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SUMMARY:Special End of Legislative Session Action List
DESCRIPTION:With the legislative session ending in a little over a month\, we are being bombarded with last minute requests to push for passage of progressive legislation that will die if it isn’t passed by the end of July. So many requests\, in fact\, that we’ve collected them here\, to avoid burying the dated items in our regular newsletter. \nSome of it\, like the Indigenous Peoples’ Day legislation we’ve written about\, has been through the process several times. If these bills are not passed by the end of July\, sponsors must start the process all over from scratch in January. \n350MA Legislative Update & Help Needed\nIn March\, the House passed a bill to promote the development of offshore wind energy. In April\, the Senate passed a broader climate bill (S.2819) that has some good elements—although not all we hoped for. The final bill is expected no later than the week of July 11\, and 350MA needs your help. Contact your state representative and ask them for a strong bill that addresses buildings\, transportation\, the electric grid\, and social justice. See here for specific top priorities identified by 350 Mass and many coalition partners: https://tinyurl.com/3hwn29ch \nSee the end of this message for information on contacting your legislators. \nHere’s what folks can do: \n\nEasy: Send an email (sample text is here: https://tinyurl.com/e9226br8 ) and cc our Political Director Cabell Eames\, Cabell@betterfutureproject.org\nBetter: Call and follow up with an email (sample script is here: https://tinyurl.com/e9226br8 )\nBest: Call to schedule a live meeting and make the same request. Even better\, invite others to join you! Then email Cabell (Cabell@betterfutureproject.org) to tell us how it went\, since she’s meeting regularly with legislators on our behalf.\n\n\nHelp get a bill passed that begins to address affordable child care crisis\nThere is a child care crisis in this country\, as outlined by Huffpost https://tinyurl.com/4mp2bkha . \nBut at least Massachusetts has the chance to do something about it. \nIn early 2021\, the Common Start Coalition drafted legislation\, originally filed by Reps. Gordon & Madaro and Senators Lewis & Moran\, that would make early education and child care more affordable for families\, raise pay for early educators\, and provide stable funding to providers. On May 18\, the Legislature’s Education Committee approved a landmark bill\, H.4795/S.2883\, titled An Act to Expand Access to High-Quality\, Affordable Early Education and Care. \nMajor sections of the Education Committee’s legislation are heavily based on the Common Start bill\, and it strongly reflects many of the coalition’s core principles and proposed solutions to the childcare crisis. But H.4795/S.2883 must pass before the end of the current legislative session on July 31 in  order to achieve those goals. (Read more about the bill here https://tinyurl.com/3wzy48f4). \nPlease take two seconds to send a message to your state legislators urging them to pass H.4795/S.2883\, as well as two modest additions regarding parent affordability and provider grant formulas that are supported by the Common Start Coalition and outlined here https://tinyurl.com/4xuhpvsz . \nEditable message form found here: https://tinyurl.com/2p9eufzf \nMass. Reproductive Rights Legislative Call for Action\nfrom Mystic Valley Action for Choice \nSupport these Reproductive Rights and Access Bills! \nWhen the legislative session began in January 2021\, when most bills to be considered were brought forward\, the end of Roe v. Wade was not imminent. Our legislators have recognized that our state’s guarantee of reproductive rights here place providers sought out by patients from more restrictive states in a legal gray area. A number of bills have been proposed recently to protect our providers. They need our help to move more quickly than usual through the process. \nThe Mass. legislative session is fast coming to a close on July 31st. Let’s urge our legislators to support and pass these priority bills! \nIt’s as easy as 1\,2\,3! \n#1\nSenate Amendment #388 – “Provider Protection Bill”\nThis critical bill would block other states’ laws from interfering with legally protected health care activity in Massachusetts. It protects those who provide and assist in providing reproductive and gender-affirming health care services in the Commonwealth. It also ensures that Massachusetts agencies and institutions will not assist in the enforcement of draconian laws passed by other states that attempt to regulate healthcare services that are legal in Massachusetts. \nThe Senate passed this as part of its budget bill. Now it goes to the reconciliation committee deliberations. We need to make sure it gets included in the final budget bill! \nEmail or call:\nHouse Speaker Ron Mariano (Ron.Mariano@mahouse.gov or (617) 722-2500)\nSenate President Spilka (Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov or (617) 722-1500)\nand urge them to make passage of Amendment 388 a priority \nYour State Rep. See the end of this message for contact information.\nSAMPLE TEXT: https://tinyurl.com/2p8cwmfx \n#2\nMedication Abortion on Public College Campuses\nThis bill would mandate that state colleges and universities provide medication abortion on campus to ensure that those seeking this service do not need to travel long distances to receive it. This bill was polled favorably out of the Public Health Committee and moved into the Health Care Financing Joint Committee. We need to push our Representatives to flag it as a priority. \nEmail or call:\nHouse Committee Chair on Health Care Financing – John.Lawn@mahouse.gov or 617- 722-2430\nHouse Speaker Mariano (Ron.Mariano@mahouse.gov or (617) 722-2500)\nSenate President Spilka (Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov or (617) 722-1500) \nYour State Rep.: See the end of this message for contact information.