Washington Day of Activism - it's coming soon....

Just a reminder that our annual Day of Activism in Olympia is soon upon us. MS Activists will be coming from all over Washington to raise awareness of MS at the state legislature on February 5 and we hope you will join us. Registration is still open - you can learn more details and sign up here. If you are new to advocacy but still want to attend, don't worry. We have two teleconferences planned for you so you can get up to speed. Sign up for those calls: Jan. 22 and Jan. 29.

The Day of Activism is one of my most favorite days of the year. When I took this job, I did it because I knew the stories of people with MS have the power to change laws. The Day of Activism is the day when this really happens. The real stories of the MS community are told to people in power and we make a difference.

Three years ago, together, we passed a law that allows more MS specialists to practice in our state. Two years ago, we stopped people with MS from losing their health care. Last year, we made sure everyone with MS has access to affordable and comprehensive health care.  This year, we will continue that tradition and make it easier for people with MS to get to where they need to go.

Will you join us?

Should the state have new rules for disability parking placards?

A new report to the Washington legislature recommends that the state allow fewer people with disabilities to qualify for free or unlimited street parking. This proposal, meant to crack down on fraud and abuse of disabled parking placards, may prevent many people with MS from gaining access to free or unlimited on-street parking.

The report does not propose revising eligibility for the blue disability parking placards, but instead suggests creating a new orange placard that allows for free parking and parking beyond the posted time limit. Currently, state law says that anyone with a disability placard can park in a metered space for an unlimited amount of time. This provision would be eliminated and under the new proposal, blue placards could not be used for free, unlimited on-street parking.

Nearly 700,000 permanent disability parking placards are in use throughout the state and it is thought that many of these placards are being used fraudently. The abuse seems to be most rampant in Seattle where many blocks are filled with a disproportionate number of disabled parkers during the work day. The City of Seattle has tried for many years to fix this problem and asked the legislature for a solution.

The new orange placards would have a much stricter definition of disability, and allow someone to qualify if they meet any of the four criteria:

• Cannot insert coins in parking meters or obtain tickets from ticket machines in parking lots or ramps due to a lack of fine motor control of both hands.
• Cannot reach up to 42 inches from the ground, due to lack of finger, hand, or upper extremity strength or mobility.
• Cannot approach a parking meter due to use of a wheelchair or other device.
• Cannot walk more than 20 feet due to an orthopedic, neurological, cardiovascular, or lung condition which is so severe that the ability to walk is almost completely impeded.

These criteria seems to eliminate people with MS who experience fatigue and gait, except in the most extreme circumstances.

The report also suggests additional changes to crack down on fraud, including increasing penalties for fraudulent use of a disabled parking placard. The whole report is available here. The Chapter's Washington Government Relations Committee is reviewing the report and will ensure that the legislature understands the perspective of the MS community when they are reviewing the proposal.

What do you think about this proposal? Should it be harder for people to get a disabled parking permit? What else can be done to crack down on the abuse of disability parking placards?

MS Activists meet with Congressman Adam Smith

Advocacy director Jim Freeburg, Congressman Adam Smith, and MS activist Simone Thompson

Monday morning, MS activists met with Congressman Adam Smith, from Washington's 9th congressional district. Congressman Smith has been a long-time supporter of the MS community - not only is he a member of the Congressional MS Caucus, but he's also a strong supporter for increased funding of MS research and many of our priority issues. 

When we met with Congressman Smith, he shared some of his personal connections to people living with MS and it was great to hear that he is keeping up on some of the new MS research that's happening within his district. He's definitely an engaged and informed representative of his community! 

MS activist Simone Thompson shared her story with the Congressman and encouraged him to keep up the good work. We reiterated our priority issues - funding for the National Institutes of Health, the primary government backer of medical research, and a funding stream within the Department of Defense for MS research. The meeting was especially timely given Congress's budget agreement this week - we need to make sure that all of Congress knows the importance of funding medical research.

Congressman Smith appreciated our visit and left us with a request that we keep raising awareness of MS activism within his district. That's something we can and will do. Stay tuned for more details about how you can be involved in MS activism. 

Advocates Testify at the State Capitol to #KeepUsMoving

A chilly November day in Olympia

The proposed transportation budget affects us all—as shown by the hundreds of stakeholders who spent hours at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia last Thursday to testify before the Senate Transportation Committee.

