Saturday’s convention was exciting, as we saw all three of our endorsed candidates–Jay Gonzalez, Quentin Palfrey, and Josh Zakim–win the party’s endorsement.
But the convention also reminded us of all the work we still have cut out for ourselves this legislative session. The speakers highlighted how Massachusetts needs to do more to set a good example for other states and to fight back against Trump.
And that can’t wait.
Here are a few things that you can do this week.
Funding Our Schools
Two weeks ago, the State Senate unanimously passing the Foundation Budget Modernization Bill, which would update the school funding formula and help provide high-quality education for every child across Massachusetts.
It’s now time for the House to act and pass the bill (S.2525: An Act to Modernizing the Foundation Budget for the 21st Century). More than 120 members of the House have expressed support. It just needs a vote.
Can you call your representative and ask them to fully fund our public schools?
Three years ago, the Foundation Budget Review Commission found that the state was shortchanging public education by $1-2 billion each year because of an outdated funding formula. We can’t let another school year pass without action.
Standing Up for Gun Safety
Two weeks ago, the House passed Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) legislation (H.4539) authored by Rep. Marjorie Decker, which creates a kind of court order that family members and law enforcement can request to temporarily restrict a person’s access to guns because they pose a significant danger to themselves or others.
When family members are empowered to act, they can prevent warning signs from turning into a mass shooting or gun suicide. A recent study found that Connecticut’s suicide rate fell by almost 14% after local authorities started enforcing the law.
The bill now goes to the Senate, which will be voting this Thursday morning.
Can you call your senator today in support of common sense gun safety legislation?
Standing Up to Trump’s Hate
Do you want Massachusetts to make clear that we don’t stand for the xenophobic policies and rhetoric coming out of the Trump white House?
Last month, the State Senate passed four key provisions of the Safe Communities Act in the budget:
- No Police Inquiries about Immigration Status
- Stop Collaborating with ICE
- Provide Basic Due Process Protections
- Refusal to participate in any discriminatory registry
This is a great step forward, but we can’t claim victory just yet.
Make sure that our legislators hear, loud and clear, that these provisions need to stay in the budget. Can you call your state representative and state senator to urge the inclusion of these essential protections?
Making Every Voice Heard in Our Elections
Did you know that almost 700,000 eligible voters in Massachusetts aren’t registered? Well, that’s a problem.
Fortunately, Automatic Voter Registration is part of the solution. It’s a simple and important reform designed to increase political participation and strengthen voting rights by shifting our voter registration system from an opt-in to an opt-out one, making elections more free, fair, and accessible for all.
Can you email your representative today in support of AVR?
Thank you for all you do!
