The 2025 Virginia General Assembly starts January 8^th (adjourns February 22^nd) and we work with many partners (e.g., Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), ARC of NoVA, Equality VA, Justice Forward VA, ACLU) who are working with legislators to craft legislation supporting our UU values. These partners need our help and we have responded by sending emails, making phone calls and even meeting in-person with state legislators to advocate for legislation….we are currently in the process of setting up meetings with four of our area legislators.

We have had several very successful years helping pass legislation enhancing environmental protections, voting rights, criminal justice reform, protection of LGBTQ+ rights, gun violence prevention, workforce protections, raising the minimum wage, and abolishing the Death Penalty. The last two years were tougher but we kept the pressure on the governor, forcing him to either sign or veto our good legislation. I think he will see a lot of that vetoed legislation back again this year.

As we get closer to the start of the session, we’ll share a spreadsheet showing the more significant pieces of legislation, which of our partners are pushing it, who the bill sponsors are, and its status. Our policy leads are:

Kate Heilig                                     LGBTQ+ Justice
Kate McDevitt                                LGBTQ+ Justice
Dean Wanderer                             Immigration Justice & Reform
Pat Bangs                                      Racial Justice
Dale Howell                                   Environmental Protection/Justice
Mary Kringer                                  Gun Violence Prevention, Voting
Elizabeth White                              Education
Ed Kringer                                      Criminal Justice Reform; Economic Justice, & DD

Accotink is known by our partners as a congregation who punches above its weight.   If you would like to have your voice heard, join the AUUC Advocacy Team so you can get information on advocacy opportunities.

AUUC is also heavily involved in advocacy at the Federal and local levels. At the Federal level, we work with Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) by participating in the Write Here/Write Now letter writing campaigns and meetings on Capitol Hill; locally, we actively support Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) on issues such as affordable housing and mental health. This work goes on all year long.

To become part of the AUUC Advocacy Team or to learn more about it, contact John P. or Ed K. 

 

Posted December 1, 2024.