[Nfbf-l] {Disarmed} Fwd: UCP Washington Wire -- January 30, 2014

[Carlos Montas]

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> From: United Cerebral Palsy <cgarner at ucp.org>
> Date: January 30, 2014 at 3:00:35 PM EST
> To: <carlos.montas at gmail.com>
> Subject: UCP Washington Wire -- January 30, 2014
> Reply-To: United Cerebral Palsy <cgarner at ucp.org>
> 
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> January 30, 2014
> 
> 
>  
> CURRENT NEWS AND UPDATES
>  
> President Obama Gives State of the Union Address
> On Tuesday, President Obama gave his annual State of the Union address. This year’s address highlighted the importance of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and health insurance exchanges. The President also discussed improving funding for scientific research and a new pledge to raise the minimum wage for Federal contractors, which presumably would include contractors who employ workers with disabilities.  Learn more from the Washington Post and get more information on the Republican State of the Union rebuttal from Politico.
>  
> Presidential Commission on Election Administration Releases Report and Recommendations on “The American Voting Experience”
> Recently, the Presidential Commission on Election Administration released a new report highlighting “The American Voting Experience: Report and Recommendations.” The commission was established to identify best practices in election administration and to make recommendations to improve voting experiences across the country. The report focused on important steps to improve accessibility for voters with disabilities. View the report from the Commission.
>  
> Republicans Release Alternative to Affordable Care Act
> On Thursday, Republican Senators Burr (R-NC), Coburn (R-OK), and Hatch (R-UT) released a new alternative to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The proposed alternative has some similarities to the currently enacted ACA, including expanding access to coverage, policy to encourage individuals to get coverage, and making insurance affordable. However, it does not offer health insurance exchanges, nor does it mandate a set of essential health benefits (EHBs) that an insurance plan must cover. Learn more about the proposed alternative from the Washington Post.
>  
>  
> STATE CHECK-UP
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> Illinois State Board of Education Eliminates Proposed Plan for Special Education Classes
> This week, the Illinois State Board of Education eliminated a proposal for statewide class size restriction for students in special education. The proposal would have allowed school districts to set their own limits for any classes involving students in special education classes and would have repealed size limits for self-contained special education classes along with the state’s 70/30 rule limiting the ratio of special education students in any general education class to 30 percent. It would have been the first time since enactment of federal law governing special education that Illinois operated without set limits on those class sizes. Learn more from the Chicago Sun Times.
>  
> Maryland Deputies Receive Disability Training
> On Monday, it was announced that all Frederick County deputies would be receiving training on how to properly handle cases that involve people with ID/DD. The training is being offered as a result of an incident that happened last year involving three deputies and the death of a man with Down syndrome. Learn more about the new training program  and its implications from the Washington Post.
>  
> 
> ON THE HORIZON
>  
> Disability Policy Seminar – Early Registration Now Open
> Make your plans to attend the 2014 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, DC April 7-9. This event is the biggest and best opportunity for advocates to advance the grassroots movement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
> 
> Register now and book your room at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Washington D.C. for a special early registration rate by visiting www.disabilitypolicyseminar.org. But act soon – special rates on rooms ends March 4, 2014.
> 
> Hosted by: The Arc, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), and Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE)
> 
> Promotional Support Provided by: Sibling Leadership Network
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> 
>  
> 
> For more information on this Washington Wire, contact: Connie Garner at CGarner at ucp.org.
>                                                                          
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