State Level Policy Change and How to Get There

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State Level Policy Change and How to Get There

• Linda Fowells, Community Partners, Facilitator
• Richard Chabrán, UC Riverside
• Drew Furedi, The Childrens Partnership
• Blanca Gordo, UC Berkeley
• California Community Technology Policy Group
• Advancing Community Technology The Next Wave
• San Diego, California
• June 16, 2001

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CIOF Policy Workgroup
Advocating for CTC's
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Why Policy is Important

• The "digital divide" is a dangerous phrase
  because it could be used to justify government
  entitlement programs that guarantee poor people
  cheaper access to new technology. By way of
  comparison he said, "I think there is a Mercedes
  divide. I'd like to have one I can't afford
  one."
• Michael Powell, Chair of the Federal
  Communications Commission (FCC)

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Policy 101

• A brief and unauthoratative look at levers of
  change at the state policy level

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The Big Three

• Legislative
• Budgetary
• Regulatory

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Legislative Process

• Get an assemblymember or a Senator to believe in
  your issue
• Have their staff draft a bill with language that
  you support
• Offer your help in providing information, allies,
  etc. to help it get through the system
• Watch it carefully and help find other friends

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How a bill becomes a lawsort of

• Bill is introduced, then assigned to a policy
  committee
• If approved by policy committee, it goes to an
  appropriations committee, then to floor vote
• If passed on floor, it goes to the other chamber
  (Senate or Assembly), for similar process
• Eventually, the bill (if successful) winds up on
  the Governors desk for his/her action

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Budgetary Process

• Have the Governors staff include your line
  item in the budget proposal
• Or have a friendly legislator go to bat for your
  program in budget committee hearings
• Watch the process and keep in contact with your
  friends to make sure it survives

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Regulatory Process

• For most states, there are additional pots of
  money to tap for funding WIA, Afterschool
  Funding, etc.
• Many of these are controlled by processes outside
  of the legislative or formal budget mechanisms.
• Find out what actions are necessary to get in
  line for these funds and work the system!

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Summary of Main Points

• Policy is a link to sustainability
• You are the expert
• Policy is a process
• Get to know to players
• Craft a consistent message
• Be prepared with your case
• Organize
• Work the system

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Key Resources

• NTIA (www.ntia.gov)
• Benton Foundation (www.benton.org)
• Digital Divide Network (www.digitaldividenetwork)
• ALA (www.ala.org/oitp)
• The Childrens Partnership (www.childrenspartnersh
  ip.org)
• Computers In Our Future (www.ciof.org/policy)