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E-mail to TCFR supporters on May 21, 2004

PETITION AND AGENDA REGARDING AUSTIN CPS HEARING

        The June 2nd hearing of the Select Interim Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care offers us a unique opportunity to show support for parents to designate a caregiver during a CPS investigation. The powers within the system do not want to see that happen.

        I have included a petition supporting our proposal as an attachment to this e-mail. Would you complete it and return it to show your support?

        You are welcome to copy the petition and circulate it among others also. If they would like to be added to our contact list have them let us know their e-mail, phone and/or mailing address on a separate sheet from the petition. The petitions will be given to the clerk of the Select Interim Committee so we did not include detailed contact information on that form.

        We have now received the list of other invited speakers. The agenda is as follows:
                I. Call to Order, Comments
                II. Invited Testimony
                        Department of Family and Protective Services
                  Texas Center for Family Rights
                        Judge John Specia
                        Texas Kin-Care Task Force
                        Casey Family Programs
                        AARP
                        Texprotects, TX Assn. for the Protection of Children
                        Texas Foster Family Association
                        Texas CASA
                        Justice for Children
                        Reverend Jerome Milton
                        Scott McCown, Center for Public Policy Priorities
                III. Public Testimony

        It appears that most of the testimony will be weighted in favor of CPS. However we are not familiar with some of the organizations and would appreciate input you may have concerning your experience with any of them. Some certainly stand to profit financially from maintaining the status quo.

        Details for the hearing include:
Location: Austin State Capitol
Date: June 2, 2004
Time: 10:00AM
Room: E1.010 (in the underground extension)

        Again, the petition "Enough is Enough" is included as an attachment. We would appreciate your support through the petition and attendance if you can make it!

Respectfully,
Peter JohnstonPresident