Public Policy February 2017

By Carolyn Smith

CALLS TO ACTION

1. Call your FL House and Senate Representatives to support FL Senate 410 and House 319 (jointly called the Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Act).

These bills, aimed at closing the pay gap in Florida, have been filed by FL State Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando), FL House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz (D-Tampa), and FL Rep. Lori Berman (D-Lantana). PR release: these bills would close the pay gap by 1) “updating and clarifying Florida’s current law to ban employers from paying workers differently based on sex or gender”; by 2) delineating “which reasons employers can use to pay employees differently – things like education, skill-set, and experience”; 3) prohibiting “mommy tracking” and inquiries about or screening employees on their prior salary history. . . .” The bills would also increase civil penalties for violations.

Senate 410 is currently before four committees regarded as relevant to the issue of employment discrimination: Government Oversight and Accountability; Rules; Commerce and Tourism; and Judiciary. Duval’s District 6 Audrey Gibson is on the latter two. Please call her for support: 359-2553

2. Join the Equal Pay Day Rally, FL senate, Tallahassee, March 14, 2017, and /or AAUS-FL Lobby Days, March 13-15, 2017.

            For information, registration, rides, etc., contact Pat DeWitt, AAUW-FL State Public Policy: aauwfldewitt@gmail.com

3. Sign AAUW’s electronic postcard, aauw.org

This postcard, automatically forwarded to our respective FL representatives in US Senate and US House, demands that elected officials acknowledge women’s priorities as America’s priorities. You can add to the three priorities listed by AAUW. To be circulated within 100 days of the Million Women March.

4. Call US Senators to Vote NO on Sen. Jeff Sessions as Attorney-General and Betsy DeVos and Education Director.

Jeff Sessions has a history of voting against civil rights, including those for women. DeVos has never been a teacher, never attended a public school, and strongly supports charters and vouchers at expense of public schools.

5. Call US Senators to support the Protect American Families From Unnecessary Registration and Deportation Act of 2017.

            This act would prohibit the criminalization and federally-funded registry of individuals based on race, place of origin, religion, and/or ethnicity.

INFORMATION

1. Recent AAUW Actions:
2. National and Branch: Many members marched in Million Women March to send message that women’s rights are human rights.
3. National and coalition partners: Sent four letters to relevant Congressional members:
4. to oppose the global gag rule (blocking aid to foreign entities using their own funds to provide information about or services for legal abortions, a block that affects UNICEF, non-profits working to stop Ebola, malaria, and hunger, OXFAM, and other related groups).
5. to support DACA (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program).
6. to support equal access to CTE (career and technical educations programs).
7. to support the Protect American Families Act (sent Jan. 5 on behalf of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
8. National: praised Imeleme Umana (the first black woman to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review).

2. Recent Congressional Actions with some impact on women:
3. HR 7 (the gag rule on abortion resources, information, etc.) passed the House 238-183. Rutherford, Yoho: Yes. Lawson: No
4. Senate Confirmations:
5. Gen James Mattis, Sect. of Defense; Gen. James Kelly, Sect. Homeland Security; SC Gov. Nikki Haley, ambassador to UN. Senators Nelson and Rubio: Yes.
6. 2. Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo, Director CIA. Nelson, No; Rubio, Yes.
7. JKK Profile in Courage Award nomination: US Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) has nominated former acting Attorney-General Sally Yates for refusing to defend Trump’s executive order banning refugees and immigrants from 7 largely Muslim countries. For her refusal, Yates was fired.