The C H A P E-Newsletter ************************************************ CALL TO ACTION: SEPTEMBER 2, 2002 ************************************************ ************************************************ WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE NEW HOME SCHOOLING BILL, HB2560? ************************************************ What is going on with HB 2560? We are hopeful it will pass out of the House Education Committee on September 25, 2002. We have talked with a number of people (Representative’s aids and people who have been involved in the legislative process through their employment), and all of them have told us the most important force for moving legislation is CONSISTANT GRASS ROOTS PRESSURE demonstrated by personal visits and hand written letters, by constituents, and by phone calls just before a vote. To a much lesser degree, but not to be ignored by some, emails and faxes at the right times can also have an influence. We are working on a time table of how to put this grass roots pressure on. We had hoped HB 2560 would have been out of committee by mid-August, but we were told repeatedly it would not happen. It is now getting so late into this legislative session, we will truly need a miracle, and the Lord will need to “turn the heart of the legislators” in order for this to become a new law in this legislative session. We know the the House and Senate will be convening TODAY, September 4 for a special meeting. We are preparing some materials (the Summer CHAP Newsletter on the June hearing about HB2560 and a voter guide survey on the legislators' opinions about homeschooling and HB 2560 to be filled out and returned by the legislators) to be given out to them tomorrow. We also think a little “grass roots pressure” might remind them of our presence and our desires. We are asking that each of you that feels so led, would call, and/or fax/e-mail a letter tomorrow to your own Representative at his/her Harrisburg office stating you would like to see HB 2560 moved out of the Education Committee and out of the House by this September. We also ask that you visit and/or send a snail mail letter to your personal Representative and Senator asking he/she to support HB 2560 (it will become a Senate bill with a new number once it goes to the Senate). (See information at the end of this email for finding your senator/representative’s address and phone number) If you know that your legislator is already supporting it, please write them a letter of thanks and encourage them to influence their colleagues. Thank you for your kind response to this publication. If you have friends and acquaintances who like to subscribe, they can do so at our web page www.CHAPboard.org You can also see most old issues there. Please send an E-mail to chaplaw@chapboard.org, or let us know by snail mail at: CHAP, 7048A Red Top Road, Hummelstown, PA 17036 of what action you have taken so we have some external evidence of what has occurred, should we need to present this, and so we can be apprised of the support for HB 2560. The results of our recent postcard survey are fantastic! We have had a 50% return rate, which in statistical circles, is phenomenal. You may still return them if you do so by September 6th, and we would love to have them. The cards are showing about 80-90 percent of our database (about 5,600 households, roughly 3/4 of the homeschooling families in PA) are in favor of HB 2560. We will be sending this out to you in a more formal way once the data is filed, and a formal report made. We will also be sending this to the legislators in a formal way once all is in order, so we may give them another “grass roots experience.” We will be calling for further action as we watch the bill move forth. Please be watching for further Calls to Action as the whole House will convene its fall session on Sept. 23, and the House Education Committee will hopefully vote as anticipated on September 25th. ************************************************ Summary of Action by the Grass Roots Red Team: ************************************************ 1. Pray that God would turn the hearts of the legislators, for we know that “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.“ Proverbs 21:1 2. Make a call and send a fax to your Representative on Wedneseday Sept 4, 2002 3. Visit and/or write your Representative Thank you for your time. We hope that this mailing is helpful to you. ************************************************ THE CAPITOL MAILING ADDRESS FOR ALL REPRESENTATIVES ************************************************ Representative XXXXXX P. O. Box 202020 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020 ************************************************ CAPITOL AND DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESSES ************************************************ Capitol and district office address for your state representative and/or senator can be located at: http://capwiz.com/hslda/dbq/officials/