It is hard to believe we are now in Fiscal Year 2022.  This last year has been a busy one and we could not have made it through the year without all of our dedicated members. Thank you for all you have done, your ability to pivot and your resilience throughout this past year. You have clearly demonstrated that Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport.

As we begin the new year, LWVMA needs members for some of our committees and we would love to have new people join us to work on these statewide committees. It is a great way to get involved and find out more about what we are doing at the state level. We are looking for members to join the following committees:

If you are interested, please email me at efosternolan@lwvma.org. Thank you again for all the work you do for the League.

Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, President

NEW! Attend the Legislative Action Committee’s upcoming Zoom programs “Meet with a Specialist” to learn about bills LWVMA is supporting this session. These programs will run over the next months. Here are the three coming up in August:

On Wednesday, August 11, at noon LWVMA Women’s Issues specialists Jan Soma and Susan Loffredo will discuss these bills:

Register here for Wednesday, August 11, at noon.

On Wednesday, August 25, at 7 p.m., LWVMA Criminal Justice specialists Nancy Bettinger and Lucy Costa will discuss these bills:

Register here for Wednesday, August 25, at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, August 26, at 4 p.m., LWVMA Elections and Voting specialists Nancy Brumback and Linda Freedman will discuss these bills:

Register here for Thursday, August 26, at 4 p.m.

H.3157/S.2077 An Act to ensure gender parity and racial and ethnic diversity in public boards and commissions will require that women have seats at the table where policy decisions are made. The goal is to achieve gender and racial parity on public boards and commissions.

Learn more at a Zoom Parity on Board forum Monday, August 2, at 5:30 p.m., co-sponsored by LWVMA. This one is particularly aimed at southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, but all are welcome. Women’s Issues specialist Jan Soma attended a similar forum earlier this year and was inspired by women leaders who shared their experiences and how they are mentoring others to be ready for the opportunities this legislation will provide. Register here.

The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, which includes LWVMA, is hosting a quarterly meeting Tuesday, August 3, at 7 p.m. Register to attend here. We will learn how to advocate effectively with the legislative aides from Beacon BLOC and how to comment on the ghost gun regulations within the Federal Register. We will also learn how American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds could be allocated towards gun violence prevention in the Commonwealth.

The Community Immunity bill, H.2271/S.1517, will create a consistent baseline immunization policy across Massachusetts schools, preschools, daycare centers and summer camps. Mandatory reporting will allow for accurate data collection by the Department of Public Health that will help identify local gaps in vaccination rates and allow appropriate and effective interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy and achieve community immunity. This bill has nothing to do with the COVID-19 vaccine, does not mandate vaccination and does not remove any religious exemption. But it has been caught up in the wave of anti-vaccination activity. If you have not yet acted on the Action Alert sent to all members July 16, please take a look at the alert and act now.

Our Health Care specialists also note that health coverage that is equitable for all Massachusetts residents is before the legislature again this year, H.1267/S.766 An Act establishing Medicare for all in Massachusetts. Please take a look at the bill and read Section 12 (Eligible Participants) and Section 15 (Covered Benefits) to understand what this bill is proposing. As a League member, you can then discuss the facts of the bill with your family, friends and neighbors.

Priority: Elections

Plan now for your League to participate in National Voter Registration Day Tuesday, Sept. 28. LWVUS reminds us to sign up your League as a partner today to help reach its goal of 400 participating Leagues. The League has been an important partner in this effort by providing the largest organizational presence on the ground for the last eight years running! Join in this important effort—partners will have opportunities to receive materials and training. Available toolkits offer ideas on voter registration during the pandemic.

Priority: Elections

Good news! The Senate version of the VOTES Act, S.459, was reported out of the Joint Committee on Election Laws both favorably and with no changes. That means same day registration is still in the bill, along with the requirements to join the Election Registration Information Center (ERIC) and to provide voting information to eligible incarcerated citizens, as well as the provisions to make voting by mail and in-person early voting widely available as was done last fall. The bill is now in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. We hope it gets to the Senate floor for a vote early this fall.

In the meantime, the legislature extended the expiration deadline for the emergency voting provisions on mail voting and in-person early voting adopted last fall to Dec. 15, using an amendment to the supplemental budget (not to the major fiscal year budget that is in the news). So those processes will be available for this fall’s municipal elections.

Election and Voting specialists Nancy Brumback and Linda Freedman are sending emails periodically to update interested League members on the status of the election and voting bills we are following. If you’d like to be added to that email list, please notify Nancy at nbrumback@lwvma.org.

Nancy Bettinger and Lucy Costa, the legislative specialists focusing on criminal justice, are available to present to local Leagues on legislative priorities and to offer educational programs on criminal justice issues. We also are developing an email list of individual members who would like to receive more frequent updates regarding criminal justice bills and events. To be added to the mailing list or schedule a presentation, please email us at criminaljustice@lwvma.org. We look forward to connecting with you.

Join your LWV colleagues across the state to learn what your local League can do to further its work on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The group will meet online several times a year to share ideas, experiences, and resources. It is coordinated by Patty Shepard (Winchester) and Amy Cooper (Central Berkshire County), members of the LWVMA DEI Committee. If you would like to participate, please email Patty Shepard and/or Amy Cooper.

Find DEI Resources from LWV here. Find LWVMA Racial Justice Resources here.

The national League is seeking volunteers to join the 2022–2024 LWV Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. All applications must be submitted by Oct. 29. Apply for the Board of Directors here and the Nominating Committee here.

If you would like to receive the LWVUS biweekly League Update newsletter on work at the national level, sign up here. The newsletter includes announcements, League opportunities, and updates on Federal news and events.

How to Contact Your Legislator: You can find phone numbers, email addresses and office addresses on the legislature’s webpage for your Senator and Representative. Go to www.malegislature.gov and click on the Legislators tab. If you don’t know who your legislators are, click here.

The LWVMA Action Newsletter is distributed to all LWVMA members. Anyone can request the Action Newsletter by clicking here. Please review this Newsletter for articles of interest to your League and include them in your local Bulletin.