THE COMMUNICATOR Why The League Needs You In 2022 By Dr. Terrie E. Griffin, President of LWVPA Board of Directors - League of Women Voters of ...
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Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 1 THE COMMUNICATOR Why The League Needs You In 2022 By Dr. Terrie E. Griffin, President of LWVPA Board of Directors I must confess, in 2021, our activities were the most challenging of times and the best of times. For example, it was challenging facilitating our first virtual state convention (hats off to Meg our ED and company – ASAP event management, Rae, Melissa, Sam our VP and Sam our staff member for assisting with navigating the process). Some of our best of times included raising funds to hire a new Membership and Operations Associate; promoting Fair Districts dialogue with legislators and concerned citizens; and registering voters representing diverse cultures and communities. Dear League Members, Challenging times included advocating against legislative actions that could hinder our As 2021 came to an end, I found myself reflecting constitutional rights as registered voters. Highlights on a critical question to pose to our membership from our best of times included receiving rulings in and those seeking to join the LWVPA in the new our favor and recruiting a dynamic and diverse state year: “Why does the League need YOU in 2022?” board with portfolios that cover equity, social The answers are clear. We’re an action-oriented, policy, our environment, membership, government public education conscious, grassroots membership policy/advocacy, civic education, development, and organization devoted to working collectively and our administrative and fiscal work. continuously to realize our mission to “defend our democracy and empower voters.” Further, we are Having had these experiences, we are now in a intentionally seeking to diversify our membership better position to support and respond to the needs and develop plans, programs and partnerships of our local Leagues and constituents. To enhance through a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) lens. our work going into the new year, LWVPA has begun a strategic planning process that will bear We have among us enthusiastic civic educators, fruit in 2022. equity and capacity builders, government and social policy gurus, productive partners, mobilizers That being said, it’s important that you know these of fair maps, nonpartisan supporters, out-of-the- are just a few of the reasons "Why the League box thinkers, a dynamic state board of directors, Needs YOU In 2022!” gifted administrators, a savvy finance and development team, and an energetic and efficient staff, fellows, and volunteer base. This is why the League needs YOU in 2022! Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 2 Why The League Needs You In 2022 By Dr. Terrie E. Griffin, President of LWVPA Board of Directors GOING FORWARD… January 17th is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In one of his many speeches he said, “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” As a leader dedicated to a life of advocacy, education, and activism, I believe we must continue to fight anti-voter legislation and voter suppression efforts. It’s going to take acts of courage if we are serious about telling Congress we need Voting Rights and Build Back Better legislation. We will NOT let attempts to dismantle our democracy be the demise of our Republic. Defending our Democracy is our número uno (number one) mission! Given the COVID 19 crisis and the surge of the Delta and Omicron variants, one-on-one meetings and gatherings are limited. However, we do have the power to talk with or text legislators, organize write-in campaigns to our legislators, or write an Op-Ed to our local newspapers insisting that we come together to pass Voting Rights and the Build Back Better legislation. YES, THE LEAGUE NEEDS YOU IN 2022! As we begin a new year, please protect yourself and others by adhering to the CDC COVID 19 protocols. Be safe and stay healthy! Yours in League, Dr. Terrie E. Griffin, President tegriffin.president@palwv.org Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 3 Executive Director's Update By Meg Pierce Dear League Members, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful holiday season with friends and loved ones. As you all know, 2022 will be an important election year in Pennsylvania. Not only are the governor’s office and a U.S. Senate seat on the ballot, but there will also be critical elections at the state level. What’s more, ongoing redistricting efforts have uncertain consequences for the May 2022 primary date. On Friday, a group of Pennsylvania voters (including League members) filed an application to intervene in two redistricting cases before the PA Supreme Court. These voters have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to free and equal elections. With so much at stake, the nonpartisan voter education work of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania will be more important than ever. We’ll be on the ground in communities across Pennsylvania to empower voters and defend democracy. As a League member, NOW is the time to get involved. All members are invited to join our statewide committees, which work across Pennsylvania on voter services, policy, and equity issues. Looking to involve your community in our work in 2022? Give the gift of membership to the League, or find a League in your area! I look forward to working together during this important year for the Commonwealth. In League, Meg Pierce Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 4 Meet Rochelle Kaplan, LWVPA'S New Voter Services Director The LWVPA Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Rochelle Kaplan as our new Voter Services Director! Rochelle Kaplan is a retired attorney, arbitrator, and fact-finder in labor and employment disputes for the private and public sectors. Since her retirement in 2016, she has been actively involved in