*********************************************************************** Update on Ballot Initiative to Insure California Children: Health and Children's Advocates Join Forces in Initiative Effort *********************************************************************** http://www.100percentcampaign.org Dear Children's Health Supporters: Children Now, PICO California, and The Children's Partnership, as part of the Coalition for a Healthy California (including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, and California Primary Care Association), have joined forces with the California Hospital Association to place one unified proposal on the November 2006 ballot. As many of you know, the Coalition and the Hospital Association filed two separate proposed ballot initiatives that would raise the tobacco tax to provide critical funding for important health efforts. After extensive discussions and collaboration exploring the best ways to make progress in critical areas such as providing health insurance for children, keeping emergency rooms open, expanding nursing education, and reducing smoking addiction, sponsors of the two initiatives determined that one unified proposal would offer Californians the clearest and best choice. The Coalition for a Healthy California, whose membership now includes the aforementioned members of the Coalition and the California Hospital Association, is sponsoring this new, unified initiative. The joint initiative, called The Tobacco Tax Act of 2006, will increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $2.60, with the monies used to provide direct, tangible improvements in health and health care for all Californians. The initiative is expected to raise approximately $2.2 billion, which will be allocated for the following purposes: 42.25% — Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention; *45.5% (approximately $405 million annually) of these funds is dedicated to providing health insurance for children 52.75% — Health Treatment and Services 5% — Health and Disease Research The new initiative maintains the children's health insurance provisions of the previously filed initiative, including: * Ensuring children up to age 19 have access to affordable health insurance; * Making it easier for families to enroll and keep their children enrolled in coverage; and * Creating the Healthy Kids Oversight and Accountability Commission. ***For a fact sheet on the children's health provisions of the initiative please visit: http://www.100percentcampaign.org/resources/publications/fs-051212.htm ***To read the full initiative please visit: http://www.100percentcampaign.org/resources/publications/misc-051213.htm We believe by joining forces, we will have the best chance of securing the dollars needed to provide access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance for California children, while raising the funds necessary to run a successful initiative campaign. ***Next Steps Today, at 11:00 a.m., the Coalition for a Healthy California held a press conference in Sacramento to announce this joint effort. To read the press release put out by the coalition, please visit: http://www.100percentcampaign.org/resources/articles/2005/pr-051213.htm. We also continue to work with all interested parties on our common goal of covering all kids, including both the Schwarzenegger Administration and legislative leaders who have pressed so hard to get coverage for all kids. As we mentioned in our last update, Senator Escutia's SB 437, a twin bill to the recently vetoed AB 772 (Chan), has been placed on the inactive file on the Assembly Floor for consideration in 2006. With SB 437 as the vehicle, we will continue to work on a legislative strategy that is consistent with and supportive of the initiative. We thank you for your participation thus far in shaping our 2006 effort to secure coverage for all children, and we encourage you to continue providing suggestions for making this effort successful. We will keep you up to date with additional information and opportunities to answer your questions, hear your feedback, and strategize together about how to mount the strongest possible push in 2006. In addition, please visit the 100% Campaign (http://www.100percentcampaign.org) and PICO California (http://www.picocalifornia.org) web sites where we will post additional materials as they become available. Thank you for the tremendous team effort that has gotten us this far. We look forward to working with you to finish the job of making sure that every child in California has the health insurance coverage they need to grow up strong and healthy. ************************************************************************ How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe Send an email to info@100percentcampaign.org and include one of the following messages in the BODY of the email: SUBSCRIBE UNSUBSCRI