Following Are the Highlights and Action Items from the Meeting

Public Policy Committee

June 26, 2014

Participants: Elizabeth Hartman, American Gateways; Ken Martin, Texas Homeless Network; Jo Kathryn Quinn, Caritas of Austin; Support: Sam Woollard, WNA; Lily Wein, WNA

Following are the highlights and action items from the meeting:

1.  Put People First campaign – Sam

At the June One Voice meeting, the membership approved moving forward with a request to City Council for a $15 million budget increase for health and human services. Additionally One Voice sent a letter to City Council this week supporting Council Member Martinez’ resolution to evaluate funding for health and human services. Martinez incorporated some of the language and ROI stats from the One Voice letter into the resolution.

2.  Work Session: Decisions and Planning Next Steps City 10-1

·  Opportunity to partner with Leadership Austin – Ann

Leadership Austin is holding a series of sessions to educate City Council candidates. They have offered One Voice a spot on the panel for their “Society” session on August 11th from 6-9.

·  Other candidate forums

United Way is holding a mayoral debate on September 3rd at 4:30pm. Austin Women in Housing is planning a candidate’s forum on August 4th.

·  Review & finalize questions for candidates

Attendees finalized the list of questions for candidates (attached) and decided to send them to all candidates and then share the results with One Voice members to distribute. Action Items: Elizabeth will present the questions at the next Executive Committee meeting for approval. Lily will send out the questions to candidates by September 1st via Surveymonkey and call the candidates’ offices to follow up.

3.  State: Preparing for next legislative session

·  Timing and speaker for advocacy training

Attendees proposed asking Erica Ekwurzel, Advocacy in Motion, to lead an Advocacy 101 training in September or October, and asking Jason Sabo, Frontera Strategy, and Elyse Yates, I&O Communications, to lead a higher-level advocacy training in January. Attendees also suggested asking One Voice members to share their legislative agendas with the group. Action Items: Ken will share his Advocacy 101 presentation with One Voice members.

·  Partnership with One Voice Texas

Action Items: Sam will contact One Voice Texas to either arrange a visit to their office or invite them to present at a One Voice Central Texas meeting on the legislative issues that they are working on this session.

·  HHSC recommendations

Action Items: Sam will check in with One Voice Texas and Texas CASA for an update on HHSC recommendations

Next Meeting: Thursday, July 24th at 3:00pm