How Does The League Select Issues for Emphasis?
In League parlance, Program means the issues that we choose for concerted study, education and action at local, state and national levels. Program can include both education and action.
The Program Planning process is part of what makes the League a grassroots organization; each League member has the opportunity to influence the selection of issues where the local, state, and national League will focus time, talent and money.
Here is a selection of issues that your LaGrange League is working on.
Community Policing - Agency Questionaire Responses
The League of Women Voters® of the La Grange Area and the CommUNITY Diversity Group of LaGrange is co-sponsoring a webinar with local police departments and community groups in a discussion of police policies and practices regarding equity and diversity. The conversation will also include representatives of local mental health and community services agencies to discuss how police and community groups can work collaboratively.
The League has reached out to agencies, many of which have filled out a detailed questionaire. Questions are as follows.
- Please describe the vetting process for candidates who apply to become police officers in your department?
- How often are veteran officers evaluated for compliance with Department policy and what is that process?
- What percent of your officers are persons of color and what percent are female? Does your Department have a policy promoting diversity in hiring? Please describe the policy.
- Do all of your officers receive de-escalation training? If so, please describe the training.
- What types of calls or required interventions did you receive in the last year [domestic violemce, gun violence. traffic related, public disturbances, property damage, etc.]. Please indicate the percentage in each category.
- Has your Department signed on to the “IL Association of Police Chiefs and the IL NAACP Shared Principles Agreement.” If not,why not. If so, what is your Department doing to implement the principles?
Responses from agencies are available here.
Gun Violence Prevention
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that the proliferation of handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat to its citizens. The League supports strong federal measures to limit the accessibility and regulate the ownership of these weapons by private citizens. The League supports regulating firearms for consumer safety.
The League supports licensing procedures for gun ownership by private citizens to include a waiting period for background checks, personal identity verification, gun safety education and annual license renewal. The license fee should be adequate to bear the cost of education and verification.
The League supports a ban on “Saturday night specials,” enforcement of strict penalties for the improper possession of and crimes committed with handguns and assault weapons, and allocation of resources to better regulate and monitor gun dealers.
- FEDERAL LEGISLATION 2018
LWV supports Universal Background Checks, a ban on Assault Weapons and Bump Stocks. LWV opposes the SHARE Act which would deregulate gun silencers. LWV opposes Concealed Carry Reciprocity.
- ILLINOIS LEGISLATION 2018
LWVIL supports the Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act, increasing the waiting period on all gun purchases to 72 hours, the Firearms Restraining Order, raising the age to purchase firearms to 21, banning the sale, manufacture and distribution of bump stocks in IL.
Sustainabilty
A Greener LaGrange
The LaGrange League has representation on the LaGrange Environmental Quality Commission. As recommended by the La Grange Environmental Quality Control Commission, the Village Board adopted a resolution at its April 23, 2018 meeting to endorse the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Greenest Region Compact 2 (GRC2). The GRC2 provides a template for the Village to help achieve meaningful and measurable environmental sustainability objectives. La Grange is joining a number of communities in the region that are working collaboratively to advance sustainability in their communities and in concert with regional, national and global initiatives.
A list of "Green Initiatives" has been developed and is periodically updated in order to help keep track of the various initiatives that the Village has been involved with over time. The list of initiatives has been organized into five primary categories:
- Vehicles
- Building / Infrastructure
- Village Services / Operations
- Community Development / Building and Zoning
- Event Promotion and Education
The Environment - Global Warming
Washington, DC – The League of Women Voters president, Chris Carson issued the following statement in response to President Trump's announcement that the United States will leave the global Paris Climate Agreement:
“Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement is a giant step in the wrong direction for the health of the planet and all living beings. President Trump’s decision today will undermine global cooperation and have a harmful impact on U.S. relations with our most trusted world allies. The long-term effects of this decision will make more people sick, especially children and the elderly. The League of Women Voters is gravely disappointed to see the United States on the wrong side of history in the fight to protect our planet.”
The Environment - Water
LWV LG Area belongs to two Inter-League Organizations which affect water issues in our region:
- Upper MIssissippi River Region
This organization, comprised of members from four states, promotes and advocates for issues relating to the Mississippi River, from its origin to its juncture with the Ohio River, including water conservation, water quality standards and sustainable agriculture practices.
- Lake Michigan Region
LVWLMR educates and advocates for water related issues across the four states bordering Lake Michigan. Recent projects include stormwater management, The Clean Water Act, native plants and coal tar sealant pollution.
The La Grange LWV Position on the Lyons Twp Treasurer Issue
You may have read about the ongoing dispute and recent court decision regarding the Lyons Township Treasurer in the Doings and elsewhere. The La Grange LWV has taken a position and "urges the Lyons Township School Treasurer’s Office (LTTO) Trustees to accept the recent decision in their eight-year lawsuit with Lyons Township High School District 204 and not appeal." You can read the complete position statement here.
