Month: February 2014

Rep. Jason Brodeur Commits to Leadership on HB 7, Eliminating 5 Year Wait for Children’s Health Insurance

Posted on by Peter Phillips in Uncategorized

IMG_20140226_193813Meeting with Latino leaders last night from Seminole County at Iglesia Vida Nueva, Rep. Jason Broader, Chair of the House Health Innovations Committee, committed to push the Immigrant Health Care HB 7. The bill would eliminate the 5 year wait for lawfully legal immigrant children now required before becoming eligible for federally funded children’s health insurance. Two weeks ago families from Brodeur’s district testifies in his committee that the five year wait was unjust. These families are here legally, pay taxes, work for a living, and should get the same benefits as other citizens. The bill passed the committee unanimously. Passage of the bill into law would add an estimated 25,000 children to the Florida KidCare program.

Last night Brodeur agreed to consider co-sponsoring the bill in the next week, and has talked with House Speaker Will Weatherford urging his support. The bill now goes to the House Health Care Appropriations Committee, Chaired by Rep. Matt Hudson of Naples. If you have relationships in Naples that could support the bill, please contact us. A Senate companion bill SB282 is referred to the Senate Health Policy Committee.

RAISE Florida Network

Posted on by Peter Phillips in Uncategorized

RAISE Florida image

We are excited to be working with the RAISE Florida Network. Sunshine Advocacy is providing consultation in campaign planning and implementation, leadership development, and communications.

The mission of the RAISE Florida Network is to promote awareness, education, resources and advocacy for economic security and wealth creation for families and communities in Florida. Our vision is to help families and communities achieve economic stability, build economic security, wealth and sustainable assets.

RAISE Florida Network partners are committed to efforts that support education and member involvement in the implementation of our policy agenda. In 2013, our policy focus

  1. Individual Development Accounts – promoting savings plans to help families save for education, retirement, purchase a home, car or save for emergencies.
  2. Foreclosure – advancing options that help protect investments of families and homeowners, and fair lending products that support homeownership and financial independence.
  3. Microenterprise Development – securing support for entrepreneurs and education that help micro-business owners get access to capital and use program support provided by the government that help create jobs through entrepreneurship.

We are dedicated to creating access to public influence through the voices of people who are striving to make a difference, and impact the lives of people in communities of color and families who want to save, accumulate and preserve assets and realize the American Dream.

The structure of RAISE Florida is five main networks with specific tasks that further our mission and vision.

    1. Income, Assets and Savings Network (IASN)
    2. Florida Coalition for Microenterprise Development (FCMD)
    3. Housing and Community Development Network (HCDN)
    4. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Higher Education Network (HBCU and Higher Education)
    5. Rural Economic Development Network (REDN)