\nSAMPLE TEXT: https://tinyurl.com/yjbxv752 \n#3\nFull Spectrum Pregnancy Care\nAn Act Ensuring Access to Full Spectrum Pregnancy Care (H1196\, S673) filed by Representatives Lindsey Sabadosa and Ruth Balser\, and Senator Cindy Friedman\, would mandate insurance coverage for all pregnancy-related care\, including abortion care\, prenatal care\, childbirth\, and postpartum care\, without any kind of cost-sharing. Please click here to find out more about the bill: https://secure.everyaction.com/4jYzIzrXu0iXn3Y4oj_OJw2\nand call/email your representatives to urge them to prioritize this bill for passage this session. \nYour State Rep.: See the end of this message for contact information.\nSAMPLE TEXT: https://tinyurl.com/yjbxv752 \nBONUS BILL:\nS192\,H690 – Free Period Products Bill\nThe MA Menstrual Equity Coalition has been fighting since 2019 to pass the I AM bill\, a bill that would ensure that menstrual products – a basic human right – are provided for free in prisons and jails\, shelters and schools across Massachusetts. On March 3\, 2022 the Senate unanimously voted to pass the I AM bill and it now has moved to the House Ways and Means Committee. The House bill\, H.690 An Act Concerning Disposable Hygiene Products in Schools\, introduced by Representative Roy\, was ordered to a third reading. \nJoin us in urging our representatives to get this bill passed!\nhttps://actionnetwork.org/letters/bring-a-comprehensive-period-bill-to-vote-in-the-house-2022\nhttps://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H2354/Cosponsor \nH/T Lisa Baci\, IndivisibleLAB\, News-MAGIC Team\n \nReform Civil Asset Forfeiture in Massachusetts\nRestore The Fourth’s Boston chapter—Digital Fourth—has been working hard to reform civil asset forfeiture in the state of Massachusetts. We’re very close to getting bills passed that will make important changes to civil asset forfeitures in this state\, that will require increased transparency in civil asset forfeitures. We just need senators to pass two particular amendments—Amendment #7 Forfeiture Tracking Database and Amendment #8 Transparency in All Forfeitures. These amendments will require the district attorney and each police department to file an annual report detailing how seized assets were utilized and establish and maintain a case tracking system and public website that details what forfeitures took place. These bills will make important changes and cut back on the corrupt practice that is civil asset forfeiture. It’s time to make law enforcement answer for these thefts\, instead of writing them a blank check to steal citizens’ property. Please take a moment to call your senators asking them to please support the amendments to S2944. \nThe VOTES Act is now law!\n\nRight to Counsel Bills Sent to Study\nIn spite of strong support (90 co-sponsors) the Right to Counsel bills (H. 1436 and S. 874) have been sent to study\, This means they are dead in the current legislative session. Supporters will need to resubmit and start the process again in 2023. \nIf you were one of the many who wrote to legislators about the bills\, thank you! Organizers have not given up. Stay tuned. \nOur State Legislators’ Info\nHouse Speaker Ronald Mariano: Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov 617-722-2500\nSenate President: Karen E. Spilka: Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov 617-722-1500\nRep. Thomas Golden Thomas.Golden@mahouse.gov  617-722-2263\nRep. Vanna Howard Vanna.Howard@mahouse.gov  617-722-2800 x7302 / Google Voice: 978-272-9078\nRep. Rady Mom Rady.Mom@mahouse.gov 617-722-2460\nRep. Colleen Garry Colleen.Garry@mahouse.gov 617-722-2380\nRep. Tram Nguyen tram.nguyen@mahouse.gov 617-722-2425\nSen. Edward Kennedy edward.kennedy@masenate.gov 617-722-1630\nSen. Michael Barrett Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov 617-722-1572\nSen. Jamie Eldridge James.Eldridge@masenate.gov 617-722-1120\nSen. Barry Finegold Barry.Finegold@masenate.gov 617-722-1612\n(… or find yours here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator) \nMassachusetts State House\, 24 Beacon St\, Boston\, MA 02133 \nThe RRT (Rapid Response Team) Action List compiles action items from the week and upcoming events into one place. If you would like to add anything to the weekly update\, please send it to Dee Halzack at dee@solidaritylowell.com. \n\nSolidarity Lowell is a volunteer group of community members of Greater Lowell working toward social justice by defending the human rights\, dignity\, and equality of all persons against all forms of hate and discrimination.Visit the Solidarity Lowell website at solidaritylowell.comFor more events not listed here\, visit the full Events calendar: https://solidaritylowell.com/events/June meeting notes:https://tinyurl.com/2p9ke9h4June meeting recording:https://youtu.be/BKXwSQB0UFoSee recordings of past Solidarity Lowell meetings in our YouTube channel at:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCohwMIkVdabQdDHsVTLIGsQFor positive news visit Solidarity Lowell Upbeat on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/326202548419687Solidarity Lowell is a chapter of Progressive Massachusetts. Join at: https://www.progressivemass.com/donate/
URL:https://solidaritylowell.com/event/special-end-of-legislative-session-action-list/
CATEGORIES:Rapid Response Team
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