Today is Democracy Day! Please join us in Richmond or zoom in on Network NOVA Live, 9:00am for the Democracy Day Press Conference HERE
Thank you to those who took part in the Virginia Grassroots’ Week #1 Calls To Action. Please continue and keep sharing – It gives us a louder voice. We have all new actions today! Hooray! Please take them all! **
ALL IN,
Stair
PS: After you finish your CTA’s, scroll down and learn what happened last week on the Friday Power Lunch, Protecting Public Schools
Calls to Action
Good Governance:
NEW – Urge Legislators to Vote YES on HB894: Expanding Use of Virtual Meetings
HB894 will be heard tomorrow by the procurement/open government subcommittee of the House General Laws committee. We’ve been told by staff that the hearing will likely start at about 4:15 Tuesday. If you can testify virtually or submit written comments, that would be great! Heres the sign up link.
Many important governmental advisory bodies are made up of citizen volunteers. Yet if these groups primarily meet in person, many people who would like to serve cannot do so because of professional obligations, childcare, or transportation difficulties. HB894 expands the flexibility of volunteer advisory bodies to hold all-virtual meetings, while retaining guardrails to ensure public access and transparency. When residents with diverse voices and lived experiences can participate in their government through service on a board or commission, it results in better, more representative public policy.
Report out on week #1 – ‘Defend Clean Cars’ action was successful!
The repeal bills targeted were killed. Over 100 Virginians participated and the key decision-makers had all the support for their votes from us in their inboxes.We have targeted, timely messages, and they work.
Please stay with us, for quick, effective climate actions to influence state law.
Key messages to the Virginia General Assembly committees for week #2, Round #1:
Our actions this round are to boost the fabulous clean energy bills in House Labor and Commerce Committee that meets Tues/Thurs. Our support requests also go to Senate Commerce and Labor for companion bills. Take these actions asap or by COB Wednesday 24th January for maximum impact.
- Action to support ARC Act, patrons Sullivan/Hashmi HB638 /SB230
- Action to support SAVE Act, patrons Webert/Deeds HB746 /SB565
Education:
These bills are up for review in the House of Delegates’ Education Committee on TUESDAY, so please help by answering these easy, one-click call to actions before the hearings on Tuesday, 1.23.2024. Thank you for advocating for our Public School students and teachers.
- HB624 – Please ask our Delegates to vote YES on to improve funding to public schools
- HB386 – Vote YES on HB386 for more specialized support staff in our public schools.
- HB398 – Ask Delegates to vote YES on HB 398 to implement evidence based discipline
- Vote YES on HB625 to establish the Office of Community Schools.
- Vote YES on SB14 to give localities greater flexibility to improve school funding
Gun Safety:
Currently in Virginia, spouses convicted of domestic abuse can’t possess a gun, YET that rule doesn’t apply to those in dating relationships who are convicted of domestic abuse. The data is clear: no abusive partner should have access to guns.
Vote YES on HB2 to ban assault weapons
Vote YES on SB47 to Reduce Gun Violence against Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors
Vote YES on SB100 to ban Ghost Guns & Parts
Campaign Finance Reform:
** This is not a new CTA, although today would be a good day to day it if you haven’t. MoneyOut ACTION ALERT! Now is the time to raise your voice to get campaign finance bills voted out of the House and Senate Privileges and Elections committees. They will start hearing bills over the next week. At a click of the button, send a message to the 22 members of the P&E committee and another to the 15 legislators in the Senate. Ask them to support common sense legislation which prioritizes the voices of citizens over corporations and wealthy special interests. Let’s make this year the year of good governance in Virginia. #peoplepower #democracynow.
- Send a message to the members of the House P&E: Click here
- Contact the Senators on the P&E committee: Click here.
PROTECTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Local school boards across this country have become the battleground for everything our nation stands for. Extremists, disguised as local concerned citizens, are trying to destroy our public school system through banning books, degrading teachers, attacking LGBTQ children, erasing American history, and underfunding. This is part of the MAGA Republican agenda to take away our freedoms as Americans.
The January 19, 2024 Friday Power Lunch looked at how we can protect public schools in the face of this onslaught and send extremists packing
Our opening music video was “Doctor My Eyes” by troubadour Jackson Browne. This new video of the classic 1970s hit features members of the original band who recorded the song back in 1972 are now joined by musicians from around the world as part of a “Playing for Change” music video mashup.
We began our conversation about protecting public schools with a conversation with Lynlee Thorne, Political Director of Rural GroundGame, who shared a story about a child in Rockingham with real fears about being trans and how the MAGA agenda on School Boards is turning schools into scary places for our children.
Watch the recording of the entire show here.
LINDSEY DAVIS STOVER, a veteran of the Obama White House and candidate for Congress in 2018, spoke about her path from politics to starting a tequila company. Lindsey is one of the founders of 1953 Tequila, an additive-free, ultra premium tequila founded, farmed, distilled and led by women. 1953 is the year women secured the right to vote in Mexico. The company name honors the courage, tenacity, and boldness of the women who fought for equality then and those who continue to fight for it all around the world in current times.
KARIN CHENOWETH, longtime public education researcher and writer and founder of Democracy and Education, gave an overview of the attacks on public education and described why she started an organization to train and support school board candidates.
MICHAEL COOK is a School Board member from Plano, Texas. He shared his story of how he went from being a concerned parent stepping up to make change rather than just complain. When he decided to run for school board, he learned there was little training or infrastructure support for his candidacy. He developed his own crash course in political campaigning by talking to everyone who would talk to him and figured out how to run and win.
BETSY CONNOLLY shared her story how after serving 10 years on a good-governance school board in Conejo, California, she found herself a minority member in a far-right takeover attempt. Faced with that challenge, Betsy could have departed with an “I told you so”, but chose instead to organize her community and co-found the PAC Conejo Together. Betsy was part of a successful effort to bring political organizing into down-ballot elections and win against local MAGA extremism.
NICOLE COLE, who ran and won a seat on the school board in Battlefield District in 2021 in Spotsylvania, spoke about what led her to start a PAC and lead a path to victory.
DR. LORITA DANIELS, another Spotsylvania School Board Member, reminded us that door knocking is key to your success! She shared a personal story where a direct conversation changed a “no” vote to a household of “YES” votes.
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