LaCAN News: A Note from your Region 7 LaCAN Leader
Hello to all of my LaCAN members from your LaCAN leader, you have done a great job during this past legislative session. Thank you to everyone who did the Action Alerts and made phone calls it sure made a difference.
We started this year off with a wonderful Disability Rights Rally at the Louisiana State Fair Grounds in the Agriculture Building with just over 500 people from LaCAN, Families Helping Families Region 7, The Arc of Caddo/Bossier, Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, New Horizons, People First of Louisiana, self advocates and members receiving waiver services. The turnout was just amazing for our first Regional Rally. We had four legislators attend Rep. Richard Burford, Rep. Patrick Williams, Rep. Henry Burns, and Rep. Roy Burrell. We had news coverage on KTBS 3, KSLA 12, KTAL 6, and the Shreveport Times and the Bossier Press Tribune. This Rally got us off to a great start for a tough legislative session.
I began this year with some legislative visits to key legislators, Rep. Jean Doerge in Minden on January 14, Rep. Jim Morris in Oil City on February 16, Rep. Allen Seabaugh, in Shreveport on February 17, and Senator Sherri Smith Cheek on February 28.
I made a trip to the Capital for the House Appropriations Committee for Public Testimony to help save cuts to the DHH budget, that was May 2, then another trip to the Capital on June 11th for the Senate Finance Committee Meeting for Public Testimony, I was ask to speak before all the members of the Senate Finance Committee by Senator Lydia Jackson. That to me was a real honor to be singled out by the Vice-Chair of this powerful Senate Committee. LaCAN’s testimony must have worked well because the entire fund for Cash Subsidy, Individual Family Support funds and all the cuts to DHH by the House was put back in House Bill 1.
Again THANK all of you LaCAN Members for your emails and phone calls to legislators it made the difference. Your support makes my job so much easier. We will grow and do more over the rest of the year. If you are not a LaCAN Member just contact me and Join our Great Team of Advocates.
Sincerely,
Duane K. Ebarb
LaCAN Leader Region 7
830 Drewry Drive
Shreveport, LA 71118
(318)-688-4830
(318)-226-4541
dke1949@bellsouth.net
www.lacanadvocates.org
www.laddc.org
