<![CDATA[DECODING DYSLEXIA MA - Lobby for Change]]>

<![CDATA[DECODING DYSLEXIA MA - Lobby for Change]]>Sun, 21 Jul 2024 07:25:45 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[It's all about the House and the clock is ticking!]]>Thu, 19 Jul 2018 16:09:46 GMThttps://www.decodingdyslexiama.org/lobby-for-change/its-all-about-the-house-and-the-clock-is-tickingDyslexia Legislation S. 2607 passed the Senate 37-0 on July 18!
SO NOW...it is up to the Massachusetts House of Representatives to take action.

There are two bodies in the legislature and both must pass the Bill.
The Next Step is for the House of Representatives to
“move” House Bill H4394 (or S2607) for a vote.
Both numbers of the same legislation are in the Ways and Means Committee. You can find the committee members here to call or visit them.

THE MOST important action you can take is to call or visit
YOUR OWN State Representative:

Know yours? Get contact info here.
Need to Find yours? Search here.

Once you've found your Representative:
1. Make a phone call to that Representative asking him or her to support moving the bill as an “Urgent Priority.” Inform your State Representative that the Senate passed the same Bill 37 -0.

Whether you HAVE CALLED MANY TIMES BEFORE OR NEVER -
these calls are critical, now, this week and every day until it passes.

2. Ask your Representative to contact the office of Representative Cory Atkins. Amanda Gordon in Rep. Atkins' office will collect the names of those signing on to a letter of support to move the bill. Amanda.Gordon@mahouse.gov

3. Ask to be updated as to when it moves and when the vote might be taken.

Talking points:

Implementing the Bill will not cost anything.
IDEA Child Find laws and the OSERS October 2015 Federal Guidance on dyslexia, indicate that states should have a policy to do this already but we do not.
Since 2014 (after the above Guidance) the number of states passing some dyslexia based legislation to ensure a policy is in place, has grown from about 3 to 43. (See map below).
While dyslexia research done in Massachusetts is influencing both federal funding (The READ Act of 2017) and the policies in over 40 state, the families who participated in these studies have yet to benefit from any policy changes.

Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Idaho, Hawaii, Alaska, North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states without some kind of dyslexia law to improve policy.

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