CPA News January 2004
DON’T MISS OUT…
The 2004 Progressive Agenda – Now Available on Amazon.com Progressive Solutions Built on American Values, the fourth edition in CPA's Progressive Agenda series, covers 50 topics, includes 60 model bills, and lays out more than 100 of the most innovative progressive solutions being debated and enacted in the states. New topics in this year’s edition include: prescription drug ethical marketing, electronic recording of interrogations, high road economic development, smart growth, minimum wage, universal health insurance, medical marijuana, and civil marriage equality. The book also includes a section offering 28 progressive options to close state budget deficits. The Progressive Agenda is available at www.amazon.com and individual briefs can be now accessed online.
PROGRESS ON POLICY…
New JerseyEnacts Law Expanding Rights of Same-Sex Couples
New Jersey became the fifth state to extend many of the rights of married couples to same-sex couples when Gov. Jim McGreevey signed the Domestic Partnership Act on January 12. This legislation, which overwhelmingly passed the Senate with a vote of 23-9, will provide domestic partners with access to medical benefits, insurance, and other legal rights. The law will also apply to unmarried heterosexual couples over the age of 62. To read more about New Jersey’s victory, click here. For CPA’s policy brief and model legislation on civil marriage equality, click here.
States Begin Legislative Sessions with Budget Concerns at the Top of the List
As legislators from 44 states head back to their capitols for 2004 legislative sessions, fiscal concerns will naturally weigh heavily on their agendas. CPA offers 28 progressive options to close state budget deficits, enabling state legislators to proactively address these problems. To access this information, as well as model legislation, click here.
CPA LEGISLATOR OF THE MONTH…Minnesota Senator John Hottinger
Facing a 4.2 billion dollar budget deficit and the governor’s proposed budget plan which would have dramatically cut important programs, Senate Majority Leader John Hottinger – together with a broad array of progressive advocates – championed a bold approach to protecting Minnesota’s quality of life during the 2003 legislative session. By framing the budget debate in terms of values, Hottinger and his colleagues implemented a creative strategy for persuading Minnesotans that raising revenues was essential to preserving their quality of life. Read more…
YOU SHOULD KNOW…
CPA Convenes 2004 Flemming Leadership Institute, January 2-5, 2004
The Institute recently held the first retreat for the members of its 10th annual class at the Don CeSar Beach Resort & Spa in St. Petersburg, FL. The Institute helps state legislators sharpen their understanding of their own values and how those values drive their decisions as elected leaders. Fellows engage in exercises to explore values-based communication, diversity, budgets as values statements and core values that can be used as a basis for building consensus and solving problems. Leading the group throughout the weekend were Former Montana Senator Steve Doherty (1997 Flemming Fellow) and Former Florida Representative Lori Edwards (1995 Flemming Fellow). The second retreat will be held at Aspen Wye River in Queenstown, MD on July 8-11, 2004. For more information, contact Maura Hutchens.
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH…www.nwlc.org
The National Women’s Law Center works to protect and advance not only the legal interests of women and girls, but also their health, education, employment and economic security. NWLC’s website serves as a one-stop shop for information on a variety of related topics, and allows the visitor to view publications, contact policy-makers, and obtain the latest research on relevant issues. The site’s easy accessibility and user-friendly format make this a powerful tool for anybody interested in progressive policy and women’s issues.
View Previous Editions of our Newsletter:
|May 2003 | June 2003 | July 2003 | August 2003 | September 2003 | October 2003 | November 2003 | December 2003|
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