Here's how we're being "a positive voice for your values..." View in Browser Memorial Day “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” — Thomas Paine This Memorial Day, we want to take a moment to remember the brave men and women who have lost their lives protecting our nation and our freedoms. We can never repay them for giving the ultimate sacrifice to ensure we can live in peace and safety today. We celebrate this holiday because we understand the value of our American heritage and the Judeo-Christian values handed down to us over the generations. It is imperative that we take the torch passed to us from those who have come before. Whether that means serving on the front lines, running for office, or just being an active citizen in our local neighborhood, we have a responsibility to defend the principles that afford us the ability to live in peace and worship God freely. How We're Being a Positive Voice for Your Values Educating & Training We're proud to report that we've successfully held two "Go Local" conferences so far this year, one in Lansing and the other in Traverse City. These events are equipping citizens like you with practical tools for servant statesmanship and leadership in your community. We've received overwhelmingly positive responses from attendees and we plan to bring the program to southwest Michigan in July. Stay tuned! Speaking CTV was present at this year's INCH homeschool conference in Lansing. Our own Eileen McNeil spoke at their Leadership Summit about the importance of local efforts and grassroots networks in making a difference for your values in the public arena—at all levels. Eileen also had the chance to speak at the National Day of Prayer event for Michigan. She prayed for the media and their role in seeking/speaking the truth and reporting objectively in today's world. Advocating The Michigan legislature has been bringing forward several bills we want you to be aware of. CTV is actively advocating for your values on these issues, whether that means testifying on them at the capitol or letting you know how you can help by calling and writing to your legislators. They include: Civil Rights Act LGBTQ Expansion: A bill has been signed into law that adds "sexual orientation" and "gender identity and expression" as protected classes in the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. These vague new categories open the door for discrimination against people of faith. CTV fought for an amendment to protect religious conscience, but unfortunately this was not adopted. CTV then testified against the expansion before it was passed. Abortion Ban Repeal: A package of bills have been signed into law that repeal the 1931 abortion law. This law prohibited abortion, but also provided legal protections for women hurt or killed during abortions. CTV testified to keep this law in place and to keep those protections in place. Requirement for Employers to Include Abortion Coverage: A bill has been signed into law that requires employers to offer medical coverage for abortions if they already offer coverage for pregnancy or childbirth. This puts business owners who disagree with abortion in a difficult position, forcing them to cover abortion or not offer any coverage at all for their employees. CTV asked you to contact your legislators to oppose this. Budget Language on Abortion Referrals from Universities: In the budget for 2022-2023, the governor removed language prohibiting publicly funded universities from making referrals for abortions. This language remains absent in the 2023-2024 budget, despite efforts by Sen. Albert to add it back in and also limit funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. His bill did not pass, unfortunately. Here are some additional issues we're monitoring that you should know about. Right to Work Repeal: A package of bills have been signed into law that repeal the "Right to Work" laws. This means employees can now be forced to pay union fees or join a union as a condition of employment. There's no longer a legal requirement to let employees opt out of these expenses, removing options for workers. Red Flag Gun Laws: A package of bills have been signed into law that allow "risk protection orders" to be filed against individuals to have their guns taken away by the judicial system in cases where they are deemed to be a threat to themselves or others with a firearm. No fees can be collected for these orders. This is easily abusable and violates the 2nd amendment of our U.S. Constitution. Election Integrity: A bill was signed into law recently that allows ballots from overseas voters or certain armed forces voters to be received and counted 6 days after an election is over. Policies like this only make our elections less secure. There are several other bills like this that will be coming up soon due to the passage of Proposal 2. We'll continue to track them and report on them to you. We appreciate your attention to the action alerts we've been sending out. Keep it up! Your voice in the public arena is more important than ever. “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” — 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV) Consider How You Can Support CTV Citizens for Traditional Values relies on support from passionate citizens like you. Your prayer and financial contributions enable us to be effective as we stand for truth in local communities and beyond. 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