Stakeholder testimony emphasized the need for legislators to partner with communities statewide to support transportation projects. While many people focused their testimony on roads, jobs, and economic development, a number of individuals spoke up for the critical role of accessible, public transportation, and better infrastructure for pedestrians to keep our state moving.

Accessible transportation advocates echoed many of the requests made at the statewide listening sessions this fall.

As a volunteer for the National MS Society, I explained the needs of people living with MS and encouraged the Senators to maintain the proposed funding level for the special needs transportation fund ($33 million). I also asked them to continue to fund mass transit and pedestrian infrastructure, which serve as key links for people with disabilities who can’t drive.

Activists spoke up for people with special needs and public transportation:

Peggy Quan, AARP:

Hundreds packed the hearing room for the meeting

“I want to encourage policy makers to think broadly to meet the needs of the aging and disabled population. Nationally, over 2 million people with disabilities never leave their homes. Of those individuals, 560,000 don’t leave home due to transportation difficulties. Complete streets and special needs funding should be priorities in this transportation package.”

Kathleen Dunn, Member of West Seattle Bike Connections:

“The heroes of transportation are those who use modes of transportation other than cars, either by choice or by necessity.”

Denise Colley, Washington Council of the Blind:

Legislators listen to public testimony

“We are grateful for inclusion of additional funding for the special needs program and while the proposal is significant, we think it still underinvests in programs that serve people with disabilities. Transit and other services allow people with disabilities to go where need they need to go by coordinating transportation, supporting paratransit services, and providing travel training to those who need it. Transportation is essential to the lives of blind people. We’re workers, students, caregivers, and members of the community. We depend very heavily on public transportation. We want to live as full a life as possible, just like everyone else.”

Tanna Shoyo, National Federation of the Blind:

“The problem with this bill—as it is currently—is that doesn’t include enough transportation funding. This is my ORCA card—it’s my car keys, because buses and trains are my car. If you don’t fund transit, you basically are repossessing my car. We need buses so people can get to work… I recently moved here from Lincoln, Nebraska and I saw the effect of transit cuts in that city—I had to take cabs and I couldn’t get anywhere. So, please include more public transportation [in the budget].”

Take action!
We need to keep letting our legislators know that special needs transportation funding matters! Below are some things you can do that will make a big difference:

• Write your legislator now! It’s easy and takes just a few minutes. We’ve prepared an email that you can send to your representatives with just the click of a button. Take action here.

• Meet with your legislator. Learn more by reading this issue brief, then set up a meeting to discuss this issue with your legislator. You can also provide your legislators with this leave-behind handout so they know what to do.

• Sign up for the Washington Day of Activism in Olympia. The next legislative session is just around the corner! Help us bring the stories of people living with MS to our state's elected officials on February 5, 2014. Sign up here.

• Tell your story. What obstacles do you face in accessing transportation? Is it bad sidewalks? Overcrowded buses? Or no transportation at all for people with disabilities? We need to know. Contact us, using the information below.

We are thankful for all the MS activists and other advocates working hard to ensure that the needs of people living with MS and other disabilities are a priority in the transportation package.

Questions? Contact Jim Freeburg at jim.freeburg@nmss.org or call 206-284-4254, ext 40237.

By Linnea Nasman, MS Advocacy Volunteer

Legislators listen as MS Activists speak up

Earlier this week, we heard some exciting news coming from the Senate Transportation Committee of Washington's Legislature - at our request, they are proposing an increase in funding for the special needs transportation fund. This is the fund we've been talking about for some time and it's exciting to learn that the Senate Majority Coalition Caucus is proposing to fund the special needs program by an additional $33 million over ten years. While it's not the full level that we had hoped for, it's still an impressive figure.

Next week, legislators will be in Olympia for committee days, an annual "pre-season" of sorts to the legislative session. It's possible they will reach an agreement on a new transportation package before then, but it's no guarantee. Governor Inslee was hoping legislators would reach agreement on a package during the special session he called to entice Boeing to build their next airplane in Washington, but the special session finished up without a transportation plan.

If legislators do have an agreement on a transportation plan, MS Activists will be needed to testify in Olympia, perhaps as soon as next week. Stay tuned to the blog for more details as we learn more.

