Overview of Legislative and Programmatic. Advocacy and Activism

Transcription

1 Overview of Legislative and Programmatic Advocacy and Activism 2015

2 We are here today to look past and forward in a holy context. We will discuss the interfaith community connecting with justice in the Wesleyan tradition of social holiness - and provide a summary of what happened in the most recent and what is forecast for the forthcoming General Assembly session in Virginia. 2

3 Topics of Discussion Review our work together: Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women Update about what was accomplished in the past legislative session, and where VICPP s focus will be in the next session 3

4 The holy context of our work together. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy sprung from the heart and mind of the Virginia Council of Churches in In these 33 years we have sought to grow and to change with the demands of reaching out to the General Assembly to create change in public policy that draws upon our common core beliefs of our faith to love God and to love our neighbor. One of the powerful images of a United Methodist disciple is viewed in the words from an old Methodist hymn, Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the 1968 UM Hymnal. The stanza etched in the stone on the wall outside the chapel doors of Oxnam Chapel echo our commitment to act faithfully. Unite the pair so long disjoined, knowledge and vital piety, learning and holiness combined, let all men (and women) see. Using the mental and the spiritual resources fully, we engage the world to give witness of God s love and mercy to all God s children. 4

5 Francis Asbury Marker "Erected and Dedicated by the Methodists of Richmond, Virginia, October 27, 1921,The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of his landing in America. To the glory of God and in grateful memory of Francis Asbury Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America An apostle whose only home was his saddle, his parish the continent. With fervent love for his Lord and a zeal that never flagged this lifelong missionary sought the people in the van of the advancing pioneers, made strong the moral foundations of the Commonwealth, and built up the Kingdom of God. Carried from his bed, frail and spent, to the Methodist church which stood on this spot he preached, March 24, 1816, his last sermon. Marker is at the intersection of East Franklin Street and North 19th Street. 5

6 Virginia Holocaust Museum A few blocks away from Asbury s plaque are both the first Jewish Cemetery in Virginia and also the Jewish Holocaust Museum. We are sensitized all the more that at the Holocaust Museum was the place where the Westboro Baptist Church demonstrated their hate and vileness to a crowd of over 200 interfaith leaders who stood silently and received the onslaught of meanness that is a part of our world. The Virginia Interfaith Center helped organize the silent and peaceful response to this church. Jay Ipson told the crowd afterward that if in his country in WW II, there had been people of courage like those gathered on that day, it might have saved 100,000 of his countrymen and neighbors. His mother and her were the only survivors of 5,000 from his Lithuanian ghetto. 6

7 Lumpkin s Jail In the opposite direction from the Center s home base, just a little over 2 blocks is where once existed the infamous Lumpkin s Jail. Hardly noticed in the surroundings, it is the place of one of the most vile image of cruelty. About a quarter of a million human beings, African slave families, were processed through this jail to destinations that often meant splitting up families into different directions. This horrible symbol of slavery earned the nickname of Hell s Half Acre. But, later, after the war when Lumpkin died, his black wife gave the property to Virginia Union University, who in turn converted the jail into a seminary classroom. Hence, this site became renamed as Heaven s Half Acre. 7

8 Richmond Hill Yet another symbol, a more powerful and uplifting hopeful symbol is overlooking us and the city, just a few blocks up the hill from 21st street. This is the present location of the Richmond Hill Retreat Center. It came into existence as a non denominational place of prayer and retreat in the late 80 s. Previous to that, it had been a convent for the Sisters of the Visitation. After the Civil War ended, Catholic Bishop John McGill requested nuns from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, to pray for the devastated city as well as to educate girls. Today, this Richmond Hill Retreat Center is a beacon of light into the darkness of the city and surrounding counties. 8

9 Medicaid expansion (or closing the coverage gap) Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare ( Provides community education Advocates for health reform Works to close the coverage gap More people would get early care for preventable conditions The burden of medical debts on individuals and providers would be lessened More working parents, veterans, and students would be covered 9

10 What happened in the 2015 General Assembly session No coverage gap bills were passed. Expansion of the Governor s Access Plan for individuals with serious mental illness Outpatient mental health and primary care coverage for individuals with income at 60% or below the FPL ($7,602 for an individual) Projected benefit for up to 20,000 Virginians (almost 4,000 enrolled as of June 30) Funded at 50% by state and equal federal match 10

11 Additional funds allocation The General Assembly also added funds for the safety net providers: $4.1 M to community health centers and free clinics beginning July 1,

