Online dialogue with state legislators

This is going to be an ongoing thing with many different topios.


http://www.webdialogues.net/cs/wahousehcw-obesity-home/view/cs_emv/308



As the host of this web dialogue, the members of the Health Care and Wellness Committee invite a broad cross-section of Washingtonians and subject-area experts to join them in a web-based dialogue to learn more about and share their thoughts and ideas on this important topic. Our goal is to generate ideas to reduce obesity and improve the health and welfare of all Washingtonians.

Obesity is one of the most serious health problems facing Washingtonians today. We know that poor diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity are leading causes of chronic diseases. Rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease continue to increase year after year. The treatment of chronic diseases is a major component of the rising cost of health care.

This dialogue presents an opportunity and a challenge to the policy makers and the citizens of Washington. The goal is to take the long view, think beyond individual interests, understand other perspectives, and define key issues.

Register here so you are ready to join the web dialogue. Each individual may participate at their convenience and their desired level of involvement. Information gathered from this web dialogue will be used by the Committee to address obesity issues in future legislative sessions. It will also inform the deliberations of the Task Force on School Health established during the 2007 legislative session.

uring the summer and fall months, members of the Legislature examine pressing issues in depth and prepare for the next Legislative session.

This year, I'd like to invite you to join the conversation about access to higher education, through a web-based forum. This web dialogue will take place from July 23-25. You can register and log in at:

http://www.webdialo gues.net /wahousehe/access. The announcement with more details is below. This your chance to take part in developing solutions on one of our state's most important issues. We'll have another web dialogue on the same days about obesity and health care and more information to come.

Best regards,

Bob Hasegawa


Washington State House of Representatives

Web forum on higher education will provide citizens a direct line to legislative leaders

For immediate release
July 10, 2007

Olympia - The House Higher Education Committee is hosting a three-day online forum for stakeholders and members of the public who want to weigh in on how they think Washington can meet the goal of educating more students to higher levels.

The forum, known as a web dialogue, is open to anyone wanting to participate and will be online from July 23-25. It will include a series of discussion questions that participants can respond to online and guest experts who will weigh in on issues and respond to questions.

Topics will include financial aid, improving access to higher education and modern methods of educating today's students. Interested participants can register and log into the forum at http://www.webdialo gues.net /wahousehe/access.

Rep. Deb Wallace (D-Vancouver) , Chair of the committee, says using technology such as online forums and video conferencing are critical to helping citizens throughout the state participate in legislative discussions. She hopes the online forum will provide an innovative new way for people to share ideas and feedback that will guide policy planning for the 2008 legislative session.

So many families want to send their children to college and many workers want to go back to school to learn new skills, but there are a lot of barriers preventing people from doing so," commented Wallace.

"One of my priorities is making sure that we're breaking down those barriers and helping more people learn at a higher level. This forum will let us have that conversation with people and provide an incredible resource for hearing ideas on improving our higher ed system."

Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City) serves as ranking member of the committee and agrees.

"This new technology is helping us move the discussion outside of the hearing room walls in Olympia and into the walls of families' homes throughout the state," says Anderson. "Our committee is really looking forward to seeing what kind of feedback we receive."

The House Health Care and Wellness Committee is also hosting a web dialogue the same days to identify ideas to reduce obesity. The obesity web dialogue address is: http://www.webdialo gues.net /wahousehcw/ obesity.
House members and staff are working with WestEd, a nonprofit
organization that provides web-based dialogues to inform and engage citizens in public policy issues.

# # #

Rep. Deb Wallace, 17th Legislative District, 360-260-6110 or
wallace.deb {at}leg.wa.gov
Rep. Glenn Anderson, 5th Legislative District, 360-786-7876 or anderson.glenn {at} leg.wa.gov



Staff Contacts:
Jaime Smith, 360.786.7631 or smith.jaime{at} leg.wa.gov
Lisa Fenton, 360.786.7728 or fenton.lisa {at} leg.wa.gov


Cely Lucuab on behalf of Rep. Bob Hasegawa
Legislative Assistant
Washington State House of Representatives
11th Legislative District

Olympia Office:
House of Representative
425 John L. O'Brien Bldg
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Tel: 360-786-7862

Seattle Office:
85 South Washington Street Room 306
Seattle, WA 98104
Tel: 206-587-5554

Visit Rep. Bob Hasegawa's website at:
http://hdc.leg. wa.gov/members /hasegawa/