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LWV MA

Climate Action – LWV US & MA

Coalition Letter Urges Action on Electrification of Vehicles as COVID-19 Pandemic Highlights the Dangers of Air Pollution

The Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle Coalition and its partners, which includes the Newton EV Task Force and League of Women Voters Massachusetts, recently sent the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection a letter urging the following action by the State: “Set a goal and create an action plan for all vehicles to be electric by 2040. Commit to all electric transit and school bus fleets by 2035. Commit to complete electrification of state and municipal fleets by 2035. Establish goals and incentive programs for the conversion of private vehicle fleets.”

The COVID-19 pandemic makes the transition to cleaner electric vehicles even more urgent as, “People with COVID-19 who live in US Regions with high levels of air pollution are more likely to die from the disease than people who live in less polluted areas.”  Middlesex County has the second highest level of air pollution particulate matter in Massachusetts, much of it concentrated along the Mass Pike and 128 (A Clean Transportation System for my Patients).

Transportation accounts for the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts.  Setting a goal and creating an action plan for electrification of vehicles is an important step toward achieving the State’s ambitious net zero emissions limit. It’s time for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to make good on the Governor’s  Earth Day 2020 pledge for an aggressive, science-based, net-zero emissions limit.

Newton’s Climate Action Plan, officially adopted on November, 11, 2019, as a part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, includes the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.  Recently the City made a step towards this goal by converting the NewMo, senior transportation vehicles, to hybrid vehicles.

At the LWVUS Convention in June, the League of Women Voters of Araphoe and Douglas Counties proposed a resolution that calls for an immediate, wide-scale, mobilization by the United States that restores, protects, and funds an ecologically sustainable environment and climate, based on an interrelated approach that is environmentally sound, science-based, just and equitable, and dedicated to appropriately addressing the speed and scale of the global climate change emergency.  This resolution was passed at the convention by an overwhelming majority, thereby reenforcing the LWVUS commitment to the environment.

Read the complete letter from the Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle Coalition.

Opportunities for Action & Learning

The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence invites you to attend Engaging Gun Owners in Gun Violence Prevention on Tuesday, May 12th at 7 pm via Zoom. Did you know that the vast majority of gun owners support several key gun control laws, but do not feel comfortable getting involved in the GVP movement? Join Dr. Mike Siegel and Claire Boine from the Boston University School of Public Health for an interactive presentation where they will dispel myths about gun owners and show us how to craft effective messaging to engage them in gun violence prevention work. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aVikwm_cSMmSwSIWNAhZtA

Moderator Training Webinar:   LWVMA is offering moderator training through a webinar Monday, May 11, at 1 p.m. We will have time for questions and will be coordinating small group follow-up sessions for role playing to get more comfortable with the rules. Please register here. The webinar, presented by Jo-Ann Berry and Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, is open to anyone who would like to be trained as a moderator or would like a refresher on the rules and learn about moderating a forum in the era of Zoom. It will be recorded and available later on the LWVMA website.

Urge Legislature to Revise Election Practices:  Please email your Senator and Representative and urge them to make needed changes in the way Massachusetts conducts elections before the Sept. 1 primary election and Nov. 3 general election. While we all hope the COVID-19 virus will have abated by fall, we need to plan to conduct our elections as if it will not. That particularly means greatly expanded vote by mail outreach while continuing to offer in-person voting that is safe for voters and poll workers. LWVMA and our Election Modernization Coalition partners will file a bill in the legislature shortly to address these issues based on the recommendations in a Coalition letter to the legislature. In the meantime, ask for general support of such reforms. LWVUS offers these talking points on the League strategy of making voting more flexible and providing options such as vote by mail for voters.

Help with Census 2020:  The 2020 Census count and the outreach to ensure a complete count in Massachusetts continues. You can help by volunteering to phone bank to increase the count. MassCounts will conduct phone banks through the end of June every Tuesday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday from 5-7 p.m., Thursday from 5-7 p.m., and Saturday from 1-3 p.m. to call residents of census tracts with the lowest self-response rates. You can sign up to join a virtual phone bank. You’ll need a computer and a cell phone; a 15-20-minute training and a script are provided. Please note you need to sign up for each day you would like to phone bank.

Ask Congress to Fund Election Needs:  LWVUS is working to ensure elections and equality are prioritized as Congress drafts stimulus bills for COVID relief. The three provisions we are asking for are:

  • Ensure that $4 billion in election funding is included to help states to make the remaining primaries and the November general election safe for all to participate.
  • Ensure that all families and individuals receive aid from the government, regardless of their immigration or tax status.
  • Ensure that Washington D.C. is treated like a state and not a territory in funding distribution.

