From LWVMA: How can Massachusetts establish unarmed crisis response teams to 911 calls? Did you know that untraceable ghost guns circumvent the stringent firearm licensing process? Learn answers to these questions on Monday, September 13 at 12 noon when LWVMA gun violence prevention legislative specialists Sue McCalley and Jen Muroff brief us on bills designed to address these issues. We will also review our partnership with the MA Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence and their holistic approach to reaching zero gun deaths in the Commonwealth. Register here

We will cover the following bills in more detail:

• H.2491/S.1540 An Act Relative to 3D Printed Weapons and Ghost Guns
• H.2519/S.1552 An Act to Create Alternatives for Community Education Services (ACES)
• H.2437/S.1562 An Act Relative to Crime Gun Data Reporting and Analysis

From LWVMA: A Joint Committee on Public Health hearing July 12 on H.2271/S.1517, the Community Immunity Act, lasted 15 hours, until 1 a.m., as anti-vaccine forces turned out in force to oppose this bill and to ridicule and shout down proponents who attempted to support it. We don’t usually ask League members to send emails supporting bills to joint committees, but in this case the committee is being swamped with communications from the anti-vaccine forces and needs to hear from Massachusetts citizens on the other side.

Please send an email now to the joint committee members, email addresses listed below, using the template below or drafting your own.

The Community Immunity Act has nothing to do with the Covid-19 vaccine, does not mandate vaccination, and does not remove the religious exemption to being vaccinated. You can read the League testimony on this bill here. To quote that testimony, “this bill will create a consistent baseline immunization policy across Massachusetts schools, preschools, daycare centers and summer camps. Mandatory reporting will allow for accurate data collection by (the Department of Public Health) that will help identify local gaps in vaccination rates and allow appropriate and effective interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy and achieve community immunity.”

Here is an email template you can use:
Subject line: Support for Community Immunity Bill, S.1517/H.2271

Dear Chair Comerford, Chair Decker, and Members of the Joint Committee on Public Health:

As a League of Women Voters member, I strongly support S.1517/H.2271, the Community Immunity Act. As we endeavor to emerge from a global pandemic, I urge you to expediently advance the Community Immunity Act with a favorable report. We know the importance of widespread herd immunity (both localized and statewide) and the need to improve our public health infrastructure. Unfortunately, our current infectious disease prevention provisions leave gaping holes in our public health protections. The Community Immunity Act fixes the holes by creating the statutory immunization infrastructure our Commonwealth needs, without mandating vaccines or striking the religious exemption.  

Please help keep all of us safe and healthy, particularly people who are immunocompromised and rely on community immunity. Take action to report S.1517/H.2271 quickly and favorably out of committee.   

Thank you. 

Sincerely, 

[your full name] [your phone number (optional)] [complete address – street, city, state, zip] 

(Info from LWVMA) LWVMA is a member of the Drawing Democracy Coalition.  This Coalition is advocating for a fair and transparent redistricting process and for equitable maps that allow communities, especially BIPOC, low income, and immigrant communities, that have been underrepresented to elect people who represent their views.  As part of this Coalition, LWVMA has participated in monthly meetings with the Co-Chairs of the Special Joint Committee for Redistricting.  The purpose of these meetings is for the Drawing Democracy Coalition to provide input into the process and to find ways we can help engage the public in the process.  Ten public hearings are being held (started in April and will be conducted through the summer) providing the opportunity for the public and local officials to provide testimony about their communities that should be considered in the redistricting process.  LWVMA testified at the April 14 hearing.  You can read our testimony here.  

The 2021 Redistricting process has been quite challenging caused by the delay of the Census data release and the COVID pandemic precluding in person hearings and meetings.   The Special Joint Committee on Redistricting has shown flexibility by doing much of its work on parallel paths and making sure the public has many opportunities for their voice to be heard.  

Learn more about redistricting in Massachusetts by reviewing the materials in the People Powered Fair Maps toolkit or by going to the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting website.