Chelseaby Chelsea Nelson
Interactive Communications Director

Today, United Way of Salt Lake held its annual Day on the Hill event on Capitol Hill. Day on the Hill is a great way for people with all types of lobbying experience (or no experience at all) get engaged with the legislative session and understand more about how the process works.

The morning kicked off with Advocacy 101 training–taught by Elizabeth Garbe, UWLS’s Public Policy Director. We learned about the process a bill goes through and tips on how to lobby. We also learned about the details of the two major bills that UWSL is supporting this legislative session. Armed with information on the bills we were lobbying for, participants were able to contact their representative on the floor in support! Guests then enjoyed lunch and were able to hear a panel of legislative leaders speak about Utah and the Medicaid Expansion. Panelists included Senator Brian Shiozawa, Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck, and Representative Jim Dunnigan.

The two bills that United Way of Salt Lake is supporting this legislative session are SB71, Results-based Financing for Early Education and SB56, 2-1-1 Information and Referral Network.

  • SB56: 2-1-1 is the state’s information and referral system. 2-1-1 helps hundreds of people every day and SB56 develops a standard of excellence by creating a public-private partnership that includes funds form the state and continued private funding through United Way. This partnership will ensure this free, statewide service can provide quality, up-to-date information to Utahns in need and those seeking opportunities to volunteer.
  • SB71: The first five years of a child’s life are full of social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth and high-quality preschool has been proven to close the achievement gap for at-risk kids. Through an innovative approach to government financing of interventions where capital can be assessed upfront, Senator Osmond’s bill, SB71, allows the government to contract with a private-sector investor to pay for voluntary early childhood interventions and be paid back based upon the intervention achieving targeted results.

You can read more about these bills, see where they are in the process, and respond to Action Alerts, by visiting our website at uw.org/advocate. You can also sign up to receive UWSL Action Alerts HERE >>. Make sure to look for our weekly email and blog, Policy Matters, with updates on where our bills are in the process this legislative session.

If you joined us for Day on the Hill this morning, we hope that you learned more about the legislative process and how to make your voice heard – let your Senator know it is important to vote YES on SB56 and SB71!!

Thank you for LIVING UNITED!

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