Fair Districts PA and the League of Women Voters. She is part of the Lehigh-Northampton Fair Districts PA Leadership team. From 2017-2020, her work for the team focused on assisting residents in presenting in the Lehigh Valley in support of the creation of an independent citizen redistricting commission. Currently, Rochelle’s efforts are focused on providing feedback to mappers on Lehigh Valley legislative and congressional maps. Rochelle joined the League of Women Voters of Lehigh County in 2017. She has assisted with voter services projects for her local League including educational programs, voter registration events, and meeting with legislators. Rochelle has been a member of both the statewide Voter Services committee and the Government Policy committee since their inception. Rochelle is honored to have been asked to serve as Voter Services Director on the LWVPA Board. She believes that voter education is foundational work of the League and is all the more important because of the level of misinformation on social media. One of her priorities will be proactively communicating with voters to inform them on how elections are conducted and the candidates that will be on the ballot. Rochelle also works with Plant A-Row, a volunteer driven organization, to deliver organically grown produce from local farmers to food banks in the Lehigh Valley and a volunteer with Parkland Community Library. She is married, has five grown children, and twelve grandchildren. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 5 Upcoming League Events: Open to all Members! Defend Democracy Day Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 2 PM The League of Women Voters of Lower Merion and Narberth will host a panel on Defend Democracy Day to talk about the work of defending democracy in Pennsylvania. Panelists include LWVPA Director of Government Policy Susan Gobreski, Common Cause ED Khalif Ali, and PA Youth Vote ED Angie Hinton and Civic Ambassador Laqueenda Adu. Register in advance here. Equity Team Meeting Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 7 PM This group is open to representatives of Local Leagues and MAL Units to support local Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. All local PA Leagues and MAL Units are welcome. This group meets monthly. Contact equity@palwv.org for more information on the Equity Team and to receive the meeting registration link. LWV Student Chapters: A Conversation with Centre County Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 5:30 PM Join us for a conversation with Laura Brown, member of LWV Centre County. Laura is a passionate student advocate who was instrumental in founding LWVPA’s affiliated student group at Penn State University. Join Laura and the League for a presentation and conversation on ideas and best practices for engaging student groups in your area. Join the event here. Government Policy Monthly Updates Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 7 PM Monthly updates on government policy activities for League members. Register here. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 6 League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County Campaign School 2022 Saturday, January 29th, 2022 from 8 AM to 2 PM Planning to run for public office in the next two years or to support a campaign? Learn how to run a successful campaign for public office! The event will cover State, County, City, Borough, Township or School Board elections. This virtual event is a collaborative effort of the LWV of Lackawanna County, co-sponsored by The University of Scranton, WNEP-TV 16, and Toyota of Scranton. The material presented is applicable to anyone considering a run for public office in Pennsylvania. Fee for the virtual event: $25; or $62 with one-year membership to LWV Lackawanna. Register here. Fair Districts PA Events Statewide Conference Call Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 7:00 PM Regularly scheduled conference calls happen on the first Thursday of the month and are open to everyone interested in the ongoing redistricting efforts. More information and register here. Mapping Monday Monday, January 10, 2022 at 7:00 PM Join FDPA on Zoom to talk about proposed maps! Click here to register for the Zoom Link. If you are interested in including a Local League event in the Communicator, please email events@palwv.org with the event link and a brief description. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 7 Equity Initiative Update By Jennifer Hanf, Director of Equity Initiative Welcome to 2022! The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania looks forward to expanding our connection with local communities this year. There is much to do to defend voting rights. Deepening our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion will help guide this critical mission. We are challenged to define a stronger, more inclusive organization in which all members can find belonging and a sense of purpose. 2022 Equity Initiative Steering Committee Meet the members of the committee, established to support LWVPA as it implements the DEI Policy both on the statewide level and in our local Leagues. Composed of both on and off board leaders, this committee brings together a broad range of expertise and perspectives on equity. Please contact equity@palwv.org to share how the committee can be of value to your local League and to you as a member. We welcome your input! 