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AAUW CA LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY

AAUW CA LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY. June, 2014 Sue Miller AAUW CA Public Policy Chair. WHY ADVOCACY?. In a democracy, we elect representative leaders who meet to discuss and enact legislation.

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AAUW CA LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY

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  1. AAUW CA LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY June, 2014 Sue Miller AAUW CA Public Policy Chair

  2. WHY ADVOCACY? In a democracy, we elect representative leaders who meet to discuss and enact legislation. We have the right and the responsibility to let our elected representatives know our positions on issues upon which they must vote.

  3. WHY ADVOCACY? Women’s rights are often inadvertently or deliberately disregarded in legislation and policy development, as nationally and in California women legislators are in the minority. AAUW is the leading women’s organization in the country, and makes advocacy a high priority. To make our advocacy more effective, AAUW organizes individual members to advocate on issues specific to women and children

  4. WHY ADVOCACY ? • AAUW CA employs a part-time Legislative Advocate to represent our positions on legislation. • To make our advocacy more effective, AAUW CA organizes individual members to advocate on issues specific to women and children.

  5. ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM AAUW CA surveys members in even-numbered years to obtain opinions about issues they consider important, and uses the results to develop Public Policy Priorities for two-year periods. The approved priorities become the guide for reviewing bills each year in the California Legislature.

  6. ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM Our lobbyist keeps members informed through creating Action Alerts, Facebook (www.facebook.com/aauwca) and Twitter messages (@aauwcalobbyist). Branches and members are encouraged to make contact with legislators, in the name of AAUW, regarding bills on which AAUW CA has taken a position.

  7. ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM However, branches may not take action on behalf of AAUW in the absence of state or national organization positions, including those on state initiatives, and are encouraged to first get background from your lobbyist at legislativeadvocate@aauw-ca.org and/or the AAUW CA bill tracking system on the state website.

  8. ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAM Advocacy takes patience. Making change is a complicated, challenging, often amorphous, non-linear, multi-factorial and lengthy process. Through our advocacy efforts, AAUW CA has been gaining more visibility with California legislators. Along with this comes credibility, but it takes work on the part of our membership – YOU!

  9. Major Issues in 2014 -2015 Equal Pay for Equal Work – Not Yet! • In California in 2011 the pay gap for women was 85% of what men earn. • The gap is worse for women of ethnicity. Black women in CA are paid 63 cents and Latinas just 44 cents per dollar paid to a male.

  10. Major Issues in 2014 -2015 • According to the LA Times, all of California’s women lose out on a total of nearly $37.7 billion annually. • Need action by Congress, passing the Paycheck Fairness Act.

  11. Major Issues in 2014 - 2015 Poverty is Growing in California • In recent years the California budget has been balanced by huge cuts in the “social safety net” – no change likely in 2014-15. • California has the highest poverty rate in the nation. One out of six Californians lives in poverty. • Over 22% of California children live in poverty.

  12. Major Issues in 2014 - 2015 More than two million Californians, including over 500,000 children, live in “deep poverty” – a family of four living on $16,500 a year of less. 29% of California’s women-headed households currently live below the federal poverty line.

  13. Major Issues in 2014 - 2015 The passage of SB 935 Leno, increasing the minimum wage, would help the working poor. Children living in poverty are especially vulnerable to trafficking for sex and labor. Significant investment is needed in critical programs for poor children.

  14. Major Issues in 2014 - 2015 TitleIX • Federal law states “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program of activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

  15. Major Issues in 2014 - 2015 • Compliance lags and is rarely monitored. • Enforcement of compliance is initiated upon filing of a complaint alleging violation of Title IX. • Title IX applies to all aspects of educational opportunities, not just athletics. Accommodating a pregnant student is getting new attention.

  16. Major Issues in 2014 - 2015 AB 2512 Bonilla and SB 2935 Jackson both deal with Title IX. Both have been amended in committee to be limited to athletics, however both are moving forward. Senator Hannah Beth Jackson has committed to hold a Hearing on Title IX in August 2014 (no date set).

  17. How Can Branches Support AAUW CA Advocacy? Follow the progress of California bills – actions are updated daily on state website. Respond to Action Alerts! Bills will soon be going to Governor Brown. Visit your legislator when in district. Plan an event for Women’s Equality Day, August 26, the anniversary of women getting voting rights in 1920.

  18. How Can Branches Support AAUW CA Advocacy? • Begin planning now to “Get Out the Vote” for the November election. • Find opportunities to register voters, at your local college, high schools. • Plan a branch program for October having to do with the election: hold a candidates night, or a program that educates about initiatives on the ballot. • Hold it at your local college.

  19. How Can Branches Support AAUW CA Advocacy? 501c3 branches must be more cautious in advocacy – 501c4 branches have more flexibility. Encourage branch members to partici-pate in the Every Member Survey about Public Policy this fall. Plan ahead for Equal Pay Day, April 14, 2015.

  20. How Can Branches Support AAUW CA Advocacy? Communicate! Have a Public Policy article in every newsletter. Communicate! AAUW CA Public Policy Committee members can be a resource to you, and will welcome your stories to share with other branches in CA. Let’s work together to make a difference for CA Women!

  21. Thank You for Being an AAUW CA Leader! • Keep in touch! • Facebook – AAUW California • Twitter - @aauwcalobbyist • Email – publicpolicy@aauw-ca.org • Website – www.aauw-ca.org • Public Policy • Bill Tracking

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