Latest Headlines: January 9, 2010

State Strategy Group Summary
The State Strategy Group had their monthly conference call today from 9am-10am. The State Strategy group is an informal group of twenty odd single payer organizations whose mission is to educate and advocate for a single payer healthcare system for Californians.

The calls are chaired by Andrew Mcguire, the executive director of Healthcare For All- Califorina. Today’s meeting began with Norman Solomon (PDA) urging everyone to contact the progressive caucus (especially Lynn Woolsey and Barbara Lee to take a stand for the Kucinich amendment. Sarah Rogers, legislative assistant to Mark Leno, said that single payer bill SB810 is currently in the Senate Health and Appropriations committees but should be voted on to the senate floor by the end of January. It will then progress to the Senate floor and the Assembly. She urged SSG members to contact the assembly members because many of them need more education. Our own Jay Fenix reported on the final preparations for Lobby Day, 2010.

This a two day event for health professional students, with an advocacy training day on Sunday and a rally on Monday at 11am on the Capitol steps in Sacramento. All single payer activists are encouraged to join the students for the rally. Bill Skeen, Jonas Green and Matt Hendrickson will be at the rally. A face to face meeting of the SSG is in the early stages of development. It will be held in Los Angeles and probably in February.