Advocacy Committee Report | February 2019

The 2019 State Legislative session began January 9 and will end April 8. During this time our State legislators will consider several thousand bills. WDC sent letters to Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch asking them to support legislation that addresses WDC’s priorities. WDC’s Advocacy Committee will identify bills that are directly relevant to women and their families and address each of our six priority issue areas (Affordable Housing, Aging, Children and Youth, Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Health, and Working Families). WDC will submit testimony requesting a favorable vote for these bills. Be sure to sign up for WDC’s Advocacy Alert Team (link) to receive notice of WDC’s testimony and help WDC advocate for passage of these bills.

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Advocacy Committee Report | December 2018

MONTGOMERY COUNTY STATE DELEGATION PRIORITIES HEARING

On November 14, WDC Board President Fran Rothstein presented testimony on WDC’s 2019 State legislative priorities to our Montgomery County State Delegation at the Delegation’s 2019 priorities hearing. This hearing is an opportunity for our elected State Delegates and Senators to hear from their constituents before the 2019 State legislative session convenes on January 9. Read WDC’s written testimony here. WDC’s Advocacy Committee will identify specific bills that address these priorities and advocate for their passage.

 

MLAW FALL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

On November 17, WDC Board President Fran Rothstein and members of the Advocacy Committee attended the Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women’s (MLAW) Fall Legislative Conference, “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally…What Rights are at Stake at the Federal Level and What Maryland Can do to Protect Them” at Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore. State legislators and advocacy groups presented legislative proposals for consideration by MLAW for inclusion in its 2019 legislative agenda. Fifteen bills were presented, including the “Adoption and Parentage Equity Act” that was presented by WDC President Fran Rothstein. MLAW members will have an opportunity to vote on these legislative proposals. MLAW members will prioritize those legislative proposals, and MLAW will select the top five or six to comprise the organization’s 2019 Legislative Agenda.

Click here to join MLAW.

HELP STILL WANTED – WDC ADVOCACY COMMITTEE!!

Are you interested in getting more involved with our WDC Advocacy efforts? Do you have some time to research and take the lead on specific legislation? Our Committee has a number of vacancies. Our advocacy work is limited by the number of our members. Please Contact Advocacy Committee Chair Ginger Macomber at ginger.macomber@gmail.com if you are interested in helping with any of the following:

  • Aging Issues Committee Chair

  • Affordable Housing Issues Committee Co-chair and Committee Members

  • Criminal Justice and Public Safety Issues Committee Members

  • Working Families Issues Committee Members