Tennessee Health Care Campaign (THCC)
Tennesseans with Disabilities Alert
Action Required
February 9, 2007

Emergency - Urgent Help Needed to Save
Tennessee Disability Coalition

In the past 24 hours two pieces of legislation have been introduced that threaten the foundations of the Tennessee Disability Coalition and we need your help this very hour. This is not a routine request for advocacy. This is not a drill. The work of the Coalition is at risk!

The first bill (SB 0441, HB 0457) would cut a primary source of funding for the Coalition by 66%. The sponsors for this bill are Representative Janis Sontany (53rd House District in Nashville) and Senator Tim Burchett (7th Senate District in Knoxville). The Coalition was never consulted about these bills, but we believe our friends Representative Sontany and Senator Burchett do not understand what these bills will do.

The second bill (SB 1738) would likewise cut a vital source of funding.

Either bill could spell the end of the Coalition as we know it.

We Need Your Help Today - This Very Afternoon

Nashville Area - If you live in or around Nashville, then please call or write Representative Janice Sontany this very moment and ask her to stop House Bill 457. There literally is no time to waste.

Representative Janis Sontany
Home Phone (615) 331-7616
Office Phone (615) 741-6861
E-mail: rep.janis.sontany@legislature.state.tn.us

Knoxville Area & 7th Senate District - If you live in or around Knoxville, then please call or write Senator Burchett this very moment and ask him to stop Senate Bill 441. There literally is no time to waste.

Senator Tim Burchett
Home Phone (865) 693-1902
Office Phone (615) 741-1766
E-mail: sen.tim.burchett@legislature.state.tn.us

Murfreesboro Area & Senate District 13 - If you live in or around Murfreesboro or Senate District 13, then please call or write Senator Ketron this very moment and ask him to stop Senate Bill 1738. There literally is no time to waste.

Senator Bill Ketron
Office Phone: 615-741-6853
Home Phone: 615-896-5440
Email: sen.bill.ketron@legislature.state.tn.usHow Grave Is the Threat?

It would threaten long-standing cross-disability programs such as Family Voices, Project Brain, ADA Advocacy, and the Vote! Campaign which have helped thousands of people with disabilities across the state and had a great impact on many families.

It would devastate efforts to advocate for programs and policies beneficial to people with disabilities such as the Autism Equity Act, the Family Support Program, Mental Health Equity, accessibility laws, and more.

It would bring an end to the Coalition Quarterly magazine, a free publication that provides the only source for in-depth cross-disability news and education for more than 10,000 Tennesseans. Most readers have a disability, work on behalf of people disabilities, or have a family member with a disability.