Critical Action Steps Today

LORD willing, all our efforts to pass House Bill 1013 wraps up this week. We need to pray that the House of Representatives run the bill on the Floor to pass the amendment as soon as it comes out of the Senate Floor so the Governor can sign it.

Senate Appropriations will vote HB1013 out of Committee tomorrow (Tues) - but 5 of the 16 Republicans and 8 of the 10 Democratic members are still non-committed. Let's all focus on these 13 to be sure they support the bill tomorrow. How they vote will determine the chances of it getting to the Senate floor on Wednesday. 

Senator John Blake - D 717-787-6481 senatorblake@pasenate.com,	Senator Jay Costa - D 717-787-7683 costa@pasenate.com,
Senator Lawrence Farnese, Jr. - D 717-787-5662 farnese@pasenate.com,	Senator John Gordner - R 717-787-8928 jgordner@pasen.gov,
Senator Judith Schwank - D 717-787-8925 SenatorSchwank@pasenate.com,	Senator Timothy Solobay - D 717-787-1463 tsolobay@pasenate.com,
Senator Pat Vance - R 717-787-8524 pvance@pasen.gov,	Senator Elder Vogel - R 717-787-3076 evogel@pasen.gov,
Senator Randy Vulakovich - R 717-787-6538 rvulakovich@pasen.gov,	Senator John Wozniak - D 717-787-5400 wozniak@pasenate.com,
Senator John Yudichak - D 717-787-7105 yudichak@pasenate.com,

Email cmoore@chaponline.com with the response you get to update our tracker.

LET THEM HEAR YOU... all possible ways

The most important thing to our lawmakers is the voice of their constituents. Visiting them makes a huge impact! The next best thing that makes them move are handwritten letters on hand-addressed envelopes (or, FAX your HANDWRITTEN letter). Then, most of us can email - using the subject line, Please Pass HB1013, the Homeschool Bill. 

Here is the compilation or the contact information for the 3 legislative leaders we need to contact first and foremost. They're the "king makers", so to speak.

After calling these three, call your local State Senator to be sure they support you and vote for it at the Floor.

Senator Dominic Pileggi  - Senate Majority Floor Leader

Capitol

Senator Dominic Pileggi 
Senate Box 203009 
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3009
Room: 350 Capitol Building
(717) 787-4712 
FAX: (717) 783-7490
Email: dpileggi@pasen.gov

District

Senator Dominic Pileggi 
100 Evergreen Drive 
Suite 113 
Glen Mills, PA 19342 
(610) 358-5183 
FAX: (610) 358-5184

Senator Dominic Pileggi 
415 Avenue of the States 
Chester, PA 19013 
(610) 447-5845

Senator Joseph Scarnati III - Senate President Pro Tempore

Capitol

Senator Joseph Scarnati III 
Senate Box 203025 
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3025
Room: 292 Capitol Building
(717) 787-7084 
FAX: (717) 772-2755
Email: jscarnati@pasen.gov

District

Senator Joseph Scarnati III 
410 Main Street 
Brockway, PA 15824 
(814) 265-2030 
FAX: (814) 265-2040

Senator Joseph Scarnati III
Five Main Street 
Wellsboro, PA 16901 
(570) 724-5231 
FAX: (570) 723-5119

Senator Joseph Scarnati III
21A Field Street 
Kane, PA 16735 
(814) 837-1026 
FAX: (814) 837-1029

Hon. Mike Turzai - House Majority Leader

Capitol

Hon. Mike Turzai
110 Main Capitol
PO Box 202028

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2028

(717) 772-9943 
Fax: (717) 772-2470
Email: mturzai@pahousegop.com

Hon. Mike Turzai
125 Hillvue Lane, 1st Floor
McCandless, PA 15237 
(412) 369-2230 
Fax: (412) 369-2236

We have 12 days to wrap this us, folks! Please stay the course with us!

SAMPLE SENATE EMAIL

Please tweak the language below to fit your own style and situation, then simply copy & paste into an email and send to the senators below. We STRONGLY encourage you to send the emails BCC:  ("Blind Carbon Copy") so it's not a massive email and any bounce backs will be easier to fix.

SUBJECT LINE: Please Pass HB1013 - the Homeschool Bill

Dear Senator,

I’m a homeschool (parent, graduate, supporter, etc) and I am contacting you regarding House Bill 1013, which was passed in the House in June.