2022 LWVPA Equity Webinar Series meetings are held the 4th Monday of each month and introduce discussion of a wide range of equity topics essential to League work. Please plan to attend. View the upcoming schedule and register here. Using the LWV DEI Lens will be a key component of the webinars and DEI work we will be introducing this year. We will introduce this valuable tool and work through using it for League planning meetings, policy making, and other activities. We all have blind spots. This tool helps us develop an intentional group process for building diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in our work. LWW Equity Lens document Some common definitions used in diversity, equity, and inclusion work The Equity Team education sub-committee is currently developing customized learning modules for local Leagues’ DEI training. These materials are sequential, customizable, and interactive. They will be, in part, group activities and discussion with a focus on DEI Policy, self evaluation, and taking collective action to achieve greater inclusion. This committee is headed by Anne Mosakowski of Central Delaware LWV and includes dedicated members of the LWVPA Equity Team. Donate to the Equity Initiative: Support our speakers, learning materials, accessibility, translation, and diversity, equity and inclusion in all our local and state programming. Thank you. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 8 Equity Initiative Update Continued By Jennifer Hanf, Director of Equity Initiative Final thoughts: A few guidelines for building community relationships Meet communities where they are. Engage with others in the spaces and times where everyone is comfortable. Learn about the issues firsthand. What are the concerns and obstacles? Learn about the work already being done; the leadership and solutions already in place. Build lasting relationships based on mutual respect. Be of benefit to the community. Support existing solutions, build partnerships. Support the community in the capacity you are invited to help. Understand the value you bring and how it is part of the overall effort. Acknowledge your place of privilege and advantage. Fairly compensate students, interpreters, technologists, BIPOC, LGBTQIA + individuals. Power is shared. Is every stakeholder community fully represented in equitable leadership and decision making processes? Is someone else who should be seated at the decision-making table? Can you ask them to take your place? Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 9 "On Our Radar:" A New LWVVPA Website Feature LWVPA is excited to announce a new feature on our website. "On Our Radar" includes up to date, accurate information on current issues in social, environmental, and government policy. Check the page for regular updates on important subjects like gun safety, broadband, redistricting, voting rights, environmental justice, and more! Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 10 Government Policy Update By Susan Gobreski, Director of Government Policy The best way to receive timely updates is by following LWVPA on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and checking the news section of our website. CURRENT EVENTS: As we enter the new year, our resolution is to protect our democracy by championing the right to vote for every eligible voter in Pennsylvania! We continue to advocate for secure and free elections, ensuring that voters can choose their representatives (not politicians choosing their constituents). As a community, the League is firm and fierce in defending a free and fair democracy. January 6th is a sobering reminder that we cannot take our democratic system for granted, and that some people are willing to sacrifice democracy itself and would trample the will and the rights of others to get power. Pass the federal Freedom To Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act now! The best antidote to insurrection is to redouble our commitment and participation! We need every League member to take action to urge Senators Casey and Toomey to support the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, including changing the rules of the Senate to ensure they are passed if necessary. Take action here! Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sent this letter to his colleagues in the Senate yesterday and he said this: “...the Senate will debate and consider changes to Senate rules on or before January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to protect the foundation of our democracy: free and fair elections.” Pennsylvania Legislative Update We continue to monitor activity at the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In December, we saw the passage of SB 106 - more proposals to amend the State Constitution. LWVPA opposes these provisions AND we oppose this process, circumventing the normal checks and balances of government and evading the Governor’s role in lawmaking. HB 1800, a bill that would make it harder for Pennsylvanians to vote in a secure, convenient, and accessible manner, remains on our watch list. Tell your Legislator to reject HB 1800 here. House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton has proposed an alternative “pro-voter” package that we are reviewing as well. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 11 Government Policy Update Continued By Susan Gobreski, Director of Government Policy Litigation Voter Privacy Our case against the subpoena of voter data by the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee continues. On December 16th, Commonwealth Court held a hearing on the litigation and heard arguments from both sides. You can read more about it here from ACLU. I also shared my own observations on Twitter, including the stunning comment that one of the judges didn’t see what the big deal about sharing your drivers license and last four of a social security was. You can read the thread here. A victory in the Constitutional amendment case on Marsy’s law! The Pennsylvania State Supreme Court affirmed in a 6-1 decision a ruling by the Commonwealth Court that the proposed Marsy’s Law constitutional amendment violated the state Constitution when it was presented as a single question in a 2019 voter referendum. The Pennsylvania Constitution makes clear that any changes to the document that affect more than one section of the constitution, or which constitute multiple subjects that are not sufficiently interrelated, must be considered as separate amendments. The initial lawsuit was filed in October 2019 on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and an individual, Lorraine