League of Women Voters of Texas
Action News!
|
|
|
President's Message
Grace Chimene
League Advocate
Most of the time summer is a time for relaxing at the pool, sipping on cool drinks and reading a good book. Not for the League!
Help us take action on issues such as redistricting, child health, immigration and gun safety. Support our work empowering voters which heats up in the Texas summer!
Leagues all over the state are preparing for the General Election Voters Guide. We are creating a
social media campaign
for the General Election, creating
resources
for Leagues and other interested folks to promote our civics education series
b
eatexasvoter.org,
and partnering with other organizations to register high school voters in the fall. Check out and share these resources.
Thank you
for keeping the momentum going!
|
|
Redistricting
Issue Chair: Stephanie Swanson (LWV Austin Area)
In America, we are supposed to have a democracy where everyone has an equal voice and our elected officials are responsive to our needs. Unfortunately, SCOTUS disagreed. SCOTUS ruled 5 to 4 in
Abbott vs Perez
that the Texas legislature did not use impermissible racial gerrymandering. We are extremely disappointed that this ruling allows elected officials to continue to manipulate district lines in order to keep themselves in power thus diminishing the power of minority voters.
We do have one morsel of hope... one district, Texas House District 90, was ruled racially gerrymandered.
Nina Perales, vice president of litigation at MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund). Stated "The Supreme Court's decision in favor of Latino voters in Ft. Worth is a strong warning to Texas that it cannot use race to manipulate district boundaries to favor incumbents. Like all other voters, Latinos have the right to live in election districts whose lines are not infected by the use of race for political ends."
|
|
Immigration
Issue Chair: Gloria Suarez Sasser (LWV Comal Area)
We are so proud of League members who are fighting the continued impact of the
Zero Tolerance
policy which has not only affected those who are trying to enter the country illegally
;
but also, those who present themselves at the border and ask for asylum.
|
|
Women's Health
Issue Chair: Louise Hytken, (LWV Dallas)
Two recent court cases impact women’s health and reproductive choice in Texas. The first deals with a sex education curriculum being used in Texas, and the second involves Texas’ efforts to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid.
Learn more
.
Louise Hyten has filed her first
report
as the new Issue Chair for Women's Health. Louise recently retired from her position as an attorney for the IRS. She has a long term interest in women's health issues having previously served as the board chair for
Jane's Due Process
. Welcome, Louise!
Louise follows in the footsteps of Julie Lowenberg (LWV Dallas), who has been the LWVTX Women's Health Issue Chair for at least 25 years.
Thank you, Julie!
You must have some stories to tell from these many years leading the League advocacy on this sensitive and controversial issue.
|
|
Gun Safety
Issue Chair: Aimee Mobley Turney (LWV Houston Area)
Aimee Mobley Turney, gun safety issue chair, provided
testimony
at the Select Committee on Violence in Schools and School Security on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. She plans to return to promote the League’s support of Red Flag laws.
|
|
Child Health
Issue Chair:
Celia I. Kaye, MD, PhD (LWV Collin County)
In response to the
Dallas Morning News
series covering the tragic stories of Texas children and adults who were eligible for health care services who had their lives put at risk due to inadequate medical services, we have signed on to a
letter
coordinated by the
Center for Public Policy Priorities
(CPPP)
to the Texas legislature. This letter urges legislators to review the managed Medicaid program. Specifically, we urge the legislature to review funding and revenue; provider rates; network adequacy; care coordination; accountability of managed care organizations; and proactive agency oversight.
At the national level, the House’ version of the Farm Bill, which includes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - also known as food stamps - changes eligibility requirements, which would cause many children and families to lose these vital benefits.
|
|
Voter Services are Ramping Up for November Election
Carol Olewin, Director Voter Services
Voter Services are Ramping Up for November General Election
Voter Service teams across the state are spending the summer ramping up for the November 6, 2018 General Election. LWV Texas in partnership with Local Leagues around the state are planning and working on VOTE411 for Texas voters. VOTE411 is an interactive version of the Voters Guide and will be available online at
VOTE411.org
. You will be able to enter your address and zip code and view the races and candidates that appear on your ballot. You will be able to compare the candidates’ responses to the questions and create a printout of a ballot that you can take to the polls.
Support the Voters Guide and Vote411 with a tax-deductible contribution to the League of Women Voters of Texas Education Fund, 1212 Guadalupe # 107, Austin, TX 78701 or make a secure donation
online
.
For more information on Voter Services, contact Carol Olewin, Director Voter Services,
[email protected].
|
|
Issue Chairs Needed!
Janet Imhoff, Vice President - Advocacy
We are looking for a few good women and men to be LWVTX Issue Chairs. Issue Chairs follow legislation filed in the Texas Senate or House of Representatives during the Legislative session and being alert for the opportunity to take action on any bills.
We currently have openings for the following Issue Chairs:
If you know a League member who is interested in one of these issues, please contact Janet Imhoff, LWVTX Vice President & Advocacy Chair,
[email protected]
. Please send a short bio and information about their expertise/interest in the issue. Training is provided.
|
|
Beatexasvoter.org
We need your help to promote the
Beatexasvoter.org
civics education program which is an excellent way to improve young Texans’ understanding of why they should vote and how to do it. This fantastic series is called “Be A Texas Voter” and resides online at
www.beatexasvoter.org.
It is designed for use in classrooms of students at or near voting age. Please use these
Resources
to help us promote the series to educators in schools and community colleges in your region!
|
|
Texas Pride!
The new LWV Beaumont had a booth at the Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) event last month. Did you register voters at a Pride event last month? How about at a gun safety event or a "Families Belong Together"demonstration?
We want to see your photos! A
picture is worth 1000 words!
Please share photos of events on your League Facebook page and email to
[email protected]
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