You may not know that currently, Pennsylvania homeschool graduates do NOT receive state-issued high school diplomas, despite the fact that all graduating homeschool students must meet or exceed Pennsylvania's homeschooling requirements.  This causes undue difficulties for homeschool graduates when applying to colleges, joining the military, and applying for employment.  Passing HB 1013 will eliminate discrimination against homeschool students who have completed all the state Education Department's requirements by allowing them to receive a state-issued diploma.

HB 1013 alleviates the requirement that school district superintendents perform redundant, time-consuming and expensive second-evaluations of homeschool students’ portfolios, which are already thoroughly evaluated by a professional with credentials which are spelled out by existing PA homeschool laws.  HB 1013 will save school districts and tax payers time and money by not having to re-review hundreds of homeschool portfolios, and will save homeschool families from having to spend extra time and money delivering and picking up portfolios before and after superintendent review.

As a constituent, I request that you will support and pass HB 1013 in the Senate without any amendments.  This bill received bi-partisan support when it passed in the House and there is already confirmed bi-partisan support in the Senate.  I would appreciate if you would also confirm your support for this bill.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Sincerely yours,

_________________________                                                                                                                                                                  

We tried to accurately compile their email addresses following a pattern but it's not always accurate, and some ask that you contact them via their website. They're grouped so it's easier to track and fix bounce backs.

SET 1 - 13 REPUBLICAN       

mbrubaker@pasen.gov,

rvulakovich@pasen.gov,

kward@pasen.gov,

jeichelberger@pasen.gov,

mfolmer@pasen.gov,

pbrowne@pasen.gov,

lbaker@pasen.gov,

vance@pasen.gov,

jgordner@pasen.gov,

alloway@pasen.gov,

cmcilhinney@pasen.gov,

jcorman@pasen.gov,

rtomlinson@pasen.gov,

SET 2 - 13 REPUBLICANS

jscarnati@pasen.gov,

rrobbins@pasen.gov,

dpileggi@pasen.gov

lsmucker@pasen.gov,

eerickson@pasen.gov,

evogel@pasen.gov,

gyaw@pasen.gov,

bmensch@pasen.gov,

swagner@pasen.gov,

shutchinson@pasen.gov,

dargall@pasen.gov,

sgreenleaf@pasen.gov,

jrafferty@pasen.gov,

dwhite@pasen.gov,

SET 3 - 11 DEMOCRATS

andy@pasenate.com,

senatorteplitz@pasenate.com,

senatorleach@pasenate.com,

senatorwiley@pasenate.com,

smith@pasenate.com,

yudichak@pasenate.com,

SenatorSchwank@pasenate.com,

washington@pasenate.com,

boscola@pasenate.com,

brewster@pasenate.com,

kasunic@pasenate.com,

SET 4 - 12 DEMOCRATS

tartaglione@pasenate.com,

kitchen@pasenate.com,

costa@pasenate.com,

ferlo@pasenate.com,

farnese@pasenate.com,

fontana@pasenate.com,

stack@pasenate.com,

hughes@pasenate.com,

wozniak@pasenate.com,

williams@pasenate.com,

solobay@pasenate.com,

senatorblake@pasenate.com,

GO TO THESE LEGISLATORS' WEBSITE TO SEND THEM YOUR MESSAGE:

1) http://www.senatorbrubaker.com/contact-me/

2) http://www.senatorvulakovich.com/contact/

3) http://www.senatorfolmer.com/voice-your-concerns-2/

4) http://www.senatorgordner.com/contact-me/

5) http://www.senatorcorman.com/contact/

6) http://www.senatorrobbins.com/contact-me/

7) http://www.senatorpileggi.com/email-senator-pileggi/

8) http://www.senatoreldervogel.com/contact-me/

9) http://www.senatormensch.com/contact-me/

10) http://www.senatorscotthutchinson.com/contact-me/

11) http://www.senatormattsmith.com/contact

12) http://www.senatorkasunic.com/contact

13) http://www.senatorsolobay.com/contact

OUR HOMESCHOOL BILL IS ON THE SCHEDULE

We are thankful that we made it on the list but it is low on the schedule list. If this bill is to ever pass it must be now, and we must give it all we've got.