Haw of Philadelphia. This ruling marks the end of litigation over the Marsy’s Law ballot question; the decision cannot be appealed to the United States Supreme Court because it raises only issues of state law. Read more from the ACLU. Redistricting: State Maps: The Legislative Redistricting Commission has proposed new maps and is taking public comment. The League will testify on Friday, January 7th providing feedback (mostly positive, some comments about tweaks that could improve the maps). It is worth noting that the LRC approved the Senate maps with a 5-0 vote, but the House maps were approved with a 3-2 vote. The maps still show a slight partisan Republican bias, yet Members of the House are now complaining about Chair Nordenberg. Read more about that here. The maps were expected to look different due to the population of Pennsylvania shifting to the east and correcting for 2 decades of extreme partisan gerrymandering. Interested individuals should read What to Expect When Expecting New Districts by PA Budget and Policy Center. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 12 Government Policy Update Continued By Susan Gobreski, Director of Government Policy Congressional Maps: Facing significant concerns about the state’s ability to get Congressional maps passed, the Public Interest Law Center, representing several individual voters, including myself, Maureen Groshieder and Barbara Hill (LWV members all!) went to court to ask the Courts to intervene. You can read about it here. The Government Policy Committee is working to bring more resources to members of local Leagues. Please email governmentpolicy@palwv.org to get additional information on the issues we are following or to make suggestions about what would be helpful. Sign up for our monthly calls for an overview of committee activities, updates, Q&A and action items! These are open meetings, designed for both interested individuals and local Leagues/liaisons who will share back to local members. Meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 7 pm. To register, click here. Our deep dive in January will be the statue of voting policy issues and how people can help in their own county! Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 13 Social Policy Update By Sarah Miller, Director of Social Policy Pennsylvania School Funding Trial: The case challenging inequitable school funding in Pennsylvania continues. Before the holiday break, the Commonwealth Court heard from the William Penn School District, a named petitioner in the case. William Penn does not have a wealthy tax base to support its schools, which are growing in population. The effects of this underfunding are evident in the lack of student opportunities. Read more about the story of William Penn here and tune in to watch as the trial continues this week. And continue to show your support by passing a resolution, calling your legislator, and writing a letter to the editor in support of fair school funding. Broadband Internet Funding and Expansion: The state House voted unanimously on HB 2071 to set up a governmental body to develop a statewide plan for broadband internet funding and expansion into unserved and underserved areas of Pennsylvania. “The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority created by this bill will help to manage a minimum of $100 million in federal aid,” said Governor Wolf in a recent statement. “to support the construction of new towers, lines and broadband equipment.” Internet speeds are much slower in rural counties than in urban ones due to cost differences. We look forward to seeing how this bill will expand internet access across the state. The social policy committee is continuing to monitor the effects of broadband inequity and how it has been worsened by the pandemic. If you would like to collaborate, please reach out to Susan Boser, sboser12@gmail.com or Carol Wilkerson, carollwilkerson@gmail.com. Student Ambassador Program: The social policy committee is creating a pilot Student Ambassador Program for LWVPA with the goal of reaching younger audiences and getting their input on important social policy issues. Stay tuned for more to come this year and please reach out to Nikki Abdulai (nikki.abdulai@gmail.com) to collaborate. Teaching Racial and Universal Equality (TRUE) Act HB 1532, or the Teaching Racial and Universal Equality (TRUE) Act applies to all Pennsylvania school districts and to postsecondary institutions that accept public monies. However, it also covers all state, county, and municipal agencies, as well as any company that enters into contracts or subcontracts with any school district, postsecondary institution, or other governmental entity. This gives the government incredibly broad control over what speech will be acceptable in the state of Pennsylvania. As of now, no votes have been held or are currently scheduled for this bill. If that changes, we will encourage our legislators to vote on HB 1532, as it undermines free speech and a truthful telling of American history. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 14 Social Policy Update Continued By Sarah Miller, Director of Social Policy Gun Violence and Firearm Safety Pennsylvania saw an increase in gun violence in 2021. The League supports comprehensive background checks and firearm safety training for first-time purchasers. While it is important to address the underlying causes of gun violence in addition to increased safety measures, research shows that these measures do help curb gun violence, and we hope to see HB 235 (SB 88), HB 1903 (SB 134), and HB 1846 (SB 855) pass in the legislature this year. Lead Poisoning in PA Each year, approximately 9,000 Pennsylvania children are diagnosed with lead poisoning. Lead poisoning occurs in Black children at nearly five times the rate of White children, and Hispanic children experience lead poisoning at twice the rate of White children. Pennsylvania has the second-highest rate of lead poisoning in the country and has a poor record for testing children. Most importantly, lead poisoning is entirely preventable through remediation of lead sources. LWVPA supports the following pieces of legislation regarding lead detection and safety: HB 748, HB 749, HB 813, HB 1324. We call upon all of our legislators— Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—to come together to eliminate the issue of lead poisoning in our state. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 15 We Need Help From Local Leagues By Kathy Cook, Director of Environmental Policy This year at the LWVPA Shale And Public Health Conference, several presenters spoke on the health risk from living close to unconventional drilling operations. Research on proximity to drilling areas and increased rates for acute lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-hematologic cancer, as well as reproductive health impacts were presented. This information correlates with a 2020 Pennsylvania grand jury report that concluded the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) failed to protect the public from the health effects of fracking. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, said that the PA DEP “did not take sufficient action in response to the fracking boom.” The health of Pennsylvania rests with its citizens. We can’t wait for our legislators and the DEP to act. We need to take matters up at the local level and force a dialogue on the dangers of fracking and the health of our population. To this end, the LWVPA environmental committee is working with the Clean Air Council on their Protective Buffers Campaign. According to campaign organizer, Andrew Woomer, the project has a two-prong approach: State-wide level — the group supports HB1465 which would designate specific setback distances for gas well sites and related infrastructure. This will likely take years to pass. Local/municipal level — the campaign is working with local citizens and municipalities to create local ordinances for setback distances. Here are the setback recommendations from the Protective Buffers Project Coalition Mr. Woomer stated, “we have to fight at the state and local level.” This issue deserves our attention now. It will likely take years for HB 1465 to pass. However, municipalities can change ordinances at the local level to protect the health and environment of Pennsylvania communities. I am asking local leagues to work with the LWVPA environmental committee in their communities on this issue. We need local input and advocacy work to be successful. Please step up and contact environmentalpolicy@palwv.org with your comments and input on this initiative. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 16 Hydrogen Colors By Kathy Cook, Director of Environmental Policy The infrastructure bill signed into law by President Biden in November includes $9.5 billion dollars to support the creation of a clean hydrogen industry. Clean hydrogen is a misnomer. Hydrogen is labeled as either ‘gray’, which is made from fossil fuels, or ‘green,’ which is manufactured using renewable energy. However, we are now hearing about ‘blue’ hydrogen. In theory, hydrogen can be made from methane by using carbon capture technology. This is called blue hydrogen. It sounds good-just capture methane emissions and make hydrogen while cleaning up the environment at the same time. We are now finding out this is too good to be true. In November, Bloomberg Green reported that U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) played a powerful role in crafting the infrastructure bill. However, even Manchin has recently admitted that carbon capture which is essential for blue hydrogen production is not a realistic solution. According to Manchin in E&E Daily News, “I’d love to have carbon capture, but we don’t have the technology because we really haven’t gotten to that point, and it’s so darn expensive that it makes it almost impossible.” The gas industry will receive $3.5 billion in subsidies to support carbon capture development for the fossil fuel industry in the infrastructure bill, as well as money earmarked for blue hydrogen development. The Build Back Better bill, Biden’s signature climate and social policy legislation, is full of handouts for the fossil fuel industry, according to Holland & Hart LLP, as reported at JDSupra.com on Nov. 22, 2021 and as reported in InsideClimate News on Dec. 1, 2021. A new proposed refinery in Luzerne County will produce blue and green hydrogen. LWVPA is among other environmental agencies in the False Promises Coalition that has put out a press release about the refinery. Advocacy work related to this project is ongoing. If you are interested in being part of this work, please contact me at environmentalpolicy@palwv.org. Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
Volume 4, Number 1 January 2022 17 The League in the News Bid to help Pennsylvania Latinos win more seats misses mark, critics say ACLU-PA Statement on State Supreme Court Rejection of Marsy's Law Ballot Question Pa. Senate election ‘audit’ contract doesn’t say if the public will see the results Pennsylvanians Shouldn't Have to Choose Between the Right to Vote and the Right to Privacy Follow Us On Social Media! Follow The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania on social media to stay up to date with League activities! And encourage your friends, family, and coworkers to do so as well. We are working to increase our social following on all platforms so be sure to give our posts a like, favorite, retweet, or share whenever you can! The best way to amplify the League's work is through social media outreach. And if you have anything you think the State League should share, put it in the @comms_social_media channel on Slack. You can find our platforms here: Instagram - @lwvpa Twitter - @lwvpa Facebook- The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania LinkedIn - The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Help us grow stronger for the work ahead: Donate!
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