Campaign Director: Trisha Korkosz

Email : tkorkosz@comcast.net

The New Hampshire effort toward the creation a twin bill law is in full swing.  

We have a Primary Sponsor in Senator Sheila Roberge.   We started off as a legislative service request in Mid January which was known as LSR 473.  On January 4th, we became an official Bill which is Senate Bill 78.  We have been referred to the education committee of the NH State Senate and have our first hearing on January 30th at 9:30 am.   Senator Roberge has been joined in sponsoring the Bill by Senator Jack Barnes, Senator Peter Bragdon, Senator Molly Kelly, Senator Jacalyn Cilley (proud grandmother of two sets of twins),  House member Stephan Stepanek, House member Cynthia Dokma, House member Ryan Hansen, House member Robert Rowe, and House member Peter Bergin.  We have had articles in the Concord Monitor, the Portsmouth Herald, the Hippo Press, Boston.com, and will be mentioned on an upcoming edition of NH Chronicle.  The Mothers of Multiples club within our state has developed a very strong letter writing campaign aimed at our State Senators and House Members.  A mass mailing was done via the Queen City Mothers of Twins Club to all 24 NH State Senators and the 400 House Members.  A second mass mailing was done to the representatives of our individual members.   We are anxiously awaiting the next phase of this process.

January 29,2007

Click image to view the law!!!

 

Senate Bill 78 was amended by Senator Estabrook and the Education Committee.  I have attached a copy.  It is less input than we have now and no recourse.   Senator Estabrook is an Educ-crat (this means she comes from the Education System and is looking for their best interest and not ours.

 

Senator Roberge is willing to argue our case on the floor of the senate.   She is going to her introduce her Bill with one change from it original Bill to the Full Senate.

 

Here is what you each need to do.  You need to call your Senator and ask from him to Support the Roberge Amendment to Senate Bill 78. (I have attached a list of all of the State Senators)  If you leave a message you need to ask him to call you back.  If they provide an office and a home number, I would call both.  This vote could happen as early as next Thursday.   If the Senator would like a copy of Roberge Amendment and Senator Estabrook's version of Senate Bill 78, please let me know I can email it or fax it wherever they may like.  I'd also like you to call me or email me after you have spoken to your senator and let me know what the senator has said.  

Here is who you find out who your senator is http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/whosmyleg/.

 

The reason we do not want them to support the Estabrook Amendment is that it does not set a strong enough standard nor does it give the parents any recourse if the Principal and the Parents do not agree.

 

You need to ask everyone you know to do this also for us.    We need to let the Senators know that this is what we their constituents want and they represent us.

 

If you have any question, please do not hesitate to call me 268-0953 (home), 540-6464 (cell phone), or email me tkorkosz@comcast.net.

 

Thank you,

 

Trisha Korkosz

URGENT!!!! FEBRUARY 15TH UPDATE!!!!! URGENT!!!!

Status:   Laid on the Table Senate will be voted on  March 8, 2007 at 10 am at the State House in Concord NH

 

Today 2/22/07, Senate Bill 78 was on the Floor on the Full Senate.     Due

to the amount of phone calls, emails, and letters we have all been sending,

the Bill was tabled until the next session of the full Senate which is March

8. (they are on vacation next week)   The Full Senate goes into Session at

10 am.    If you can plan ahead and be able to attend.  Our presence is very

helpful in showing that we are very serious about this Bill and not going away. 

The Korkosz family is planning on attending.

A group of us are going to get together on Monday, February 26 at my house

to plan our strategy for keeping the pressure on the Education Committee and

the Full Senate. (Some ideas that have been brought up is Email Mail

Merge's, additional Mail Campaign's, and phone calls)   If you are interested in participating in

an email mail merge, please contact me at tkorkosz@comcast.net  We are planning on

getting together at 7 pm.

Though today we had all hoped to have been a Senate Bill that was passed in

the Senate and be moving on to the House.   However, a week ago we thought

this Bill was in danger of being Killed.   If we had listened to many of our

on lookers, we may have not even tried to fight this Uphill Battle.    We

have really shown the power of pulling together.  Thank you for your ongoing

support of this issue.

 

Trisha Korkosz

UPDATE Feb 24, 2007

March 6,2005

In my conversation with Senator Roberge, I mentioned that we were meeting up at 9:15.  She told me that the Senate doesn't meet until 1pm on March 8.  (I have confirmed this with the online calendar)

We will meet in the lobby at 12:15.  If anyone is interested in going early and having lunch at the State House, please let me know.  I'm up for it. (Our mere presences in the State House, creates a buzz)      I know this time change may cause some scheduling problems.  Our biggest impact is when they walk into the Senate Chambers the more sets of multiples the better.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Trisha

March 12, 2007

March 8 was a great day for Multiples in NH. Senate Bill 78 passed the
Senate. Attached is a copy of how the Bill now looks as it moves to the
House. It is my understanding that it moves to the House on Crossover Day,
which is April 12.

Thank you to everyone who sent letters, emails, and called their Senators.
I believe that all of your efforts are what has gotten us to this point,
which is no small feat.

The Twin Bill Committee will be getting together in the next week or so to
strategize as we approach the House. Details will be forthcoming.
Again, thank you,

Trisha

Senate Bill 78 (the NH Twin Bill) is now the NH Twin Law.   We did it.   The Bill was signed by the Governor on July 13th and is officially a law. Click on the Link below to view the laws wording.  