The House and Senate Leadership are discussing what bills are priority. Too many bills, so little time! We need to call these lawmakers today in this order asking them to pass HB1013.

Tell Senators Pileggi and Scarnati to make HB1013 a priority for discussion and voting on the Senate Floor.

Since it was amended, we need to urge Rep. Turzai (House Majority Leader) to ask the Senate to get the bill back to the House ASAP so they can vote on it. His office may downplay their influence but he is a key player in moving the bill forward.

The remaining 5 session days left are October 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15. If our bill is not voted on by then, it is dead.

CONTACT PRIORITY:

Senator Dominic Pileggi - Senate Majority Floor Leader

Capitol - (717) 787-4712

Glen Mills - (610) 358-5183 

Chester - (610) 447-5845

Senator Joseph Scarnati III - Senate President Pro Tempore 

Capitol - (717) 787-7084 

Brockway - (814) 265-2030 

Wellsboro - (570) 724-5231 

Kane - (814) 837-1026 

Representative Mike Turzai - House Majority Leader

Capitol - (717) 772-9943 

McCandless - (412) 369-2230

After calling these three, call your local State Senator to be sure they support you and vote for it at the Floor.

NOTE: Make these phone calls first, then send hand-written letters on hand-addressed envelopes. Next are emails - subject line it with Please Pass HB1013, the Homeschool Bill. 

The most important to them however are visits from their constituents!

Thank you for all your hard work. There is nothing too difficult with our God and He is on our side. Homeschooling is near and dear to His heart so go with courage and confidence!  

SENATE TALKING POINTS

SAMPLE EMAIL SCRIPT:  Feel free to tweak it and add your personal thoughts and story -- why you support HB 1013.

SUBJECT LINE: Please support HB 1013

Hello! My name is  ______________________  and I am reaching out to all members of the State Senate to respectfully ask you to vote and support House Bill 1013. Currently, Pennsylvania has the second most restrictive homeschool law in the nation. It's not a good rating to have for the Keystone State so I would ask that you urge the leadership to put HB 1013 to a vote soon.

On March 15, 2013, Rep. Mark Gillen introduced HB1013,  legislation that would:

•    Eliminate the public school superintendent’s redundant review of portfolios;

•    Require superintendents to accept an evaluator’s determination that an appropriate education is occurring in the home education program;

•    Provide for an administrative procedure to resolve any claim by the superintendent that the parent has failed to comply with any aspect of the homeschool law;

•  Ensure that the home education program may continue during the time of any appeal of an adverse ruling by a hearing examiner; and

•  Require that a high school diploma issued by the supervisor of a home education program be recognized the same as a diploma issued by the commonwealth.

On June 29, HB1013 was voted out of the House Floor by every Republican member and dozens of Democrats. Favorable testimonies at the hearing came from both parties. May I ask you to support this bill and encourage the leadership to put it on the agenda before it expires? With just a few session days left, we would be most grateful for your help to bring this to the finish line.

Thank you for your consideration and God bless you for your service.

(Name)

(Phone Number/Email) 

Other Talking points:

•  School district portfolio re-evaluation is unnecessary because we are thoroughly assessed by a state credentialed evaluator beforehand.

•  HB1013 will strengthen school choice by diminishing hurdles for loving parents who wish to raise and educate their own children.

•  HB1013 removes the discrimination against parent directed, privately funded home-based schooling.

•  PA currently has the second most restrictive homeschooling laws in the nation. California, Ohio, Texas and Massachusetts are much less restrictive. 

•  HB1013 will save taxpayers millions

•  Homeschool students do well in states with or without regulation. 

LET'S TAKE THIS TO THE FINISH LINE!

We are running out of time to pass HB1013. I was told that the legislative calendar is not in our favor. Many of our lawmakers are campaigning for re-election and there are too many bills to pass in the remaining 5 session days. We've worked too hard to allow it to expire so all eyes, ears, voices and energies must be turned towards making sure they run the bill in the Senate Floor. The Senators will not be in Harrisburg this week but can be reached in their district offices. Their staffers and aides will still be at the Capitol so you can also call there as well.

