Videos Posted for LWVDE Advocacy Corps Dec 8 Forum on Legislative Priorities

Videos Posted for LWVDE Advocacy Corps Dec 8 Forum on Legislative Priorities

Type: 
News

January Citizen Advocacy Training

At the close of the Dec 8 webinar, LWVDE Advocacy Chair Linda Barnett announced a planned January 2022 advocacy training session in early January on citizen adovocacy: how to be a citizen adovocate, and how to do it effectively. 

As Barnett explained about the League of Women Voters,

One of the values that we [in the LWV] hold is that everyone should be involved in public policy making. And we try to encourage and facilitate that.

Dec 8 Webinar Event

On Wednesday, December 8, 2021, the LWVDE Advocacy Corps held an online forum on the 2022 Legislative Priorities of the League of Women Voters of Delaware.

This special event highlighted key legislative initiatives, featuring the bill’s prime sponsors, who described the bill or issue and responded to our questions. There were four sessions, featuring Rep. Paul Buambach on HB140 (End of Life Options), Rep. Debra Heffernan on SB1 (Family Leave), Sen. Elizabeth Lockman on SB149 (LEOBOR reform), and Sen. Bryan Townsend on the potential for a future independent redistricting commission in Delaware.

This was the first of a series of planned events spotlighting the League’s legislative priorities.

HB140, The Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Act

Due to a technical glitch, we unfortunately missed recording the start of primary sponsor Paul Baumbach's Dec 8 talk providing background on the End of Life Options bill. For background information, you may refer instead to the text of House Bill 140 itself and/or review this 17-minute overview video on the topic, captured by LWV of New Castle County in March of 2019:  3/29/2019 LWVNCC Interview with Rep. Baumbach.

We did capture the 8-minute Q&A segment with Representative Baumbach on Dec 8th, which is posted here. Rep. Baumbach ably fielded lots of great questions very quickly in that time!

SB1, the Healthy Delaware Families Act

Representative Debra Heffernan spoke about Senate Bill 1, the Healthy Delaware Families Act: Senator Sarah McBride is the primary senate sponsor of this bill and Rep.Heffernan is prime sponsor in the house. The act would create a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program in Delaware.

Minute Markers:
00:05 Charlie Garlow - Speaker introduction
00:30 Debra Heffernan - Overview of SB1
07:00 Q&A
14:22 end of video

SB149, LEOBOR Reform

Senator Elizabeth Lockman spoke to us via pre-recorded video about Senate Bill 149, concerning LEOBOR reform. LEOBOR is the Law-Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. Sen. Lockman is the primary sponsor of this bill, which aims to provide greater transparency and allow more meaningful oversight of law enforcement actions.

Minute Markers:
00:03 - Lori Yadin introduction of topic
02:00 - Video interview with Senator Lockman
03:50 - Background of SB149
08:00 - Overview of what the bill would do
10:30 - In what ways do you believe that SB149 will improve the relationship between law enforcement and citizens / promote healing in the community?
14:00 - What have you learned during your recent stakeholder discussion meetings and how will it inform efforts to move the bill through the General Assembly this year?
16:30 - What if SB149 does not pass? How will the community be impacted?
20:04 - end of video

Independent Redistricting Commission for 2030?

Senator Bryan Townsend spoke to us about the potential for a future independent redistricting commission in Delaware. The last proposed Delaware legislation on this topic was introduced by Sen.Townsend in the spring of 2017 (SB27 in the 149th General Assembly).

 Minute Markers:
00:10 - Jack Young introduction of speaker
01:30 - Senator Townsend remarks
08:15 - Kyra Hoffner moderated questions
09:10 - What is the legislative process to accomplish this?
11:15 - Is a truly independent nonpartisan commission possible?
12:40 - Can "communities of interest" be a criterion?
16:00 - Who would choose the commission members?
17:55 - What's been the resistance to this in the past?
19:10 - How would the Federal HR1 passage affect DE redistricting?
20:20 - Can the bill cover all levels of redistricting? (e.g. General Assembly, county councils, municipal districts)
24:00 - Did LWV efforts help with redistricting this year?

27:50 - Linda Barnett closing comments
28:50 - end of video

League to which this content belongs: 
Delaware