MONTHLY REPORT Government Relations December 2016

MONTHLY REPORT Government Relations December 2016

I.Contract Deliverable 1: Strategic planning and analysis of political and policy making situations, including potential sponsored legislation based on SELPA Administrators of California’sgoals

a.Informed Legislative Committee and SELPA Chairperson of appointments to committees made by the Speaker of the Assembly and President Pro Tem of the Senate.

b.Met with Veronica Coates to prepare for meeting with Sara Rogers, California Department of Social Services Deputy Director, in January regarding Continuum of Care Reform process and gaps regarding special education issues.

c.Worked with CondeKunzman and Sam Neustadt on determining appropriate channels for complaints to the state for California Children’s Services issues.

d.Laura Parra attended the School-Based Health subcommittee meeting of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission on December 6th. Also reviewed Proposition 64 funding proposal for mental health pilot programs in schools, which may materialize as legislation.

e.Reviewed all newly introduced legislation for bills of interest.

II.Contract Deliverable 2: Attending legislative/regulatory hearingsas necessary, and preparing and presentingtestimony

a.Monitored the upcoming State Board of Education meeting agendas for January 11-12 for various special education items.

III.Contract Deliverable 3: Working with coalitions to strengthenSELPA Administrators of California’s advocacyposition

a.Identified other organizations that may have an interest in working with the SELPA Administrators on the response to the PPIC report recommendations. Of note, spoke with Evelyn Abouhassan of Disability Rights California, which is now in the process of reviewing the report.

IV.Contract Deliverable 4: Opposing legislation that may have an adverseimpact on SELPA Administrators of California’sinterests

a.None this month as the Legislature will not return for the 2017-18 session until January.

V.Contract Deliverable 5: Budget advocacy as necessary to ensurethat SELPA Administrator resources aremaintained

a.Determined the appropriate staff leads in the Department of Finance handling special education issues.

b.Worked with K. Skeels to schedule PPIC ad hoc group meeting in January.

VI.Contract Deliverable 6: Scheduling and facilitating meetings betweenkey state officials and SELPA Administrators of California’srepresentatives

a.None this month.

VII.Contract Deliverable 7: Providing meeting recaps, legislative reports,and policy papers with recommendedaction

a.Distributed weekly federal updates from EMGgroup.

VIII.Contract Deliverable 8: Composing legislative summaries andpublic presentations for SELPA Administrators of California asneeded

a.Drafted monthly GRRreport.

IX.Attending and staffing regular SELPA legislative committee calls, andworking closely with your members to analyze and form positions on bills, draft amendments, and develop legislativestrategies

a.Attended Legislative Committee call on December 15, 2016.

Major Upcoming Deadlines: The Legislature reconvenes for the 2017-18 session on January 2, 2017.