Action and Advocacy

Action and Advocacy

We are truly a grassroots organization...

The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause. 

Positions result from a process of study. Any given study, whether it be National, State, or Local, is thorough in its pursuit of facts and details. As the study progresses, a continuing discussion of pros and cons of each situation occurs. Prior to the results of the study being presented to the general membership, study committee members fashion consensus questions that are then addressed by the membership. 

Additional discussion, pro and con, takes place as members (not part of the study committee) learn the scope of the study. After the members reach consensus, the board forms positions based on that consensus. 

It is the consensus statement -- the statement resulting from the consensus questions -- that becomes a position. Firm action or advocacy can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action/advocacy cannot be taken

Legislative Envoy Program…Become a Citizen Lobbyist

This three-year-old LWVMA program is “revving up” again up this fall with a new coordinator, Mary Cummings of the Arlington League. Volunteer envoys provide a direct link between the state League’s Legislative Action Committee and local Leagues, so that local Leagues can help influence the legislators who represent them. See Program description here. Please notify your League’s leadership that you are volunteering to represent your League and contact Envoy Coordinator Mary Cummings at mcummings [at] lwvma.org to join the program.

 

Act on the VOTES Act

If you have not done so, please call or email your Representative and ask for support for same-day voter registration as part of the House version of the VOTES Act. The VOTES Act passed the Senate and, now numbered S.2554, is in the House Ways & Means Committee. That committee will draft its version of the bill, and we want it to include same-day voter registration. The House has blocked same-day registration in the past. Make sure your Representative knows same-day voter registration is important to you. We hope this bill comes to the House floor early in the new year.

 

Update on Redistricting

Action by the Joint Committee on Redistricting was applauded by Drawing Democracy coalition. Since then, all three redistricting bills that redraw maps for the Massachusetts State House, Massachusetts State Senate and U.S. Congressional districts based on the 2020 census have been signed by Governor Baker. You can see the new districts on the MA Legislature website

 

Climate Action Depends on State Action...

 …And state action depends on your action at this critical time! With the fate of the federal Build Back Better Act in question, action on climate and energy at the state level is critically important. After enactment of a groundbreaking climate and energy bill last March, implementation has been painfully slow. The League-supported bills described below will help make the new law a functioning reality. 

 We have until February 2 to get these important bills out of joint committee and keep them “alive” for legislative consideration. The climate and energy bills we view as most important at this time are all in the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE). You will find League testimony and summaries of each bill under Environment—Climate Change and Energy. 

 Please contact your legislators and ask them to contact the chairs of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Senator Michael Barrett and Representative Jeffrey Roy, to report the three listed bills favorably out of their Committee before the February 2 deadline. Don’t delay! Call and email today so your voice of support can be counted!

 H.3302: An Act to promote offshore wind energy and renewables and S.2155: An Act relative to enhancing reliability of renewable resources in the Commonwealth (Same bill; different titles). 

A clean energy future depends on a clean source of energy. The New England coast has a bountiful supply of wind energy. Boosting clean renewable energy sources will boost efforts to decarbonize our economy. 

 H.3350/S.2202: An Act relative to building energy and decarbonization

Buildings represent the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, a close second to emissions from transportation. Massachusetts is way behind in reaching its goal to decarbonize the building sector and needs to significantly ramp up its efforts around energy efficiency of new and existing buildings and electrification of the building sector. 

 H.3298/S.2148: An Act relative to the future of heat in the Commonwealth

This bill offers a path forward for gas utilities by allowing them to become clean energy distribution utilities as they transition off gas. Several pilots have already been approved, and major cities are asking for pilots in their jurisdictions. 

 

Act Now to Advance Three Healthcare Bills

 Three small but consequential bills need your help immediately. Please contact the committee chairs for each bill and request that the bill be voted swiftly and favorably out of committee. 

 H.2341/S.1519 Out of Hospital Births: (Bill corrects a “catch- 22” so a woman is allowed to use her health insurance for an at-home birth.

Joint Committee on Public Health Chairs: 

  • ·    Marjorie.Decker [at] mahouse.gov (617-722-2130) 
  • ·    Jo.Comerford [at] masenate.gov (617-722-1532)

H.2979/S.788 Family Care Givers Tax Credit:

Joint Committee on Revenue Chairs: 

  • ·    Mark.cusack [at] mahouse.gov (617-722-2320) 
  • ·    Adam.hinds [at] masenate.gov (617-722-1625)

H.2271/S.1517 Community Immunity Bill (A process bill that changes no laws)

Joint Committee for Public Health Chairs:

  • ·    Marjorie.Decker [at] mahouse.gov (617-722-2130)
  • ·    Jo.comerford [at] masenate.gov (617-722-1532)

Want more information on these bills? Watch the first 30 minutes of Meet the Health Care Specialists December 8 recording here.

 

Urgent—Ask Your Legislators to Co-Sponsor the Right to Counsel Bills

On October 12, the Right to Counsel bill (S.874/H.1436) was heard by the Joint Committee on Housing. The bill would ensure that when facing eviction, low-income tenants and owner-occupants of 1 to 3 family homes receive full legal representation. The League submitted written testimony noting the devastating effects of evictions on women, particularly mothers and women of color, and the relief that a right to counsel program could provide. Large property owners, teachers, and public health professionals are all weighing in to support a right to counsel program. The fact sheet on the Right to Counsel and women is here.

 Momentum is building and the bill has nearly 80 supporters at the State House. Find out if your legislator is a co-sponsor here.  

  •   If your legislator is a co-sponsor, thank them! See template email here.
  •   If your legislator is not a co-sponsor, ask them to co-sponsor. See template email here.

 

Massachusetts Legislation Update:

Formal legislative session resumes January 5, 2022. Bills that have not been voted out of a joint committee favorably or given an extension by February 2, with a few exceptions, will no longer be active, so the next step in League advocacy will be for the specialists to ask the committee chairs to favorably report our bills out of the joint committees. 

Progress on our bills

Signed into law by Governor:

H.715/S.298—An act to promote student nutrition October 14, 2021. See League testimony here. This law outlines how schools handle student meal debt. 

Bills passing one chamber:

S.2554—The VOTES Act, passed the Senate and is in the House Ways & Means Committee. See League testimony here.

Bills referred to House Ways and Means:

H.1290—An Act to streamline access to critical public health and safety-net programs through common applications. See League testimony here.

H.3157—An Act to ensure gender parity on public boards and commissions 12/30/21. See League testimony here.

Bills referred to Senate Ways and Means:

S.2077—An Act to ensure gender parity on public boards and commissions 12/27/21. See League testimony here.