1/28/09 Lobbying For Family Planning and Women's Health

I joined members of Planned Parenthood and the Feminist Women's Health Center at the state Capitol to lobby State Senators on issues of family planning. Governor Perdue has required state agencies to cut their budgets to meet a projected $2.2 billion-plus budget shortfall. These cuts affect many human services programs but they include a very disproportionate cut in family planning funding. Out of a current family planning budget of $22 million, the state already cut our $7.5 million (34%) for FY 2009. Another $10 million (45%) is expected to be cut in the next budget year (FY 2010), which will be considered during the next legislative session in 2009.



Family planning services in Georgia have been chronically under-funded, never reaching more than 40-50% of the number of women who need publicly funded services.



-Publicy funded family planning helps women avoid the pregnancies they do not want and to plan the pregnancies they do.



-The best way to prevent unintended pregnancies is to ensure that women and families have access to contraceptive services.



-Family planning funding makes economic sense. Nationally, every public $1 invested in family planning saves at least $4.02. In Georgia, these savings are much higher.



I had the opportunity to speak with Senator Horacena Tate (D) District 38, and she shared what I felt was good advice. She encouraged me to also speak with Republican Senators considering they hold a majority in both Houses of the Assembly in Georgia. I plan an email campaign along with speaking to individual Senators. The funding from the federal government is likely to pass and will be sent to Georgia. I feel that it's important that we make our feelings known to the majority party about what should happen with those funds. I also spoke with Senator Kasim Reed (D), District 35, and he disagrees with the Governor's idea of an across the board cut of some of the state's budgets. He suggested the Governor is not cutting funding that affects things he supports, so it's not trully acorss the board. I asked him about protecting school budgets in south Fulton County which is very important to me. He feels that the degree to which cuts will actually happen are dependent on Stimulus funding dollars from the federal government.

Overall, the experience at the capitol was an enjoyable one as usual. It's a busy, bustling place, with lots of people with many agendas. It our democracy in action in Georgia and I feel right at home. I want to be there next year representing my friends and neighbors in District 35.