Selected League Liaison Reports of Interest prior to July 2023

Selected League Liaison Reports of Interest prior to July 2023

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LIAISON REPORTS FROM MEMBER LEAGUES

 

Every month, the Liaisons of LWVNCA member Leagues submit reports of what is happening in their respective Leagues.  We are featuring some of the reports from the Leagues of D.C, Maryland, and Virginia in an effort to highlight events of regional interest, especially upcoming events.  Links are provided when available.  Reports listed below were selected and uploaded by the Webmaster.

Starting July 2023, ALL member Leagues will upload their individual reports on a separate drive.  Click HERE to access those reports (some member Leagues do not submit a report every month). 

See Main Menu on this website for new page ~ Liaison Reports Starting July 2023 ~ with info about the specific member Leagues.

Contact lwvncawebmaster [at] gmail.com (LWVNCA Webmaster) with questions.

 

APRIL 2023 REPORTS

LWVDC, April 7, 2023 Liaison Sarah McMeans reported:

Activities Since March Report:
▪ On March 15th LWVDC members met virtually for DC Statehood, a refresher course on DC statehood facts. Participants were invited to volunteer to speak on the subject to local groups and sister Leagues.[See https://www.lwvdc.org/quilts4dcgallery on the LWVDC website) 
▪ On March 15th LWVDC members met in person at the African American Civil War Museum in Ward 1 for an event open to the public including a reception with guest speaker Frank Smith and a showing of the film The Last Battlefront.
▪ On March 23rd LWVDC members joined LVWUS Board Members on Capitol Hill to welcome new members of Congress.
Upcoming Events:
▪ On Saturday, April 15th LWVDC members will participate in the Emancipation Day Parade in downtown DC.
▪ On Sunday, April 16th LWVDC members will meet in person for an DC Emancipation Day Panel that includes LWVUS CEO Virginia Case Solomon. The event will take place at The Gathering Spot, 1701 I Street, NW and will be streamed on Facebook Live.
▪ The LWVDC Annual Meeting is on Saturday, April 22nd in person at The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Road, NW from 10 am until noon. Following the business that includes election of officers and the presentation of LWVDC’s annual awards, guest speaker LWVUS Director Dianne Wynn will speak on topic Framing the Future of the League in Our Democracy. Attendance is free and light refreshments will be served. A representative of LWVNCA is very welcome to join us as a guest and should register on our websire.
 

LWV of MARYLAND, April 7, 2023  Liaison Linda Kohn reported 

• The LWVMD Convention on June 3-4 in Frederick. Planning is well underway.
• The General Assembly session adjourns on April 10. LWVMD had one of its largest advocacy efforts ever, monitoring 292 bills and composing issue papers and testimony on over 50 bills.
• LWVMD will be hosting its annual Day on Capitol Hill on Monday, May 15th at 9:30am (virtual) to connect with elected officials and urge passage of vital legislation. This is a member only event. The entire Maryland delegation and their staff have been invited to speak to our members on important issues and how we can help support legislation.

LWV VIRGINIA (LWV-VA) March 2023,  Report on 2023 Virginia General Assembly Action 

True Success 2023
In Virginia, the 2023 Legislative Session – 45 days short – has come and gone. There were some true successes during the session. In the area of Gun Violence Prevention, Secure Storage passed both chambers. Virginia made national news for passing this bill that provides a tax credit for gun owners to purchase a “gun safe” for securing a firearm. A success for absentee voters was replacing the witness requirement with the last four digits of the voter’s SSN and their date of birth – information easily verified by registrars. Although SB80/HB205 were not amended as per our advocacy efforts, we will continue to work with legislators to provide the precise wording to definitively protect third party voting. Also, we did not lose ANY of the progress we made for making voting more accessible. The foundation of ALL that we do, depends on voting accessibility. A whole host of voter barrier bills introduced in the House were defeated in the Senate.