Seattle Speaks Up to #KeepUsMoving

This week, Washington State Senate transportation leaders hosted the final meetings in their bipartisan listening session tour. Hundreds of people showed up to Monday’s meeting in Seattle to address transportation challenges, including local officials from Seattle and nearby cities, union representatives, businesses, pedestrians and bicycle commuters, low-income advocates, young adults, and people with disabilities.

Many spoke up in support of public transit and other transportation options, urging the legislators to prevent cuts to service and to ensure sustainable funding for all forms of transportation.

A few spoke up specifically for the needs of people with disabilities. Robert Canamar, who uses a wheelchair and is a Commissioner on the Seattle Commission for People with Disabilities, said:

“I’m not here to berate you; I’m here to open your eyes. My constituency is people with disabilities and how do we get around? By public transportation. We use buses, trains, and Access [paratransit]. Once a day, because of inadequacies with bus system, I have to wheel myself over a mile to get to the bus. You must fund public transportation so people can get to work, doctor’s appointments, and other places they need to go.”

Jacob Struiksma, a blind person and transit advocate, told legislators:

“I walk and take transit to go anywhere: meetings, the grocery store, the beach, to hang out with my friends. Transit is my life. I spend thousands of hours on a bus or walking because I don’t have the choice to just get in a car and drive anywhere. Transit is the main way for many people to get around and it’s something people across the state want, but some areas may soon have no transit options because we aren’t funding it. Jobs and a good economy are driven by transit access, not by building more lanes.”

A young woman who recently moved to Seattle said,

“It’s hard enough for me to catch a bus on time or cross the street safely; I can’t imagine how hard it could be for a person with a disability. The bus is a big part of my daily routine. Cutting funding is baffling—if anything, we need more funding.”

Transportation options help create a web of connectivity, allowing people to get where they need to go—including school, work, shopping and social activities. Access to these options is especially important for people with disabilities. 

An increase in special needs transportation funding will ensure that communities across the state can coordinate solutions that meet the diverse transportation needs of each region. It will keep people with disabilities connected to their community.

Take action!
The listening sessions may be over, but we still need to tell our legislators how critical special needs transportation is in the everyday lives of people with disabilities.

• Meet with your legislator. Learn more by reading this issue brief, then set up a meeting to discuss this issue with your legislator. You can also provide your legislators with this leave-behind handout so they know what to do. 

• If you missed the meetings, you can also leave an online comment for the Senate Transportation committee. 

Contact us for help with scheduling a meeting or to let us know how you visit goes! Send an email to jim.freeburg@nmss.org or call 206-284-4254, ext 40237.

By Linnea Nasman, MS Advocacy Volunteer

Photo credit: King County Metro

Can you #KeepUsMoving?

The National MS Society and other disability advocates are gaining momentum in our effort to increase transportation choices for people with disabilities like MS. Advocates are meeting their legislators, sharing their stories and building our coalition even bigger each and every day. But we still need your help. 

Can you join us by speaking up at a town hall meeting on transportation? Two events remain and we need your help to make sure special needs transportation is on the agenda. Note: the Seattle forum has changed location in order to accommodate more attendees. 

Here are the dates and locations of the town halls:

• Oct. 14 – Seattle 6-9 p.m.
• Seattle First Presbyterian Church, 1013 8th Ave. 
• Oct. 15 – Bellingham 6-9 p.m.
• Port of Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Ave.

Let us know if you'll be attending any one of these meetings so we can get the most current information to you. Send an email to jim.freeburg@nmss.org or call 206-284-4254, ext 40237.

Earlier this week, I met with state Senator Steve Hobbs (Lake Stevens) to talk about our campaign to #KeepUsMoving. Senator Hobbs represents a part of Snohomish County that is like many parts of our state - once rural, but increasingly suburban as people move outwards for affordable housing. Thus, Senator Hobbs knows how important transportation is to get people to their jobs, medical appointments, and places of worship.

Senator Steve Hobbs

Senator Hobbs agreed to support our effort and #KeepUsMoving, but he needs support from other legislators to make this happen. And that means we need you to talk with them. 

Can you help? Learn about our effort from this issue brief and then set up a meeting with your legislator. We will even provide you with a handout to leave behind with your legislator so they know what to do.