Example Alert Sent to All Members

DAWN Alert: Budget Conference Committee

1. Budget repair bill
2. Talking points for advocacy
3. Action steps

1. The Budget Repair bill has now passed both houses of the legislature

The two houses passed different versions of the bill. The bill will be forwarded to a joint conference committee of the legislature to work out the differences between the two houses.

The conference committee will be made up of three majority and one minority members from each house. An alert will be sent and committee membership posted when available on DAWN at:

How do the two versions differ with respect to disability issues?

a. Shared revenue: The Senate version protects shared revenue during the term of the budget. The Assembly version would protect shared revenue in 2002 but then reduces it by $279 million in calendar year 2003 and then an additional $235 million in calendar year 2004.

b. Special education: The Senate version includes $27.4 million for special education. The Assembly version does not contain any additional funding for special education. For more information about this issue check the DAWN website at

c. Mental Health/AODA Parity: The Senate version included the mental health/AODA parity legislation (SB 157) supported by mental health advocates. The Assembly version did not include this legislation even though it had strong bipartisan support. For more information about this issue check the DAWN website at

d. Centers Task Force: The Assembly version included the recommendations of the Legislative Council DD Study Committee. The recommendations passed the Senate, but were not included in the final Senate Budget Repair bill. For more information about this issue check the DAWN website at

e. AB 590: The Assembly version included all of the non-fiscal items from this bill including piloting a redesign of the children's long-term care system, combining the funding streams from institutional and community systems and adding four legislators to the Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities. For more information about AB 590 check the DAWN website at

For more information about the Budget Repair Bill check the DAWN website at

2. Talking points for advocacy

The DAWN website includes talking points for advocates, comparison of the Senate and Assembly budget bills, and testimony and letters from the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations and the Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities. All can be accessed from: <

3. Action Steps

a. Contact your legislators and tell them what is needed in the final conference committee budget for people with disabilities. Ask your legislators to contact members of the conference committee to urge them to support the disability issues that you care about. To find out who your legislators are check:

b. Contact the leadership in each house and tell them what people with disabilities need in the final version of the bill. To find a list of the conference committee members when available check the DAWN website at

Rep. Scott Jensen
Room 211 West State Capitol
PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708-8952
608/266-3387
608/282-3632 (fax)

Sen. Chuck Chvala
Room 211 South State Capitol
PO Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707-7882
608/266-9170
608/266-5087 (fax)