H: Heath Care For All Kids

Dear CA MomsRising.org member,

Paperwork a new hazard to California's children? Unfortunately, it could be. In an effort to cut the budget, legislators are considering a truly twisted tactic right now: Cutting eligible kids off healthcare coverage by increasing red tape. The result -- more than 471,000 children could lose their health insurance.[1]

DECISIONS ABOUT CHILDREN’S HEALTH BEING MADE NOW: The most critical California state budget item for children’s health may be decided as early as this Thursday.

It was an amazing experience to deliver MomsRising.org member messages along with compasses telling legislators to get back on track to covering all kids! Our fabulous group of moms and kids reminded me again of the power of personal stories. One of the Assembly’s health policy experts was even moved to tears by the personal story of one of the moms delivering the Compass-o-Grams.

When I'm really lost, I need some serious help to get re-oriented -- a map, a compass, and someone giving me directions! It looks like the California legislature may also need some serious navigational help to back on course with healthcare for all kids.

Just a few months ago, our leaders were breathlessly close to expanding healthcare coverage for kids. Now?

We've got exciting news -- a mom just became one of our state's most powerful leaders. Assemblywoman Karen Bass was sworn in as Speaker of the California Assembly yesterday, becoming the first African American woman in the nation to serve in this powerful role. Way to go Speaker Bass!

I’ve watched the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington too many times because I’m definitely a sucker for inspirational stories about “ordinary” people entering and influencing the corridors of power.

A year ago, when I sat down to write about my five-year-old daughter’s hospitalization, I had no idea it would lead me to testifying at a hearing in Sacramento before a California State Senate subcommittee on Health and Social Services.

I also didn’t know how it would feel to publicly stand up for a cause I believed in – but I was about to find out.

We moms do our best to keep our families safe. But in light of recent safety news, I think we're going to go find Saddam Hussein's worm hole and take up residence there.

This breaking news story from Charlotte, North Carolina has me truly outraged and ashamed of my home state: a Brazilian woman was jailed in Charlotte on Friday for immigration charges, and has been denied the opportunity to pump breast milk for her son, who is younger than two months old.

You can imagine what it means for a breastfeeding infant and mother to be separated and needlessly denied the opportunity to at least pump her milk to be delivered to the baby.

The Charlotte Observer reports that Danielle Ferreira's baby Samuel is "crying incessantly and keeps spitting up baby formula."

I feel intensely angry about this situation, but rather than compounding that with helplessness, I am doing what I can to at least magnify the awareness of this situation. I have reached out to local advocates and my legislators. Now that you know, is there anything you can do to help?