WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

MAINE EPISCOPAL NETWORK FOR JUSTICE
March 2, 2020
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
CONSTITUTION AND CANONS
OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Click here .
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR
Locate your Representative and Senator here .
CONTACT THE GOVERNOR
Share your opinion .
ELECTION DAY IS TOMORROW
One last reminder from the League of Women Voters:

On March 3, Maine will hold its first presidential primary in two decades. You must be enrolled in a party to vote in that party's presidential primary. Unenrolled voters may choose a party up to and including on Election Day.

There will also be an important ballot question on the March 3 ballot, a people's veto referendum that seeks to repeal the new law that removes religious and philosophical exemptions to required vaccinations. You need not be in a party to vote on the ballot question. Read more about the upcoming election  here . 
Diocese Supports No on One Position on March 3rd Referendum

On March 3rd, Mainers will head to the polls to pick a candidate in the Republican and Democrat presidential primaries and vote on a citizen referendum.

Question 1 seeks to repeal LD 798. LD 798 created a state law which would eliminate religious and philosophical exemptions from vaccination requirements while maintaining medical exemptions. If Question 1 passes (a yes vote), those religious and philosophical exemptions would be reinstated. The diocese supports a No on One position on this referendum based on the actions of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church (see below).

Read this op-ed from the Rev. Suzanne G. Roberts, M.D.

Episcopal Church Executive Council Passed Resolutions on Vaccinations in 2019

At its June 10-13, 2019 meeting, the Executive Council of General Convention passed two resolutions pertaining to the issue of vaccination. The role of the Executive Council is to "oversee the execution of the program and policies adopted by the General Convention" and thus reflects the formal position of The Episcopal Church on this topic.

These particular resolutions can be summarized into three key points:

  • The Episcopal Church does not recognize a valid claim of theological or religious exemption from vaccination for its members.
  • The Church urges members to adhere to science-based medical practices and to seek and follow the guidance of trained medical professionals.
  • Organizations, including schools, should strive to provide access to immunizations to all families, especially to those who cannot afford them.
EPISCOPAL NETWORKS COLLABORATIVE PRODUCES
VOTE FOR JUSTICE

The Episcopal Networks Collaborative has published “Vote for Justice” for use by Episcopalians and congregations as they meet with candidates for public offices during this election year. The Collaborative is a coalition consisting of the Union of Black Episcopalians, the Episcopal Network for Economic Justice, and the Episcopal Ecological Network. “Vote for Justice” consists of nine short essays on economic, social, and ecological justice issues and provides suggested questions to ask local, state or federal candidates. 

“As you read the papers” says Deacon Phina Borgeson, biological scientist and one of the authors, “you will see that while each explores one key issue, none can be addressed in isolation. There are many areas of overlap and intersection, on our concerns.” Topics included are the wealth gap and inequality, health care, climate change, human migration due to climate change, immigration policy reforms, climate change and agriculture, community investing, voter suppression, and mass incarceration. Find “Vote for Justice” at:


Registration is open  for the 2020 Racial Equity Challenge! March 30 through April 19, 2020.

The 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge (aka the Racial Equity Challenge) is simple!
 
You (along with thousands of other people across the US) commit to deepening your understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism for twenty-one consecutive days. At the very least, the Challenge will raise your awareness. But for many participants it goes beyond that and changes they way they see and interact with the world.

What exactly happens during the Challenge?
During every morning of the Challenge, you’ll receive an email “prompt” with a short reading, video or audio file. You are encouraged to take about ten to fifteen minutes each day with the material in the prompt, though we will provide extra resources in case you want to dig further into the day’s topic. You have the option to log into our online forums (links will be provided) if you’d like to discuss the prompts in a supported and moderated environment. We also encourage you to share your experience on social media using the hashtag #FSNEEquityChallenge.

Read more here .
 

Talk Faith and Climate Teaching Solutions

A collaboration with  ecoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow: a program by people of faith, for people of faith, that offers ideas, tools and language to address the impacts to our climate. Check out these resources for tested messaging to deepen engagement within The Episcopal Church on the environment as part of our moral imperative to care for creation.

 
 
 

ADVOCACY RESOURCES
Maine Equal Justice (MEJ) is a nonprofit civil legal aid and economic justice organization working to increase economic security, opportunity, and equity for people in Maine.









Advocate for Maine people to be heard, respected, and well-served in a health system that provides coverage, access and quality, affordable care to all.

We envision a Maine where all have the right to a healthy and financially secure future that is not threatened by the cost of health care.




Disability Rights Maine (DRM) is Maine’s Protection & Advocacy agency for people with disabilities. We represent people whose rights have been violated or who have been discriminated against based on their disability. We also provide training on rights and self-advocacy and we advocate for public policy reform.