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Growing, Giving Thanks, and Getting Ready to Govern in 2020
As we approach the holidays, we at SiX want to thank our incredible network of state legislators. Serving as a state legislator is no easy task, and we are grateful for the dedication and courage they bring to the job. See what 2019 had in store for us and what we’ll be up to in 2020. And if you’re getting ready for next year’s legislative session, let us know! We’re ready to help.
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Did you know? Voters Want More Oversight for Big Ag
A new study published this week shows that voters overwhelmingly want the government to provide help to farmers and to provide oversight over concentrated animal feeding operations, otherwise known as CAFOs. With additional information, voters also support state legislatures enacting a moratorium on these types of operations, which remove animals from the land and instead keep them in warehouse-like buildings. Livestock in these conditions produce copious amounts of animal waste which often contaminates nearby waterways, groundwater and causes toxic emissions that are hazardous for workers and neighbors. Last month, the American Public Health Association issued a statement calling for a precautionary moratorium on these operations. Ranchers across the country are demonstrating that meat can be raised in a way that benefits climate, water, soil and local communities.
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Add your name: McDonald's to address sexual harassment
Legislators -- please consider adding your name to this state legislator sign-on letter calling on McDonald’s to take concrete action to stop sexual harassment in their stores. Workers have filed over 50 new sexual harassment complaints against McDonald’s employees, covering a wide range of behavior. These are part of a larger trend over the last three years in which McDonald’s workers have filed sexual harassment complaints with the EEOC, staged protests and strikes, and published open letters to management. Add your name to the letter calling on McDonald’s to take concrete action to stop sexual harassment against their workers.
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SNAP Restrictions Threaten Hundreds of Thousands of Americans’ Food Security
The federal government recently announced changes to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) to limit the ability of state governors to temporarily waive the work requirements for struggling citizens to receive food assistance. The new SNAP restriction could cut off roughly 700,000 recipients' access to food and shifts the burden to states and counties already struggling to help their poorest occupants living in low-employment areas and food deserts. Even more Americans will be impacted as folks dependent on SNAP recipients —like children and elderly family members who live apart from the recipient or non-familial housemates— will also lose food security. As states brace to provide for the thousands of residents who will lose access to SNAP, they could face further obstacles from the detrimental impact SNAP restrictions will have on state economies and job markets.
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Southern States Are Preparing to Take on Huge Democratic Reforms in the Next Session
As Kentucky moves to restore voting rights to over 100k individuals, here is how other southern states are fighting for democratic reforms like redistricting, bans on secret money, expanding voter access, automatic voter registration, and limiting political spending.
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Youth Lead the Movement on Climate Change
Inspired by famous young activists like Autumn Peltier, Mari Copeny, Isra Hirsi, and Greta Thunberg, young people across the country have launched protests, marches, and rallies to pressure their state legislators to take action on combating climate change. As the generational gap on climate change has grown, young people are increasingly engaging in political activism, championing climate change solutions like declaring a state of emergency or funding sustainable agriculture. The youth-led climate change movement in the US has centered on local institutions—like state legislatures, schools, universities, and companies—because young activists believe they can more effectively enact change and accountability at the state level than at the national or global scale.
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SiX trip to El Salvador Bolsters Legislators’ Resolve to Fight Abortion Bans
Over their trip through El Salvador, the legislators of the RFLC delegation witnessed the horrors of total abortion bans and returned the to US energized to protect abortion access in their states. With a pre-Roe abortion ban still on the books in Arizona and a new extreme abortion ban pending in Ohio that would jail women and doctors, these the RFLC lawmakers understand the importance of protecting access to abortion —particularly for low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by abortion bans.
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Rep. Stephanie Howse Speaks Her Mind on Abortion Bans
In an interview with Cleveland Scene, Ohio State Representative and RFLC member Stephanie Howse discusses her trip to El Salvador, the horrific new Ohio anti-abortion bill, and how progressive legislators in the state will continue to fight for reproductive justice.
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