LWVNY :: Areas of Advocacy

LWVNYS

EDUCATION FOUNDATION

OVERVIEW OF ADVOCACY AREAS

What is Action?

"Action is agitating, organizing, educating, pleading, and persuading" - said Carrie Chapman Catt, a leader of the women’s suffrage movement and founder of the League of Women Voters.
Today, action is whatever the League does to influence government officials to implement the League's program goals. Action is sending emails, writing letters, visiting public officials, mobilizing public support and testifying at hearings.

How does the League take Action?

NEW! All League action is taken in accordance with positions arrived at after study and a consensus process. League positions and the history of actions taken under these positions are found in IMPACT ON ISSUESUpdated 2012.

NEW! All action is taken to further our positions, with emphasis on those items contained in our
2013 Legislative Agenda Brochure. The League also takes action in coalition with other organizations; see our Coalition Membership List (Updated 7/2012)

Legislative Action Center

Legislative Action Center (1/14/2010)
A central part of the mission of the League of Women Voters is to encourage the active and informed participation of citizens in their government. Use our legislative action center find or to contact your elected officials, or to send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

To Get Involved

As an organization that operates and advocates at the local, state, and national levels, the League actively encourages individuals to get involved at all levels of government. Advocacy ranges from writing a letter to running a legislative campaign. If you would like to become more involved in League advocacy, Contact the State League office or phone us at 518-465-4162. Training will be provided to those who are new to the advocacy arena.

NEW! 2013 Full Legislative Packtet(3/2013)
The 2013 Legislative Packet has been distributed to all local Leagues. We ask all local Leagues to schedule a visit with the NYS Senator and Assemblymember to discuss our positions. Talking points on campaign finance reform, election law reform and the women’s equality agenda are included.

Lobby Day 2013 (2/5/2013)

Individual Advocacy Areas

EDUCATION

ELECTION LAW

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY

MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND GENDA

GOVERNMENTAL REFORM

HEALTH CARE

JUDICIAL

COURT SYSTEM
LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE INDIGENT
- CRIMINAL LEGAL SERVICES
- CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES

NATURAL RESOURCES

PAY EQUITY

TRANSPORTATION

Other League Legislative Action

NEW! Memo in Support S3412 (4/15/2013)
Amends the legislative law, in relation to prohibiting voting on legislation during certain times of the day.
League Signs On to Governor’s Women’s Equality Agenda (1/29/2013)
Good Government Groups Question Use of Message of Necessity (1/15/2013)
The Challenge of Mandate Relief in NYS (10/15/2012)
Educational forum co-sponsored by LWVNYS and the Rockefeller Institute on the issue of mandate relief with speakers, Robert Megna, NYS Budget Director; NYS Senator Betty Little; Tim Kremer, Executive Director of the NYS School Boards Assoc; and Stephen Acquario, Executive Director of NYS Association of Counties.

Groups Ask Both Assembly and Senate to Consider Rules Reforms (12/10/2010)
- Recommendations for Assembly Rules Reform
- Recommendations for Senate Rules Reform
Groups Urge Governor-Elect Cuomo to Use Executive Powers to Advance Consumer, Environmental, Health, Higher Education and Reform Issues (12/8/2010)
The League joined other groups in endorsing report entitled: Rebuild NY: 30 Steps the New Governor Can Take Immediately.
- Press Release
- Full Report of Rebuild NY
League Applauds Passage of Quadrennial Commission for Judicial Compensation (11/30/2010)
Testimony before the Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services (10/5/2010)
Remarks concerning permanent funding mechanisms to support affordable representation for the state’s low income persons.
Testimony before the NYS Senate Committees on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, Judiciary, Codes and Veterans and Military Affairs (12/16/09)
To address IOLA funding and the future of Civil Legal Services in NYS.
Testimony Before NYS Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance (6/8/2009)
Testimony Before the NYS Senate Temporary Committee on Rules Reform (2/10/2009)
LWV of Syracuse Metropolitan Area

Helpful Links for Transparency in NYS Government Information

Open Book NY-- Office of the State Comptroller
openbooknewyork.com
Project Sunlight – NYS Office of the Attorney General, A Public Integrity Initiative
sunlightny.com
SeeThrough NY— Empire Center for NYS Policy, A Project of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (1/28/2009)
seethroughny.net

Archived Press Releases

Archived Press Releases