*********************************************************************** Californians for Healthy Kids Update - July 28, 2006 *********************************************************************** www.caforhealthykids.org 1. News about Proposition 86 - the Tobacco Tax Act of 2006 2. Children's Health Insurance in the News 3. Take Action for Kids' Health Coverage! *********************************************************************** 1. News about Proposition 86 Proposition 86 continues to garner broad support and gain momentum! Please check out the latest Prop 86 newsletter (http://www.100percentcampaign.org/assets/pdf/e-alert- content/yesprop86-newsletter-060724.pdf ) and press release including Children Now president Ted Lempert's statement about RJ Reynolds' plan to spend $40 million fighting state anti-smoking initiatives (http://www.100percentcampaign.org/assets/pdf/e-alert- content/yesprop86-pressrelease-060726.pdf ). As you will see, new Prop 86 supporters include: League of Women Voters of California; California Medical Association; American Academy of Pediatrics, California District; California State Treasurer Phil Angelides, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren; Assemblymember Paul Koretz; Local Health Plans of California; Children's Health Initiative for Fresno County; California WIC Association; California State PTA; Community Clinics Association of Los Angeles; San Francisco Paramedic Association; The Children's Clinic, Serving Children and their Families; & The Los Angeles Free Clinic. Your help is needed to ensure passage of Prop 86! Click here http://www.100percentcampaign.org/assets/pdf/fs-060630a.pdf to see how you can get involved by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, educating friends and family about Prop 86, joining a local coalition in support of the initiative, and more. For additional information about Prop 86, or to find an endorsement form, please visit http://www.yesprop86.org . *********************************************************************** 2. Children's Health Insurance in the News On July 23, the San Diego Union-Tribune printed an article citing signs of "emerging consensus" on children's health insurance. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060723/news_1n23summit.html . The Governor is quoted in a July 24 Los Angeles Times article saying, "We have too many uninsured people in California. There are still a lot of children uninsured." http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me- health24jul24,1,4416215.story?coll=la-headlines- california&ctrack=1&cset=true According to the July 27 Fresno Bee, State Treasurer Phil Angelides' healthcare agenda prioritizes expanding the Healthy Families program to provide insurance to all California children. http://www.fresnobee.com/local/sv/story/12507943p-13223459c.html *********************************************************************** 3. Take Action for Kids' Health Coverage! * Please stay tuned for upcoming action on Senate Bill 437 (Escutia- Chan-Frommer), legislation sponsored by Californians for Healthy Kids to streamline and optimize the state's existing public children's health insurance programs. We will continue to keep you updated about upcoming action on SB 437. * Join a growing list of Californians for Healthy Kids supporters by signing on to our goals: www.100percentcampaign.org/issues/cahealthykids/cahealthykids- endorseform.htm (ENGLISH) www.100percentcampaign.org/issues/cahealthykids/cahealthykids- endorseform-spanish.htm (SPANISH) *********************************************************************** Californians for Healthy Kids is a collaboration of the 100% Campaign (a coalition of Children Now, Children's Defense Fund and The Children's Partnership), PICO California, and more than 300 supporters, with the goal of ensuring that all children in our state have access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance.