This month NHCSL will release the findings to a Child Health Survey it conducted late last year. The report gives an overview about the current attitudes and perspectives that Hispanic state legislators have about children’s health issues. You can download the Children’s Health Survey Report and Findings at www.nhcsl.org.

NHCSL’s summer quarterly Strengthening Our Voices features a Q&A  with Wyoming Representative Ken Esquibel. Representative Esquibel gives readers insight about his recent election as only one of two Hispanics in the Wyoming Legislature and what he envisions as his policy priorities to meet the needs of his constituency.


 

The Rhode Island General Assembly approved a joint resolution sponsored by NHCSL members -- Senator Juan M. Pichardo and Rep. Grace Diaz -- that would create a commission to study income and asset building for working families in Rhode Island. Senator Pichardo and Representative Diaz have long championed initiatives aimed at building financial success for all families.

“Improving the financial literacy of parents and providing access to financial programs can help families gain and sustain assets,” said Senator Pichardo. “Having assets such as savings and home equity contribute to families’ financial security by making it possible for them to weather financial difficulties, provide for their children and plan for retirement.”

“At least one out of three children in Rhode Island live in families that don’t have sufficient income to meet basic needs,” said Representative Diaz. “That is why this commission is so important; we need to look into policies and initiatives that will help families increase their income by becoming more qualified for higher-paying jobs.”

Source: For an electronic version of the entire press releases published by the Rhode Island Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/News.

This report provides the latest data on The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) enrollment trends nationally and across the states. The report is based on information provided by SCHIP directors and other state officials responsible for state budgets, data and statistical reporting.

For a copy of the report click here.

This report by the Institute of Medicine recommends appropriate nutritional standards for the availability, sale, content and consumption of foods at school, with attention to foods not offered through the Department of Agriculture's meal programs.

For a copy of the report click here.

The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) is the preeminent organization representing the interests of 300 Hispanic state legislators from all states, commonwealths, and territories of the United States. Founded in 1989 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)3, NHCSL is a catalyst and advocate for joint action on issues of common concern, such as health, education, immigration, homeownership and economic development to all segments of the Hispanic community. NHCSL also works to design and implement policies and procedures that will impact the quality of life for Hispanic communities; serves as a forum for information exchange and member networking; an institute for leadership training; a liaison with sister U.S. Hispanic organizations; a promoter of public/private partnerships with business and labor; and a partner with Hispanic state and provincial legislators and their associations representing Central and South America.