Latino Action Network Foundation Joins National Latino Voter Registration Drive

The Latino Action Network Foundation is co-sponsoring the New Jersey Kick-Off Event for the ¡Ya Es Hora! ¡Ve y Vota! National Voter Registration Drive this Thursday in Newark, New Jersey.  

When: Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 5 pm

Where: Barringer High School, 90 Parker St. Newark, NJ.

RSVP: Please call (973) 945-5532 or email NJCivic@lafuenteinc.org or click "going" on our Facebook Event Page.

We encourage everyone to bring family, friend and neighbors to learn more about the importance of voting and your rights as a voter.  We will be registering people to vote at the event as well as signing up volunteers that want to help register others to vote.

The Latino Action Network Foundation is proud to partner with Unvision, NALEO, Hispanic Federation, La Fuente, La Casa de Don Pedro, and many other partners on this project. We hope you can join us for this important mobilizing event!

For more info please call (973) 945-5532 or email NJCivic@lafuenteinc.org.

Event is nonpartisan and not affiliated with any candidate. The sole purpose is to mobilize our community. Your Vote, Our Voice! Tu Voto, Nuestra Voz!

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Latino Action Network
PO Box 943
Freehold, NJ 07728

www.LatinoActionNetwork.org

Click HERE to Join the Latino Action Network

NJ Health Insurance Exchange Act Clears Committee

Trenton, NJ - The  New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S-2135) cleared the Senate Commerce Committee yesterday.  Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of the Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN) testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S2135). Click HERE to read Daniel's testimony.  The article below describes yesterday's proceedings and includes a statement by Santo Pietro.  Click HERE to read the article on the NJ Spotlight website.
 

NJ Health Insurance Exchange Clears Committee 

Amended legislation addresses many of the issues lawmakers, advocates, and activists had with original bill

By Joe Tyrrell, October 2, 2012 in Healthcare

NJ Spotlight 

Renewed legislation establishing a state health insurance exchange to oversee coverage won approval from the Senate’s commerce committee on Monday -- after some tinkering to the makeup of the exchange's governing board.

State health exchanges are a key provision of the federal Affordable Care Act. These virtual marketplaces let individuals and small businesses compare their options for private health insurance by cost and coverage.

LAN Public Policy Chair Testifies in Support of New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S-2135)

Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of the Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN) testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act (S2135).  If passed, the bill would set up a state-run insurance exchange as a way to give uninsured people a way to buy health insurance plans as part of the federal health insurance overhaul.  Santo Pietro pointed out that Latino workers who are employed in service jobs that offer no health coverage and Latino small business owners and their employees are a large part of the uninsured population, about 400 thousand.  Given the need to reach out to such a large portion of the Hispanics, he urged the inclusion of Latinos on the board of the newly created exchange.  He also urged the bill's rapid passage and enactment into law in New Jersey, so we can all start the work that should be in high gear in early 2013 to move our state toward universal coverage.  You can read Daniel Santo Pietro's full testimony below:

Testimony for Senate Commerce Committee

Bill S2135

New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act

October 1, 2012

I am Daniel Santo Pietro, Chair of  Public Policy of the Latino Action Network (LAN).  LAN is a state-wide network of Latino leaders from community organizations, unions, academia, and professionals.

LAN has worked extensively on and supports fully the principles of the NJ Healthcare Coalition.  It is critical that the Exchange created under this Act has a strong consumer bias if it is to realize its purpose.  The State Health Policy Center has pointed out for over a year that the Exchange will have to do outreach to many low income people to be successful.  What is particularly important to LAN is that Latinos will be one of the largest subgroup of consumers that will seek health coverage through the exchange.