Each year, the iCAN Advisory Council and the JRLC Board create a legislative agenda that promotes policies supportive of children and their families.  Recommendations from partner organizations and other children's advocates help iCAN shape the annual agenda.

2012 iCAN Legislative Agenda

As faith based advocates for children of Minnesota we have identified three key areas of concern in Minnesota that when improved, will allow all of our State’s children to achieve their full potential:

For the Lord your God is God of gods…who executes justice for the orphan … providing them with food and clothing.

--Deuteronomy 10: 17-18

As faith-based advocates for the children of Minnesota, we have identified three key areas of concern that must be addressed if all of our State’s children are to achieve their full potential:

1. iCAN believes that any state budget adjustments should protect or build back programs that benefit children. Especially in these tough economic times, we must increase support to poor and struggling families.
2. iCAN will provide leadership and advocacy to reduce racial disparities that exist between children of color in Minnesota and their white counterparts. Working to achieve racial equity in our state will go a long way in combating poverty, crime, hunger, homelessness, and nearly every other social issue.
3. iCAN will actively support the recommendations of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020. We recognize that ending poverty is critical for the healthy development of all children. Recent census data indicates a rise in the rate of child poverty to 15.2%.

2012 Legislative Policy Recommendations:

• With our three overarching goals in mind – fair budget solutions, reducing racial disparities, and ending poverty –our policy recommendations for action in the 2012 legislative session are:
• Ensure quality health care for every child and youth, including access to quality dental and mental health services. Ensure that every child in Minnesota has comprehensive health insurance coverage.
• Ensure that victims of child trafficking are identified and treated as victims rather than offenders, and work to provide the necessary services for their recovery and assistance.
• Fund child care assistance programs to give families options so that children can spend their earliest years in stimulating, nurturing environments where they can learn, thrive, and prepare for success in school and life. Early child education has a proven substantial return on investment.
• Provide quality early education opportunities, making sure that all our children are ready to begin kindergarten on an even footing.
• Support initiatives that support and enhance earnings for low-income Minnesota parents, such as the Minnesota Family Investment Program and the Working Family Credit.
• Ensure the availability of affordable housing and work to combat the growing issue of youth homelessness in Minnesota.
• These are our children, our future. Meeting their needs is a non-partisan activity.

For more information about our legislative goals and faithful children’s advocacy, visit www.icanmn.org.

iCAN is the Interfaith Children’s Advocacy Network of the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition.