Application for LWVMA Reparations Study

Committee Now Available

A study about Reparations was recommended by the LWVMA board and adopted by delegates at the 2023 LWVMA Convention in June. The LWVMA board will appoint a Study Committee to focus on this issue with a goal to finish the work over the next two years. Read more.

Annual League Leader Lunch: Saturday,

September 30 in Harvard, MA

Please join League leaders from around the state at the annual League Leader lunch. We are excited to gather with many of you in person for this event – the first time since 2019. The location is the Unitarian Universalist church and the time is 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please RSVP HERE. Stay tuned for further details about the agenda for the day.

Envoy Information session August 2

LWVMA is the go-to source for information about voting, elections, legislation and the legislative process for many other organizations and individuals. We have specialists who keep track of all developments that impact a specific target area. It’s the job of the Envoys to respond to Action Alerts from specialists and keep their local members informed. Read more.

Family Court Reform: Why We Need It and How Changes in the Law Can Help August 14

Join us and special guest Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court John Casey on Monday, August 14, at 7:00 PM via Zoom. This informative discussion will be led by the Mass Family Advocacy Coalition and will focus on three bills related to the Massachusetts Family Court. Read more.

MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda briefing August 17

LWVMA supports four goals outlined by the MA Indigenous Legislative agenda: to 

remove racist mascots, honor Indigenous People’s Day, celebrate and teach Native American cultures and history, and support the education and future of Native youth. Join us on Thursday, August 17, at 7:00 PM via Zoom for a briefing on the Massachusetts Indigenous Legislative Agenda. Read more.

Meet the Specialist: Criminal Legal System August 21

LWVMA’s Meet the Specialist program offers members the chance to take a deep dive into the bills we support in a topic area. Join Criminal Legal System (CLS) legislative specialist Nancy Bettinger on Monday, August 21, at 7:00 PM via Zoom to learn how punitive criminal legal system sentences are inequitable and ineffective. Read more.

US Farm Bill Update August 7 at 12 noon

Are you curious about the Federal Farm Bill? Join the LWV of the Upper Mississippi River Region (LWV UMMR) on August 7 at 12 noon via Zoom for a virtual program featuring Duane Hovorka, Senior Policy Specialist at the National Wildlife Federation. Duane will share an update on where the Farm Bill reauthorization stands. Register here.

Submit a public comment saving Cape Cod Bay from nuclear waste

Please join the Leagues of Cape Cod Area and Plymouth by submitting public comments to support the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) denial to Holtec LLC to dump one million gallons of radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay. Submit comments electronically to [email protected]. The deadline to submit a public comment is August 28 at 5:00 PM. Read more.

Contact your legislators to support Climate Emergency bills

LWVMA supports the following bills dealing with critical aspects of increasing energy efficiency and/or decarbonizing buildings – large and small, residential and commercial – in Massachusetts. This sector is one of the most potent emitters in our state, second only to transportation. Read more.

In Memoriam: Dona Kemp

Dona Kemp, a dedicated and long-time League member, passed away on June 24. Dona was President of LWVMA from 2001 to 2003 and was President of LWV Wellesley from 1990 to 1992. Please click HERE for her obituary.

Prepare for the 2023 LWVUS Annual Survey

Each year the Evaluation Department at LWVUS asks Leagues about their activities and priorities. The Annual League Survey provides a method to gather useful information about our collective impact and can be shared with the press, academics, thought-leaders, and potential funders as well as with national, state, and local partners. Read more.

Amplifying Democracy: The 26th Amendment and the Power of Young Voters 

July 1 marked the anniversary of the 26th Amendment, granting the right to vote to those 18 and older. Last week, LWVUS hosted a virtual panel with our partners to discuss the power of young voters and how we can uplift diverse young voices in our democracy. View the recording HERE (you may need the passcode ( Ni6PVQ+c ) to open the recording.)

August 26: Women’s Equality or Inequality Day? From LWVUS President Deborah Turner:

August 26, Women’s Equality Day, marks the anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment, which granted some women the right to vote. However, women have fewer rights than we have had in decades, and we are far from equal in our democracy. In the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, last year we declared this day to be Women’s Inequality Day, calling on Congress to support women’s equality. Read more.