The session was round one for the next battle: the budget for Virginia. The first battle focused on bills canceling each other out from each chamber. For example, there were proactive bills in the Senate that supported Reproductive Health: a Constitutional Amendment (to include the provisions of Roe v. Wade), the Contraceptive Equity Act (eliminating costly fees and deductibles for contraception), and an anti-bias bill that would enable doctors to enroll in a course (to address biases that impact infant and maternal mortality rates, especially for black and brown mothers and children, which is presently the same as in third world countries). In contrast, in the House were restrictive bills pertaining to reproductive health that would have: completely blocked or limited options (bans on abortion, IUD’s, Invitro); subjected women to “counseling;” criminalized doctors (for providing healthcare) or women (for opting for an abortion); and state-forced pregnancies for low-income women (prohibiting Medicaid funding for abortions). A proactive bill that would prohibit the police from using a search warrant to access app data tracking menstrual cycles was passed 31-9 with bipartisan support in the Senate but defeated in the House on a partisan vote.

Public education bills met a similar fate between the two chambers. Bills proposed in the House would have diverted funds from public education to private education, but were defeated in the Senate Finance Committee. Many of these bills were “Neo-Voucher” bills that would have the effect of resegregating Virginia’s public schools (see LWV-VA School Choice study). Regarding the budget, a “mini” budget was agreed to on the last day of session while the conferees continue to hash out differences in the larger budget.
Legislative Priorities such as the “Right to Marry,” which was re-written to respect religious rights, passed in the Senate but was defeated in the House. Similarly, gun legislation to limit the number of magazines in a gun, ban assault weapons and secure storage of guns, passed in the Senate but was defeated in the House. No legislation regarding the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) was passed but there are still opportunities to weigh in on the issue; an LWV-VA Action Alert was sent out Feb. 27 giving details on how to submit comments about this priority.

In conclusion, public education, women’s reproductive health and voting access were protected, plus the witness requirement was removed while secure gun storage was encouraged. Thank you for your advocacy during the session. Next up, join an Issue Group and continue to work together on key issues:https://lwv-va.org/issue-groups/ .
Denise Harrington, LWV-VA Legislative Director

 

 

Previous Reports

NOVEMBER 2022 REPORTS

LWVDC, November 4, 2022, Liaison Sarah McMeans reported:

Activities Since Last Report:
  • On Sunday, October 30th, LWVDC had an in-person Open House at its WeWork space. Following time for members and prospective members to visit with one another and learn about volunteer opportunities, DC writer Laura Kumin talked about her book All Stirred Up: Suffrage Cookbooks, Food and the Battle for Women’s Right to Vote. The thoroughly researched book, that includes historic recipes, is available from Bold Fork Books at 3064 Mt. Pleasant Street, NW in Washington, DC
Upcoming and On-going Events and Activities:
  • From November 4th until November 30th, almost 40 of the over 60 quilts created by 51 makers from 15 states and DC for the Quilts 4 DC project to promote DC statehood, will be on display at THEARC, a Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Center at 1901 Mississippi Ave, SE. LWVDC’s partner The Anacostia Coordinating Council, will sponsor a Reception in the Gallery on Thursday, November 10th from 6 to 8 pm.
  • The final Quilts exhibit, and celebration will be held in the afternoon/evenings of December 7,8, 9 and 12 at the offices of HELM at 729 15th Street, NW. We’ll have details on that and our Auction later this month and in December on our website LWVDC.org.
  • Between now and election day, LWVDC members and other volunteers are staffing a table at Patagonia to promote Vote411 and talk to customers about voting and DC statehood.
  • Leagues in fifty states and DC filed an amicus brief in Moore v. Harper. As noted in LWV’s press release, the “case concerns the ‘independent state legislature theory,’ which if adopted would have far-reaching implications for the future of American democracy.” LWV is planning a demonstration at the Supreme Court on December 7th, the day that the Justices will hear oral arguments. Read the LWVUS Press Release: https://www.lwv.org/newsroom/press-releases/league-women-voters-files-am... [October 26, 2022]
  • Volunteers continue to staff LWVDC’s Inside Voter Information Phone Line three hours every day.