- = - = - = - = - = - = - = - =

We cannot stress it enough that it's crunch time. TODAY is the day we focus our energies to call Senate leadership to include HB1013 in the agenda. Senator Dominic Pileggi is in-charge of the voting schedule in the Senate. If you live in Senate District 9 - part of Chester and part of Delaware Counties - you are his constituent. We ask you to especially visit his district office in either Chester or Glen Mills and be the face of homeschooling to them. Then, we should all plan to write a handwritten personal letter, call, fax, email - and persevere in urging him to support our homeschooling rights by passing HB1013.

Here are his Harrisburg and district contact information:

Senator Dominic Pileggi
Senate Box 203009, Harrisburg, PA 17120-3009
Room: 350 Capitol Building
(717) 787-4712
FAX: (717) 783-7490
dpileggi@pasen.gov

Senator Dominic Pileggi
100 Evergreen Drive
Suite 113
Glen Mills, PA 19342
(610) 358-5183
FAX: (610) 358-5184

Senator Dominic Pileggi

415 Avenue of the States
Chester, PA 19013
(610) 447-5845

- = - = - = - = - = - = - = -

The other person in leadership we need to contact is Senator Joseph Scarnati. If you live in Senate District 25 serving Cameron, Clearfield (part), Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, Mckean, Potter and Tioga Counties, below are his contact information. Please visit his district office closest to you. We all should also plan to write him a personal letter, call, fax, email - and persevere in urging him to support our homeschooling rights.

Senator Joseph Scarnati III
Senate Box 203025

Harrisburg, PA 17120-3025
Room: 292 Capitol Building

(717) 787-7084

FAX: (717) 772-2755

jscarnati@pasen.gov

Senator Joseph Scarnati III
410 Main Street
Brockway, PA 15824
(814) 265-2030
FAX: (814) 265-2040

Senator Joseph Scarnati III
Five Main Street
Wellsboro, PA 16901
(570) 724-5231
FAX: (570) 723-5119

Senator Joseph Scarnati III

21A Field Street
Kane, PA 16735
(814) 837-1026
FAX: (814) 837-1029

- = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -

Our lawmakers work for us but unless we communicate to them what's important to us, they will not know. There are 3,000 bills and resolutions in this session and there is no way they can understand enough about everything. It is a critical responsibility upon us to give them ample information to make the right decision.

In addition, call, email, fax, write or visit your own Senator - today.

Because of the amendment, our bill has to go back to the House. We have good House Leadership support but we have to work harder to get the vote in the Senate Floor - as soon as possible.

[If you get critical information and helpful responses from your efforts, we would appreciate knowing about it. Please email it to cmoore@chaponline.com]

NOTE ABOUT THE AMENDMENT: 

With regards to the amendment from the Senate Education Committee, rest assured that it was all made with excellent spirit strengthening what we have in HB1013. If passed, it will require superintendents - if they have any "reasonable doubt" that appropriate education is taking place - to offer more succinct and  specific statement why they think sufficient education is not taking place.

We can take courage that Representative Mike Turzai, majoirty leader of the House, has already assured Representative Mark Gillen, our bill sponsor, that he will pass it through the House Floor as soon as they receive it from the Senate Floor. 

Visit our website and blog for help with talking points. Let's get to work because we can do this with the help of God.

Carpe Diem

ONLY 5 SESSION DAYS LEFT

We were thrilled to hear that with a vote of 10-1  HB1013 passed the Senate Education Committee last Tuesday, Sept. 23. It was amended so it has to go back to the full House Floor for approval. Representative Mike Turzai (House Majority Leader) promised to put it through but it has to be ASAP. 

There are only 5 session days left and the bill has yet to go through 3 considerations in the Senate. We need to flood Senator Scarnati and Senator Pileggi's offices - in Harrisburg and in their district - with calls, emails, handwritten letters, and face-to-face visits. A visit from among their constituency will mean the most. 

Please take the time to visit your State Senator's district office. Tell them why you want them to advocate for your homeschooling right - by doing all they can to pass HB1013 in the Senate and having it ready for Governor Corbett's signature by October 15.

If you are not a constituent of either of them, it is still important that you contact them:

Senator Joseph Scarnati

292 Main Capitol

Harrisburg, PA  17120-3025

717-787-7084
jscarnati@pasen.gov

Sen. Dominic Pileggi
Senate Box 203009
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3009
Room: 350 Capitol Building
717-787-4712
dpileggi@pasen.gov