Improved health outcomes, including earlier cancer diagnoses when the disease can                   be treated or cured
•                Earlier treatment of less complicated cases, potentially avoiding hospital care
•               Mental health services, including medication and counseling coverage
•               Opioid treatment and smoking cessation medications coverage
•               Reduced health disparities across race, income, educational and employment status

Medicaid expansion funding is still available but in 2020 Florida must contribute 10% of the cost.   If Medicaid can be expanded, final savings to the state in the first year are projected to be $500 million.

Next steps:

•   Petition drive, currently underway.
•   If successful, GOTV for the vote
•   If successful, any tax increase now needs 2/3 of the legislature so there’s still work to do
•   If legislature tries to insert work requirements, oppose. They are a barrier to coverage. 

Attendees were treated to a video of Amy Goldin’s original poem Switchback on empowered women!”Check it out at https://youtu.be/44RKM16Yx2Y

ISJ continues the petition drive for Medicaid expansion

ISJ members attended the St Augustine Farmers' market on Saturday Feb 2 where we collected about 150 signatures for the Medicaid expansion petition.  These were sent to the State organizers to include in the overall State drive.  Further efforts are scheduled for

              2/9 at both the Main and SE Branch libraries

              2/23 at the Saturday Farmers Mkt

              2/16 a possibility, TBD

Contact Andrea DeGeorge if you can spare some hours. andrea.degeorge@gmail.com

           

ISJ member participated in an Equality Florida Training/Event in St Augustine that included Equality Florida, Indivisible St. Johns, and Women's March St. Johns. The meeting discussed how LGBTQIA did not feel safe in St Augustine and opportunities for training. 

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INDIVISIBLE ST JOHNS

POSTCARD PARTY February 7th

ISJ members enjoy a social evening at Brisky's on Friday 8th February.  A good time was had by all!  Come join us next month

LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE FORMED!

Learn the issues, the legislators and the process for advocacy on bills we care about. Andrea DeGeorge is leading this effort, where attendees at a first meeting agreed to contact their local State legislators.  A first visit to State Representative Cyndi Stevenson will take place the week of 2/11/19.  Contact Andrea: andrea.degeorge@gmail.com to get involved!

                                                                         . …Turning bad news into positive action._

CALLS TO ACTION

Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting Feb. 11

The following bill will be heard in the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, Feb. 11 at 4:30 PM.

Email or call your Representative and urge him or her to vote in OPPOSITION to this bill.

Include your name and address or Zip Code so your representative knows you are a constituent.

SB           168         Federal Immigration Enforcement

This bill prohibits Sanctuary Cities and threatens, profiles, harasses and detains immigrant families. It wastes valuable local resources hurting families and local budgets. It corrodes community trust in law enforcement, drains valuable law enforcement resources, and makes Floridians less safe.

Find your Senator here.

Contacts
District	Last Name	Email	Phone	Committee ID
6	Gibson	gibson.audrey.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5006	JU
7	Hutson	hutson.travis.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5007	JU
9	Simmons	simmons.david.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5009	JU
12	Baxley	baxley.dennis.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5012	JU
22	Stargel	stargel.kelli.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5022	JU
37	Rodríguez	rodriguez.jose.web@flsenate.gov	(850) 487-5037	JU

Press Conference

 Please attend to show support if you live in the Tallahassee area. If you can't attend, please use the hashtags and amplify the event on social media.

State Lawmakers, shooting survivors, advocacy groups to unveil comprehensive gun violence prevention agenda

 

Tallahassee, Fla. - On Tuesday, February 12, state House and Senate Democratic lawmakerswill gather in the Florida State Capitol with shooting survivors and the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence to unveil a comprehensive legislative agenda addressing the epidemic of mass shootings and everyday gun violence that has gripped the state.

 

When: Tuesday, February 12 at 1:00 P.M. EST 

Where: 4^th Floor Rotunda, The Florida Capitol Building 

Social Media:

 @CarlosGSmith, @farmerforFLSen, @SenJanetCruz, @loriberman, @GoodforFlorida, @kionnemcghee, @AnnaForFlorida, @CindyPoloFL103, @TinaPolsky, @FLCoPreventGV, @LWVFlorida, @FloridaPTA, @KeepGunsoffCamp, @equalityfl, @bjoewolf, @MFOLParkland

  

From the League of Women Voters Florida

Please call members of the Senate Education Committee on Monday, February 11th and ask them to oppose arming teachers - SB 7030

The bill analysis explains changes to the bill passed last year that would allow classroom teachers to participate in the controversial Marshal Program.

The committee vote is Tuesday, February 12th

Education Committee Members

 

Chair, Manny Diaz (R)

            (850) 487-5036

            diaz.manny@flsenate.gov

Vice Chair, Bill Montford (D)

            (850) 487-5003

            montford.bill@flsenate.gov

Dennis Baxley (R)

            (850) 487-5012

            baxley.dennis@flsenate.gov

Lori Berman (D)

            (850) 487-5031

            berman.lori@flsenate.gov

Janet Cruz (D)

            (850) 487-5018

            cruz.janet@flsenate.gov

Keith Perry (R)

            (850) 487-5008

            perry.keith@flsenate.gov

David Simmons (R)

            (850) 487-5009

            simmons.david@flsenate.gov

Kelli Stargel (R)

            (850) 487-5022

Petition to stop the Coquina Ave property Purchase Express Train

Some residents of Davis Shores concerned about the way the 91-93 Coquina Ave property purchase was handled by the city are going around house-to-house collecting signatures on a petition to stop the deal. Since they cannot knock on every door in St Augustine, they've asked me to share a link to the on-line version of the petition. Here it is:

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-the-coquina-land-purchase

SAVE THE DATES!

STAY ALERT TO PROTECT THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION!

Our plans haven't changed. Be ready to mobilize on short notice! Sign up here: Rapid Response to Mueller Investigation shutdown

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!!!!