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2007/SB0078.html,

 

Paula Dinardo was correct NH Multiples Day on August 4th is a celebration of a Job Well done.   Thank you to everyone who was so willing to job in and help.  Multiples in NH, will benefit from our collective effort.

 

Trisha Korkosz

Senate Bill # 78 Referred to education committee of NH State Senate

Hearing: January 30th 9:30am

Sponsoring Senator: Senator Sheila Roberge

June 25, 2007

We are currently awaiting a Bill Signing with the Governor of NH. Please send the Governor a letter or email

Contact Governor Lynch

Office of the Governor

State House

25 Capitol Street

Concord, NH 03301

(603)271-7680 (fax)

http://www.nh.gov/governor/contactus.htm

This are all the ways to contact the Governor. Thanks for any help!

Trisha Korkosz

tkorkosz@comcast.ent

Here is an article on Senate Bill 78 that appeared in todays Hampton Union and Portsmouth Hearld.   Thank you to all who contributed to a great article.

 

 

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070520/NEWS/705200358

 

Trisha

May 15, 2007

We are on the schedule for a vote of the Full House on May 16th at 10 am.   We will meet in the lobby of the House between 9:15 and 9:30, so that we can be in the hallway when the house members are entering the hall way.

 

 

This it he link to the house journal and calendar if anyone is interested in reading it. 

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/caljourns/calendars/2007/houcal2007_38.html

 

Here is the blurb about Senate Bill 78.

 

 

SB 78, relative to the placement of twins or other multiples in the same classroom.  OUGHT TO PASS WITH AMENDMENT.

Rep. Sharon M. Carson for Education:  This bill prevents school boards from adopting a policy that either separates or places twins in the classroom without input from their parents.  The committee heard testimony concerning situations in which the parents’ concerns were not addressed and we believe it to be very important that parents have the opportunity to participate in the decision making process.    Vote 16-0.

 

If anyone is availabe to make calls to house members, please let me know and I can provide a list of House Members that we have not heard from as supporters.    If you have previously told me that you can make calls, I will be forwarding a list with in the next few hours.   If you have sent letters and have heard from a house member and have not let me know, please drop me an email.  We do not want to have phone calls made to house members who are supporters.

 

Thank you for your ongoing support of this issue,

 

Trisha Korkosz

MAY 9, 2007 

It appears we are on the move again,  we have been passed throught the education committee of the House.  Details are sketchy at the moment, it appears that we will go to a vote of the full house as early as Wednesday, May 16th.

 

I will have confirmation of this on the middle of next week,   The full house convense at 10 am in the State House.   We will meet up on the State House Steps (weather permitting) or in the lobby if the weather is not good at about 9:30 am.   

 

Start collecting those snacks, quarters, dvd players, and coloring books----we are off to Concord.

 Trisha

APRIL 17, 2007

The House Committee on Education has rescheduled our hearing to April 18 at 1 pm.  We will meet in the lobby of the Legislative Office Building at 12:30 pm.  This rescheduling is due to the current weather conditions.

 

I'm so glad I decided to call and confirm the hearing.  We will see you tommorrow at the State House.

 

Trisha Korkosz

APRIL 12, 2007

The NH Twin Bill (Senate Bill 78)  has been scheduled in the House Education Committee on Tuesday, April 17th at 1:00 p.m. in Room 205-207 of the Legislative Office building which is located directly behind the State House. 

 The families of multiples from NH will be assembling in the lobby of the legislative Building at 12:30 pm.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me (tkorkosz@comcast.net), call me 540-6464 (cell phone), or 268-0953 (home phone)

 

 MARCH 22,2007

We have another article that was written about the NH Effort. 

 

http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_078235427.html?keyword=secondarystory

 

This is what the commitee is working on while we wait to be assigned to a House Commitee

 

The NH Twin Bill Committee meet last night.  We are working on a couple of different areas to get the word out among House Members regarding Senate Bill 78.

 

- a letter writing campaign to house members.  We are offering our mail merge services to other clubs or people that would be willing to send letters on our behalf.  If you know anyone who would be interested please let me know and we can email or print them the letters

 

- Letter to the Editor Campaign.  We are working on a email merge to right letters to the 30 newspapers in NH.   We are hoping to create a media buzz about this bill.  If you are interested in participating in this program.  You could email me.

 

- As we approach the Vote in the house, we are looking for people who would be willing to participating in a phone calling campaign to House Members that we have not heard they are supporters of the Bill

 

- if you sent a letter, placed a phone call, or sent an email to your senator, we are asking that you please send a thank you note for their support.

 

- the committee is sending Thank you notes to all of the senators for their support.  (we are trying to create happy feelings so they share with their counterparts in the house to support Senate Bill 78)

 

- we are working on trying to have a Press Conference to spread the word

 

- we are always looking for people who would be willing to share their positive or negative story about the placement of their twins in the classroom

 

As always we are very grateful to any and all people who are willing to help this cause.   If we all pull together, we can make Senate Bill 78 into a Law

 

Trisha

July 13th, 2007

Thanks to the  determination of our campaign director, Trisha Korkosz, New Hampshire Parents of multiples will now have a choice in the together or separate placement of their multiple birth children within the classroom. Her actions and commitment to ending arbitrary separation policies based solely upon children’s multiplicity, will guarantee that generations of multiples to come, will be placed according to their individual needs and NOT upon the condition of their birth.

We are so proud of you Trisha! You are a  True TWIN CHAMPION!!!! Congratulations!!!!

Below, Trisha’s children, reap the benefits of their mothers hard work and enter Kindergarten as they and their mom had wished.......Together!