You can help ensure these provisions are included in the next relief package by taking action with this LWVUS action alert and sharing our memo to Congress.  

Participate in a Webinar

Many of our members are enjoying participating in webinars while sheltering at home. Consider these webinars offered by LWVMA in the next month:  

Raising Civic Engagement Among Younger People

  • Nancy Thomas, Director, Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, Tufts University, Thursday, May 21, 4 p.m. Register here.

New England Regional League Conference 

  • Voter engagement panel with Yanna Krupnikov, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition Executive Director Mufalo Chitam, and New Hampshire state senator Melanie Levesque, Monday, May 11, 2 p.m. Register here.

How Leagues are handling the pandemic and the challenges for elections, Monday, May 18, at 2 p.m. Register here

LWVMA – January Opportunities for Action

Climate Action Lobby Day Jan. 14

Urge your legislators to pass meaningful climate legislation now! Join LWVMA and our coalition partner, Mass Power Forward, in a lobby day Tuesday, Jan. 14 to push legislators to act on climate change bills by the Feb. 5 deadline.  Register now, using this form, and the lobby day organizers will arrange meetings with your legislators. Indicate your League affiliation on the form.

Lobby for Election Day Registration – January 28th

Let’s honor the 100th anniversary of the League and women’s right to vote by passing Election Day registration (EDR) in Massachusetts. Join LWVMA and our election modernization coalition partners in a lobby day to push for EDR Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the State House.  Meet in Room 428 at the State House at 9:30 a.m. for registration, with a briefing on the EDR bills at 10. The coalition will set up meetings with legislators for those who register in advance here. You will meet with your state Representative at 11 a.m., and state Senator at 11:30.

Youth Justice Lobby Day Jan. 21

LWVMA will cosponsor a Youth Justice lobby day with Citizens for Juvenile Justice to support four juvenile justice bills Tuesday, Jan. 21, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in Room 437 at the State House. Please RSVP here and plan to join Colleen Kirby, our criminal justice reform specialist. There will be a mini lobbying training and packets with fact sheets for legislators.

Safe Communities Act Hearing Jan. 24

A hearing on the Safe Communities Act, H3573/S1401, will be held Friday, Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. in Gardner Auditorium at the State House before the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Please come and show your support if you can. Otherwise, please call or email your own Senator and Representative on Jan. 24, and let them know that you and the League support the Safe Communities Act and our immigrant neighbors.

We expect this hearing to last most of the day, so advocates are organizing supporters to attend in shifts to make sure there is always a packed auditorium. RSVP using this form to let us know when you can come. See the Facebook event page. Jennifer Muroff, LWVMA immigration specialist, will testify. If you come to the hearing, stop by your legislator’s office to show your support.

LWVMA Day of Action Feb. 6

On February 14, 2020, the League of Women Voters will celebrate the actual 100th birthday of our founding. To celebrate our legacy, support the anniversary plans already scheduled, and amplify our League voice, LWVUS is holding an official Day of Action.

LWVMA is planning a State House Day of Action to celebrate the League Thursday, Feb. 6. We invite all members to join us in Room 428 at the State House at 10 a.m. We’ve invited Governor Baker, Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Spilka to speak, and will honor those legislators who are members of the League. We will also distribute reminders to all legislators that passing Election Day voter registration is a good way to celebrate this anniversary. And there will be birthday cake.

League of Women Voters MA: League Day on the Hill – Lobby Day October 17th

LWVN had a small but strong presence at the Day on the Hill “Time to Act,” Thursday, Oct. 17th.   We met with Newton legislators Senator Cynthia Creem, Representatives Ruth Balser, and Kay Khan.  We discussed League priorities:

  • Election Day Registration
  • Climate Crisis
  • Education Funding
  • Reproductive Rights

Not surprising, they all supported these items and in many cases were sponsors or co-sponsors.  Thank you to our thoughtful and proactive delegation.

LWVMA Climate Emergency Action Resolution and Plan

From LWVMA:

See below both the Climate Emergency Resolution, submitted as testimony  to the Joint Committee on Telecommunications and Utilities and passed at the 2019 LWVMA Convention unanimously, and the Climate Emergency Plan, approved by the Board of the LWVMA on July 26, 2019.

In his keynote speech at the convention, Bill McKibben made it clear that global societies have an urgent “action deficit” in terms of the response to date on the climate crisis. He also pointed out that the League has a unique and special role to play as a highly-regarded and respected organization with a 100-year history of championing policies for the public good and strengthening our democracy.

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Climate Emergency Resolution

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Climate Emergency Resolution

League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Climate Emergency Action Plan

2019 LWVMA Climate Emergency Plan