CHAP HOMESCHOOLER ACTION #5 Update on the June 13, 2002 House Education Committee Hearing This alert is an effort to inform you of the progression of the proposed new homeschool law, HB 2560. Currently HB2560 is in the House Education Committee. Because of the great interest generated by this bill, the Education Committee has called for an Informational Hearing on June 13, 2002 so they might gather information and determine whether this bill should move out of committee. This is a very critical time for HB2560. CHAP has consulted legislative attorneys, both HSLDA and others, and to the best of our knowledge we have accurate information as to what this bill does or does not do and an accurate appraisal of this home education law. Please refer to our CHAP web page for this information and read it and make a decision for yourself. http://www.chapboard.org/news_and_events/ Once at the CHAP web site, please read: - Facts and Information about HB 2560 - HSLDA Memorandum - Text of HB 2560 OUR GOALS FOR THIS MEETING: • Fill the Forum with supporters of HB2560 • Make a visual statement of support • Impart to the House Education Committee the need to pass a better law The meeting will be on June 13, 2002 at the Forum Building in Harrisburg (Just east of the Capitol building – see map of the capitol area at http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/maps/harrisburg.htm). It will begin at 10:00 AM and end at 1:00 PM. There will be two sessions of testimony, each one and one half hour long. Please try to be there by 9:00 AM as a large crowd is anticipated, and this will give us enough time to get organized and be ready for the Education Committee. Our punctuality might send a message all by itself! WE NEED YOU The Forum holds 1,700 people. We need every possible supporter to be there. To get that many people to Harrisburg will be difficult. Encourage your support group to come. We know of at least two support groups who are renting buses. We encourage you to bring your children who can sit peaceably through the 3 hours of the meeting. If we can fill the building it will be a powerful statement to the legislators of support for the proposed bill. MAKE A VISUAL STATEMENT OF SUPPORT The legislative chief of staff has asked those who are in support of the bill to wear red (blouse, shirt, dress, tee shirt, sash, ribbon, or any creative object you can think of) at this meeting. (We have heard that the opponents of the bill are wearing blue.) CHAP will distribute our red, white and blue "Home Education Works in PA" buttons; red, white, and blue "Support HB 2560" stickers; and “Support HB 2560” red ribbons to wear for those who want them. We hope the large number of homeschoolers in favor of the bill wearing red will have great visual impact. Because the audience is unable to verbally express any opinions and the committee chairman has ruled out banners and signs, our best hope of conveying our support for the bill is to have the audience look like a sea of red in support of the bill. Why red? Representative Rohrer’s Chief of Staff suggested red. Red is a patriotic color. It has high visual impact. Historically, when the current homeschool law was being campaigned for, red ribbons were used. For believers, it reminds us of the blood Christ shed on our behalf. We hope to convey to the house education committee the need to pass a better law by solid testimony, a large presence in the building and a strong show of support for HB 2560. We pray that the legislators will be convinced of the importance of voting this bill out of the Education Committee. In doing this, they will bring homeschoolers in Pennsylvania one step closer to having a law that recognizes the God given and constitutional rights of parents to direct the education of their children without undue state control. May God’s will be done, The CHAP Board SUMMARY OF ACTION STEPS: • Get the day off. • Plan the trip. • Get something red to wear, or pick it up at the Forum • Write, call, and/or email representatives on the House Education Committee to let them know your support of HB2560. Contact information for the House Education Committee: Contact Information for the House Ed. Committee: Republicans: Jess Stairs, Maj. Chair - jstairs@pahousegop.com 717-783-9311 Fred McIlhattan - fmcilhat@pahousegop.com 717-772-9908 Edward Krebs - ekrebs@pahousegop.com 717-783-1815 Jerry Nailor - jnailor@pahousegop.com 717-783-5282 Bob Bastian - bbastian@pahousegop.com 717-783-8756 Paul Clymer - ekrick@pahousegop.com 717-783-3154 Patrick Fleagle - pfleagle@pahousegop.com 717-783-5218 Robert Flick - rflick@pahousegop.com717- 787-8579 Lynn Herman - lherman@pahousegop.com717-787-8594 Bev Macereth - bmackere@pahousegop.com 717-783-2655 Daryl Metcalfe - dmetcalf@pahousegop.com 717-783-1707 Ronald Miller - rmiller@pahousegop.com 717-783-8389 Sam Rohrer - samrohrer@aol.com 717-787-8550 Jere Schuler - jschuler@pahousegop.com 717-783-6422 Thomas Stevenson - tstevens@pahousegop.com 717-787-2047 Democrats: Nick Colafella, Min. Chair - tmclaugh@pahouse.net 717-787-5475 Thaddeus Kirkland - tkirklan@pahouse.net 717-787-5881 William Robinson - wrobinso@pahouse.net 717-787-9460 James Roebuck - sterech@pahouse.net 717-783-1000 John Lawless - jlawless@pahouse.net 717-787-5741 Lawrence Curry - lcurry@pahouse.net 717-783-1079 Rich Grucela - rgrucela@pahouse.net 717-705-1878 Phyllis Mundy - pmundy@pahouse.net 717-783-1614 Sara Steelman - ssteelma@pahouse.net 717-772-2046 P. Michael Sturla - msturla@pahouse.net 717-787-3555 Tom Yewcic - tyewcic@pahouse.net 717-783-0248 Snail Mail: The mailing address for all Representatives is: Representative XXXXXX P. O. Box 202020 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020