Submitted by Sarah McMeans
Liaison for League of Women Voters of DC

LWV of MARYLAND, November 4, 2022, Liaison Linda Kohn reported

LWVMD has 2 fundraising efforts underway. One is called “Get to the Polls,” which seeks pledges for participants to walk 102 miles by Nov. 8. Over $6,000 has been raised so far. A second effort is call “Democracy Donuts” where LWVMD will get the proceeds from orders made through a special link to Krispy Kreme donuts. It goes until November 27.

Training is underway for advocates to participate in the upcoming session of the General Assembly that starts in January 2023. An initial webinar was held on October 14 and attended by about 100 people. A second training will be held on November 4th.

LWV VIRGINIA (LWV-VA) November, 2022 President Deb Wake reported: 

  • We have been working to elevate our visibility by updating our Candid (formerly Guidestar) profile and our LinkedIn profile. Please follow us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/league-of-women-voters-of-virginia-education-fund-inc/
  • We have also been busy preparing for the election for our 11 US House of Representatives districts. There have been a lot of issues in Virginia because we did a “wholecloth” redrawing of our maps and we need a new voter database. Several wrong mailings were sent out by our Virginia Department of Elections. We also have Same Day Voter Registration for the first time.
  • We have convened a task force to explore what resources the state league needs as membership moves to the national league and have met with LWVUS and plan to meet with other states.
  • As a member of the Northern VA  Transportation (WMATA) planning group, I attended the first Community Connections Committee Meeting of the "Better Bus Network Redesign Team" on October 12, 2022. The next meeting is scheduled for December 13. Read my notes and more info about the project here:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1seVJ5SFRMxs4ivCNy_dGJRiSls1oU39I 
  • We have begun meeting with legislators to share our priorities for the upcoming General Assembly session.
  • We held two "Mis/Disinformation" trainings October 27.   Submitted by Liaison Deb Wake, President-LWV-VA

 

OCTOBER 2022 REPORTS of Interest

LWVDC, October 7, 2022, Liaison Sarah McMeans reported:

Activities Since Last Report: 
  • Saturday, September 17th, LWVDC had a very successful day-long conference Envisioning Statehood: The State of DC Statehood at UDC Van Ness Campus and virtually. Nearly 100 people attended in person and listened to activists from across the District review their programs and brainstorm the next steps they plan to take together with the League to achieve DC statehood.
  • On Monday, September 19th LWVDC members and others participated in its annual Voter Registration Day activity at American University. AU librarian Gwendolyn Reese worked with volunteers to help AU students apply for absentee ballots to be able to vote in their home jurisdictions or to register to vote in DC.
  • On Saturday, September 24th, LWVDC members registered voters at the DC Statehood Music Fest from noon until 5:30 pm in Malcom X Park on 16th Street, NW.
Up-coming Events:
  • Between now and election day, LWVDC members and other volunteers are staffing a table at Patagonia to promote Vote411 and talk to customers about voting and DC statehood.
  • Volunteers continue to staff LWVDC’s Inside Voter Information Phone Line three hours every day.
Submitted by Sarah McMeans
Liaison for League of Women Voters of DC
 