12 Meanwhile Virginia loses out on $4.4M/day in Federal dollars to close the coverage gap to uninsured Virginians between the ages of who are at 133% or below the FPL (100% = $11,670 annual income) 12

13 Other VICPP 2015 legislative initiatives: Earned income tax credit. Helps working families Legislation would refund the earned income tax credit to the families Encourages employment Lifts up low-income communities Infuses money back into the economy 2015 was not the year for the refund Del. Ken Plum and Sen. John Edwards introduced bills that never made it out of committees. 13

14 Raise the minimum wage Over the past 30 years, the poor have been getting poorer. While highest income earners saw wage increases by 10% during the recession, low-income earners dropped by 8%. Raising the minimum wage has bipartisan national support. Raising the wage to $10.10 over 3 years would help narrow the wage gap. 14

15 Minimum wage continued Six bills introduced in 2015 session Three in House of Delegates and three in Senate. All introduced by Democrats. Two bills (HB 1654-Plum and SB 681-Marsden) would have raised the minimum to $ Other bills were more generous. Opposition to raising the minimum wage comes primarily from small business owners. We will continue to work with our partners on this important initiatives. 15

16 Consumer finance protection (predatory lending) Support for 36% annual percentage rate cap on interest rates for payday and car title lenders. Limit on number of loans to borrowers Support of Consumer Finance Protection Bureau and their work on regulating payday and predatory loans 16

17 What happened with predatory loans in the 2015 General Assembly Session? Nothing. We work with others in the coalition: leaders are the Virginia Poverty Law Center. SB 945 (Senator John Miller) would have capped annual interest rate at 36%. Defeated in Committee (2 Y, 11 N, 1 A) The work continues.... Opposition is well-funded (on the backs of the poor) 17

18 Redistricting: Preparing for 2021 History of majority party s closed-door approach to drawing district lines to benefit the majority. The legislators choose their voters Bipartisan effort in the 2015 session Republican Senators Jill Vogel and John Watkins and Democratic Senator Louise Lucas all had bills that passed the Senate. No House bill passed, and the Senate bills died in the House. 18

19 What about the 2015 general elections in November? House of Delegates (all 100 seats up) 19 R and 16 D incumbents running unopposed Many seats have strong incumbents with minimal opposition (both parties) The Rs will maintain a strong majority (the Ds may pick up one or two seats) State Senate 9 R and 7 D incumbents running unopposed The Senate may swing back to the Dems or may stay Republican. Depends on turnout. 19

20 Consumer Finance Protection Bureau Federal agency created by Dodd-Frank bill 2010 Has taken action to help consumers harmed by discriminatory and deceptive auto lending practices Action against payday lenders and installment lenders for unlawful lending and collections practices Unlawful promises to service members Pressuring borrowers into debt traps Illegal tax refund schemes to Native Americans 20

21 Poverty and Hunger Programs VICPP is joining with the Center for American Progress and the Virginia Civic Engagement Table to produce an Anti-Poverty Summit to be held in the fall in Hampton Roads. VICPP is helping to lead a statewide anti-hunger effort with faith communities and partners, including the ELCA, the Office of the First Lady and the Virginia Poverty Law Center. The Center is working with Virginia Hunger Solutions of the Virginia Poverty Law Center and the Virginia Council of Churches to support the Virginia No Kid Hungry. W are enabling congregations throughout Virginia to understand what resources are available for hungry children and to empower them to participate in bridging the gap. We are teaming up with Bishop James Mauney from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in co-hosing a summit of interfaith religious leaders to grow the anti-hunger initiative. 21

22 What is the forecast for measures of importance to the interfaith community? Closing the coverage gap The Secretary of Health and Human Resources is working on two federal grants that may help to shore up state funding for anticipated state contributions to uninsured funding past If the Senate turns to a Democratic majority, we may have more of a fight. We need to continue to communicate the moral imperative to all politicians that is the provision of health care to all Virginians. 22

23 Forecasting Minimum wage increase Redistricting fairness so that voters get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around Payday lending? Juvenile justice reform? Parole reform? Violations of Americans with Disabilities Act for special needs students? Others? 23

24 VICPP Informational Documents July 2015 Accomplishments and Policy Priorities: 2014/2015 Policy Priority Brief: Priority-Brief-V7.pdf 2015 Faithful Engagement Report: June 2015 Update (scroll to Va. Interfaith Center-Virginia): July 2015 Update (scroll to Va. Interfaith Center-Virginia): 24