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How to Be an Advocate
Children thrive when they have stable, loving relationships with parents, teachers and caregivers, when they live in safe environments, and when their days and years are filled with experiences that support their healthy development. Investing in our children now helps guarantee the future prosperity of our state. Children who grow up with the full range of healthy development—social, cognitive, emotional, physical and moral—are more likely to succeed in life and give back to society.
Voices for Ohio’s Children's policy agenda focuses directly on how Ohio can best invest in our children in six key areas:
■ Child and Family Health
■ Child Welfare
■ Early Care and Education
■ Family Economic Security
■ Juvenile Justice
■ K-12 Education
Taken together, these 6 issue areas represent the best hope for the future of our children and for our state. Whatever your role—parent, grandparent, business owner, policy maker, reporter, teacher, health or service provider—please join with us to secure the health and well being of Ohio's Children.
What is Child Advocacy?Child advocacy is about speaking out, speaking up and speaking the truth. It is about joining neighborhoods together, building connections among institutions and strengthening families within homes. It is about lifting up, reaching out and embracing those across divides. It is about using facts, using faces, and using every tool possible to improve the lives of children and families.
Why is it Important?- Children do not vote, so their voices too often go unheard
- Children and youth deserve to have government programs work in their best interest.
- Children are the future of our community
How to Begin:- What problems are you going to direct most of your time'
- What services are provided where you live and who provides these services?
- Who should you talk to that is affected by these problems?
The Heart of Advocacy:- Educate your community on the importance of supporting children and youth
- Be informed- read the paper, watch the news, attend community meetings
- Mobilize a campaign in your community to support children and youth
- Organize your neighbors to support children
- Teach others to advocate for themselves
- Make children a priority at work
- Educate elected and appointed officials
- Testify at public hearings
- Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper
- Make your political donations count for children by giving to those candidates you believe support children's issues
- VOTE
Source: National Association of Child Advocates
DC Action for Children
How a Bill Becomes a LawThere are five basic steps through which a bill becomes a law in the Ohio General Assembly.- Introduction of Bills. The introduction of a bill constitutes its formal presentation in its chamber of origin- either the House of Representatives (House) or Senate. At this time the title of the bill is read and the bill in printed for general distribution. Either on the day of introduction or the next legislative day, the bill is referred to the rules committee that will determine which standing committee the bill will be referred to.
- Consideration by a Standing Committee. Examples of standing committees are finance, education, and ways and means. These are permanent committees that meet when the General Assembly is in session and carry over from one session to another. The committee meets at the committee chair's discretion, holds public hearings, discusses the bill, considers amendments to it, formulates recommendations, and then prepares a committee report for submission to the originating chamber ( House or Senate).
- Final Action. If recommended by the Standing Committee, the rules committee determines when the bill will be placed on the calendar for a vote of the full membership of the originating chamber. The bill is listed under the heading Final Action. Amendments may be offered by any member. A roll call vote is taken to determine if the chamber will pass the bill.
- Action by the Second Chamber. Having passed the first chamber (chamber of origin) the bill is sent to the second chamber where the same procedure is followed. If the second chamber passes the bill without any amendment changing the original bill it is printed in its final form for consideration by the governor. If the second chamber amends the bill and the first chamber concurs (agrees to accept the amendments) the bill is also considered finally passed. If the first chamber disagrees with the amendments, then a conference committee is appointed to work out an agreement. When both chambers have approved the report of the conference committee by a majority of all members on a roll call vote, the bill is considered finally passed. Within ten days after passage the bill must be signed by the presiding officers of each chamber and presented to the governor.
- Action by the Governor. The governor has ten days after receipt of the bill to act on it. If the governor does not act on it during the 10 day period the bill automatically becomes law. The governor may veto a bill by refusing to sign it and returning it to the house in which it was originated, together with a statement of reasons for the veto. In appropriation (budget) bills only, the governor may veto some of the items (line item veto) and approve the others by signing the bill. The legislature may pass a bill over the governor's veto by a two-thirds vote of each chamber.
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