LWV of MARYLAND, October, 2022, Liaison Linda Kohn reported

  • LWVMD received $2,000 from LWVUS for National Voter Registration Day activities. All but $100 will be passed onto local leagues.
  • “Get to the Polls” started on October 1 and goes through November 8 to raise funds and awareness to help LWVMD efforts to educate Voters and get out the most reliable nonpartisan candidate information possible. Participants are asked to log 102 miles using any means—walk, run, bike, roll, skateboard. Participants can get pledges for their miles to donate or anyone can donate to support the cause and celebrate the 102nd anniversary of the 19th Amendment with us. Every dollar raised will go directly to helping the League of Women Voters of Maryland.
  • Two candidate forums will be held October for state offices. Gubernatorial candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties will be attending different forums.
  • LWVMD filed an affidavit in support of an emergency injunction sought by the State Board of Elections, the Democratic and Republican parties to allow early canvassing for the November election. Current legislation does not allow mail-in ballots to be counted until after election day; legislation to allow earlier counting was passed by the General Assembly but vetoed by the Governor. Concerns arose due to the significant increase in the number of mail-in ballots requested and slowness in releasing the primary results.

LWV VIRGINIA (LWV-VA) October, 2022 President Deb Wake reported: 

Submitted by Deb Wake, LWV-VA president

 

SEPTEMBER 2022 REPORTS of Interest

LWVDC, September 9, 2022,  Liaison Sarah McMeans reported:

Activities Since Last Report:
  • On July 21st, LWVDC members attended the third of four programs in its Envisioning Statehood project. The July program, What’s It Worth, focused on how revenues and expenses would change when DC is a state. Guest speakers were Robert Bobb, Former City Administrator and Former Deputy Mayor, Yesim Sayin, Executive Director of DC Policy Center and Erica Williams, Executive Director of DC Fiscal Policy Institute. 
  • On August 21st, LWVDC members and friends attended a Theater Outing at Arena Stage, where Quilts for DC Statehood were on display. Attendees met the DC Statehood team and some of the local quilters and attended American Prophet, a musical about Frederick Douglass.
Upcoming Events:  See October Report
Submitted by Sarah McMeans, Liaison for League of Women Voters of DC
 

LWVMD, September, 2022, Liaison Linda Kohn reported:

  • The LWVMD Board held its annual Board retreat on July 21 to start setting goals and plan the calendar for coming year. Fundraising is a priority.
  • The Fall Workshop will be held virtually on September 24. The theme is fusing people and power.
  • A fundraising initiative is being done with other partners from the Everyone Votes Maryland Coalition that is called “Run to the Polls.” Volunteers will be asked to get pledges for a goal of running, walking or biking up to 102 miles to represent the number of years since passage of the 19th amendment. It will go from October 1 until Election Day on November 8. Pledges will tracked on a platform called Pledge It. 

LWV VIRGINIA (LWV-VA) September, 2022 President Deb Wake reported: 

  • We are undertaking four studies: Education Equity, Childcare, Environmental Justice and Campaign Finance Reform. The study groups have begun presenting to local Leagues/members to begin forming consensus for new/updated positions for advocacy. Our members will vote at our convention in June 2023.
  • I have been attending meetings about Election Protection–especially messaging/communications around mis/dis information.
  • Over the summer, our Right to Vote coalition has planned some community events. Our August 27 event was held in Harrisonburg. A September 18 event is planned in Richmond and we’re still looking for a date for a NOVA event. The purpose of these events is to motivate voters who may be low propensity voters, to answer questions and to check rights restoration.
  • Many of our local Leagues are working with REVUp and other partners to hold disability voter-focused events around the week of September 12-16, National Disabled Voter Registration week. Many of these events are on college campuses. Some dates and locations can be found in our September newsletter: https://e.crwd.sk/v2-email.html?uuid=34171595-502d-4b32-a1e1-a15b1f9f2426&cs-from=34171595-502d-4b32-a1e1-a15b1f9f2426 
  • I’ve also been attending Campus Vote Project meetings to plan their September 23 Democracy Summit. All are invited to attend their hybrid event by registering here: https://linktr.ee/2022vafalldemocracysummit.
  • Our FY23 calendar can be found here: LWV-VA Calendar FY23 and our advocacy calendar here: Advocacy Calendar

 

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PREVIOUS REPORTS

Contact LWVNCA Secretary blipsky [at] cox.net (Barbara Lipsky) for previous Liaison Reports from Member Leagues.